Welcome. This is Learn the Facts.

“Why is Canada in Afghanistan?” is a difficult question. Not only because the question itself is enormous, but also because there are very few clear, agreeable answers. Even politicians, the ones who purport the mission, often give mixed responses that leave Canadians baffled. Nor is media designed to answer this question in any sort of depth. Think tanks are in the same boat, and usually focus only on their membership and target audience.

There’s an information gap and Canadians are left in the dark. We’re confused too. The early weeks of our project will have very little to do with learning any facts. Rather, it will have a lot do to with learning about the ideas and viewpoints that are at play. The ‘why’ question is always the most daunting and politically loaded, and let us be honest, we’re in no position to properly make an informed judgment quite yet. It will take time, but we’ll get there.

Over the next year we have designed an ambitious campaign that will take us through the different aspects of Canada’s relationship with Afghanistan. We’re going to start with some big questions that ask, for instance, “what is Afghanistan like?” and “why are we in Kandahar?” We’ll then wean our way down the specifics: “what’s an IED and why are they so harmful?” and “what’s the deal with the Dalha Dam?” Eventually, we will return to the big questions, once again, and refine our responses, our debates and our opinions.

That’s our plan and we’re going to stick to it. We’re also going to introduce fascinating features such as, my personal favorite, “Ask an Afghan”, where you can ask questions to an Afghan civilian overseas. As well, at any point you can ask us questions for clarification and we’ll address them promptly. Almost daily we will post relevant articles and other media with analysis. These efforts, combined with our interactive forums and social media components will allow us to really get into the issues.

But who are we? And what makes us credible? We’re a collective of average Canadians that range from graduate students to professionals, and activists to soldiers. We think critically and aren’t afraid to consult and share the evidence. We don’t agree, either. We all have our own views that enrich our content and our debate. And we all share a fierce belief that Canada needs to have an educated discussion about our mission. A discussion that does not focus on whether or not we should be there, but one that focuses on the substance of the mission.

Let me get back to the question at hand. One of the most astute observations our team made when we first considered “why is Canada in Afghanistan?” was that the reasons have changed. Indeed, there was a set of reasons that are factual given Canada’s alliances relationship. Yet, the much more difficult question was “why is Canada still in Afghanistan?” This is where the gray area exists. It is this ambiguity that I hope we can address, in part, during these early weeks.

Once again, welcome. We’re glad you’re joining the debate. Lets start the process.

Jordan