Once again, the American thrust on Afghanistan, as explicated in an article in today’s New York Times, completely ignores Canada.
. . . the Obama administration would work with provincial leaders as an alternative to the central government, and . . . would leave economic development and nation-building increasingly to European allies, so that American forces could focus on the fight against insurgents. (Emphasis mine)
“European allies?” Let’s do the math here: As of 23 January 2009, there have been 996 Coalition deaths directly related to the fighting in Afghanistan. Of these, USA casualties number 574, UK casualties 124, and Canada 107. The rest range from Germany with 30 casualties to Lithuania with a grand total of 1. It appears fairly clear that, yes indeed, the USA is carrying the load, with twice the casualty rate of the UK and five times Canada’s.
But not so fast: The Americans have 32,000 troops in Afghanistan, while the UK has less than 8,000 and Canada some 2,500. Which puts their respective casualty rates in a whole nuther light—Canada at 4.2%, while the US and UK rates are 1.8% and 1.6% respectively.
At least the Brits see fit to mention Canada’s contribution now and then but, as always, all the American media see when they look northward is Alaska. Which is probably why Canada got all girlish and giggly when it was announced that President Obama’s first foreign (or, as Missus Palin might say, “overseas”) trip would be to Canada. They like us, they really like us—even if they don’t know we exist! Gargh.
But we can now hazard a guess as to why Obama is making the trip. The Canadian government has committed to pulling out of Afghanistan by 2011, and maybe a little sweet-talking is in order to see if Canada can be charmed into extending the date. Perhaps someone should warn Obama — sweet-talking Stephen Harper will be like cuddling up to a dead mackerel.
Aw jeez. Only a week since the Inauguration and you’re already expecting us to know how to do stuff like statistics and geography. To say nothing of reading the NY Times. And being grateful. And generous. And diplomatic.
It’s been too long, I tell ya. It’s like we suddenly woke up to find ourselves in kindergarten again.
And let’s hope you all get it right this time … seriously, we Canucks are always US-bashing but, if you challenge someone who is doing the bashing, they will always look sheepish and admit that we actually like Americans, it’s their leaders we hate .. especially over the last eight years. And, yes, there is also a huge inferiority complex … the late, lamented Molly Ivins, bless her heart, once compared being Canadian to living next door to the Simpsons. Which would make us Ned Flanders, I guess … except for the religion, of course …
Tessa, you got it all wrong. We really, really don’t want them to notice us at all, we’ve got too much of everything that they want.
XO
WWW
Don’t they already have it all? Except maybe the water … and that’s next …
i heard those statistics (a few months ago) on our combat deaths as compared to the US and was pretty horrified…i think we should just stay home next time…
and LOL’d over the last line about the mackeral…i’ve always thought there was a cold deadness about the man also…
Don’t you wonder, when you look at Laureen Harper, what the heck persuaded her to marry him? Those dead eyes … like something you’d see looking back at you from a fishmonger’s counter …
Ha! Well we love Canadians in the UK (and I married a guy from Vancouver). There’s something for you over at mine, Tessa x
Ah Vancouver. My favourite Canadian city. And thank you for the lovely surprise, Kate. I’ve been in a bit of a blogging funk lately, just too much on my plate, so it is nice to receive such a sweet reminder to get back to it. Unfortunately, I still cannot go to your blog to thank you.
Well technicaly there’s no place called America, so perhaps it was a reference to the North American Union, like ‘European Allies’.
As for Obama, I can’t see Michael Ignatieff giving him much trouble.
You are a font of esoteric information, Craic. I did not know that about America. I’m not that enamoured of Ignatieff myself at this point, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Anybody is better than Stephen Harper.
The Canucks always turn up when it’s the right thing to do and suffer grievously.
At least you had the brains to stay out of Iraq.
Thank you for those kind words, Garfer. We’ll take any we can get, cos our neighbour doesn’t know we’re alive. The fact that we’re not in Iraq is just pure shit luck. Had Harper been in power at the time, we’d be there … and probably patrolling Mosul, given the way the US military treat their closest allies. In Afghanistan, they put the Brits in Helmand Province and the Canucks in Kandahar, while everybody else got the relatively cushy bits.
Loved this post! I’ve been asking this very same question for years now. “What are we, chopped liver?”
Thanks
A guy called Stuart Keate once said that Canada is actually Vichysoisse – cold, half-French, and hard to stir!