My May 1st post on the Omar Khadr case continues to draw debate and comments, 25 as of this writing. I think I’ll just stand back and watch, as the arguments are familiar and the debate fierce. Today a new question: what happened to the Taliban’s much-heralded “spring offensive” that NATO was preparing for? The news […]
Archive by Author
Lawrence Martin joins growing consensus for diplomacy in Afghanistan
As we have been pointing out – there is a growing consensus that there will only be a diplomatic end to the war in Afghanistan – not a military one. Here is the latest analysis from Globe and Mail columnist Lawrence Martin: On war, a little diplomacy couldn’t hurt Peace talks with the Taliban? Not […]
Afghan Senate Calls for Talks with Taliban
Wow! My last post on Afghanistan brought a firestorm of invective pro and con. Some real old fashioned democratic debate for a change. I’ll comment on some of these posts in a day or two. Right now I’m still recovering from a lecture tour (more precisely from the unavoidable interaction with Air Canada). Meanwhile, a news flash […]
Deal or No Deal - Stop the Transfer of Detainees
May 4, 2007 Dear Ceasefire.ca supporter, You are no doubt hearing and reading about the new Afghan detainee transfer agreement struck between Canada and Afghanistan. The deal was announced yesterday, only minutes before the federal court was to consider issuing an injunction against any further handover of prisoners taken by Canadian troops to Afghan authorities. […]
An Omen?
Once again news reports say that American military operations have killed scores of civilians in Afghanistan. Even President Karzai — who could not stay in power a day without American support, has condemned the killings. The Americans, as always, claim they killed “Taliban fighters”. But the combat took place west of Herat, well outside of the Pushtun areas […]
Are Hillier and O'Connor War Criminals?
Are Chief of Defence Staff General Rick Hillier and Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor war criminals? That’s the question that two international law professors are asking the International Criminal Court to investigate, in light of the revelations last week that prisoners taken by Canada and handed to Afghan authorities were tortured. In a letter they wrote (Byers […]