A debate on The Agenda focusing on the big picture of Afghanistan. Will the surge work? Why are American soldiers providing the vast majority of the troops on the ground when some NATO alliance members are contributing nothing at all -- nearly a decade after the mission began? What is happening with Hamid Karzai's emotional statements reported in the media? Finally, what should Canada's role be in Afghanistan in the future?

See the show at http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=7&bpn=779764&ts=2010-04-16+20:00:00.0

The discussion includes:

Lewis MacKenzie is a Retired Major-General and President of Major-General MacKenzie Enterprises.

Roland Paris is University Research Chair in International Security and Governance at the University of Ottawa. He is also the founding director of the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University, and Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Najia Haneefi is President of Rabiha I Balkhi Women's Radio Station & Founder of Afghan Women's Political Participation Committee.

Sally Armstrong is a contributing editor at Maclean’s, and author of Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots: The Uncertain Fate of Afghanistan's Women.

It seems that discussion about Canada's role in Afghanistan after 2011 has reached the ends of the earth, with Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee founding member Zack Baddorf voicing his concern while working in Sudan. An excerpt of his op ed in the Vancouver Sun:

Afghanistan needs that same chance, but without peace, it won't be able to develop. I've read with dismay the news of Canadian political leaders announcing that Canadian troops will be returning home from Afghanistan without completing their mission.

I reported from Afghanistan in 2008 and believe we shouldn't abandon the country at this critical time. As a member of the Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee, I believe Afghans deserve peace, justice and stability.

The withdrawal of Canadian soldiers would deny Afghanistan its chance to prosper.

A consensus among political observers, military analysts and others has definitely emerged strongly over the past few weeks: the government has not thought out its current stated plan to withdraw from Afghanistan post-2011. From the Vancouver Sun:

A handful of Canadian soldiers will remain in Pristina until 2012 to support the Kosovo Security Force, yet if the rhetoric holds true, all 2,800 Canadian troops in Afghanistan will be home by July 2011.

It's an inconsistency lost on few military experts who suggest the massive withdrawal from Afghanistan, which remains far from secure, is both a bad idea and completely out of character for Canada.

Queen's University defence policy expert Douglas Bland calls it "bizarre" given Canada is still in places such as Cyprus and the Golan Heights 46 and 56 years after the fact, respectively.

"Decisions to leave usually have a rationale around it," Bland says.

"The decision to leave (Afghanistan) in 2011 is just an idea that's floating in space. It has no connection to anything. To relations with the U.S., relations with NATO, relations with the Afghan people . . . It has nothing to do with the context of the operation."

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for participating April 17th Conference” Keeping Our Promises". It is great to see our Afghan community along with other communities standing united for this common cause and demanding Ottawa to refocus its mission on Democracy Building, Literacy, Advance of Human rights. We believe together we can win this fight.

April 17th was the beginning of our collective teamwork to achieve this goal. Please stay connected with organizing committee as we are planning to hold several conferences and rallies for the support of this vital mission.CASC is holding such conference in other cities of Canada.

Please visit the website for the conference dates and locations and invite your friends in these cities to contact the local coordinators of the events and help them with organizing similar events.

Once again on behalf of Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee/ Organizing committee I thank you and we are hoping to see you all in our next conferences

Regards,Babur Mawladin
Coordinator-Chapter Toronto

For several weeks now, politicians, analysts, senators and others have been talking about the need to discuss Afghanistan post-2011. After all, what was the point of all that sacrifice if it looks like we may just withdraw everything after 2011, very likely before our objectives were achieved? A big part of the problem is that those objectives were never discussed by our politicians in a consistent manner. From the Toronto Star, here's historian Jack Granatstein:

“It’s simply extraordinary the way the government and the opposition and to a substantial extent you guys (the media) have just sat on your hands as if the issue is so difficult, so x hot that no one has the courage to raise it,” he said in an interview.

“We’ve spent so much money, so much blood and I think done substantial good and now we just appear to be tossing it away,” he said.

A little later in the story, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff also presses this point:

“There has been discussion for a long time about civil, humanitarian work, all kinds of stuff, but let’s be clear what that might be. Canadians are entitled to know exactly what the Canadian presence after 2011 should be,” Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said after Clinton’s comment.

“Our party is willing to have a debate about that. But it’s the absence of any clarity from the government on this issue which is the question,” he said.

But what Ignatieff is saying is actually part of the problem. Yes, there does need to be a debate. But why wait for the government to enunciate a clear position? Why not simply clarify the Liberal position on Canada's role in Afghanistan post-2011? What exactly would you like to see, Mr. Ignatieff?

Do you want to see Canadian Forces trainers providing tactical training to the Afghan National Army? Do you want to have us provide strategic consultations with NATO and the Afghan government based on our extensive experience in Kandahar? What about some security for our civilian aid projects, so that our humanitarian workers don't need to rely on Mongolian troops to protect them from Taliban hit squads? All of these seem like rational, sensible ideas. Are you on board with them? Aside from the army, what do you see for Canada's other priorities in Afghanistan, such as  in democracy and justice institution building?

We're still waiting for all the parties to start staking out their positions. This is long, long overdue.

Date & Time:
Tuesday April 27thTime: 7-9pm

Location:
Telus Centre on the University of Alberta campus (87 Avenue NW & 112 St NW, Edmonton)

Presenting:
H.E. Jawed Ludin, Afghanistan's Ambassador to Canada
Terry Glavin, award-winning writer, journalist and founding member of CASCNajia Haneefi, Founder of the Women's Political Participation Committee (Afghanistan)
Lauryn Oates, Canadian human rights and education activist

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