Posted on 03/14/2006 12:19:55 PM PST by Clive
Our troops bringing hope to hopeless By Licia Corbella
Yesterday in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Stephen Harper left the relative safety of one of Canada's bases there and met with the elected governor of Kandahar.
Harper's meeting with Gov. Assadullah Khalid came shortly after he gave a rousing speech to our troops, telling them "how proud" he is in the work they're doing.
It was a good speech, but it was surpassed by what Khalid said and it's important that Canadians -- particularly those who are critical of our troops' role there -- need to heed.
Despite what some ignorant protesters and other commentators (including some government opposition members say) Canada is no occupier or invader of Afghanistan. Canada is one of that country's saviours and liberators -- and is seen as such by the vast majority of Afghans.
How do I know this? Because I've been there and was told that by all of the Afghans I met.
"Ninety-nine percent of people in Kandahar, all of Afghanistan, they are thinking about peace," said Khalid following his meeting with Harper.
And it's no wonder. Afghans suffered under more than 22 years of relentless war -- first with the Soviet Union, then a civil war and then, worst of all, living under the murderous, oppressive, medieval rule of the totalitarian Islamic Taliban government -- that only gave freedom of movement to the likes of Osama bin Laden and those terrorists who trained at al-Qaida camps in that land-locked country.
"All Afghan people ... like your soldiers here and they respect your soldiers ...We need your soldiers and I am proud of them," said Khalid.
"Proud of them." That's how I felt when I watched and went on patrol with our troops in Kabul. Deep pride.
This governor also warned Canadians the world needs a stable Afghanistan. "I will tell Canadian people ... if we don't do this (reconstruction) now, today in Afghanistan, tomorrow we will need to do this in Europe and in Canada."
As Harper pointed out when he spoke to our troops, "al-Qaida has singled out Canada as one of the countries targeted for terror."
The hope that peace and democracy brings to Afghans makes us all safer and a recent poll, done by the BBC, found Afghans are among the most hope-filled people on this planet -- that despite the fact most live in utter poverty.
Thanks largely to the work of our soldiers, children are back in school, wells have been dug, roads built, a Constitution which guarantees equal rights to women (though they have a long way to go before that becomes a reality) and free elections have been held.
I asked almost everyone I met in Afghanistan, during my two weeks there in Dec. 2003, if they resented having foreign troops in their country.
"No," was always their answer. I could list all of their comments and their names but I'm just going to write about Massooda, who when she told me she was 36, I remember hoping the shock on my face was not visible.
I thought she was 60, so hard and tragic was her life.
During the Taliban rule her husband was arrested for no reason and charged with nothing. "When he got out of prison and came back to our house, he was weak and sick from having been tortured and beaten. He never got better. Five or six days later, he died," she said.
And, because the Taliban outlawed women working outside of the home, life became almost impossible for Massooda and her two children.
"All of us were so depressed," recalled Massooda. "I felt like I was dead. I was covered up all the time. Never seeing the sun, under the burqa, no husband, no hope, no life, no school for our children, war all the time."
But then the outside troops came.
"Afghanistan is completely different now," she said.
"I have hope now, especially for my boy and my girl. They are going to school."
Masooda doesn't just want our troops there, she needs them there.
I'm pleased our troops are there, not just for the security they bring our entire country and world, but mostly for what they've done for people such as Masooda.
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It is really sad that liberals turn around and politicize the mission in Afghanistan. Hopefully them doing so is another nail in the coffin of liberalism/stupidity.
Beat me by 14 seconds!! FReeping minds must think alike...
I cheated...Clive pinged me.
;-)
IF ONLY the media could show an interview with words such as this spoken from the mouth of an Afghani!! The problem is, most people will NEVER see or hear of this. The Liberal claptrap poooouuuuuurs out of the CBC but the true message NEVER gets out!! It seriously pees me off!!
Harper's meeting with Gov. Assadullah Khalid came shortly after he gave a rousing speech to our troops, telling them "how proud" he is in the work they're doing.
It was a good speech, but it was surpassed by what Khalid said and it's important that Canadians -- particularly those who are critical of our troops' role there -- need to heed.
Thanks for the ping!
This is a wonderful opportunity for me to thank our Canadian military men and women, and those who support their mission, for their service, their dedication, and their sacrifices. God bless you!
BTTT
My husband is working me to death!! Seriously we are so busy it's insane. Other than that, I'm fine LOL!!
LOL, if only FReeping paid $ instead of satisfaction. Ahhhh.... How sweet it would be!
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