Mark C said:
I'm not bitter in the least. I am simply distressed that the general Canadian public are so abjectly
navel-gazing that the vast majority don't remember why we are in Afghanistan in the first place,
The average Canadian isn't living with this on a daily basis, aside from whatever coverage the media
deigns to give us on Afghanistan. Which often isn't very much. Yes people do forget, the terror of September 11th
is gone, especially as it didn't happen here, but this '
forgetfullness'is an intrinsic coping mechanism,
such as women quickly forgetting the pain of child birth. W would go insane if every pain and terror stayed
foremost in our minds.
What coverage there is tends to highlight the fallen and wounded soldiers, civilian deaths, and other
negative aspects. There isn't much positive information out there, I've not heard much through the
media about the reconstruction, the freedom of some girls to go to school now, women being able to
work again. It's a far off war in a far off land with no apparent relevance to Canada, and we are continually
bombarded with the 'fact' that it is an impossible war to win. There's not much said about the need to keep
the Taliban out so that it is not once again a safe refuge for terrorists, so that they have one less place to
attack from.
Add to this the fact that it has been linked, erroneously yes, but nonetheless linked, with the war in Iraq.
We have one whole party spouting off crap about it being the wrong mission for Canada, that they care
for our soldiers and want to bring them home, and some moronic nitwits yapping about Africa and that
we should be there instead. I know there are a lot of people who just don't care but there are also a lot
who do trouble is we are ill-informed and misinformed.
Mark C said:
nor does the social collective have a clue we as a nation stand for.
This is sad. Some people I've talked to just don't see why we should help Afghanistan as "they are nothing to
do with us,they don't live here, let them fight there own battles." Apparently the suffering of others
and the fact we all share the same planet isn't important.
Mark C said:
It sometimes makes me wonder what I've devoted my entire adulthood to. 26 years in the infantry,
and it seems that all I can do is preach to the converted.
It is on this site listening,( well reading technically) to soldiers that I have gained most of my information
on the war in Afghanistan, the desire of soldiers to be there, their insights, their experiences,the good
that is being done. I wouldn't get the information elsewhere. Please keep preaching.
Mark C said:
The majority of Canadians simply "don't get it". That is bizarre. It is also frustrating.
But above and beyond that, it is foremost scary. Sheep (as a nation) to the slaughter.....
Aside from alot of misinformation, there is also the desire to remain at peace and the lack of belief
that others do not want the same thing. Most cannot conceive of people willing to go to war just to get rid
of those who do not have the same religious beliefs. Or whatever other reasons that drive the extremists.
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