Posts Tagged by Dion
Finally, Some Non-Partisan Action
| 2/22/2008 | Posted by Patti under General |
Looks as though Harper is determined enough to have the mission in Afghanistan continue that he was willing to meet Dion more than half-way in order to come up with a motion that would pass the House.
The government yesterday revised the motion on the mission to include most of the language that the Liberal counter-motion the week before included. There is one main which is, instead of the mission in Afghanistan ending February 2011 it would end in July 2011 with a full redeployment by the end of December. The motion doesn’t specify that the troops will be completely out of Afghanistan, just that they will be moved out of Kandahar province. It also doesn’t rule out combat action after February 2009 which the Liberals had originally demanded. (more…)
Baby Steps — Hopefully Forwarded
| 2/4/2008 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan, Canadian Politics, General |
CanWest is reporting today that Poland is prepared to let Canada share two of their helicopters that they have in Afghanistan. In a speech in Ottawa this morning, their foreign minister declared that Poland is unequivocal in their support for the NATO mission. Poland has 1,200 troops in southeastern Afghanistan and eight helicopters. They serve without caveats limiting where they are deployed. The foreign minister also indicated as the Polish troops are withdrawn from Iraq more contributions may be made in Afghanistan.
I read some where else on the web today that France has over 700,000 men and women in uniform. Now I’m beginning to understand why much of the spotlight is on both them and Germany to provide troops to actually take part in establishing security instead of taking up residence in less volatile areas of the country. France needs to remember that the very countries they are leaving to struggle getting the job done were the ones who liberated them 60+ years ago.
Meanwhile back on the ranch… Dion and Taliban Jack are supposed to be having a meeting today. Dion is reportedly going to urge Taliban Jack to recognize that Canada has international commitments that means we need to stay in Afghanistan and Taliban Jack is reportedly going to urge Dion to support him in pushing Canada into a cowardly exit right away. Two brick walls talking to each other, sounds like something that should be filmed for YouTube.
Taliban Jack Wants to Bolt From Kandahar
| 2/2/2008 | Posted by Patti under General |
Jack Layton the leader of the federal NDP party has long advocated that Canadian troops should be completely withdrawn from Afghanistan and brought home. Now he’s stated his willingness to have Canada raise the white flag for the first time in our history. Great warrior and military analyst that Taliban Jack is, he’s decreed that no international troops can win against the Taliban in that region, it is pointless to be there and our troops need to be brought home now.
His remarks were part of a speech he recently gave at the University of Ottawa. Geeze, that is the best the university can find to speak to our young people? The text of the speech is rift with lies and misrepresentations of the mission in Afghanistan which twisted his way to the conclusion that Canada should run while the running is good. (more…)
Strange Harper Clone Appears Before National Media
| 1/29/2008 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan, Canadian Politics |
Some guy looking like, sounding like and claiming to be Stephen Harper appeared before the media yesterday to talk about Manley’s report. What made the media, and others question, who this guy was is that what came out of this guy’s mouth was a bit of humble speak which included sounding like someone who would compromise and work with at least one other party to make the Afghanistan mission work.
It is a side of Harper that I don’t know I’ve ever actually seen in motion. I know I’d like to see more of it, a lot more. Who knows,
Canadians Increasingly non-Partisan
| 1/28/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
A recent Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey indicates that Canadians are becoming increasingly non-partisan just as it seems that there is nothing in Ottawa that is not defined by partisan bickering. Maybe it is Canadians desire to see leadership shaped by what is good for the country more than the stroking of egos that comes with partisan politics.
Only a small number of those surveyed indicated a commitment to either the Liberals (13%) or the Conservatives (12%). Increasingly the two parties are seen as interchangeable. I suspect that view has a lot to do with overall behaviour than any particular stand on issues. While Dion stumbles around like the bumbling professor, Harper keeps a cone of silence firmly planted over him and his party, lashing out with vicious attacks on those he can’t control when they oppose him.
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Manley Report – No End Date Makes Sense
| 1/22/2008 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan, Canadian Politics |
I spent some time today reading carefully through the report from the “Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan” chaired by John Manley, the former Liberal Deputy Prime Minister. The report on the whole seems to be in depth and well thought out. It doesn’t sugar coat the mission in Afghanistan nor is it doom and gloom. It raises some tough issues and makes some tough recommendations.
Partisan politics aside, the report lays out some obvious truths that don’t fit well in sound bites for partisan politicians.
For Dion, setting an arbitrary end to our combat role as February 2009 and then expecting our troops to focus more on training and mentoring Afghan National Army recruits just doesn’t make sense. You can’t train and mentor effectively from within the wire, you need to be able to accompany and support the raw troops on the battlefield and that means taking part in combat. You don’t train an army from a classroom. (more…)
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