tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022452485619502579.post5338357142533648668..comments2024-03-28T09:38:52.661-04:00Comments on thwap's schoolyard: The Wit and Wisdom of Damian Brooksthwaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15399550285738440669noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022452485619502579.post-47743009759649588002009-12-14T20:36:26.283-05:002009-12-14T20:36:26.283-05:00That's true. There are more options than &quo...That's true. There are more options than "keep killing and dying for a discredited puppet government" and "leave them to their fate."<br /><br />Canada could start spending the money it should have been spending almost a decade ago, if the perpetrators of this "mission" had been at all serious about rebuilding that country.thwaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15399550285738440669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022452485619502579.post-32352835924720095832009-12-14T20:17:51.430-05:002009-12-14T20:17:51.430-05:00It's always a "partisan issue" when ...It's always a "partisan issue" when the going gets tough...<br /><br />Damian Brooks has forgotten three things:<br /><br />1) Canadian troops were detaining a <i>lot</i> of people, to the point where a significant fraction of the detainees were innocent. Sure, the troops were probably assuming that the Afghan officials would separate the innocent from the real suspects. Too bad the Afghan officials turned to torture so readily...<br /><br />2) What are the chances of the International Criminal Court going after individual rank-and-file soldiers for war crimes? Zero, because it is too hard to track everything that everyone did. The only ones at risk of prosecution are Harper, a few cabinet ministers, and possibly a few generals. (Besides, isn't it convention for those in charge to be held responsible?)<br /><br />3) The departure of Canadian troops will not help, but the presence of Canadian troops will not help either. Withdrawing Canadian troops will reduce the risk to their lives and reduce the waste of money and equipment necessary to support their deployment. <br /><br />Furthermore, discontent and hatred of NATO is growing in Afghanistan due to collateral damage and civilian casualties. Withdrawing Canadian troops will reduce the risk of Canada being a target of someone seeking revenge in the future. <br /><br />(Of course, if Canada was not in Afghanistan in the first place, Canada would have been even less likely to be a target. No point in crying over spilled milk, though...)no_blah_blah_blahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11487214918800237116noreply@blogger.com