[DoyleG]

$1:

An ad placed in Wednesday's Windsor Star newspaper is causing some controversy on Remembrance Day.

The full-page ad, printed on the last page of the sports section, lists the names of the 133 Canadian soldiers who have died since 2002 while serving in Afghanistan.

Titled "Lest We Forget," it also describes the war in Afghanistan as one "with no end in sight," and calls on the federal government "to bring our troops home," saying "the pain and sorrow of those who lost loved ones through death or injury can never be measured."

The ad was paid for by the Canadian Auto Workers Local 444, a union that represents 17,500 active and retired members at a variety of companies including Chrysler Canada Inc. and Caesars Windsor casino.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/windsor/story/ ... 91111.html

[ridenrain]

The left and it's union supporters have always been very clear that their against the war, and they have the right to place the add. I don't agree with it and it just cements my belief that the left dosen't understand foreign policy.

From all his talk, Jack would have us out of Afghnaistan and knee deep in a Darfur or Somolia quagmire by now. As soon as we met some resistance and took casualties we'd leave, proving our cause was false and our comittment was weak. It's just more of the "soft power" stupidity.

[PluggyRug]

I wonder if the CAW has a stash of blue paint they want to sell.

[gigs]

No surprise from the Clowns Assholes and Wimps.

[herbie]

So what's controversial about the ad?

[Zipperfish]

The end in sight is 2011 for Canadian troops, is it not?

[Lemmy]

It's not the left that's against the war...it's the realists, and we fall on left and right of the CPC. Afghanistan hasn't a "left vs right" division. It has a "CPC vs non-CPC" division. And the reason we don't support continued involvement in Afghanistan comes from the fact that we DO understand foreign policy, not to mention history.

[ridenrain]

The add was from a union and unions usually don't support the Liberals. The NDP has always been against the war, unlike the Liberals who put us there in the first place. Remember it was only a couple years back that almost all the Liberals were for the Manley comission and the mission extention to 2011.

[Lemmy]

ridenrain ridenrain:

The add was from a union and unions usually don't support the Liberals. The NDP has always been against the war, unlike the Liberals who put us there in the first place. Remember it was only a couple years back that almost all the Liberals were for the Manley comission and the mission extention to 2011.

I'm not talking about a couple of years back. A couple of years back, most of us supported the mission, across all parties (including a lot NDPs) and across the political spectrum. We're smarter now.

[ridenrain]

Military operation of this size can't run on the results of a popularity poll, nor should it. Just like the Union and the NDP, your entitled to an opinion but by parliament, Canadian troops leave in 2011.

[Lemmy]

ridenrain ridenrain:

Military operation of this size can't run on the results of a popularity poll, nor should it. Just like the Union and the NDP, your entitled to an opinion but by parliament, Canadian troops leave in 2011.

Yes, absolutely true. And that's a shame. Since 2002 we've lost, approximately, one Canadian per month in Afghanistan. These next 18 months or so means 18 brave, skilled, loved Canadians' lives will be lost with ZERO benefit. That price is too high. Our young men and women are more valuable to us than that.

[ridenrain]

Was the mission more valuable or were the lives of Canadian soldiers cheaper when the Liberals were still in charge?
I respect the NDP's position because they were always on one side and the CPC has always been on one side. The Liberals put us there then moved us into direct combat roles but now after Martin, they flip flop between support and retreat on almot a daily basis.

[Lemmy]

I can only say 2 things: 1. I thought the war was the right thing a few years ago; 2. Now I realize that was a mistake and our involvement in Afghanistan must be ended immediately. The only people that seem to disagree with #2 are the CPC. A flip-flop is a good thing when you're flipping from "wrong" to "right".

[ridenrain]

You dodged my question though. How many Canadian soldiers lives did you think this was worth? I guess when that number is reached, the sacrifice of those troops, the wounded and the families is cast aside as another failed plan?

I think your simply playing politics with these peoples lives.

[Lemmy]

That's a difficult question to answer. The reason is that its 2009 so I have the advantage of retrospect. In retrospect, one Canadian life was too many, given the value of this mission in terms of its results.