Moving a bad Minister to a new file, amounts to two departments failing, though in this case, Verner had already done a number here.The latest Senlis report points out some real problems, (still), in Afghanistan. Oda's response, just as it was when she held the Heritage file, addresses nothing.
We need answers here, real ones. We must understand where all the money is going. I know it's complicated, but I've read that it goes into a general pool and not necessarily distributed as we intended.
Furthermore, how on earth is this helping our troops? You cannot win hearts and minds while people starve. You do not bring public opinion around, when you aren't able to assist with injured civilians, unless they can make their way to your camp, risking their lives once again.
This is a perfect example of the kind of clarity many of us are demanding. If different aspects of government are working at cross purposes, and it seems obvious they are, what is the point?
There has been a military presence in Afghanistan for 6 years now, (not us specifically), but that is how long the west has been there. Why is it still in such dire straights? Why isn't the strategy being examined more fully? Why is the government so incredibly reluctant to answer these important questions?
I'm beginning to believe that the government thinks this is an untenable situation, but it would be political suicide to admit it, so the juvenile "stay the course" rhetoric prevails.
We need a national debate and we need it now. If it results in a change and a way to make it work, fine. The government would gain far more support if that was laid out.
Iraq and Afghanistan are not comparable, except as it relates to the rhetoric of "doing more of the same", even when it's not working and frankly making things worse. MacKay will toe the party line, as will Oda and Bernier.
New salespeople is not what we need. What we need is some intelligent discourse, something we will not get from this government.
To those who are on the "right" of this issue and will be tempted to dismiss this report as "left wing loons"...Senlis supports the military effort.
It's a long read, but I urge those who have an opinion on Afghanistan to read the report.
10 comments:
Imagine this KNB the military leaves Afghanistan how are we going to send aid then? Plea with the taliban? I know it and you know it if we leave before thee Afghans are ready to defend themself we can forget about any kind of aid. The taliban
will take everything!!
With respect John, I'll respond to you when you have read the report. Give me your thoughts on that.
I'm frankly sick of listening to right wing rhetoric. It say's nothing and goes nowhere.
Nothing and I mean nothing, is getting better according to those on the ground. Don't give me kids going to school...that's Kabul and there are suddenly more bombings there. Women free...BS. A parliamentarian, a woman, thrown out because she spoke to the corruption of the government.
I am sick to death of the lame claims that the right trot out, not based in fact, but based on ideology. It's nonsense and it is high time we rose above it.
I repeat, to all those on the right, Senlis agrees with the military mission...but it must be alligned to the reality on the ground, full stop.
How hard is that and why is that point ignored?
Ah yes John the Karzai government and the warlords that prop it up are the paragons of virtue who always make certain that all of the aid sent to the parts of Afghanistan they control goes to those who need it and not into their own pockets.
Uh huh.
The only thing that would change with regard to foreign aid if NATO left is the aid would wind up going into the pockets of a different set of crooks. Otherwise, ordinary Afghanis would continue to be shafted.
You are going to have to come up with a much more plausable excuse for continuing to support Canada's involvement in the war.
I have have read the report it took me 1/2 hr
96 pages. KNB its a war zone what do you expect
the government can't perform Miracles. I'm
sick of the left always
criticizing no matter what we do its never good enough. Listening to the
left you think we live in a third world country.
There is 57% of the people who thinks we are on the right track in this country. If you don't believe me i could send you a link tomorrow
if you ask.
You know your right
we on the right are the devil while you people
on the left are saints.
You see we on the right
we hate our country, because everything that the right does is bad for our country what a bunch of left wing none sense just typical left wing spew. Wake up and smell the coffee!!!
Some people just don't want to see the truth. The US blew when they didn't complete the job in Afghanistan. Karzai is corrupt and even if the Afghan troops are trained, when we pull out - even if it's 10 years from now - they have the Sharia law - which is very bad for women. So all this money, lives, and time will accomplish nothing because they will go back to their old ways.
Why are we supporting corruption? Why are we pretending that things will improve when they still have Sharia laws and will continue to do so?
Even with girls getting an education, nothing will improve for them - the man rules over there.
Johnny - it's time you woke up and stop believing rhetoric. Try listening to the experts, not the political sell.
You are going to have to come up with a much more plausable excuse for continuing to support Canada's involvement in the war.
How about because the Liberals committed us to it back in 2000, and in 2005 they kicked it up a notch with the new current offensive dreamed up by Bill Graham and Rick Hillier. The whole thing has been such a smashing success that the Liberals voted to extend it till 2009. Are you saying now that all of this has been a big Liberal mistake? "Sorry folks. Let's all blame the Right".
Anon (10:32 AM) your
right just take a look
at this article!
and it will give you a better idea what our troops are going threw today!!
We don't see the left blaming the liberals
for this do we now? No of course not I said it before and I'll say it again they so hate this
government that they can't see straight.
anonymous said:
"How about because the Liberals committed us to it back in 2000,..."
Considering the Canada did not commit troops to Afghanistan until about six months after the Taliban were ousted, and the action that brought that about occurred after the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001, it would be very difficult to blame the Liberals for committing troops to that country in 2000.
It is very difficult to take your comment seriously when you cannot even get a basic fact correct.
Now I could be charitable and assume that yours was just a typo and not an indication of typical Conservative ignorance but I am not feeling overly charitable today.
It is very difficult to take your comment seriously when you cannot even get a basic fact correct.
Yes, yes. There should have been a 1 there instead of a zero. A most egregious typo indeed. In any event, back to the topic. October 2001, "Defence Minister Art Eggleton announced Monday that more than 2,000 Canadian military personnel will be involved in Canada's contribution." "This will be unlike any campaign engaged in before". No shit.
So was this a big Bush asskissing moment for the Liberals or what? And what about the Liberal vote to extend to 2009? Or was that the old Liberals? You're Canada's New Liberals this year.
Outtlib (10:57 AM)
"Considering the Canada did not commit troops to Afghanistan until about six months after the Taliban were ousted, and the action that brought that about occurred after the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001, it would be very difficult to blame the Liberals for committing troops to that country in 2000."
Outtlib what have you been smoking? Did you go
to the link i posted on
my post 10:43 AM ? I'm
not saying that the Liberals should have not sent them! What I'm saying is that they should have send them
well equipped. Just ask
the former generals and
please read the link on my post 10:57 AM before
you make another uninformed comment thanks!!
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