(The following article is from the March 16-31, 2010 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)

People's Voice Editorial

     The NATO war of occupation in Afghanistan is clearly headed for defeat. Sooner or later, the end will be marked by withdrawal cloaked in a "power sharing" agreement between the rival political forces within that country. In the meantime, civilians continue to die under NATO bombs, innocent victims of the latest anti-Taliban offensive.

     The breaking point has come for some NATO countries. The coalition government of the Netherlands collapsed in February, after refusing a NATO request to extend its military role in Afghanistan. Instead, Dutch troops will begin withdrawing this August, as planned.

     This huge victory should give new inspiration to the anti-war movement in Canada. Only mass extra-Parliamentary pressure can help block a possible treacherous move by the Harper Tories to extend the Kandahar mission.

     Make no mistake, despite their claims that Canada's military role will end next year, the Tories badly want to extend the war. For four years, they have cultivated the political terrain, making "support for the troops" the litmus test for public office. That refrain will be hard to keep up if the armed forces aren't busy suppressing insurgents.

     But even now, the latest gyrations over the torture of Afghan prisoners undercut Tory credibility. By refusing to reveal the terms of reference of the Iacobucci review into secret documents related to this matter, PM Harper has again signalled that Parliament should keep its nose out of affairs of state. That may suit the immediate interests of the clique in the PMO, but it does fresh damage to democracy in Canada. For the sake of both Afghans and Canadians, this war must end now.