uOttawaMan

Careface

Said admission price going neatly into the pockets (under the table, of course) of our nearest crooked Liberal party candidate. Agreed. The only thing to do now, is call the whole thing a crapshoot, pound back some cold ones, and go streaking down at the Quad.

And you aren't? The advantage he has is of actually being there and seeing things first hand. You? You read internet web site articles written by teenagers and twentysomethings who can't find a job. Or by those without the intestinal fortitude to back up their words with actions.

"Get of your asses". Exactly what does that mean? I'm not sure what your objection is. You clearly object, and feel quite strongly about it. The mission is happening...it's on...and we're currently comitted until 2009. You are obliged to perform the mission that your civilian leadership tells you to perform. Perhaps you need to stick to that instead of using your position to put forward partisan BS. The fact that a debate is happening should be of no consequence to you. Just "grab your balls and squezze", as you say, and don't let it fret you. Because we all know soldiers are mindless drones, not Canadian citizens entitled to participate in whatever debate they damn well please. True, they have to follow orders.. to an extent.. certainly not any unlawful orders. But his opinion carries just as much weight as any civie.

And was told was over some time back as well. Wasn't this supposed to be the reconstruction phase? It's hard to build a school with RPG's sizzling about. It's even harder when you try to fight back by handing out cookies and blankets.

While I for one would love to see a debate on traffic safety....considering there are perhaps 100,000 times more cars on the road in the last 5 days than CNDs in afghanistan....perhaps we should limit the numbers of cars on the road for the next 5 days to 2,500 for better accuracy in analogies...or boosting our troops to 2,200,000 for a week....either or, I'm flexible. Don't you get it? Canadian soldiers dying are worth more sorrow than Canadians dying on the roads. Cmon now.

I totally relate to your feelings. Furthermore, it is wonderful to get the viewpoint of one of our troops and comforting to know that there is solid support for this mission. I for one DO "get it". What I DON'T get is what has happened to the conviction and resolve Canadians have historically had in defending their values and interests on the international stage? To this day Canadians are honoured across the globe for their commitments and sacrifices during both world wars. Even before that brave Canadians fought overseas to defend the interests of the British Empire (I am a direct descendent of a veteran of the second Boer War). Making such a dedicated commitment to the liberation of Afghanistan from the grips of Taliban terrorists is NOT uncharacteristic of Canadian's role in foreign affairs. Indeed, it is exactly in line with our historical involvement in global affairs, from the wold wars, to being an important founder nation of the UN, to out participation in the Korean War. I think Canadians have tragically lost their knowledge of both history and global affairs, and that we are sadly in danger of becoming an ignorant and selfish nation without global significance of any kind. Critics almost seem to revel in lamenting that Harper and the Conservatives are remaking the nation into a "Canada they do not recognise" or that "Harper's Canada is not my Canada" or some such tripe. Well, although I am not entirely happy with how Harper runs the government I am very grateful to his government for doing its best to return Canada to its formal place of respect on the international stage and making meaningful commitments to protecting and advancing our values. It is the series of most recent Liberal governments (Trudeau, Cretien and Martin) that have made Canada unrecognisable, and in particualr the latter two. The last election was all about desperately-needed change on many fronts, and at that point I was actually ashamed of what Canada had become: domestically we were coasting along on auto-pilot and what little actual work the government did was done on an ad-hoc basis, blatantly and cynically for political expediency. Internationally we were being forgotten about at best and mocked at worst. This was mostly because of the poor leadership of Cretien and Martin--as much as I detested how Trudeau nearly ruined our economy permanently and treated the nation as his little social experiment at least he had resolve and the respect of most of the international community (hey, Nixon hated his guts but even he had respect for Trudeau). Pearson was the last respectable Liberal leader. As for casualties we have suffered--why can't the media, and indeed much of Canada, manage to put things in perspective? All these critics are painting such a gloomy picture and saying we face an uphill battle. HELLO PEOPLE, we are wiping the floor with the Taliban in this latest operation! We've suffered just 16 casulties in this operation vs. hundreds of Taliban, and altogether just over 30 since we arrived there four years ago. MORE PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN FIVE DAYS on Canadian highways than how many soldiers have died in four years in Afghanistan. Where are the calls for emergency debates on traffic safety and pulling out of all road construction projects in favour of rail and other public transportation? I'm really curious to hear from those who advocate an immediate exit from Afghanistan and/or trying to negotiate a ceasefire with the Taliban how they can advocate their position in the context of Canada's long-term history. How do you negotiate with leaders of an insane islamic cult? It would be like trying to come to a reasonable agreement with David Koresh or Jim Jones! How do you establish and protect a free society, where young boys aren't psychologically abused to the point they become willing suicide bombers and women aren't treated as property and given less respect than cattle? I don't know how you can morally justify leaving the total perversion of the Islamic faith that is the Taliban to their own devices. To me, pulling out troops and sitting down with Osama's henchmen would be like just sitting and watching a mugger rob a lady of her purse, then chasing the mugger down not to apprehend him, but to say "this wallet fell out of the purse you just stole--I'll give it to you but just promise me you won't mug old ladies again, m'kay?". That's where I'm coming from anyways. I am saddend to see our soldiers suffer such losses, however they are our heroes for making the ultimate sacrifice trying to make the world a better place. Winner?

