The Afghanistan peace mission

Sergeant Martin Goudreault -- see yesterday's post -- was not the only soldier to die in Afghanistan yesterday. Seven Americans were killed along with troops from two "other" countries for a total of ten. A bad day for the coalition.

Let's ask ourselves again: why are we there? If you can't come up with the politically correct answer, you have only to ask the Canadian government, the one headed by "Call me Steve" Harper. He'll tell you it's not war, stupid; it's development!

The Canadian Press has uncovered documents showing Harpoon's Tory toadies systematically drafted “Message Event Proposals” as part of a quiet campaign to persuade Canadians their country was primarily engaged in development work to rebuild a shattered nation.

In 2007-8, when the death toll of Canadian troops reached double digits, they used MEPs to literally script the utterances of top diplomats, aid workers and cabinet ministers. The purpose was of course to convince the Canadian public that we weren't hunting terrorists, but helping the poor and oppressed people of Afghanistan -- especially all those women who are being held in illiteracy and virtual bondage.

The MEPs are little gems of other direction. Obviously the goal was to keep the public from realizing that we were losng, by "refocusing...towards development, reconstruction and diplomatic efforts". That's a line from an MEP prepared by the Privy Council Office, the bureaucratic wing that serves the Prime Minister’s Office. It was to be spoken by
Arif Lalani, then the Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan, in a 2008 media tour.

The records also reveal how the government went so far as to write identical sets of quotes and talking points for two returning aid workers, who were supposed to be giving separate interviews on their "personal perspective" on "progress" in Afghanistan.

One of the MEPs is headed: “First-hand accounts by Canadians who have lived and worked in Afghanistan add credibility to Canada’s role,” states one MEP. Helene Kadi, in Kandahar from September 2006 to August 2007, was cleared to do several interviews. But Kadi’s MEP contained the same "key messages" -- word for word -- as one prepared for another CIDA employee, whose own "personal perspective and reflections" were scripted for him.

On Feb. 12, 2008, returning CIDA manager Kevin Rex gave an interview to the Airdrie Echo, an Alberta Weekly. Each of the separate MEPs for Kadi and Rex specified the same "key message": "As a returned CIDA field staff, I have seen and experienced first-hand the accomplishments and results achieved in Afghanistan, thanks to Canada’s role in that country." Other messages were repeated -- verbatim -- by both Rex and Kadi.

Why does the Canadian government keep pushing out this putried and patently dishonest propaganda? Because the notoriously controlling and stubborn Harpoon doesn't want to admit that he was wrong to extend the mission until 2011.

Why don't the Liberals call them on this? Because the Liberals got us into the mess in the first place, as a sop to the Americans for not joining in the aggression in Iraq. Besides, the left wing of the Liberal Party of Canada -- currently pulling very hard on the strings of County Iggy -- actually believes this "we're only there to help" guff!

And why do the mainstream media keep printing and airing this bullshit? Because they live in fear of the wrath of Harper and in the thrall of political correctness. They don't want to be seen as "unpatriotic" or "soft on terrorism". So they -- hello, Don Cherry! -- keep rabbiting on about how brave our troops are and what a great job they're doing making Afghanistan a better place.

Wake up, Canadians! You're being conned!

Worth reading: "The price we pay for a government of fear", by Jeffrey Simpson, in today's Globe and Mail.