1

[ThefirstiteminthissequencewaspublishedintheletterscolumnoftheGuelphMercury(19November2008),
andrepublishedineVeritas,theonlinejournaloftheRoyalMilitaryCollegeofCanadaClub.]

[Index:Canadianpolitics,Afghanistan,9/11]
[Date:November2008July2010]

CanadainAfghanistan

MichaelKeefer

This sequence of letters began with one I sent to the Guelph Mercury on
November17,2008,whichthatnewspaperpublishedtwodayslater.Republishedin
eVeritas, the online journal of the Royal Military College of Canada Club (see
www.everitas.rmcclub.ca/?p=2900),theletterattractedsomecommentarythere.Italso
receivedamuchfullerresponseintheformofpubliccorrespondencefromPeterLudorf,
one of my RMC classmates (we studied and trained there from 1966 to 1970). I
reproduceheremyoriginalletter,theresponsestoitineVeritas,andmyexchangeswith
Peter Ludorf, and finally, some comments on the last of the responses published in
eVeritas.
MycommentsincludeareferencetotheCollege'smotto:Truth,Duty,Valour.
PeterLudorfandIsignedourletterswithourcollegenumbers,asdidtheRMCgraduates
whosentresponsestoeVeritas.ThefootnoteIhaveaddedtomysecondlettertoPeter
Ludorfcorrectsanerroroffact.

1.Wemustn'tparticipatein'criminalfollies'
GuelphMercury,19November2008

ThankstoRobO'Flanaganforhisthoughtfulandeloquentcolumn(Toomany
thingsmakemesickofwar,November15,2008).
I'vebeenthinkingaboutwarmyselflately,inpartbecauseNovember10isthe
anniversary of my father's deathand in his last days nearly twenty years ago, my
father'sthoughtsoftenwentbacktohisserviceinWorldWarII,andtothedeathsofhis
threeclosestfriendsatDieppeandintheNormandycampaign.
Myfatherwasinuniformfortenyearssixduringthewar,andbeforethatfour
yearsattheRoyalMilitaryCollegeofCanada.HisonlybrotherservedintheRoyalNavy
asanMTBcaptainintheEnglishChannelandtheMediterranean;adecadeafterthewar,
still suffering from what we'd now call posttraumatic stress disorder, he committed
suicide.Amuchlovedhonoraryuncleonmymother'ssidealsoservedintheRoyalNavy
fromshortlybeforetheoutbreakofWorldWarIIuntilitsend.
Mytwograndfatherseachspentmorethantenyearsoftheirlivesinuniform.One
servedintheBritisharmybeforeWorldWarI,andintheCanadianCorpsduringthat
war.Theother,whowasanimportantpresenceinmychildhood,narrowlyescapedthe
fateofhisbestfriends,allofwhomdiedintheGallipolicampaignorontheWestern
front; he reenlisted in World War II and directed the Royal Army Medical Corps
hospitalsystemontheBurmafront.
MytwoolderbrothersandIalsograduatedfromRMC;twoofuswerereserve
entryofficercadets,andthereforefreeongraduationtopursuecareersingovernmentand
academe;myeldestbrother'stimeintheCanadianarmyincludedservicewiththeUN
peacekeepingforceontheGazastrip.
Whatdoesthisenumerationofthemenclosesttomebybloodandaffectionadd
up to? Among other things, it means that eight men in my generation and the two

3
precedingonesnoneofwhomthoughtofthemilitaryasacareerspentatotalofmore
thansixtyyearsinuniformduringtheearlyandmiddleyearsofthelastcentury.
Some of that serviceI'm thinking of the First World Warwas no doubt
deluded.ButnoneofitinvolvedtheflagrantillegalityofthepresentwarinAfghanistan,
ortheveryparticularhorrorsofawarthatpitscivilianinsurgentsagainstaforeignarmy
ofoccupation.
TheAmericaninvasionofAfghanistanwasadirectviolationofinternationallaw;
theensuingoccupationislikewiseillegal.ThedeathsofahundredyoungCanadiansin
suchacause,andthegrievousinjuriessufferedbymanyhundredsmore,shouldhorrify
usall.Theselosses,togetherwiththestillmoreappallinglossesbeinginflictedupon
Afghanciviliansbytheoccupyingforces,arethelegacyoftheBushregime'snowwholly
discreditedpolicies.
Canadiansmustrefuseanyfurtherparticipationinthesecriminalfollies.
MichaelKeefer
Professor,SchoolofEnglishandTheatreStudies
UniversityofGuelph

2.ResponsesineVeritas

3584ArchieBeare(November25,2008):
Itisregrettablethatsome,perhapsfew,feelasMichaelKeeferandtheGuelphMercurywriterhequotes.
TheUNsanctioned,NATOendorsedoperationsinAfghanistanarealongwayshortofbeingillegalandto
statethatitis,isaninsulttoallofourtroopswhohave[served]andwillserveinAfghanistan.[.]Tobesmirch
thoseoutstandingCanadiansisaninjusticethatshouldresultinanapologybyKeefer.

