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I think what Layton did was a wise political move. He attracted the attention to the big picture as to why Canada is in Afghanistan in the first place. In the tradition of our armed forces, we're supposed to be more than a military presence.
The way things are going in the "war on terrorism," does Canada really want to be an active participant on the front lines?
I know the Taliban are the enemy, but I've always viewed this as primarily America's war. We should be in Afghanistan for support and security purposes, especially since we're now committed, but the main offensive should be America's responsibility. As a member of NATO, we're fulfilling our duty by maintaining security over key areas in the region.
What Layton did was open the doors for debate over our role in Afghanistan, which I think is necessary since I'm not sure if Harper's unchallenged decisions adequately represent Canadian values. If we're going to be there for a while, we need to be clear about what we're doing there.
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön
Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot
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