Remember to avoid death, war November 11

To the editor:

Decades ago, on the eve of my first Remembrance Day in Canada, I asked a colleague what it was about. She replied it was the day to remember those who died during the world wars. Being, then, completely ignorant of the wars - except that they had happened years before I was born, and reasoning that one can't remember people one has never met - I figured Remembrance Day is the day to remember that wars are bad and cause lots of deaths, and we should avoid them as much as possible.

Years later, still believing that, I was shocked to hear Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announce on Remembrance Day Canada would enter the Gulf War. Didn't he know this was the day to remember to not make war?

I believe the duties of the Canadian military are to safeguard Canadian lives and Canadian sovereignty, risking their lives if necessary; help any country during and after a disaster (tsunamis, earthquakes, etc.), help countries maintain peace through peacekeeping missions (not war-making ones) and courses, and, with other UN forces and with UN approval, help stop great atrocities such as genocides.

In a letter to the editor October 26, Jason Langille states our continued military action in the Afghanistan war is a "smoking gun mission to better public relations with the U.S.A." and it is likely the reason our beef and lumber trade problems have gone away. He is probably correct.

In my belief, it is not the duty of Canadian military to risk their lives to solve trade disputes nor for public relations. That is not what they signed up for. It is up to politicians and lawyers to deal with such matters, without losing lives.

Canadian military should not be fighting wars for other countries. It is a waste of our young men and our resources. The war in Afghanistan in no way saves Canadian lives. Much to the contrary, our presence there might incite terrorists to attack Canadian targets. We should neither be fighting wars for the U.S.A. nor for the Afghanistan government.

Wanting our military to not die in wars that are not ours,

Maria José Faria Graça (Mary Jo)

Berwick