4155GeorgeKinloch(November26,2008):
Internationallawisreasonablyclearonwhatconstitutesanillegalwar,anditisdifficulttofinda
readingofthelawwhichwouldmaketheinvasionlegal,nomatterwhichorganizationofnationsmightsanction
it.ItisbecauseKeefervaluesthelivesofoursoldiersthathefindsthesquanderingoftheirlivesaninsult.There
isnohint,inhisletter,ofdenigrationofthelivesofoursoldiers,quitetheopposite.Heowesnoapology.Butan

4
apologyisowedtothetensofthousandswho,likesomanymembersofKeefer'sfamily,losttheirlivesin
fightingforaworldinwhichwehadtheruleoflaw.WorldWarII,afterall,touteditselfasbeingtheWarthat
wouldReallyEndAllWars.[.]

4270SeanHenry(November26,2008):
Mr.KeeferdisplaystheignoranceandmisplacedsentimentsofmanyofhisfellowCanadians.Theyarenot
toblameintheirownright.FromthebeginningthegovernmenthasnotmadeitclearthatCanada'snational
interestsareatstakeinthewaronterrorismbeingwagedinAfghanistanandelsewhere.Themissionistodefeat
theTalibanandotherIslamicradicalstopreventthereestablishmentofahavenandtraininggroundfor
terrorists.ToachievethisenditisalsonecessarytorebuildAfghanistanintoafunctioningstate.Inthisrespect
thoseCanadianswhohavediedinAfghanistanhavebeendefendingCanadaandtheirfellowcitizensinequal
measure to their forefathers in previous wars. [.] Finally, the military operations in Afghanistan were
approvedbytheUNandNATOandthealliedforcesarethereattheinvitationoftheAfghangovernment.Itis
notanillegalwarandthetroopsarenotoccupiers.Thesedefinitionsarespreadasdisinformationbymisguided
membersofpacifistorganizations.

4135GeorgeW.Hosang(November29,2008):

RobO'Flanagan,inhis GuelphMercury Nov.15,2008articlecertainlyreflectstheopinionofmanywho

despisewarandwhowishitwouldgoaway,evenjustdisappearinstantaneouslyfromthehumanconsciousness.
Heseemstodisplay,however,atotalignoranceofhistory.Forexample,iftheBritishandallthosewhocameto
their aid had not mounted an effective opposition to Hitler and Nazi Germany, we probably all would be
speakingGermantodaybecausehewasgettingprettyclosetohavingintercontinentalmilitarycapabilities.[.]

3.LettersfromanRMCClassmate

ReplytoMikeKeefer'sAntiAfghanistanArticle
(CirculatedtotheRMCClassof1970,25November2008)
Mike
Despitehavingknowneachotheralmost50years,frompublicandhighschoolinTorontotoRMC,Idon't
thinkweknoweachotheratall.YourcommentsonourCanadianForces'participationintheNATOISAF
missioninAfghanistannotonlyshockedanddepressedme,italsoshowedmehowwrongyouare.Youwere
alwaystheartsyleftofcentreguythatweaspiringGeneralsattheCollegecouldgoadintoagoodargument,but
thisarticleofyoursisreallybeyondthepale.LetmeremindyouthattheUNsanctionedtheUSattacksonthe
Taliban post 911 in Oct 2001, the UN authorized creation of a NATO force, the International Stability
AssistanceForce(ISAF)which,incidentally,hasalargenumberofnonNATOnationswhovolunteeredtojoin.
IwouldliketodrawyourattentiontothefactthatthisisnotBush'swar.Itistheinternationalcommunity
respondingtothecontinuedattacksonthewestandonthemoreprogressiveMuslimstatesbytheradical
TalibanIslamistskillingthousandsandwantingtokillALLinfidels,theinhumanetreatmentofAfghani

5
womenandthewellpublicizedgoalofforcedfundamentalIslamisationoftheENTIREWORLD.
WhatisitabouttheTalibanthatweshouldbeallowingtocontinue?IsittheburningofCanadianProvincial
ReconstructionTeamsbuiltschools?IsitthepoisoningofourCanadiandrilledwells?Isitthekeepingofall
girlsfromanyschooling?Isittheforcedburkas,forcedmarriages,forcedrapes,forcedchildbirth?Isitthe
explosivestrainingtoattackwesterncountries?Isitthethrowingofacidintothefacesofschoolgirls?Would
youhaveussimplypulloutofourcommitmentandwriteoffthedeathsandinjuriesofourpeopleasbeingina
lostandmisguidedcause?
Mike,itisahorribleandnastybusinessinAfghanistan.Itmust,however,bedonelestwesurrenderto
radicalIslam.Thestatementbettertofightthemtherethantofightthemonourmainstreetsmightbeseen
byyouasbeingtritebutitisseenbymanyofusasbeingthetruth.TheTalibanandAlQaedamustbepacified
oreradicated.Simpleasthat.TheISAFmissionisnotillegal.Itisthereattheinvitationofthedemocratically
electedAfghangovernment.ItissanctionedbytheUN.Simpleasthat.Afghanimilitaryandpoliceforcesare
beingtrainedtocarryonthisfightthemselves.Yourcallingthiscrusadeacriminalfollyisnotonlyaninsult
tothosewhohavefallenbutalsotothosewhocontinuethefight.
IdoubtIhaveconvincedyoutochangeyourmindbutIsimplycouldnotallowyourantiBushandanti
CanadianForcesranttogounchallenged.IamaskingourClassSecretarytosendyourcommentsaswellasthis
replytoourentireclass.Theycandecidewhetheryourcommentsreflecthonouronyourfamily'shonourable
militarytradition.
8542PeterLudorf
FormerClassof70ClassSecretary

