(no subject)
According to the Government of Canada website, the reason for Canada's involvement in Afghanistan is:
"Canada is working with the international community to provide the security and stability necessary for the systematic reconstruction of the country. Canada's most extensive concentration of resources abroad is in Afghanistan, involving co-ordinated investments through development assistance, defence and diplomacy."
Isn't it strange how in rebuilding a country, there has been so much death? So far, in 2007 there have been 22 Canadian deaths. And last year? 37, one of which was a diplomat. 126 soldiers have been wounded, by mortar attacks, suicide attacks, traffic accidents, rocket attacks, firefights, roadside bombs, axe attacks, LAV II crashes, wagon rollovers, and of course, who could forget, friendly fire. When we take a step back and look at what has been accomplished over the years, one would like to think after 126 injuries and 59 deaths there would be quite a bit, right?
RAHMAT GUL, teacher: In our village, security has actually improved a bit. But living conditions haven't changed much. People are poor, there are no jobs and the crop is poor because of lack of water.
I have a job as a teacher and my salary is about US$60. It is not enough to maintain my family.
Unfortunately, not much has been done in our village. Out biggest problem is water. We just don't have enough water to irrigate our land.
We had two wells when you last visited us. Since then, the government has dug out two more wells.
Inflation has gone up and food costs more in the market.
A bag of flour used to cost 900 Afghanis ($19) two years ago, today it costs 1400 Afghanis (US$30). Five kilograms of vegetable oil used to cost 200 Afghanis (US$4) two years ago, now it costs 340 Afghanis (US$7). Beef costs more too - from 120 Afghanis (US$2.5) for a kg of meat two years ago, it has now gone up to 200 Afghanis (US$4)
The government did build a canal, which passes through the village, but it does not help irrigate our land. The water is of no use to us - there is no way we can channel it from there to our lands.
There have been a few minor achievements though - when you visited us last, we did not have electricity. Now a generator has been installed in the village, which supplies us with electricity for five hours between 7 pm and 11 pm every day. We have to pay 75 Afghanis ($1.55) for every light bulb a month."
Well, there we have it. After all this death, and with our "most extensive concentration of resources", we have been able to help them get a television for five hours.
There is no accurate number of Afgan casualties, there are no records of how many civilians are killed by soldiers, both American and Canadian. What has been reported is mass slaughter, soldiers firing on anyone they see, killing entire families of people. But of course, afterwards, this is denied, although no numbers are reported either.
This whole situation makes me sick. This entire situation wouldn't be happening had September 11th not happened. The Taliban controlled everything for a long time, they were always controlling using brutalitiy and no one got involved until they came to America. It makes me ashamed to be Canadian, because Canadians are known for their compassion, their sympathy, their kindness in situations when everyone else isn't being so kind and the damaged areas don't have any supplies. People brag about how different we are in comparison to Americans, but really... are we? We need to stop the terror now and try to reclaim some of the qualities we used to be recognized for.
Please visit outnow.ca to sign a petition to end Canada's involvement in Afghanistan.
Rahmat Gul interview
Casualties in Afghanistan
"Canada is working with the international community to provide the security and stability necessary for the systematic reconstruction of the country. Canada's most extensive concentration of resources abroad is in Afghanistan, involving co-ordinated investments through development assistance, defence and diplomacy."
Isn't it strange how in rebuilding a country, there has been so much death? So far, in 2007 there have been 22 Canadian deaths. And last year? 37, one of which was a diplomat. 126 soldiers have been wounded, by mortar attacks, suicide attacks, traffic accidents, rocket attacks, firefights, roadside bombs, axe attacks, LAV II crashes, wagon rollovers, and of course, who could forget, friendly fire. When we take a step back and look at what has been accomplished over the years, one would like to think after 126 injuries and 59 deaths there would be quite a bit, right?
RAHMAT GUL, teacher: In our village, security has actually improved a bit. But living conditions haven't changed much. People are poor, there are no jobs and the crop is poor because of lack of water.
I have a job as a teacher and my salary is about US$60. It is not enough to maintain my family.
Unfortunately, not much has been done in our village. Out biggest problem is water. We just don't have enough water to irrigate our land.
We had two wells when you last visited us. Since then, the government has dug out two more wells.
Inflation has gone up and food costs more in the market.
A bag of flour used to cost 900 Afghanis ($19) two years ago, today it costs 1400 Afghanis (US$30). Five kilograms of vegetable oil used to cost 200 Afghanis (US$4) two years ago, now it costs 340 Afghanis (US$7). Beef costs more too - from 120 Afghanis (US$2.5) for a kg of meat two years ago, it has now gone up to 200 Afghanis (US$4)
The government did build a canal, which passes through the village, but it does not help irrigate our land. The water is of no use to us - there is no way we can channel it from there to our lands.
There have been a few minor achievements though - when you visited us last, we did not have electricity. Now a generator has been installed in the village, which supplies us with electricity for five hours between 7 pm and 11 pm every day. We have to pay 75 Afghanis ($1.55) for every light bulb a month."
Well, there we have it. After all this death, and with our "most extensive concentration of resources", we have been able to help them get a television for five hours.
There is no accurate number of Afgan casualties, there are no records of how many civilians are killed by soldiers, both American and Canadian. What has been reported is mass slaughter, soldiers firing on anyone they see, killing entire families of people. But of course, afterwards, this is denied, although no numbers are reported either.
This whole situation makes me sick. This entire situation wouldn't be happening had September 11th not happened. The Taliban controlled everything for a long time, they were always controlling using brutalitiy and no one got involved until they came to America. It makes me ashamed to be Canadian, because Canadians are known for their compassion, their sympathy, their kindness in situations when everyone else isn't being so kind and the damaged areas don't have any supplies. People brag about how different we are in comparison to Americans, but really... are we? We need to stop the terror now and try to reclaim some of the qualities we used to be recognized for.
Please visit outnow.ca to sign a petition to end Canada's involvement in Afghanistan.
Rahmat Gul interview
Casualties in Afghanistan