No I Don’t Support the War, No I Don’t Support the Troops

There I said it. Well, we know that many Canadians agree with the former, but many would be hesitant to say the latter, particularly in our current political climate.

I drove through Brandon, Manitoba last month and saw a town bedecked in yellow ribbons and war-time patriotism. In store windows, at city hall, around trees, and on almost every bumper, yellow ribbons stared judgingly at me. Given the proximity to CFB Shilo, it makes sense why there are so many. But it’s the unquestioning faith in the ‘support our troops’ mantra that divides many Canadians—even those on the left.

First off, I don’t place the life of a Canadian soldier any higher than the life of an Afghan child/mother/soldier.etc This tactic of appealing to narrow-minded nationalism is indicative of institutional racism. We should grieve for all those who die in today’s imperial wars, and we should remember that those who are at the recieving end of a rifle suffer most.

Second, the military remains a career choice for many. We don’t have conscription yet, and despite the opportunities the military provides, it is still a choice. What has become increasingly apparent is how the role of the military is becoming increasingly normalized in public institutions and spaces. Canada has always had an army, but it hasn’t had one with the budget, PR campaign and advertising strategy that’s driving the current one. The recent increase in military spending should’ve caused outrage but in a time of war this is disguised as a necessary cost.

Third, I don’t believe that you can bomb a country into peace and democracy, put a warlord government in power that continues oppression of women and homosexuals, and say we’re helping make their lives better. There’s much talk these days of ‘why we’re in Afghanistan,’ and the answer is simple. We’re not there because we blindly followed the US lead. We’re there because the Canadian state has a vested interest in US domination throughout the Middle East and this interest equals business. Imperialism plain and simple. Sustained Capital accumulation requires international coercion of nation states that refuse to open their markets to us. The Afghan pipeline is a prime example of this.

It was refreshing to read Christie Blatchford’s Fifteen Days because, despite her unwavering support for the mission in Afghanistan, she didn’t try and obscure it with false pretenses of development and democracy. In fact, she gave scant reasons for the war, except the reality of war itself.

The grim reality of the Afghan war isn’t about Canada building schools and hospitals, it’s about us being an active member in this so-called ‘war on terror.’ We’re a nation at war, and we need to stop watering down our criticism and take a stand against militarism and imperialism now.

http://canadiandimension.com/blog/1185