AFirstReply
(26November2008)

DearPete,
Thanks for your note about my letter that appeared in the Guelph Mercury (and was republished in
eVeritas).Dobyallmeanscirculateyourcommentstoourclassmates.
I'llhavearesponseforyoushortly,inwhichI'llhopetoshowyouandanyoneelsewho'sinterestedthat
muchofwhatyoutaketobefactisnomorethanpropagandaandmisinformation;thatwhatyoubelievetobe
simpleisreallyquitecomplex;andthatamilitaryoccupationyouunderstandaslegalisactuallyinflagrant
violationofinternationallaw.
Forthemoment,twoquickpoints.
ThefirstwordoftheRMCmottodirectsus,Ibelieve,toasharedcommitmenttoTruth:let'sseewhether
that helpsto moveus beyondoverheated rhetoricabout beingantiBush andantiCanadian Forces, and
towardalucidconsiderationofwhat'satstakehere.
Secondly,youconcludeyourmessagewithareferencetohonour.Idonotthinkthereisanythinghonourable
aboutsendingyoungCanadianmenandwomenofftowaronfalsepretenses.
The real insult to their courage, their sacrifices, and their suffering comes from the politicians and
propagandistswhohaveliedtothem.
Sincerely,
Michael
8430MichaelKeefer,D.Phil.,
Professor
SchoolofEnglishandTheatreStudies

6
UniversityofGuelph

AndaRiposte
(26November2008)

Mike
IfIwerecorrespondingwithTalibanJackLayton(asheiswidelycalledbyourtroops)orElizabethMay,I
couldunderstandandsimplydismisstheleftwingnutelement,butwithaclassmatewhoinvokesTruth,Duty,
Valour,Iamcompelledtocontinuethedebate.Iassumeyouareonewhoinsiststhat9/11wasaUS(read,
GeorgeBush)insidejob.YoumustbeshatteredbythefactthatObamaintendstoincreasetheUScontingentin
Afghanistan[by]anywherefrom7,000to70,000troops.Thisleftwingpoliticianislikelyalsolyingtoeveryone
andiscoveringuptheillegalinvasionandrepressionofthepoormisunderstoodTalibanwhoare,afterall,
simplydefendingtheircountry(whichitisnot)fromtheinfidelinvader(whichwearenot).Mike,whatareyou
smokin?YoudidnotreplytomypointsabouttheinhumanetreatmentofwomenandthefactthatAlQaeda
continuestouseAfghanistanasatraininggroundforrenewedattacksonthosenotexactlylikethem,attacks
justlikeNewYork,London,Bali,Amman,IslamabadandMadrid,ordoyouconsidertheseattackstobelies
andpropagandaaswell?
ImaintainthatourForcesaredoinganhonourablejobinfightingtheTalibanandAlQaeda.Theyare
respondingtotheveryrealattacksandinhumanetreatmentofothers.ThatwouldbeTruth.Theyaredoing
whatourgovernmentdemandsofthem.ThatcoversDuty.Theyaretrulyfightingforourfreedomsincea
withdrawallikeyouadvocatewouldseeincreasedradicalIslamicizationthroughoutthecivilizedworld.That
wouldbetheValour.Mike,Godblessourdemocracyandourabilitytothinkaseachonewants.ItisourForces
inconcertwithouralliesthatallowthattohappen.
Peter

4.Canada'sAfghan'Crusade'anditsDeceptions:
LettertoanRMCClassmate

ChrisFord,Classof70ClassSecretary

December13,2008

DearChris,
HeresthefullreplytoPeterLudorfthatIpromised.Idbegratefulifyoucould
kindlycirculateittoourclassmates.

7
Forthesakeofanyonewhosonlynowtakingnoticeofourconversation,heres
thebackstory.OnNovember19th,theGuelphMercurypublishedaletterIhadsentthem
rememberingthemilitaryserviceofmembersofmyfamily,andcondemningCanadas
involvement inthe occupation ofAfghanistan. Myletter was noticed byBill Oliver,
editoroftheRMCClubsonlinenewsletter,whorepublisheditineVeritasonNovember
24th.PeterLudorfreaditthere,wasshockedanddepressedbyit,andwrotetomein
ratherharshterms.HewroteaswellastoChris,askinghimtocirculatemy Guelph
MercuryletterandhisreplytotheClassof70.IrepliedbrieflytoPetersfirstmessage,
promisingafullerresponselater.Imstillverymuchtiedupwithendoftheacademic
termwork,butdontwanttokeephimwaitinganylonger.
Bestwishes,
MichaelKeefer

