Should Canada Be In Afghanistan?

by keerthana101 (student)

Should Canada Be In Afghanistan? The topic of Canadians participating in the Afghan war is a very controversial subject. I believe that Canadians should step up and become peace-makers and make a change for the citizens being controlled by the Taliban because it would improve our reputation, improve the Afghan economy, and we need to protect national and international security. Firstly, this participating in this war will have a positive effect on Canada’s reputation. According to the National Post newspaper, Canada is known as a soft, outmoded peace-keeping country. Instead of this, we will create a new image

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of Canada as the helpful, hardy, peace-making country. By improving our reputation, Canada can come out of America’s shadow and have a much more positive and influential lead over others. This will prove that Canada is an active country, not a follower. It shows that Canadians have a big heart to care and make a difference in the world. According to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada's involvement in Afghanistan is "certainly raising Canada's leadership role, once again, in the United Nations and in the world community where we used to have an important leadership role." Therefore, by participating in the Afghanistan mission, Canada’s reputation was elevated. Another reason to send troop into Afghanistan is that it will allow us to assist the country in making it self-supporting. By going into Afghanistan, we can create a democratic government, improve women’s rights, make a safe environment for the civilians as well as improve Afghanistan’s economic status by helping them make use of their resources such as oil, natural gas, and copper. Benjamin Zyla, a German PhD student in the War Studies Program at the Royal Military College of Canada agreed to the fact that going into Afghanistan can allow us to improve their economy. This quote from the Bible, “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime” is similar to this concept of how we can help Afghanistan. We can teach this country to be self-reliant and the entire country will be more stable and will become a much better place to live. Finally, Canadians should assist NATO in the Afghan war because we need to eliminate the enemy in their own backyard before they enter ours. According to Stephen J. Mariano, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, and Visiting Defence Fellow at the Centre for International Relations, Canada is on the al Qaeda’s most hated nation’s list hence we must bring down the Taliban. Even if we leave Afghanistan, the war will not stop, but continue. Afterwards, the Taliban and the al Qaeda may invade neighbouring nations in Central Asia or attack other countries which will be a threat to international security. If we take them down beforehand, they will no longer be a threat to international security, and as Prime Minister Stephen Harper said, “Canada must do its part to protect national and international security”. In conclusion, Canada should fight alongside NATO in the war of Afghanistan to protect our reputation, the country of Afghanistan and the world.