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Remembrance Day

Eternal War Motives: Power, Profit and Politics

As published in the Victoria Standard: December 7, 2015

The approach of Remembrance Day heralds a national day of solemn respect for Canada’s war dead and provides a forum for important questions about war before our collective amnesia and historical revisionism purges certain bloody facts from history. The following comments represent my opinion on the powerful interests who profit from war, often with public subsidy. The soldier’s lot is mainly mortal risk and low pay.

For example, just before losing the 2015 federal election; Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended the $15 billion sale of General Dynamics Land Systems Canada armored fighting vehicles to human rights abuser Saudi Arabia by citing Canadian job security. These weapon platforms will be used in Yemen, Bahrain or against Saudis who dare to protest their nation’s repressive policies. Perhaps distant Arabs must die to lower Canada’s unemployment rate. Canadian-made bullets have been flying in Iraq since the 2004 U.S. invasion.

Without a deep interest in military history; our remembrance may be limited by the influence of those who profit from war and encourage us to think fondly of duty and sacrifice on foreign fields. It’s been a long time since Canadian soldiers have participated in activities that enhance our freedom in any meaningful way.

Perhaps our real enemies are those powerful interests who profit from fear and endless conflict. Since serving soldiers can't voice political opinions, we must speak for them and seriously resist the empty jingoism emanating from the mouths of populist politicians; whose children will never die on a distant battlefield. One notable exception is the son of Ontario MPP Randy Hillier whose son was killed while serving as a military advisor in northern Iraq.

As the suicide rate increases among veterans of the Afghanistan campaign, it is worth remembering that the excellent humanitarian work of Canadian troops in Kandahar province has been used to shame and silence critics of Canada’s

darker role in Afghanistan. Canada sent troops to Afghanistan rather than Iraq to appease the Bush administration since Afghanistan is pivotal to a group of oil and natural gas producers such as Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. Harper later removed them to protect his political fortunes and wasted their efforts. The continued presence of Canadian soldiers might well have improved the lives of poor Afghans; although humanitarian work was merely a distraction of U.S. and NATO efforts to control this vital territory.

Our troops deserve superior care and while Veteran’s Affairs Canada has improved its treatment of veterans; more must be done to help them heal from wounds both obvious and subtle.

Unpublished version:

Remembrance Day

Eternal War Motives: Power, Profit and Politics

The approach of November Eleventh heralds not only a national day of solemn respect for Canada’s war dead but also an opportunity to ask important questions before our collective amnesia and historical revisionism purges certain bloody facts from history.

Without a deep interest in military history; your remembrance may be limited by the influence of those who profit from war and encourage us to think fondly of duty and sacrifice on foreign fields Its been a long time since Canadian soldiers have participated in activities that enhance our "freedom" in any meaningful way. Since the defeat of Nazism, our soldiers' lives have been spent as political currency in an endless series of cynical campaigns against manufactured and exaggerated threats to our “way of life”.

"Nothing over the centuries has more often been urged than the social rewards of hardship; urged by those who will never have to suffer it."

The approach of Remembrance Day heralds a national day of solemn respect for Canada’s war dead and provides a forum for important questions about war before our collective amnesia and historical revisionism purges certain bloody facts from history. The following comments represent my opinion on the powerful interests who profit from war, often with public subsidy. The soldier’s lot is mainly mortal risk and low pay.

For example, just before losing the 2015 federal election; Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended the $15 billion sale of General Dynamics Land Systems Canada armored fighting vehicles to human rights abuser Saudi Arabia by citing Canadian job security. These weapon platforms will be used in Yemen, Bahrain or against Saudis who dare to protest their nation’s repressive policies. Perhaps distant Arabs must die to lower Canada’s unemployment rate. Canadian-made bullets have been flying in Iraq since the 2004 U.S. invasion.

Without a deep interest in military history; our remembrance may be limited by the influence of those who profit from war and encourage us to think fondly of duty and sacrifice on foreign fields. It’s been a long time since Canadian soldiers have participated in activities that enhance our freedom in any meaningful way.

Since the defeat of Nazism, soldiers' lives have been spent as political currency in an endless series of cynical campaigns against the spread of “Communism”. This past threat was exaggerated by complaint media and academia with a hysteria that never acknowledged the limitations of the Soviet military/security apparatus. Their bravery notwithstanding; Canadian and other veterans of the Korean Police Action and the Vietnam intervention were sacrificed for the sake of U.S. global hegemony. Beyond modest pay and a few medals, how were these bold men rewarded for their efforts?

Perhaps our real enemies are those powerful interests who profit from fear and endless conflict. Since serving soldiers can't voice political opinions, we must speak for them and seriously resist the empty jingoism emanating from the mouths of populist politicians; whose children will never die on a distant battlefield. One notable exception is the son of Ontario MPP Randy Hillier whose son was killed while serving as a military advisor in northern Iraq.

As the suicide rate increases among veterans of the Afghanistan campaign, it is worth remembering that the excellent humanitarian work of Canadian troops in Khandahar province has been used to shame and silence critics of Canada’s darker role in Afghanistan. Canada sent troops to Afghanistan rather than Iraq to appease the Bush administration since Afghanistan is central to a group of oil and natural gas producers Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. Harper later withdrew the troops to protect his political fortunes and thus wasted their efforts as Afghanistan has slid back into chaos.

Our troops deserve better and while Veteran’s Affairs Canada has improved its treatment of veterans; more must be done to help them heal from wounds both obvious and hidden from view. Enhanced funding for more comprehensive programs would be preferable to more ceremonies and medals.