DearPeter,
Pleaseforgivemydelayinrespondingindetailtoyourmessages:theendofthe
teachingsemesterisabusytimeofyearforacademics.
Inmybriefreplytoyourfirstmessage,InotedthatthefirstwordoftheRMC
mottodirects ustoasharedcommitmenttoTruthwhichIsuggestedmighthelpto
moveusbeyondoverheatedrhetoricandtowardalucidconsiderationofwhatsatstake.
Lets seethenifwecansortouttruthfrompropaganda,disinformation andoutright
falsehoodinthecaseoftheoccupationofAfghanistan.
YoubelievethatwhatyoucallourAfghancrusade(atermthepeopleofthat
country, whatever their politics, are unlikely to appreciate) is legal, necessary, and
defensiveinpurpose;andyouthinkmycommentsdishonour[my]familyshonourable
militarytradition,andareaninsulttothose[Canadians]whohavefallenandtothose
whocontinuethefight.
I believe you are wrong on all the major issues of fact out of which these
judgmentsarise.AndasIsaidinmypreviousbriefresponse,Idonotthinkthereis
anythinghonourableaboutsendingyoungCanadianmenandwomenofftowaronfalse

8
pretenses.Therealinsulttotheircourage,theirsacrifices,andtheirsufferingcomesfrom
thepoliticiansandpropagandistswhohaveliedtothem.
LetsconsiderfirstwhytheUnitedStatesoverthrewtheTalibanregimeinthefall
of2001.ThepurportedreasonisthattheTalibanwereharbouringOsamabinLaden,who
organizedtheterroristattacksof9/11.TheTalibanwereindeedharbouringBinLaden,
whohadeffectivelydeclaredwarupontheUnitedStates.WecanagreethattheTaliban
regimewasloathsome,andthatBinLadenis(orwas)aterrorist.ButdidBinLadens
minionscarryouttheatrocitiesof9/11?
Asyouguessedinyoursecondmissive,Imamongthosewhobelieve9/11was
aninsidejob.Butbeforeyoujeerorscoffaboutconspiracytheorists,Idsuggestyou
takealookatthewebsitePatriotsQuestion9/11,whereyoulldiscoverthatscepticism
abouttheofficialstoryof9/11hasbeenpubliclyvoicedbyasignificantnumberofsenior
US military officers, military research scientists and intelligence officers, as well as
distinguishedacademicsinmanydisciplines,andmorethansixhundredarchitectsand
engineers.
Checkoutthepeoplelistedthere,andseeifyouthinktheyreallfools.They
includeRaymondMcGovern,formerChairmanofNationalIntelligenceEstimates,CIA;
Lt.Col.SheltonLankford,USMC,aformerfighterpilotwithover300combatmissions;
DavidL.Griscom,PhD,adistinguishedresearchphysicistwithdecadesofserviceatthe
NavalResearchLaboratoryinWashington;PaulCraigRoberts,PhD,formerAssistant
SecretaryoftheUSTreasury,AssociateEditoroftheWallStreetJournal,andWilliam
E.SimonChairofPoliticalEconomyatGeorgetownUniversitysCenterforStrategic
andInternationalStudies;Capt.RussWittenberg,apilotwithover30,000hoursflying
time,includingover100combatmissionsand35yearsasacommercialpilot;andLt.
Col.RobertBowman,PhD,anotherformerfighterpilotwithover100missions,and
DirectorofAdvancedSpaceProgramsDevelopmentunderPresidentsFordandCarter.(I
hadthehonourofsharingaplatformwithBowmanataneventinTorontothispastJuly.
Should you be interested, a video of our lectures is available on the internet; a
documentaryfilmofadiscussionwehadtogetheronthesameday,TheFighterPilot&
theProfessor:AConversationAbout9/11[SnowshoeFilms,August2008],isavailable

9
onDVD.)
Youmightalsowanttocheckoutsomeofthebooksthepeoplelistedonthe
PatriotsQuestion9/11websiterefertointheirstatementsandwritings.Theyinclude:
NafeezMossadeqAhmed,TheWaronFreedom:HowandWhyAmerica
wasAttacked,September11,2001(TreeofLifePublications,2002).
,BehindtheWaronTerror(NewSocietyPublishers,2003).
,TheWaronTruth:9/11,Disinformation,andtheAnatomyof
Terrorism(OliveBranchPress,2005).
MichelChossudovsky,AmericasWaronTerrorism(GlobalResearch,
2005).
DavidRayGriffin,TheNewPearlHarbor(OliveBranchPress,2004).
,The9/11CommissionReport:OmissionsandDistortions(Olive
BranchPress,2005).
,Debunking9/11Debunking(OliveBranchPress,2007).
,9/11Contradictions:AnOpenLettertoCongressandthePress(Olive
BranchPress,2008).
,TheNewPearlHarborRevisited:9/11,theCoverUp,andtheExpos
(OliveBranchPress,2008).
R.T.Naylor,SatanicPurses:Money,Myth,andMisinformationintheWar
onTerror(McGillQueensUniversityPress,2006).
MichaelC.Ruppert,CrossingtheRubicon:TheDeclineoftheAmerican
EmpireattheEndoftheAgeofOil(NewSocietyPublishers,2004).
PeterDaleScott,TheRoadto9/11(UniversityofCaliforniaPress,2007).
PaulZarembka,ed.,TheHiddenHistoryof9/11(SevenStoriesPress,
2008).
BarrieZwicker,TowersofDeception:TheMediaCoverUpof9/11(New
SocietyPublishers,2006).
Inthesebooks,andatwebsiteslikethoseof ArchitectsandEngineersfor9/11
Truthand Scholarsfor9/11TruthandJustice,alargebodyofevidenceandofcritical
analysis is available. This evidence and analysis shows, I think conclusively, that if

