March 07, 2006
All this could be written about Canada (and some truth about soldiers)
As well as Soft Europe.
...
...For casualties to be acceptable on the battlefield, people need collective ideals and values that transform their society into a sacred entity...
...Europe became wealthier and more convinced of its idea that world peace can be achieved by talk alone...
But what does Western civilization mean in and to Europe? In the European welfare state, the system ensures that each individual can rely on maximum social security. Without doubt, the welfare state is the ultimate achievement of European civilization. But it did not come without a philosophy: the welfare state gave birth to a postmodern cultural relativism that underpins the tolerant, liberal, pacifistic and secular European societies of today...
...The European political establishment is too preoccupied with its internal problems to even contemplate problems beyond its shores. Its philosophy holds that "soft power" alone can be brought to bear in any conflict between power blocs or ideologies or civilizations...
...Europe lacks core values that it holds sacrosanct and that it's willing to defend at the highest cost. It will continue to operate on the diplomatic field and cling to soft power even though this is the path of certain defeat when confronted with power players burning with geopolitical and religious ambitions...
Here is the truth about soldiers from a Canadian (in the Toronto Star!):
The recent spate of attacks on Canadian soldiers in southern Afghanistan should remind Canadians that the core mission of all armies is not to wear blue helmets and "peace keep," but to fight wars and to prepare to fight wars — and that the word "peacekeeper" is not a synonym for "soldier."..
Canadians and their NATO partners are there [in Afstan] against the opposition of the previous rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban. The Taliban will do whatever they can to kill our soldiers, wound them, demoralize them, and intimidate the Canadian people to pull them out. The Taliban want Afghanistan back...
...[a] wide gulf...exists today between Canadians and the men and women who go in harm's way to protect them, to serve their interests and to uphold their national honour.
That gulf is one that Canadians seem to tolerate and indeed nurture. As long as it exists, Canadians and their military will continue to speak two entirely different languages.
David Bercuson is director, Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, University of Calgary and director of programs, Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute.