Gwynne Dyer gets it right on Afghanistan

Pro-war propaganda has left its mark on Canada

Re: Corrupt warlords rule Afghanistan, by Gwynne Dyer, Aug.20-26, 2009.

Bravo Gwynne Dyer! Your article confirms that this Afghan presidential election has been an eye-opener for the public and has caused it to ask, “What are we fighting for?” Bribery, drugs, blackmail, corruption, warlords and war criminals, seem to be the answer.

When a country is under the thumb of foreign powers looking out for their own interests we can't expect anything else. After eight years of NATO-U.S. occupation, we see a country running on the opium trade, foreign handouts and a successful insurgency that has American generals calling for more troops every week to quell the uprising.

When Canada embarked on the road of war in Afghanistan, it forgot how to contribute to building peace except through brute firepower. Even if we live up to our promise to depart in 2011, it will take a long time to heal the damage this war has done to our foreign policy and to our national psyche. Years of pro-war propaganda from our government and media have left their mark.

George Melnyk,

University of Calgary


Comments: 1

Candal6 wrote:

I too agree with Gwynne Dyer. Anti-war activists have been ignored, mocked and even threatened for the past 8 years, and it seems they were right about the war all along. Anyone who fell for the whole "war on terror" thing should hang their heads in shame for it was THEY were on the wrong side of history. War does not bring peace. Never has, never will.

on Aug 29th, 2009 at 1:36pm Report Abuse


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