Re: 鈥淭ragically flawed Afghanistan remembrance,鈥� opinion, Nov. 16.
The writer contends that sa国际传媒 sent forces to Afghanistan at the behest of the U.S. He ignores that sa国际传媒 was one of 60 nations in the international effort to curtail tyranny and rebuild the country.
While the 29 members of NATO, including the U.S., sa国际传媒 and the U.K., had a treaty obligation after 9/11, the other 30 countries were there because the threat was international.
Remembrance Day has never been a glorification of war. It acknowledges the sacrifice of those who fought to create the sa国际传媒 of today. No one born in sa国际传媒 since 1928 has been compelled by individual conscience, social pressure or decree to go to war for sa国际传媒. The Canadians in Korea and all service since was and is voluntary.
We owe the sa国际传媒 of today to those who were born during the first 35 years of the last century. One can only imagine if they had failed in their effort and history had turned out differently. The children of the veterans of the Second World War, and those born since, should count our blessings every day for our good fortune: peace, order and good government, and while sa国际传媒 isn鈥檛 perfect, most here have a good life. Few countries in the world can make such a claim.
sa国际传媒 maintains a modest military, not as a belligerent invader, but to maintain our sovereignty and join like-minded nations in maintaining freedom of movement on the world鈥檚 oceans and to support the principles of democracy wherever those freedoms are threatened.
Gerald W. Pash
Victoria
