Photograph by: Ottawa Citizen
There’s a great article in the Edmonton Journal today about Afghanistan’s ambassador to Canada, Jawed Ludin, who says that the endless discussion about the treatment of Afghan detainees is terribly pointless.
“It’s a terrible waste of time, unfortunately.
“I’m very, very upset that the Parliament in Ottawa is so focused on this. First of all, it talks about a long time ago. If there weren’t any problems in Afghanistan, if there wasn’t human rights violations, if our police and prisons were perfect, why did we need your help? That’s why you’re there, helping us.”
The fact is that the entire Afghan detainee controversy is an odious piece of political gamesmanship perpetrated by the opposition parties. The truth is that despite what the opportunists tell you, everything about Afghanistan is better since western forces began helping, including “torture”.
The infamous NDS, says Mr.Ludin, has come a long way in recent years. And he also says that such debates may “tarnish the reputation” of Canadian soldiers abroad.
Do you think so? When you shout “torture” and “war crimes” a whole lot, I imagine that would have a tendency of happening.
And, Mr.Ludin said, the problem with obsessing on the Afghan detainees nonsense is that we’ve lost focus on the mission completely.
“We need discussion in Canada about where Afghanistan is going, how important it is that Canada supports us and how important it is that the support continues in some shape or form. That discussion is not happening because this story has totally dominated discussion in Parliament.”
I can only imagine some Afghans looking at the Ottawa press corp witch hunts and wondering why we’re volunteering to spend all of our energy on sympathy for an enemy who hasn’t even made a formal complaint of torture in the first place. Meanwhile, nary a peep about the men in black turbans who continue to earn a living by burning down girls schools and storing vials of acid for women who step out of their burqas.
Nice try, maggot.
The issue is Harper new, Didn’t give a damn, then lied.
No, I take that back; piss poor try…maggot.
What does any of this have to do with the fact that the Afghan detainee issue is irrelevant, insignificant, inconsequential rubbish?
Harper new? LOL
Key point.. no formal accusation of torture by those supposedly tortured.
Investigating gossip.
Of coarse there was torture, only a liberal fool would ever convince himself otherwise, but hey that’s culture for ya and it’s sacrosanct according to Liberals to condemn other cultures or force our ways on them.
Can’t have it both ways lefties.
You can go back to ignoring the stoning of women in the middle east and slaughter of villages in China now while you dream up the next attack on the people to whom you owe your freedom.
Nice try maggot? Wow. So does that mean your ok with the attrocities these people do to Afghanistan? And I guess that further implies you support terrorism. By the way new is spelled knew.
And your wrong Harper cares about Afghans.Like any country there are people who are violent and people who are victims. You support the evil and sane Canada supports the good people of Afghanistan who have to live with this on a daily basis. Shame on you and your awful soul.
The Afghan ambassador weighing in on this matter affords the needed perspective toward the parties’ proposals due in two weeks’ time.
The original and ongoing purpose of our CFs mission is not being served whatsoever by the opposition parties sole focus on obtaining the restricted documents. While they believe they’ve scored points for democratic debate in Canada with the ruling — and they have, the standing gov’t has repeatedly in the HoC pointed out the security issues of our serving forces, not to mention Afghan citizens who’ve cooperated in measures to resist Taliban violence, more lives will come under threat. Reports indicate that right now as we discuss, probably the most intensive mission to date is underway with American reinforcements.
It is to be hoped that Canadians and party leaders keep that in mind when they draw up their proposals as to why or why not these documents are a priority. The release of which could compromise the critical, maybe even final determining mission now underway.
Balance the Taliban record of atrocities against Afghanistan’s sovereign right to attend to its detainee captures, and the obvious priority emerges — the purpose of the mission as supported by the former Liberal administration is to secure the ground against self-professed killers of their own populations and prior to that the record of planning terrorism across global jurisdictions.
Great reporting and focus, Adrian.
What I never get an answer on is the use of bomb sniffing dogs to protect our troops and Afghanis from the IEDs? If cultural sensitivity is the explanation, then that’s a poor excuse.
Robert,
You are a maggot, anyone who goes against the troops should be banished to the Taliban, especially when it’s for partisan gain. There is a code here, don’t do anything that could smear the troops. That code my friend will bury Ignatieff and his band of Taliban lovers. You’re sick you little piece of crap.
