Canadian veterans must take priority
Re Help veterans, not enemies like Khadr, Letter, Aug. 28 Allen Bateman made a glorious point regarding two things: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the way the government treats soldiers inflicted with it, plus the way the Liberal government so happily gave an admitted terrorist $10.5 million.
That money, which made Khadr a multi-millionaire and gave him a lifestyle many of us can only dream about, and also lined the pockets of his many lawyers, could have been spent not just on programs for soldiers with PTSD but other programs that help the needy. Priorities. Randy MacDonald, Whitby The letter from Allen Bateman is a very sad letter indeed. My heart breaks for this poor man and I’m further saddened because there are so many more like him.
It’s for reasons like those detailed in Mr. Bateman’s letter (in addition to ethical and moral reasons) that 70 per cent of Canadians opposed the payout to Khadr. Here’s a Canadian who fought for us and cannot work because of his experiences as a soldier, but cannot get enough money to live a decent life.
Compare that to someone who fought against us and is now living in the lap of luxury on the taxpayer’s dime, and demanding changes to his bail conditions. Talk about using the system! Rita Maio, Woodbridge I read with sadness the letter by Allen Bateman, a former Canadian solder. He is accusing our government of unfairly helping Omar Khadr.
Some might see Omar Khadr as a child soldier; some as a traitor.
Some might see Allen Bateman as a hero who fought for Canada; some might see him as a professional solder who got paid for his work.
However, both are victims of the same machine: war.
In the absence of war — and few of us understand why Canada was involved in the Afghanistan war — neither of these two would be in the situation they are today.
Millions of people are suffering because of senseless wars. Each life is precious.
It could be so beneficial for all of us if Bateman channelled his energy into the anti-war movement. Emilia Betkova, Whitby