We're extending! We're pulling out! We're staying! WTF? One wonders how all of this fits into Sandy Crux's list of Harper government "accomplishments."
FOLLOW THE BOUNCING TORIES: From that CBC piece, it's fun to watch the frantic dissembling and re-definition of the English language:
"I would caution you against saying dozens or hundreds or a thousand, there will be exponentially fewer," Soudas said.
"Whether there's 20 or 60 or 80 or 100, they will not be conducting combat operations."
OK, that sounds clear -- no combat operations. You're sure about that?
Soudas said the government would shift focus from combat operations and in-the-field training of Afghan police and soldiers to a development and reconstruction mission.
OK, then, that's settled -- we'll be doing "development" and "reconstruction." Sounds good. Um ... hang on:
The military's training mission will continue, but it will take place in the safety of protected facilities, he said.
So ... the military will still be doing, you know, "military" type stuff, like training. And that relates to development and reconstruction ... how? So tell me more about this training:
The combat-mentoring role currently undertaken by Canadian troops would end, according to the plan.
Um ... OK, I'm confused, the combat-mentoring is going to end. Right? Wrong again:
"You can do training in training facilities," Soudas said. "And when I say training, I mean Canadian soldiers will not be doing combat training of Afghan soldiers in harm's way."
All right, let's make sure we understand this -- we will definitely still be doing military-type stuff, but with lots less people and in a protected environment. But, still, it is military type stuff, yes?
Speaking in Welland, Ont., Friday afternoon, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters the government would not seek to extend the mission authorized by parliament in 2008.
"Well, let me be very clear …" Harper said, "Canada's military mission in Afghanistan will end in 2011."
I give up.
BY THE WAY, would it be rude of me to remind readers of this from only a few weeks ago?
Harper holds firm to Afghanistan pullout date
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada is firm in its commitment to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2011, even as a report from the mission's NATO commander says more resources are needed in the war-torn country.
"I was very clear in my meetings in the United States last week that that remains Canada's plan," said Harper, who was in Guelph, Ont., on Monday at a funding announcement media event.
And now you know what Stephen Harper's word is worth. Quelle surprise.
10 comments:
We have to keep on top of this. The Warmongers will be using this kind of slippery rhetoric throughout the next year to gently massage public opinion into supporting what may not end up being much of a change at all.
And given how the average person has the attention span of a gnat, they won't necessarily notice.
I think we should stay in Afghanistan. In fact, I think the government should bring back the draft - no exceptions. You're 18? Off to Afghanistan you go. Enough of our half-assed commitment to war.
I loathe the conscript mentality. Most soldiers would rather have a blank file on their right than a resentful draftee.
So I've got a better idea. Everyone who supports continuing the war should have to register for the draft.
(Blogging Tories, one pace step for-ward! Harch!)
We've been there nearly a decade already, even when the instigator in that fight decided to hold a sideshow war in Iraq (which Mr. Harper would still be defending had he then been in any position to send our troopies there), and things aren't improving.
There is no will on the ground, at the Afghan provincial or federal government levels, nor among the international community, to win this war. So let's bring our people home.
It's a lose-lose situation. And I'd rather we didn't spill anymore of Canada's most precious resource to lose less badly.
Yay, but let's make it sixteen. Fuck commitments to peace.
I think the government should bring back the draft - no exceptions.
Can't wait to see Harper Junior at the front... heck, he should set an example and join the cadets or something...
Can't wait to see Harper Junior at the front...
Don't be silly. The children of important people are never drafted.
Apparently we're coming and going at the same time. Weird.
did i miss an announcement? since when did the children of public figures(and minor children at that in this case) become fair game for scoring political points in Canada?
that's really, really scummy.
Oh, yawn, BB. Is there any way your outrage could be any more phony, contrived or dishonest?
All we need now is for "boacunt" to show up, screeching hysterically about how violent leftards savagely attacked the son of the Prime Minister. Give it time ... you know it's coming.
@Backseat:
About the time it became popular among Conservatives to send other people's kids to die for their daft ideals in a pointless war. So, somewhere back about Vietnam.
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