According to the Canadian Press, 44 Canadian soldiers and one Canadian diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.

2006

Nov. 27 — Two Canadian soldiers killed when a suicide car bomber attacked their Bison armoured personnel carrier on the outskirts of Kandahar city. Their identities were not immediately released.

Oct. 14 — Sgt. Darcy Tedford, based at CFB Petawawa, and Pte. Blake Williamson from Ottawa, killed in ambush west of Kandahar.

Oct. 7 — Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in Petawawa, Ont., killed when his armoured vehicle was hit by a roadside explosion in the Panjwaii district.

Oct. 3 — Sgt. Craig Gillam and Cpl. Robert Mitchell of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in Petawawa, Ont., killed in series of mortar, rocket attacks just west of Kandahar city.

Sept. 29 — Pte. Josh Klukie of First Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ont., killed by explosion in Panjwaii while on foot patrol.

Sept. 18 — Pte. David Byers, Cpl. Shane Keating and Cpl. Keith Morley, all of 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man.; and Cpl. Glen Arnold, 2 Field Ambulance, based in Petawawa, Ont., killed in suicide bicycle bomb attack on foot patrol in Panjwaii.

Sept. 4 — Pte. Mark Graham, who was based at CFB Petawawa, killed when two NATO planes accidentally strafed Canadian troops in the Panjwaii district.

Sept. 3 — Sgt. Shane Stachnik, Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, Pte. William Cushley and Warrant Officer Richard Francis Nolan, all based at CFB Petawawa, Ont., killed in fighting in Panjwaii district.

Aug. 22 — Cpl. David Braun, who was based at Shilo, Man., killed in a suicide bomb attack in Kandahar City.

Aug. 11 — Cpl. Andrew Eykelenboom, 23, of Comox, B.C., stationed with 1st Field Ambulance, based in Edmonton, killed in suicide attack.

Aug. 9 — Master Cpl. Jeffrey Walsh, 33, of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., killed by apparent accidental discharge of rifle.

Aug. 5 — Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt, 31, of Loyal Edmonton Regiment, killed when large truck collided head-on with his G-Wagon patrol vehicle.

Aug. 3 — Cpl. Christopher Reid, 34, of 1st Battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, killed by roadside bomb. Three other members of same battalion killed in rocket-propelled grenade attack by Taliban forces west of Kandahar: Sgt. Vaughan Ingram, 35, Cpl. Bryce Keller, 27, and Pte. Kevin Dallaire, 22.

July 22 — Cpl. Francisco Gomez, 44, of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, and Cpl. Jason Warren, 29, of Black Watch, Royal Highland Regiment of Canada, based in Montreal, killed when car packed with explosives rammed their armoured vehicle.

July 9 — Cpl. Anthony Boneca, 21, reservist from Lake Superior Scottish Regiment based in Thunder Bay, Ont., killed in firefight.

May 17 — Capt. Nichola Goddard, artillery officer based in Shilo, Man., with 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, killed in Taliban ambush during battle in Panjwaii region. She was first Canadian woman to be killed in action while serving in combat role.

April 22 — Cpl. Matthew Dinning of Richmond Hill, Ont., stationed with 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade in Petawawa, Ont., Bombardier Myles Mansell of Victoria, Lieut. William Turner of Toronto, stationed in Edmonton, and Cpl. Randy Payne, born in Lahr, Germany, stationed at CFB Wainright, Alta., all killed when their G-Wagon destroyed by roadside bomb near Gumbad.

March 29 — Pte. Robert Costall of Edmonton, machine-gunner, killed in firefight with Taliban insurgents in Sangin district of Helmand province.

March 2 — Cpl. Paul Davis of Bridgewater, N.S., and Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson of Grande Prairie, Alta., killed when their armoured vehicle ran off road in Kandahar area.

Jan. 15 — Glyn Berry, British-born Canadian diplomat who had served with Foreign Affairs Department since 1977, killed in suicide bombing near Kandahar.

2005

Nov. 24 — Pte. Braun Woodfield, born in Victoria and raised in Eastern Passage, N.S., killed when his armoured vehicle rolled over near Kandahar.

2004

Jan. 27 — Cpl. Jamie Murphy, 26, of Conception Harbour, Nfld., killed in suicide bombing while on patrol near Kabul.

2003

Oct. 2 — Sgt. Robert Short, 42, of Fredericton, and Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger, 29, of Ottawa, killed in roadside bombing southwest of Kabul.

2002

April 17 — Sgt. Marc Leger, 29, of Lancaster, Ont., Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, 24, of Montreal, Pte. Richard Green, 21, of Mill Cove, N.S., and Pte. Nathan Smith, 27, of Tatamagouche, N.S., all killed when U.S. F-16 fighter mistakenly bombed Canadians on pre-dawn training exercise. Eight other Canadians wounded in friendly-fire incident.

Two more Canadian soldiers were reported killed in a suicide bombing today in Afghanistan, bringing our death toll to 44.

Ever the optimist, Brig.-Gen. Timothy Grant, commander of Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, was quoted as saying that “It (the suicide attack) drives home the point that Canadian troops here have been very successful and that the Taliban cannot defeat us militarily in the field.”

Actually, General Grant, it brings home the fact that people are dying to kick us out of Afghanistan. Whether or not “Operation Enduring Freedom” (the name applied by the United States at the outset of its invasion in 2001) succeeds, Canadian participation cannot be justified.

Why is Canada in Afghanistan? Why have we been the third largest contributor to the invasion (surpassed by Britain, and of course the United States). The Canadian government says Canadian troops are there to “defend our national interests, combat global terrorism and help the Afghan people make a new start as a free, democratic and peaceful country.”

Whose national interests?

What national interests might we have there? Could it be that various Canadian companies are involved in the Trans Afghan Pipeline and projects to develop natural gas in Turkmenistan that would move along that pipeline?

Canada ranks among the top ten arms exporters in the world. Could it be our defense industry is benefiting? It is difficult to know. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada publishes an annual report entitled “Export of Military Goods from Canada” but excludes statistics on military exports to the United States. Further, the most recent report available is for 2006. Let’s see now, it’s 2006. Maybe someone’s dog ate the missing ones.

Certainly the Americans appear grateful. As US Ambassador David Wilkins put it in his Oct. 31, 2006 speech to the National Defense Industrial Association in Ottawa: “The technology and the equipment you provide our military leaders and troops on the front lines of freedom are changing the course of history.”

Which terrorists?

And how, pray tell, is our presence in Afghanistan “combating terrorism?” Are the “terrorists” the ones who insist on killing Canadian troops? Forgive my naiveté, but wouldn’t it be simpler to leave the country so they wouldn’t want to kill us?

Canada’s continuing aggression in Afghanistan is more likely to inspire “terrorism” than it is to end it. It is not difficult to understand why. The invasion itself may have caused more than 20,000 deaths. (See Forgotten Victims; The Guardian Unlimited; May 20, 2002) Perhaps 3,700 people have been killed this year. (BBC News, Nov. 13, 2006)

Canada and Afghanistan have similar population statistics (approximately 33 million and 31 million respectively). Imagine how Canadians might feel and respond if someone invaded Canada and killed 20,000 to 30,000 Canadians.

Fighting for democracy?

According to our government, Canadian men and women are fighting to bring democracy to Afghanistan. How well are we doing? Not too well, it seems.

According to Human Rights Watch: “The (Sept. 15, 2005) election of a parliament completed the process initiated by the Bonn Agreement in 2001. Election day was free of serious violence or technical problems, but during the campaign period Human Rights Watch documented pervasive intimidation of voters and candidates, in particular women. Over half the members of the new parliament are linked to armed groups or have records of past human rights abuses.”

In the same report, Human Rights Watch also observes: “Despite the insurgency’s growing strength, the majority of Afghans cited the numerous regional warlords as the greatest source of insecurity. In some remote areas, there are still no real governmental structures or activity, only abuse and criminal enterprises by warlords, many of whom were brought to power with the assistance of the United States after the Taliban’s defeat. Armed clashes between rival factions decreased in 2005, but in many areas warlords and their troops continue to engage in arbitrary arrests, illegal detentions, kidnapping, extortion, torture, murder, extra judicial killings of criminal suspects, forced displacement, and rape of women, girls, and boys.”

This is not to suggest that Afghanistan was a democratic paradise prior to the 2001 invasion. It wasn’t. However, to suggest that you can export democracy on the tip of a bayonet, is naive – almost as naive as the belief that we are there for that purpose.

Canada’s reputation as a constructive, peace-loving nation is undone by our war making in Afghanistan. Sending our soldiers to kill and die for Western petroleum companies and Afghani warlords is a betrayal of our men and women in uniform and an assault on the lives and future of the Afghani people.

Let’s call it what it is – Operation Enduring Shame – and end it.

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