9-18-06, 8:56 am

AS THE casualties and devastation mount in Afghanistan, more Canadians are asking tough questions. Dozens of organizations representing millions of people have endorsed the October 28 Day of Action to demand the immediate withdrawal of Canadian troops.      This October will mark the 5th anniversary of the occupation of Afghanistan. In the wake of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Prime Minister Chretien quickly agreed to commit troops to the U.S.-led coalition which drove the Taliban government out of Kabul. At the time, Chretien's move was widely understood as a shrewd political tactic to avoid Canadian entanglement in the deeply unpopular build-up towards a US invasion of Iraq.

Since then, other factors have become better known, such as the interest of Canadian-based oil companies in plans to build pipelines in the region. For example, since his retirement, Chretien has become a top advisor to energy corporations, including PetroKazakhstan Inc., a Calgary-based firm with major interests in Central Asia.

The Liberal government initially promoted the position that Canadian troops were in Afghanistan primarily to build schools and clinics, not to fight a war. But as the US-led coalition forces killed and jailed growing numbers of Afghan civilians, opposition to the occupation grew stronger. The Canadian mission became more military in its approach, and critics warned that any positive impact of development and aid groups was endangered.

In 2005, Canada was assigned the leading military role in a campaign to 'pacify' the Kandahar area in southern Afghanistan. The chief of defense staff, Gen. Rick Hillier, welcomed this role with the statement that Canadian troops were in Afghanistan to 'kill scumbags.' His view fit in well with new PM Stephen Harper, who has used the military mission as a photo opportunity to bolster his hopes of winning a majority in the next federal election.

Over the past year, the 2,500-strong Canadian contingent has become increasingly aggressive, and the military has launched an unprecedented public relations campaign to gain support and new recruits. When one soldier was killed by an axe-wielding villager, the media portrayed the case as a tragic murder of a heroic Canadian by a crazed Taliban supporter. What went unreported was that Canadian troops had been engaged in a sweep of the area, smashing down doors and brutally interrogating 'suspects.' In recent months, Canadian troops have shot and killed a number of Afghan civilians, ranging from elders to young boys.

At the same time, Canadian casualties have risen quickly, both in battles against opposition forces and from U.S. 'friendly fire.' Not surprisingly, the bad news has strengthened public opposition to the mission.

As the Canadian Peace Alliance says, the people of Afghanistan 'are still suffering from the ravages of war. Reconstruction is at a standstill and the security situation is deteriorating rapidly. This increasing violence is the result of the heavy-handed approach of Canada and its allies in supporting a corrupt and violent US imposed government which cares nothing for the needs of the Afghan people. As with Iraq, the occupation forces have lost the fight for hearts and minds and will never be seen as anything but violent supporters an imposed regime.'

The Harper government and some Liberal leadership contenders are playing what they consider their 'trump card' in the struggle for public opinion - the claim that Canadian troops are in Afghanistan to liberate women. This argument is particularly cynical coming from Tories who oppose the reproductive rights of Canadian women, but it has had some impact.

But the reality is that little progress towards equality has been gained since 2001. The more independent British press has reported, for example, that officials in the Afghan province of Nangahar have banned women from performing on television and radio, and that some Afghan farmers prevented from growing poppies have been forced to hand over their daughters to drug traffickers to settle their debts.

Amnesty International stated in 2005 that 'Violence against women and girls in Afghanistan is pervasive; few women are exempt from the reality or threat of violence. Afghan women and girls live with the risk of: abduction and rape by armed individuals; forced marriage; being traded for settling disputes and debts; and face daily discrimination from all segments of society as well as by state officials. Strict societal codes, invoked in the name of tradition and religion, are used as justification for denying women the ability to enjoy their fundamental rights, and have led to the imprisonment of some women, and even to killings. Should they protest by running away, the authorities may imprison them.'

One guest at the recent federal NDP convention was Malalai Joya, a 27-year-old Afghan woman MP and a critic of the warlords. After several assassination attempts, Joya travels with a large contingent of security guards, and is always seen in public wearing a burqa.

Under growing public pressures, leaders of the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois have recently taken a stronger position against the Canadian military role. This is a welcome development, since only the Communist Party and some other small parties (and now the Greens) had been calling for withdrawal. When Parliament reconvenes this month, there will be stronger opposition to the mission, and particularly to demands that Canada send more troops into the deepening quagmire.

But the critical struggle will be in the streets as the country heads toward yet another election campaign. As the CPA says, 'On October 28th we have an unprecedented opportunity to change Canadian foreign policy and to end Stephen Harper's support for this brutal war. There will be thousands of people marching on the day from coast to coast. Each new group that signs on to the call brings more and more people into the movement for peace and justice.'

The Oct. 28 actions have been endorsed by the Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Islamic Congress, Le Collectif Échec a la guerre, Council of Canadians, Canadian Arab Federation, and unions ranging from the Steelworkers to CUPE, CUPE, and NUPGE.

Organizations can call the CPA at 416-588-5555 to add their names to the list of endorsers. The Call to Action, details of local events, and other information on Oct. 28 is available at the CPA website, http://www.acp-cpa.ca.

From People's Voice