I'll Put Five on it

-Photo courtesy of John Moore /AP-

This photo was sent to me in a forward entitled "Pics the nesw never shows" (news) encouraging us to support the soldiers in Iraq. It is moving because it shows kindness and interaction between people, not as enemies, but as partners. Although I do not support the war in Iraq, and I am troubled by the collaboration of Canadian soldiers in US offensive missions in Afganistan, (because Canada is known as a peacekeeping nation) I don't disagree that good can come through the military.

The military has access to amazing resources payed by tax dollars. An operation that seems worthy is "landmines to ploughshares" taking place in Afganistan and elsewhere, whose initiative is to uproot and recycle the metal from landmines by making them into useful farming equipment. It is dangerous work. Anyone courageous enough to risk blowing themselves up to save the countryside and someone else's life in the future deserves our support. Other projects are equally important, including reducing military dependency and banning our own weapons of mass destruction. These are inititives are some of the objectives put forth by project ploughshares.

"...they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and speares into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2:4)