Question Our Role in Afghanistan

Questioning truth is a fundamental function of a free society. When it comes to the question of remaining free and living in a just society, all Canadians agree that having open and honest dialogue between policy makers and citizens is a fundamental aspect of remaining free. Canadians have had a strong history of being active in this regard however politicians and policy makers have been slow to respond.

As the War in Afghanistan approaches its 10th year now is the time to have a full public inquiry which will asses the cause, our goals and the progress of the war. Without and accurate measurement of the war campaign how can Canadians be assured that we are not committing ourselves to a never ending occupation.

Canadian service men and women valiantly serve our country without question. However, it is the duty of Canadians to ask tough questions regarding our role in the war and how the mission started. A full holistic national inquiry is needed to answer many unanswered questions such as:

• During a time of crisis, why was the control of our airspace taken away from a joint team effort involving Canadians to a command structure answerable only to the US executive office?
• What did Canadian officials know in the build up to alleged terrorist attacks aboard?
• Has the curtaining of our civil liberties truly made us safer from domestic threats or has it made us more venerable to domestic corruption within government?
• New evidence from a variety of both traditional intelligence gathering sources and non-traditional sources have arisen, has this new information been incorporated into our understanding of alleged terrorist networks?
• Does the government distinguish between threats abroad and threats which are domestic?
• When will we let the Afghan people decide the fate out their our country without foreign intervention?
• Will Canadian overseas assets be used to assist potential American or Israeli conquests in Iran or Pakistan?
• Has our overseas policies emboldened once underfunded and unorganized groups like Al-Quada or the Taliban?
• Have the concerns of citizens' groups questing for truth been addressed?

The war Afghanistan has cost our country greatly; however the true burden of this cost not been a financial one but a cost on the families of soldiers and the Afghani people themselves. Only can a National inquiry truly asses these costs. A holistic approach which includes all evidence 10 years prior to the war, evidence that was collected during the almost 10 years of war and an future assessment of the next 10 years must be taken into account.

Various citizen groups across the country and across the world have stood up and demanded truth? When will it be time for Canadian Politicians to answer the call? The Canadian Action Party will always support the side of the inquiring mind no matter how troubling the answers may be. Canadian soldiers have served us, now it is time for the Canadian public to provide them a service by enacting a full inquiry of our role overseas and the cause of it. The Canadian Action Party and it's supporters will settle for no less.