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6 durhamcitizen.ca August 31, 2021

EDITORIAL “ The biggest risk is to those who are not vaccinated at present.
So if you’re a parent of younger children, please consider getting vaccinated.”
- Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer.

HARD TRUTHS ABOUT
HARD TRUTHS ABOUT
HARD TR UTHS AB OUT
ENING S
E
S
R REOPENING SCHOOLS
REOPENING SCHOOLS
OP
CHOOL
USA took
Four Presidents,
Given the growing concerns about school
reopenings in less than two weeks, it’s
useful to remember the reason for closing Thousands of Lives,
them in mid-March, along with other
lockdown measures, because of COVID- Trillions of Dollars and
19. It was to slow the spread of the TALIBAN TALIBAN
coronavirus so that hospitals wouldn’t be
overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. 20 Years to replace
It was not to eliminate COVID-19
completely, because that’s impossible, the Taliban with...
without an effective vaccine. Logically, as
schools reopen in September, there will be the Taliban.
a rise in COVID-19 cases. Ruskin
The good news is with infection rates now August 31
relatively low compared to the height of
the pandemic, it will be easier to isolate
and contain the outbreaks that do occur.
But it will not be possible to keep the
infection rate to zero.
To expect that is to make the perfect the
enemy of the good. Trump's deal with the Taliban set
No measures can eliminate 100% of the
risk. But these risks must be weighed
against keeping schools closed in terms of the stage for the Afghan collapse
the deterioration of students’ learning
skills and their mental well-being.
There is also the economic need for many
parents, who have been caring for their
children at home, to return to work.
istory will mark Aug. 15, 2021, They balked at starting negotiations
as the date that the Afghan until December, and even then, had
Hgovernment collapsed and zero incentive to make any concessions
The biggest risk is to those who
the Taliban retook control over this since Trump had already announced
are not vaccinated at present. troubled and war-torn country. But the that there would be only 2,500 troops
The fourth wave is fuelled by the real date that the Taliban’s victory was in Afghanistan by the time he left
“unvaccinated amongst us”: recent assured is Feb. 29, 2020, the day the office, the smallest U.S. force in 20
n
i
p
n
o
i
Opinion
data from Ontario shows that Trump administration signed what it O O p i n i o n years. It was clear to the Taliban that
characterized as a “peace” deal with the the Americans were quickly headed for
unvaccinated individuals are 29
Taliban. Once this agreement was the exits.
times more likely to be hospitalized signed — the tragic collapse we by David Schanzer When the fighting season began again
and 48 times more likely to be a w i t n e s s e d t h i s we e ke n d w a s this year, the only hope for the Afghan
patient in the ICU. inevitable. government was to show that it could
Of course, the agreement was not, and to the table, undercut the power and stand up to the Taliban even with
So if you’re a parent of younger
could not possibly have been, a “peace” legitimacy of the government. The reduced American support to gain
children, please consider getting
deal since one of the parties currently citizenry, including those in the leverage at the bargaining table. But
vaccinated.” at war — the Afghan government — national armed services and police, results on the ground were just the
- Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s was not a signatory. Rather, this was a could plainly see that its own opposite. The Taliban gobbled up
chief medical officer. “withdrawal” agreement between the government was being ignored, a territory more quickly than it had in
U.S. and the Taliban that set the terms helpless bystander in critical years. As the Taliban’s power
for the complete departure of discussions about the country’s future. increased, it had even less reason to
It’s unfortunate that in some provinces - American troops from Afghanistan by After we had cut the legs out from engage in peace negotiations.
Ontario for example - the adversarial May 2021. under this government and rendered it To stem the Taliban’s momentum on
relationship between the government, What did the United States gain in a paper tiger, it is no wonder that when the ground this spring, the Biden
teacher unions and school boards, has led exchange for this withdrawal, for those serving in the Afghan army and administration would have had to not
to a lack of certainty for parents with which the Taliban had been fighting police were asked to fight, most said, only abrogate the Trump withdrawal
regard to school reopenings. for 20 years? Nothing but vague, “No, thanks.” agreement but also deploy more troops
This broken relationship existed long unenforceable promises that the The agreement also did absolutely and get them more deeply involved in
before the COVID-19 pandemic. Taliban would not engage in hostilities nothing to attempt to bring about a the fighting. This would have breached
It has led to a situation where the against the departing U.S. troops and peaceful settlement of the war Biden’s campaign commitment to end
provincial medical officer of health says would “send a clear message” to al between the Afghan government and the war in Afghanistan and ran against
the province’s plan to reopen schools is Qaeda that it “had no place” in the Taliban. A genuine peace deal the strong bipartisan public support
safe, the teacher unions disagree and Afghanistan. So eager Trump was to would have made our withdrawal for withdrawal.
school boards are making major decisions withdraw, we did not even hold out for contingent on the progress of peace The Taliban reads statements from
at the eleventh hour that should have a clear, firm commitment that the negotiations between the Afghan American politicians and likely
been made months ago.
Taliban would not provide aid, safe government and the Taliban. But it did watches poll numbers. They could not
This is enormous stress for parents.
harbor or weaponry to al Qaeda and not. Trump agreed unconditionally to have been surprised when, in April,
But the reality is schools cannot remain
like-minded groups. The agreement bring down U.S. troop levels to 8,600 Biden reaffirmed the American
closed indefinitely.
c o n t a i n e d n o e n f o r c e m e n t by mid-July 2020 and totally withdraw commitment to a complete withdrawal
Parents - who are the best people to make
mechanisms and included no by May 2021. of troops, albeit on a somewhat slower
the decision - now have to decide whether
penalties on the Taliban for failing to The agreement anticipated there timetable.
to return their children to school, or
comply with its terms. would be peace negotiations, but in The Taliban knew it had won the war
continue to care for them at home,
Once the agreement was signed, the August, Trump voluntarily cut troop once Biden’s predecessor had signed
making use of whatever online learning
fate of the Afghan government was levels down to 4,500, even more the troop withdrawal agreement —
programs will be available.
signed, sealed and delivered — the quickly than required by the now it was only a matter of time.
It’s far from an ideal situation.
Taliban had practically won the war. agreement, even though negotiations
But the only viable way forward is to
There was no way that the government had not even begun. This was a clear
reopen schools, react quickly to outbreaks
could possibly survive. signal there would be no linkage David Schanzer is a professor of
of COVID-19 that do occur, and be
The fact that the United States entered between withdrawals and peace, public policy at the Sanford School of
prepared to lock down schools again if
into negotiations and then an contrary to what U.S. diplomats were Public Policy at Duke University and
infections spike unacceptably.
agreement with the Taliban, without telling the parties. This signal was the director of the Triangle Center on
even inviting the Afghan government received loud and clear by the Taliban. Terrorism and Homeland Security.
Dur am
z e tel: 416-301-9154 Ruskin Ramsundar CEO/Publisher Courtney McLaren Digital Media
email: ruskin@durhamcitizen.ca
Sylvan Naidoo CFO
Gerard Richardson Photographer
ruskinwr@aol.com
Robert Ranjitsingh Photographer
Riyad Mohammed Associate Editor