[Marxism] Canada NDP calls for pullout of troops from Afghanistan

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Layton gets massive endorsement from NDP grassroots for Afghan pullout

By Alexander Panetta

QUEBEC (CP) - The NDP has officially become Canada's first major
political party to call for a withdrawal of the country's troops from
Afghanistan.

A party convention voted massively Saturday in favour of Leader Jack
Layton's call for a pullout, giving his proposal an endorsement from
grassroot members and making it formal NDP po

More than 1,500 delegates voted overwhelmingly - about 90 per cent - in
favour of a "safe and immediate" withdrawal. A long ovation swept over
the convention floor as the vote results were announced.

"We have a really strong show of support from our members here today,"
Layton told reporters after the vote.

"Now we're calling on Canadians to join with us in calling on the Harper
government to change the track he's currently on with (U.S. President)
George Bush."

A similarly huge majority of delegates also voted Saturday that
Quebecers should be considered a nation within Canada, a special status
long sought by sovereigntists and many federalists in the province.

Delegates also agreed that a result of 50 per cent plus one vote in a
sovereignty referendum is sufficient for Quebec to achieve independence.

That move, designed to please Quebec nationalists, appears to contradict
Layton's stated support of the Clarity Act in the last election.

An NDP strategy session at a caucus retreat next week will now discuss
ways to pressure the government on Afghanistan during the parliamentary
session resuming Sept. 18.

The party may choose to table a private member's bill or hold a vote on
a non-binding motion in Parliament.

However, it's likely that such an attempt would create more headaches
for the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois than it would for the Tory
government.

The Liberals and Bloc would be left grappling with divisions in their
own ranks on the Afghan issue, while the Tories and NDP have clearly
taken sides.

Layton wants all 2,200 Canadian troops removed from the violent Kandahar
region by February.

He does, however, favour keeping the few dozen Canadian soldiers
currently working on reconstruction efforts in safer northern areas.

Layton's push comes amid a spate of Canadian casualties and following
poll numbers that suggest the mission is becoming increasingly unpopular
with the public. Thirty-two troops have died since the mission began in
2002.

But his position is not unanimously supported within the party.

Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer, whose riding holds a large military
constituency, spoke out against the motion.

"What (the troops) are doing is right," he said to clusters of polite
applause.

"We need to send the message that we love them, we care about them, and
that we hope for their speedy return.

"But this motion is premature."

Stoffer said the NDP position fails to address one key question: "What
happens (to Afghanistan) on March 1st?"

The wife of a Canadian Forces member also rose to speak out against the
motion, calling it irresponsible and saying that soldiers need to know
Canadians appreciate their good work.

But such opinions were decidedly in the minority.

Toronto delegate Barry Weisleder said there has been enough debate on
the issue and the time has arrived for a withdrawal.

"We don't need more consultation," he said to loud applause.

"We need to curtail expenditures which are aiding the war contractors
and which are supporting a government of warlords and druglords in
Afghanistan, a government orchestrated and hand-picked by the U.S.
empire . . . .

"We need to get out of that dirty war."

Former NDP leader Alexa McDonough described the military mission as a
flawed means of achieving stability in Afghanistan.

"We know there is no military solution," she said.

"The Canadian people know there is no military solution. The Canadian
people know that only through a comprehensive peace process will it be
possible to bring the state and non-state actors together to begin
building a democratic Afghanistan."

The NDP convention will wrap up Sunday with a review vote on Layton's
leadership.

On Saturday, party members passed a slew of policy resolutions including
calls for:

-A restriction on the use of federal security certificates in suspected
terror cases, and an end to racial profiling and the deportation of
accused terrorists to countries that use torture.

-Abolishing the Senate.

-A universal child-care program with terms set by Ottawa.

-More generous Employment Insurance payouts.

-A constitutional amendment to protect the environment.

-Guaranteed long-term federal funding for post-secondary education.

    


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