A Third Option for A Third Option for Canada’s Role in Canada’s Role in

AfghanistanAfghanistan

Joanna Santa BarbaraJoanna Santa BarbaraMcMaster University Centre for Peace StudiesMcMaster University Centre for Peace Studies

Physicians for Global survival – CanadaPhysicians for Global survival – CanadaTRANSCEND – A Peace and Development TRANSCEND – A Peace and Development

OrganizationOrganization

Why a Third Option?Why a Third Option?

2 options on the table now:2 options on the table now:

• 1. ‘Search and destroy’ war-fighting 1. ‘Search and destroy’ war-fighting + reconstruction to ‘win hearts and + reconstruction to ‘win hearts and minds’minds’

• 2. Troops out now.2. Troops out now.

What’s the Third Option?What’s the Third Option?

• Stop war-fightingStop war-fighting

• Keep on with peace support Keep on with peace support operations operations

• Support peace dialoguesSupport peace dialogues

• Support reconciliation processesSupport reconciliation processes

Why should Canadians stop Why should Canadians stop war-fighting?war-fighting?

• It’s unwinnableIt’s unwinnable• It’s making things worseIt’s making things worse - by unnecessary deaths of Afghan and - by unnecessary deaths of Afghan and

coalition soldiers, and Afghan civilianscoalition soldiers, and Afghan civilians - by unnecessary infrastructure damage- by unnecessary infrastructure damage - by strengthening the relationship of the - by strengthening the relationship of the

opposition with Al Qaedaopposition with Al Qaeda - by attracting recruits to the armed - by attracting recruits to the armed

oppositionopposition• Canada is fighting on one side of a civil warCanada is fighting on one side of a civil war

Conflict AnalysisConflict Analysis

• Before 9/11, vicious civil war:Before 9/11, vicious civil war:Northern Alliance vs Taliban and Party of IslamNorthern Alliance vs Taliban and Party of Islam• 9/11 -> 9/11 -> USUS-led coalition invades Afghanistan, -led coalition invades Afghanistan,

allies with allies with NA; NA; routs routs Taliban and Party of Taliban and Party of IslamIslam

• Bonn Agreements 2001: between Bonn Agreements 2001: between US and NA.US and NA. ?????????????? • Taliban and Party of Islam Taliban and Party of Islam take to arms. take to arms. Al Al

QaedaQaeda joins them, as do many disaffected joins them, as do many disaffected Afghans with various grievances.Afghans with various grievances.

Why not troops out now?Why not troops out now?

• Civil war would resume -> large-scale Civil war would resume -> large-scale death and destructiondeath and destruction

• The fragile accomplishments of democracy The fragile accomplishments of democracy and development would likely be lostand development would likely be lost

Dr. Sima Samar (Afghan human rights Dr. Sima Samar (Afghan human rights leader): If you’re thinking of removing leader): If you’re thinking of removing Canadian troops, please tell me the date, Canadian troops, please tell me the date, so I can catch the first plane out.so I can catch the first plane out.

Where does analysis lead Where does analysis lead us?us?

• Explore peaceful options of bringing Explore peaceful options of bringing armed opposition into democratic armed opposition into democratic process at political levelprocess at political level

• Support reconciliation process for Support reconciliation process for reintegration of armed opposition reintegration of armed opposition people at community levelpeople at community level

Is this feasible?Is this feasible?How to find out?How to find out?

• ..

The work of the McMaster The work of the McMaster group in Afghanistan:group in Afghanistan:• Directed to war-affected children – mental health Directed to war-affected children – mental health

and peace educationand peace education• Directed to war-affected adults – mental health Directed to war-affected adults – mental health

and peace educationand peace education• Directed to civil servants, politicians of all stripes, Directed to civil servants, politicians of all stripes,

journalists, youth, NGOs:journalists, youth, NGOs: - conflict analysis- conflict analysis - conflict transformation- conflict transformation - nonviolence- nonviolence - reconciliation- reconciliation - peace journalism- peace journalism

Dr. Seddiq Weera’s probe Dr. Seddiq Weera’s probe dialogues:dialogues:

• To Taliban leadersTo Taliban leaders• To Party of Islam leadersTo Party of Islam leaders• To ethnic faction leadersTo ethnic faction leaders• To Northern Alliance leaderTo Northern Alliance leader• To 10 cabinet Ministers in the Afghan To 10 cabinet Ministers in the Afghan

governmentgovernment• To Canadian expatriate Afghans - To Canadian expatriate Afghans -

Peshtun and nonPeshtun, Afghan Peshtun and nonPeshtun, Afghan women’s groupwomen’s group

..

• All support the All support the Third Option Third Option ideaidea

Next steps:Next steps:

• Canadian campaign to persuade Canadian campaign to persuade government to government to

- stop-war-fighting- stop-war-fighting

- resume peace support operations- resume peace support operations

- support peace dialogues- support peace dialogues

- support reconciliation processes- support reconciliation processes

Stop war-fightingStop war-fighting

• Every death from now on is an Every death from now on is an unnecessary deathunnecessary death

• At transfer from US command to ISAF At transfer from US command to ISAF command, end search and destroy command, end search and destroy actionaction

Resume peace support Resume peace support operationsoperations

• Could include Nonviolent Peace ForceCould include Nonviolent Peace Force

Support peace dialoguesSupport peace dialogues

• Does Canada have skills to do this?Does Canada have skills to do this?

(Norway in Sri Lanka and Middle East)(Norway in Sri Lanka and Middle East)

• Should act with other Middle Powers Should act with other Middle Powers in coalition or with UN.in coalition or with UN.

• Should be informed by peace Should be informed by peace professionalsprofessionals

Support reconciliation Support reconciliation processesprocesses

• Independent National Commission on Independent National Commission on Strengthening Peace in Afghanistan.Strengthening Peace in Afghanistan.

Needs financial and skill supportNeeds financial and skill support

• UN Reconciliation bodyUN Reconciliation body

Opposition to these ideas:Opposition to these ideas:

• ‘‘Spoilers’ in Afghan armed opposition, those who Spoilers’ in Afghan armed opposition, those who don’t want peacedon’t want peace

• Hard-line Northern Alliance people who want Hard-line Northern Alliance people who want power to reside mainly with NA.power to reside mainly with NA.

• Canadians who can see only military solutions to Canadians who can see only military solutions to violent conflict, and support the ‘war on terror’violent conflict, and support the ‘war on terror’

• Canadians who don’t understand the dangers of Canadians who don’t understand the dangers of immediate loss of peace support functionsimmediate loss of peace support functions

• If any success for a negotiated solution looks If any success for a negotiated solution looks possible, US administration will not want a ‘bad possible, US administration will not want a ‘bad example’ to suggest a negotiated solution in Iraq.example’ to suggest a negotiated solution in Iraq.

Next steps for Canadians:Next steps for Canadians:

• Join developing campaign Join developing campaign • See website for articles on Third Option See website for articles on Third Option

position: position: www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/peace-www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/peace-health/can-afghanhealth/can-afghan

• Visit MP to put these argumentsVisit MP to put these arguments• Write op-eds and letters to editorWrite op-eds and letters to editor• React to every Canadian death as React to every Canadian death as

unnecessary, because there is a good unnecessary, because there is a good alternative to war-fighting.alternative to war-fighting.