Canada will withdraw its last soldier from Afghanistan next week, ending its largest military operation since the Second World War. It will continue to assist Afghanistan, hoping to enable it to manage on its own. This hope is overshadowed, however, by fear that the country might remain trapped in violence and perhaps descend into anarchy. Canadian troops, and other Western forces, did not leave Afghanistan because they had accomplished their mission. They left because there seemed little prospect that they would be able to achieve their goals. The country remains violent and divided. Even the capital Kabul is not safe. Afghanistan's President Abdul Hamid Karzai states that the NATO action “caused Afghanistan a lot of suffering, a lot of loss of life, and no gains because the country is not secure.” He seeks a peace agreement with his Taliban foes though his other statements suggest that he does not believe that an enduring peace with his enemies is likely. His frustration stems partly from the fact that Western military intervention has killed numerous innocent men, women and children. But he also sees that despite the long war the Taliban still cause death and destruction. Canada began its Afghan odyssey in 2001. Prime Minister Stephen Harper had declared in 2006 that Canada would not run away from Afghanistan. But it started withdrawing troops in 2011 and shifted the focus of the remaining troops to training the Afghans. These are now being pulled back. While all political parties initially supported Canada's involvement in Afghanistan, they began losing their appetite for the unending war. The late Jack Layton, who led the New Democratic party, was pilloried by other political leaders when he stated in 2006 that Canada should seek negotiations to end the war. However, his viewpoint now prevails among most Canadians. A poll suggested that 74 percent of Canadians supported the war in Afghanistan in 2001. By 2006 polls suggested that Canadians had begun to question the war. By 2011 most Canadians - 58 percent - opposed the war and favored training the Afghans to shoulder their own burden. The war has not been catastrophic for Canada. Fewer than 200 Canadian soldiers were killed though more than 2,000 were injured. The total cost of the war is not known though the figure of $22 billion has been cited. What turned Canadians against continued involvement is the unending conflict, the resilience of the Taliban, mind-boggling corruption in Afghanistan (including that of the aid donors), some of the Afghan soldiers killing Western troops, the opium harvests (worth $3 billion in 2013), the drug warlords and the slow pace of reforms, especially in women's rights. The Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief which represents 94 international agencies estimates that about 40 percent of the aid to Afghanistan returns to donors in corporate profits and salaries of consultants. The average consultant working in Afghanistan costs $250,000 a year. The annual salary of an Afghan government employee is $1,000. Canada established diplomatic relations with Afghanistan in 1968 and it provided mostly humanitarian aid of around $10 million to $20 million a year. It joined the war on Afghanistan when the US, after the 9/11 carnage in 2001, sought the help of its NATO allies and of the United Nations, saying that it had been attacked. Canada had resisted US pressure to participate in invading Iraq. But if felt it had no choice but to join the US on Afghanistan. More than 30,000 Canadian army personnel have participated in the war. Canadian troops helped pacify areas of the country. But the security remains so bad that Westerners even in Kabul are secluded in a green zone area that is heavily barricaded. In addition to bolstering security, Canada has helped in reconstruction. For example, Canada spent $50 million to clear the Dahla Dam, near Kandahar city, and 500 kilometers of its irrigation canals. The dam was built in 1952 but has been choked by silt. Canadian work will help it irrigate 30,000 hectares. Prime Minister Harper called it one of his government's signature projects in Afghanistan. But the dam will become fully effective only in 2017 and only if it can get another $250 million, expert help and adequate security. About $10 million of the $50 million tab went to security. Still, Canadian largesse created 5,000 seasonal jobs and improved many lives. Canada also spent $90 million on building 52 schools and trained 3,000 teachers. Canada also helped the country conduct elections, built roads and supported education. In 2002 there were 900,000 school children, all boys. Now more than six million boys and girls are enrolled in school. Basic health care for Afghans has jumped from 10 percent to 85 percent. Child mortality has dropped. This was done through aid from Canada and other donors. Canada spent $60 million to help eradicate polio. So Canadians did help Afghanistan. But the country remains torn by ethnic hate, violation of human rights, corruption, drugs, warlords and violence by the Taliban. Its future remains a big question mark.
— Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan is a retired Canadian journalist, civil servant and refugee judge.
