Dear Ceasefire.ca supporters,
Evidence is mounting that the Harper government is quietly preparing for a major escalation of our combat role in Afghanistan, and this includes hundreds more troops and the possible deployment of Canadian CF-18 fighter bombers. We must act quickly.
We are launching a major campaign to prevent this military build-up in Afghanistan, but we need your support.
I hope that you will make a donation of whatever you can afford, to stop Stephen Harper from expanding the war.
On May 20, it was revealed in The Globe and Mail that the government has plans to create accommodations for up to 800 more troops at Kandahar Airfield. The military wants to purchase 400 more beds, with an option for an additional 400. There are already nearly 3,000 troops there, the highest number since 2001. How many more will be sent?
Even worse, the military has used the media recently to pressure the government to deploy CF-18 fighter bombers to Afghanistan. Our warplanes would join U.S. and NATO bombing runs which have indiscriminately killed many hundreds of Afghan civilians, and even five Canadian soldiers.
On April 20, a Canwest news report quoted Canadian Major-General Duff Sullivan in Afghanistan saying that the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Central Command asked him, “How can we get Canadian F-18s into the game over here?” He told the reporter coyly, “I’ve told them that that is a political decision back in Canada.”
So far, government officials have refused to rule out sending fighter bombers, saying only that they have no plans to deploy the CF-18 fighter bombers.
But this could change quickly. Two years ago it was reported that the military had secret plans to send CF-18s armed with 2000-lb. bombs to Afghanistan.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E74LIZ-Ps9A
I believe we are in the early stages of a renewed campaign to extend Canada’s war in Afghanistan, once again.
We need to act quickly, and there is good reason to believe we can be successful.
Ceasefire.ca has had many victories in the past. We stopped Paul Martin from joining Bush’s missile defence scheme, successfully urged Stephen Harper to support a cluster bomb treaty, and lobbied the Conservatives to prevent the takeover of Canada’s leading space firm by an awful U.S. arms manufacturer – a historic first!
Now, we are launching a major campaign to ensure that this expansion of the war does not happen.
- We are distributing thousands of postcards to Canadians to send to the
Prime Minister urging him to end the war.
- We are launching a media campaign and advertisements.
- We will be meeting with MPs from all parties.
Already, more than 2,000 people have sent letters to Stephen Harper and other party leaders through Ceasefire.ca. That is a good start, but it’s not enough.
Can I count on your donation of whatever you can afford?
You might also consider joining our Peacekeepers by making a monthly donation to stop Stephen Harper from expanding the war.
Please make your gift on-line at Ceasefire.ca, or print this donation form and send it through the mail.
Thank you for whatever you can afford to end Canada’s war in Afghanistan.
In peace,
Steven Staples, Ceasefire.ca
January 6, 2010 at 7:33 pm
I believe this war is totally wrong. These are war crimes against humanity. It is time our country takes a stand against this as more innocent people will die. It is time for all laws to be enforced. Enough with all the bullying tactics that appear to be going on. It’s time Canada keeps its nose out of other Countries business and start worrying about our own country and start leading with Peace.
January 5, 2010 at 4:53 pm
if i had a little extra money, I would spend every dime of it building a web site in which i own the domain of stop this war .ca
I have never agreed with cowboy bush, where i grew up if a person was involved monitarely there opinion was void as it would be biased. Not only did i not hear one canadian politition say this also i didnt hear one politition say anything about the americans destroying the united nations which Canada promoted and built, now completely destroyed by our american counter parts, Harper said NOT one word.. just kept kissing american butt. what a shame that a country like Canada loose our world wide love, of peace and justice to follow bushes oil company.. All Canadians should watch steven harpers life when he leaves office.. you will see he was paid dearly to back up[ the bullies south of us. I hang my head in shame! All man involved in 911 should never see the light of day. Never should Canada be in the middle scare dof the threat bush made to all corperations that didnt back him would in the future have no dealings in americas wealth. america has no wealth. only its corperations have the wealth and they all keep it off shore so when they finally get caught with there hand in the cookie jar, no one can make them pay it back.
June 23, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I fear our country is too weak to take this strong stance against these terrorist forces in Afghanistan and other places around the world. If this does occur and more Candadian forces and CF-18′s do end up in Afghanistan we should be thankful that our Primed Minister is willing to take these courageous steps and fight for the freedom and democracy so many of us seem to take for granted.
This is a war cannot afford to lose. Do you remember what happened on 9/11? Canadians were killed along with others from all over the world. It is our duty to respond to these cowardly attacks.
GO HARPER GO!!!
May 30, 2009 at 11:16 am
Thank you, Steven, for collecting and disseminating this information to your Ceasefire supporters.
Your report is ominous in that it suggests the Canadian government may be tempted to tilt its policies in Afghanistan over the line in which peace-making drifts absent-mindedly into aggression, vengeance, or unjust punishment by collateral damage. This line is hard for any single person to identify unerringly, let alone for an entire country as a political entity.
I personally see little danger that the Canadian government would be going over this line by deploying another 800 Canadian trained soldiers. Our ordinary soldiers have an unparalleled reputation for restraint in their personal battles against the demons of vengeance and unjust punishment. If occasionally some of our generals get carried away with the trust we place in them, that is unfortunately, but it has also been rare in our past since Canadian leadership took its rightful place as defenders of decency in the conquests of Nazi Europe.
Should, however, CF-18s be deployed in search and destroy missions in population zones where there is doubt their targets are sworn to fight Canadians, then the issue is more complex. I hope some comments will be forthcoming here to clarify how Canada will be able to maintain its internationally and humanitarianly very valuable reputation for peace-making of integrity if our government sanctions the use of CF-18s outside territories from which enemies can strike at us.
In closing, may I congratulate Canadian Major-General Duff Sullivan on his reply to the reporter whom Mr. Staples refers? How easy it would have been for Gen. Sullivan to add to the difficulties of our politicians in maintaining a concensus in Canada that we are peace-makers of integrity, courage, wisdom, and determination.
Angus Cunnningham
President, Authentix Coaches
http://www.authentixcoaches.com/ACValues.html