Now now, Darrell. Let’s not besmirch the good name of crap by comparing it to Robert.
First, the issue has long been the fact Harper is conducting himself like a dictator. Most people are not as concerned about what is in the documents as they are about the fact Harper is unlawfully withholding them. All he had to do was comply in the first place and this probably would have blown over by now.
Second, I am not impressed the ambassador for a government that supports torture tells us to stop worrying about that. I do not want our soldiers over there fighting for a government that tortures people. Period.
Third:
“The truth is that despite what the opportunists tell you, everything about Afghanistan is better since western forces began helping, including “torture”.”
Who says it isn’t?
Fourth, I am beginning to think you really care more about how this affects Harper than you do about anything else. Your continuing insistence on mis-stating the issue is one reason for that. Your refusal to call upon Harper to release the documents a long time ago is another.
“Fourth, I am beginning to think you really care more about how this affects Harper than you do about anything else. ”
Gayle,that seems to be the ONLY thing you care about. If it doesn’t affect Harper in a negative way,you don’t even bother posting.
It’s refreshing to hear the opinion of one of the people we’re trying to help over there,instead of the constant carping of the Toronto peacenik crowd.
Canadian politicians wring their hands over the bitch slapping of one Taliban terrorist in a Country where dozens are being murdered every day.
It’s like that line in the movie,”charging someone with murder in this Country is like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500″.
Great post. Yes the obsession from our opposition politicians on this subject at the expense of the bigger issues is typical.
All three parties voted against the mission extension.
The difference is the media has equally participated in ignoring the reality, zero discussion on exit plan and good works.
I’m working on a new one right now that I think you’ll like that expands more on the idea of Liberal opportunism.
Ok. I’ll spill it. Here’s what happened. Canadian soldiers handed over detainee’s to the Afghan army and police. Some were tortured, some probably murdered. This happened under Chretien and Harper’s watch. I would imagine that both new, and, I would imagine that both PM’s and Hillier worked inside both the political and military arena’s to put an end to it, because, as Canadians thats what we stand for. I would also imagine the the General told both PM’s that it would continue to happen because we just could not monitor every prisoner every hour. Now, I cannot be 100% sure but, I’m 99% sure, and, like the Somalia affair and the great PM Jean Chretien I would like this PM to do exactly like Mr Chretien did and shut down this insane political pandering gong show. Problem is, the Con supporters demanded an inquirey into Somalia, and, now the Libs are demanding one into Afghanastan. Question is, why was it ok to defend our soldiers in the Somalia affair and shut down poor judgement by the Cons, but, now its ok to toss the men and women fighting in Afghanastan under a tank? The Somalia Affair cost the Reform/Cons credibility because it questioned the motives of on the ground soldiers. Liberals are just as lost on Afghanastan. I have 5 friends who live 45 minutes from my house who are serving right now in Afghanastan, and, they would crawl across barbed wire to tell anyone who would listen that they were FORCED to hand over detainee’s to be tortured and murdered. No secret can go for that long without some honest man or woman serving in our Forces speaking up. Sorry Gayle, but, Chretien and Harper have it right.
If Harper is a dictator Gayle, you better hope your words don’t put you in a camp somewhere…
Oh wait, that is what your crowd does to silence dissent.
Hey Robbie, sweetheart – face it – the Liberals KNEW (not new – learn to spell)and DID NOTHING!!!!!
Once Harper DID know, he changed it – and now you lefties are placing blame onto him rather than onto the real criminals – the Liberal party who sat back and in order to not be too “American”, chose to look the other way.
Hypocrites and Liars – the lot of you – helped along by the left leaning media.
Gayle “First, the issue has long been the fact Harper is conducting himself like a dictator”
Just how is he “conducting” himself like a dictator. Typical leftie talking points, Gayle
I await your response.
By refusing to release the documents to Parliament. As the Speaker pointed out yesterday, he is supposed to be accountable to Parliament, and thus has no right to withhold the documents. Dictators get to rule without accountability – not Prime Ministers.
Yeah – like abusing our position in government to ban people from our country.
Oh no wait…