After family, friends and health, I would venture that the next most important factor in life is nationality. A common question I encounter on the road is 'which country?' or 'where are you from?' I am very fortunate to answer Canada. (Although I would prefer to say 'the Republic of Canada' but that's another story.) Blank faces sometimes stare back but, often enough, people know where and what Canada is. On occasion, their faces light up and they reply with our best known brand name: 'Ohhh, Canada Dry! Welcome Canada Dry!' Thanks. I always found Gwilym a little awkward.
In Egypt, I actually met an American couple who were pretending to be from Canada. Americans get a bad rap, almost completely thanks to Mr. Bush & Co. He has set American foreign relations back by a generation. Bush is detested by most in the Arab world and rightfully so. The recent tensions with Iran are making things worse. As one Yemeni hotel manager remarked: 'they need to build a mental hospital and put both Ahmenijhad and Bush in there together - not just one of them, but both!'
Canada is lucky to be well respected in most of the world and Canadians don't require weird screening like retina scans for the US or the UAE. Our role with Western forces in Afghanistan is more difficult to explain and justify. Aside from gaining valuable battle experience, Canada's principal objectives will be hard to achieve. It may well be time to re-evaluate that role.