10
peopleassociatedwithBinLadenwereinanywayconnectedwiththeeventsof9/11,it
wasaspatsies.
Thekeyelementsoftheeventsofthatdaywereorganizedbythepeoplewho
financed Mohammed Attas group (notably General Mahmoud Ahmad, head of
PakistansISI,whowasinWashingtonon9/11formeetingswithseniorUSintelligence
officials); by the people who effectively disabled the US air defences by means of
multipleexercisesscheduledfor9/11(includingairdefenceexercisesthatshiftedfighter
aircraft fromthenortheastUStoIceland andAlberta,andhijacking exercises which
clutteredthescreensofmilitaryairtrafficcontrollers);andbythepeoplewhoplanted
demolitionchargesinWorldTradeCenterbuildings1,2,and7(despitetheobfuscatory
effortsoftheNationalInstituteofStandardsandTechnology,theevidenceofdemolition
isirrefutable).
Whoevertheymayhavebeen,thesepeoplewerequitecertainlynotAlQaeda
operatives.
Add to this the fact that despite Colin Powells promise of a White Paper
demonstrating Bin Ladens guilt, the US never produced evidence of that guilt. The
famous confession video that surfaced in November 2001 after the invasion of
AfghanistanmaybeevidenceofBinLadensmalice,butitcontainsnothingthatwasnot
alreadypublicknowledge.Perhapsthatswhy,in2006,theFBIsmostwantedpageon
BinLadencontainednomentionof9/11:ajournalistwhonoticedthispeculiarfactwas
toldbytheFBIsDirectorofInvestigativePublicitythatthiswasbecausetheagencyhad
nohardevidencelinkinghimtotheattacks.
SowhatsleftoftherationalefortheinvasionofAfghanistan?Youclaiminyour
secondmessagethatAlQaedacontinuestouseAfghanistanasatraininggroundfor
renewedattacks onthosenotexactlylikethem,andmentionasexamplestheterror
attacksinLondon,Bali,Amman,Islamabad,MadridandMumbai.
ButthenotionofasignificantconnectionbetweenAfghanistanandanyofthese
atrocitiesiswithoutfoundation.Andsinceyouaskyes,thereareindeedproblematic
features to some of these attacks. Survivors of the London underground bombings
reported that the explosions blew up the floors of the carriages from below (which

11
contradicts the official story of suicide bombers with backpacks). Senior Indonesian
politicianshaveclaimedpubliclythatstateintelligenceagencieswereresponsibleforthe
Balibombing.PhotographicevidencesuggeststhatthebombintheAmmanhotelwas
plantedintheceilingratherthancarriedintothebuildinganddetonatedatfloorlevel.
AndthediaryofoneoftheMadridbomberscontainedtheprivatephonenumberofone
ofSpainsmostseniorantiterrorismofficials.Idrawnoconclusions,butdontyouthink
itmightmakesensetocallforseriousinquiriesintosuchmatters?
Theres another rather more convincing explanation for the US invasion of
Afghanistan.Ithastodowithenergygeopolitics.WhentheTalibancametopower,there
wereseriousnegotiationsforaUnocalpipelinefromtheCaspianBasinoilandgasfields
acrossAfghanistanandintoPakistanandthencetotheIndianOcean.Afterthe1998
bombings of US embassies in East Africa and retaliatory Tomahawk strikes into
Afghanistan,thesetalksstagnatedandfinallycollapsed.Theresgoodevidencethatin
thesummerof2001USdiplomatsthreatenedtheTalibanthatcontinuedobstructionof
thepipelineplanwouldresultinheavydutybombing,andtheiroverthrow,byOctober
2001atthelatest(seeChossudovsky,p.66).
Theeventsof9/11veryconvenientlybroughtUSandworldopinionintosupport
forthealreadyplannedattackonAfghanistan.
Ofcourse,thenotionthatenergygeopoliticshadanythingtodowiththeinvasion
and occupation of Afghanistan has been scoffed at by American and Canadian
government officials. But in June 2008 the distinguished petroleum economist John
Foster(whosefourdecadecareerhasincludedstintswithBritishPetroleum,theWorld
Bank,PetroCanada,andtheInterAmericanDevelopmentBank)publishedamonograph
entitledAPipelineThroughaTroubledLand:Afghanistan,Canada,andtheNewGreat
EnergyGame (Ottawa:CanadianCentreforPolicyAlternatives,June19,2008)and
suddenly it was being generally acknowledged that a $7.6billion Turkmenistan
AfghanistanPakistanIndia (TAPI) natural gas pipeline was indeed going to be
constructed, at American insistence, in 2010and further, that Canadian forces in
Afghanistanwouldbeassignedresponsibilityforprotectingthepipeline,whichistopass
throughtheKandaharregioninwhichmostoftheCanadianarmyscasualtieshavebeen

