Canadians saddened at deaths of soldiers

The deaths of five Canadian soldiers in 24 hours in Afghanistan prompted Canadians across the country on Tuesday to express much sadness at the loss of lives but opinions diverged on the ongoing value of the mission.

In messages sent to CBC News on Tuesday,some Canadians called for the troops to come home, while others insisted that the mission should continue until it achieves its goals.

Thirty-two Canadian soldiers have died in Afghanistan since Canada sent troops there in early 2002. Canadians have been reading many stories of soldiers being killed, watching footage of coffins being loaded onto planes and listening to the sorrow of family members mourning the dead troops.

"Yes, Canada must stay the course in Afghanistan," writes Ed Hoey, a resident of Oakville, Ont. "Because our soldiers are there, homes are being rebuilt, young girls are again going to school and the Afghan people have hope.It's not all gloom and doom. God bless our wonderful troops in all they do. We love you, support you and pray for you."

But Canadians who want the mission to end were quite adamant about their feelings.

"It has been clear to me from the start that we have no place in this disaster," writes Birgit Ballantyne, a resident of Halifax, N.S. "It is the biggest lie that our government has asked us to swallow that we should offer our young to bring democracy to this country."

Support mixed with doubt

Others tried to balance their support for the troops with their doubt about the mission.

Colin Rideout, a resident of Orleans, Ont., makes it clear there is a difference between believing in the military and believing in the mission.

"My support for our soldiers is steadfast and unwavering, but my support for the cause with which they fight is almost non-existent," he writes. "There will be no victory from it, only more grief, as the Americans have shown in their own bloody struggle in Iraq."

Adds Anne Dyck, a resident of St. Catharines, Ont.: "I watched the ramp ceremony this morning and wept, as I always do when this happens. Canada should not be involved in a mission such as this. This is not what we do."

Still others have written to CBC News to share personal experiences about soldiers who have died or to shed light on the country in which Canadian soldiers are fighting.

One of the five soldiers who died on Sunday was Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish.

Darren Simonelli, a resident of Barrie, Ont., writes: "I served alongside Frank Mellish in Cyprus in 1989, and am saddened by his loss as by the loss of so many other members of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. This loss only makes me feel even more disgusted to hear certain people constantly questioning the merit of Canada's participation in this conflict.

"If the soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan feel that they are achieving something worthwhile, then we owe it to them to continue to support them and their mission."

'Keep the Taliban bottled up'

Stephan Fuller, a resident of Sydenham, Ont., says he spent much of the past spring in Kabul working as an environmental consultant.

"There are literally thousands of expatriates working on similar projects across the whole suite of government functions. As a matter of course we come into contact with hundreds of Afghans, both long-term survivors of 30 years of war and many repatriated families," he writes.

"Everyone wants NATO to stay the course and keep the Taliban bottled up in the very few areas where they can operate."

Canadian troops began a massive operation on the weekend to reclaim an area west of Kandahar from the Taliban. Four soldiers were killed on Sunday during fighting with insurgents, while a fifth soldier was killed on Monday when two U.S. aircraft mistakenly fired on a Canadian platoon.

If a national debate on theAfghanistan missionis held in Canada, the messages indicate there is bound to be strong feelings on both sides.

Richard Magee, a resident of Montreal, Que., writes: "Do we cut and run like Jack Layton and [Giles] Duceppe suggest?The answer is a big NO. To leave now would mean that these young brave men and women died for nothing. God bless them all."