Breaking News: "Canadians shocked that soldiers are not granola munching , cookie giving, blanket bearing targets, and are actually combat ready. More at 6."

Rage on.

I copied your scheme Fig to do my own little report. Public relations: C Caucus control: A Foreign affairs: B Economic policy: C+ Govt. Relations: B Overall I find that the Harper gov't has done a fairly good job of pushing through un-opposable reforms and making their own distinctive mark on the governing style of this country. I find no fault with wanting to get away from a select group of Hill reporters who cry when they don't exclusive access to politicians, but it would be a big mistake to try to cut them out entirely. After all.. transparency right..? Foreign affairs.. I'm pleased with the re-vitalisation of the armed forces that is underway, and what looks like to be the infant stages of an attempt to exert control over the Arctic. Afghanistan is the wild card here, only the future will tell the true grade of our government on this issue.

The biggest rumour is the magic number of how many threads Ricki Bobbi can start 1 vs 1 flame wars in before noone cares to read anymore.

I'll have to agree with that idea in principle: -Better to promise a little and follow through on it, then to promise alot and not deliver. I'm sure you'll all debate whether he really delivered, but meh.

Partisan politics.. oh how I love thee.

People that make excuses like that probably shouldn't vote anyways. If people are too lazy to exercise their right to vote then they should just accept that the decisions on who should run things will be made by people that are willing to get off their butts and put up with a little inconvenience. Don't be silly.. Canadians clearly want the government to stay out of everything and fix everything at the same time. It surely can't be that hard?

Look out folks.. e-fight.

CBC.. Fox News.. both heavily biased.. which is why I watch both for entertainment.

Ooooooh 3 opposition MP's took a stand opposite to the goverments.. ooooh.

The military should be a priority. It was left to rot so badly, something had to be done.

This guy is slowly winning me over.

No money is being put into cancer prevention. It's all in curing cancer once it develops. Not that I blame companies, no money to be made from preventing cancer.

It's because he's so knowledgable about hockey. Jeez.. over analysis.

I call bull s**t. Neale and Bob are unabashedly pro-East. they can no more hide their dislike for the Oil than they can their man crush on Eric Staal. I'd tune into NBC, but I refuse to watch their coverage until they stuff a sock in Pierre Maguire's yap and then stuff him in a old refrigerator down at the dump. You are so right! They jump on the Oil bandwagon when the games are in Edmonton, that's about it. Otherwise, they might as well be watching the hockey games through Leaf-shaped glasses, because that seems to be the only team in their universe. Just watch, Cole knows all the names of the Leaf players, and just plain forgets almost everyone else's names, unless they are massive superstars. And Harry Neale is just an idiot, plain and simple. Retire please. [/rant]

Good times at the gong show.

Better the Oil than listening to Harry Neale spout off about the Leafs for 3hrs....

People have killed each other since the beginning of our species time. You aren't going to stop it from happening.