12
suffered.(Shouldyoucaretocheckthisout,youllfindarticlesbyShawnMcCarthy,
PipelineopensnewfrontinAfghanwar,andWouldhelpprotectpipeline,Canada
says,inTheGlobeandMail[19and20June,2008].)
Lets talk about honour, then. How honourable is it to tell young Canadian
soldiersthattheyreputtinglife,limbandsanityatriskdefendingusallfromattacksby
terrifyingAfghanistanbasedterroristswhenthestoryofanAfghanconnectiontothe
crimesof9/11isafraud,andwhenwhatweactuallywantthemtodoistoprotecta
pipeline?
Isithonourabletotelloursoldiers,asafallbackposition,thattheyreprotecting
therightsofAfghanwomen,whowerebeingoppressedandtormentedbymisogynist
theocrats?Yes,Talibanfanaticshavedonethevilethingsyoumentioned,fromdenialof
schoolingtomurderousviolenceagainstwomen.Butmisogynisttheocraticfanaticsinthe
puppetgovernmenttheUSputintopowerhavedoneandcontinuetodomanyofthe
samethings.(HaveyouforgottenSimaSamar,theMinisterofWomensAffairs,who
wasdrivenfromofficebydeaththreatsfromfundamentalists,amongthemtheChief
JusticeoftheSupremeCourt,whochargedherwithblasphemy,acapitalcrime?)
Andwhatabouttheopiumtrade,whichtheTalibanhadverynearlyeliminated,
butwhichcameroaringbackoncethewarlordsanddruglordsoftheNorthernAlliance
wereinpower?
And democracy? Its a cruel mockery of the word to claim that the puppet
governmentofHamidKarzaiandhisassociateshasanythingtodowithdemocracy.In
theWolesiJirga(Parliamentary)electionsof2005,theAfghanistanIndependentHuman
Rights Commission(AIHRC)identified debilitating technical problems,andobserved
widespreadintimidation,voterigging,electoralfraud,andmiscountingofballots.(Ifyou
caretofindoutaboutthesethings,onestartingplacewouldbe PressforConversion,
Issue 59 [September 2006], which reprints a large number of articles from the
mainstream and alternative press on the subject of The New Face of Terror in
Afghanistan:Howsocalled 'Democracy' EmpoweredourAllies,theFundamentalists,
Warlords,andDrugBarons.Thewebsiteishttp://coat.ncf.ca.)
Isithonourabletolittersomeoneelsescountrywithdepleteduranium?Isntthat

13
whathappenswhenourtroops,orthoseofotherNATOdetachments,areattackedby
Talibaninsurgents,andcallinUSairsupport?Settingasidethecriminalityofexposing
civilianpopulationstothishorribleandpermanenttoxicity,dowehavenoconcernabout
its effects on ouryoung soldiers? (Doyou want details? Check out Michael Clarke,
Doing the Wrong Thing in Afghanistan: Depleted Uranium: The Definitive Moral
Paradox,Uruknet.info[29August2006],http://www.uruknet.info/?p=26240.)
Isithonourable,finally,tohaveourtroopshandingoverprisonerstheyvetaken
toAfghanauthoritieswhichourgovernmentknewandknowshasbeensubjectingthem
to torture and to summary execution? That is, unambiguously, a war crime. (Our
governmentverycertainlydidknow:seePaulKoring,WhatOttawadoesntwantyouto
know:Governmentwastolddetaineesfacedextrajudicialexecutions,disappearances,
torture and detention without trial, The Globe and Mail (25 April 2007),
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070424.wdetaineereport0425/
BNStory/Afghanistan/home.)Ifthisreportisaccurate,UniversityofBritishColumbia
lawprofessorMichaelByersdeclared,Canadianshaveengagedinwarcrimes,notonly
individuallybutalsoasamatterofpolicy.
EveniftherewerentincriminatingevidencethatseniorfiguresintheCanadian
governmenthadbeeninformedofwhatwasbeingdonetotheseprisonersbythepuppet
governmentspolice,itwouldstillbeaviolationoftheGenevaConventionstohand
prisonersover.WereanOccupyingPower,togetherwithotherNATOcountries,and
prisonerstakenbyoursoldiersarethereforesubjecttotheGenevaConventions.AsNeil
Kitsonanactivistwhohasworkedhardtosavethehonourofourcountryhaswritten:
Articles 10 and 12 of the Third Geneva Convention make
abundantly clear that prisoners taken must be cared for by the
DetainingPower,andiftransferredtoaTransferringPower,
such transferring power must be a signatory to the Geneva
Conventions.TheIslamicRepublicofAfghanistanhasnotsigned
any Geneva Conventions. Furthermore, Article 10 of the Third
GenevaConventionmakesclearthatsigningagreementswithlocal
authorities when the country is occupied is illegal. Therefore,

14
Canadas agreements with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
regardingprisonersareinvalidatedbytheGenevaConventionthey
claimtouphold.
(Kitson,TheWarofFog:CanadianPrisonersin
Afghanistan,Antiwar.com(7February2008)1
Heresafinaljudgmentforyou,fromFrancisA.Boyle,arespectedauthorityon
internationallaw:
TheBushJr.administrationswaragainstAfghanistancannotbe
justifiedoneitherthefacts,apaucityofwhichhasbeenoffered,or
the law, either domestic or international. Rather it is an illegal
armedaggressionthathascreatedahumanitariancatastrophefor
the twentytwo million people of Afghanistan and is promoting
terribleregionalinstability.
(Boyle, Destroying World Order: U.S. Imperialism in the
MiddleEastBeforeandAfterSeptember11 [ClarityPress,
2004],pp.11920)
Thats what I was sayingvery brieflyin the Guelph Mercury letter which
causedyousuchdistress.Perhapsthislongerresponsewillonlyshockanddistressyou
further.Butwhoeversaidthatthetruthisntsometimesunwelcome,andpainful?
1 Kitson'sstatementhereneedssomecorrection.TheIslamicRepublicofAfghanistanregardsitselfasa
successorstatetotheAfghangovernmentwhichin1956becameapartytothe1949Geneva
Conventions.(Itcanbeaddedthatinlate2009,nearlytwoyearsafterKitsonwrote,andayearafterI
wrotethisletter,Afghanistanaccededtothe1977AdditionalProtocolsIandII,whichprotectvictims
ofinternationalconflictsandcivilwars.)Itremainsthecase,however,thatArticle12oftheThird
GenevaConventioniscategorical:Prisonersofwarmayonlybetransferred[]toaPowerwhichisa
partytotheConventionandaftertheDetainingPowerhassatisfieditselfofthewillingnessandability
ofsuchtransfereePowertoapplytheConvention.Itisclearfromthestatementsbothofsenior
CanadiandiplomatsandofAmnestyInternational,theUNCommissiononHumanRights,theUSState
Department,andothersources,thattheCanadiangovernment,farfromhavingsatisfieditselfthatthe
Afghanregimewouldtreatprisonersproperly,knewthattheregimemadearegularpracticeoftorturing
prisoners.Fordetails,seemyarticlePrimeMinisterStephenHarperandCanadianWarCrimesin
Afghanistan,publishedbytheCentreforResearchonGlobalization(24April2011)andavailableat
thiswebsite.Kitson'sremarkaboutArticle10oftheThirdGenevaConventionisvalid:Afghanistanisa
countryundermilitaryoccupation,andagreementssignedbytheoccupyingpowerswiththe
governmenttheysetupfollowingtheiroverthrowoftheprecedingregimehavenomorelegitimacy
thanagreementssignedintheearly1940sbetweenGermanyandtheNorwegiangovernmentofVidkun
Quisling.

15
Idliketoinsistthatthisisntamatter,asyouseemtothink,ofbeingpolitically
leftwingorrightwing.IverymuchdoubtthatanyofthedistinguishedAmericanswhom
Imentionedaboveasbeingamongthoselistedonthe PatriotsQuestion9/11 website
would classify himself as a leftist, or even (with the possible exception of David
Griscom)aliberal.RobertBowman,theonlyoneofthatgroupthatIvemet,isastaunch
conservative.Butthesearepeoplewhovemadeathoughtfulandunflinchingassessment
oftheevidence,andhavethenhadthecouragetostandupinpublicandsayaloudwhat
theybelievetobethetruth.
ThatisbehaviourthatIrespect,andhonour,andadmire.Ihopethatwithtime,
andstudyoftheevidence,youmaycometosharemyopinionofit.
Bestwishes,
8430MichaelKeefer
Professor
SchoolofEnglishandTheatreStudies
UniversityofGuelph

5.Coda:AbelatedeVeritascommentonWemustn'tparticipate
in'criminalfollies'(andmyresponse)
16142J.J.Smith(July7,2010):
As a lawyer and law academic I appreciate Professor Keefer's well reasoned opinion piece. But his
conclusionthatthe2001invasionandcontinuingoccupationundertheaegisofaNATOmission[areillegal]is,
regrettably,incorrect.Chapter7oftheUNCharterappliesheretomaketheuseofSecurityCouncilsanctioned
force entirely legal. And, for greater effect, NATO is the invitee of a democratically elected government,
whateveritspresentfrailtiesmaybe.Theuseofforceingenerallyproportionatewaysandthepresenceof
foreignarmedforceinAfghanistanis,tothecontrary,entirelylegalandmanifestlycorrectunderthenewworld
orderputinplacein1945.
Better,perhaps,toaddresscontinuingillegaloccupationsthatthreatenthearrangementofsovereignnation
states,includingthecasesofPalestineandWesternSahara,tonametwoinwhichCFpersonnelhaveserved
underUNmandates.

16
Thiscommentdeservesaresponse(notleastbecauseIaddressedthequestionof
legalityonlyverybrieflyinmycorrespondencewithPeterLudorf).
TheUNCharterpermitstheuseofarmedforcebyonecountryagainstanother(1)
inselfdefense,or(2)withtheauthorizationoftheSecurityCouncil.
(1)TheUSinvasionofAfghanistanwasnotanactofselfdefense.BytheUS
government's account, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were carried out by a nonstate
organization, AlQaeda,andnoclaim wasmadeeitherthatanyofthenineteenmen
identifiedassuicidehijackerswereAfghansoragentsoftheTalibanregime(fifteenof
them in fact were Saudis), or that the US faced any imminent threat of attack by
Afghanistan.TheTalibanwasindeedshelteringOsamabinLaden,butofferedtosend
him to a third country for trial, asking only for what would amount to prima facie
evidenceofhisinvolvementinthe9/11attacksevidencethattheUSrefusedtoprovide.
(ItwouldhavebeenappropriateinthisregardtohaverecoursetotheMontrealSabotage
Convention,ofwhichAfghanistanandtheUSwerebothsignatories.)
(2) The US was not authorized by the Security Council to use military force
againstAfghanistan.GeorgeW.Bushwantedsucharesolution,butSecurityCouncil
resolutions 1368 and 1373 did not authorize military action. The fact that NATO
accepted the US's invocation of article 5 of the NATO treaty (thus activating the
organization'scollectivesecurityprovisions)givesnocoveroflegitimacy.ChapterVIIof
theUNCharterthusdoesnotapply;theUSattackwasillegal.
ItisamistaketoclaimthatNATOenteredAfghanistanattheinvitationofan
electedgovernment:NATOforcesweretherebeforeanypostTalibangovernmentwas
elected(andunderarticle10oftheThirdGenevaConvention,anyexpostfactoinvitation
bythepuppetgovernmentofacountryunderoccupationisvacuous).
Thequestionofthelegalityoftheongoingoccupationismorecomplicated.It
couldbeclaimedthatanotherwiseillegaloccupationwaslegitimizedbytheactionsof
theUNSecretaryGeneralandSecurityCouncil.OnDecember5,2001theUNproduced
theBonnAgreement,whichprovidedfortheestablishmentofanInterimAuthorityon
December22,tobereplacedwithinsixmonthsbyaTransitionalAuthorityestablishedby
anEmergencyLoyaJirgaconvenedbyformerkingMohammedZaher,and,following

17
electionsheldwithinafurthereighteenmonths,aConstitutionalLoyaJirgachargedwith
adoptinganewconstitutionforAfghanistan.OnDecember20,2001,SecurityCouncil
resolution 1383 ratified the Bonn Agreement, authorizing the establishment for six
monthsofanInternationalSecurityAssistanceForce(ISAF);andonOctober13,2003,
Security Council resolution 1510 authorized ISAF to operate beyond the immediate
regionofKabul,callingonISAFtocontinuetoworkincloseconsultationwiththe
AfghanTransitionalAuthorityanditssuccessorsandtheSpecialRepresentativeofthe
SecretaryGeneralaswellaswiththeOperationEnduringFreedom.Thelanguageofthis
resolutionseemsdesignedtoofferretrospectivelegitimationtotheinvasionaswellasto
theoccupationofAfghanistan.
These resolutions are evidence not that the occupation is legal, but that the
Security Council acted corruptly, betraying the principles of international law in the
lawlessinterestsoftheglobalsuperpowerinalargelymonopolarworld.
OtherinstancesofthesamecorruptionincludetheSecurityCouncil'sfailureto
condemntheillegalinvasionsofAfghanistanin2001andofIraqin2003;itsfailureto
condemnthenolessillegaloverthrowofHaitiandemocracybytheUS,Canada,and
Francein2004;anditsresolutionsratifying,afterthefact,theinvasionandoccupationof
Iraq, and the occupation of Haiti. The notion that actions which are in themselves
criminal can be whitewashed in this manner violates elementary and fundamental
principlesoflaw.
Somerelevantanalysesbyspecialistsininternationallaw:
FrancisBoyle,DestroyingWorldOrder:U.S.ImperialismintheMiddleEast
BeforeandAfterSeptember11th(Atlanta,GA:ClarityPress,2004).
MarjorieCohn,CowboyRepublic:SixWaystheBushGangHasDefiedthe
Law(Sausalito,CA:PodipointPress,2007).
AlexConte, Securityinthe21st Century:TheUnitedNations,Afghanistan,
andIraq(Aldershot,Hants.:Ashgate,2005).
Michael Mandel, How America Gets Away With Murder: Illegal Wars,
CollateralDamage,andCrimesAgainstHumanity(London:PlutoPress,
2004).

18
MyraWilliamson, Terrorism,War,andInternationalLaw:TheLegalityof
theUseofForceAgainstAfghanistanin2001(Aldershot,Hants.:Ashgate,
2009).
IagreewithJ.J.Smith'ssuggestionthatweshouldattendtoothercontinuing
illegal occupations in the Western Sahara and Palestinethough we should so not
insteadof,butinadditiontoattendingtotheillegaloccupationofAfghanistan.
AUNmission(MINURSO)hassince1991maintainedabufferzonebetweenthe
twothirds of the Western Sahara occupied by Morocco and the remaining part
administered by Frente POLISARIO, but no Canadians are currently serving in
MINURSO,anditmaybedoubtedthatCanadahasmuchleverageintheUN'srather
pallidattemptstonudgeMoroccotowardsacceptingaplebiscite.
ThesituationwithregardtoPalestineisquitedifferent.Canadahasbeendeeply
complicitintheIsraelioccupationofGazaandtheWestBank,providingbothdiplomatic
andfinancialsupporttotheoccupation,andCanadawasthefirstcountryin2006tojoin
inIsrael'sblockadeofGaza.AshiftinCanada'spositiontowarddemandinganendto
the blockade, a withdrawal of Israel's settlements in the West Bank, the removal of
Israel'sapartheidwall,andanendtotheoccupation,wouldbeofmajorimportance.