Afstan-again… July 28, 2007
Posted by Ian in policy, politics.add a comment
Damian Brooks smacks down Toronto Councillor Carolyn Parish pretty effectively here:
But the most effective rebuttal to Ms. Parrish’s uninformed assertion is this poll of Afghan public opinion, released just last December, which shows that support for foreign troops in the country runs three to one Grateful to Unhappy (based upon a random national sample of 1,036 Afghan adults from 14-19 Oct, 2006, which apparently has a 3.5-point error margin).
I think that it bears repeating that the military exists primarily to do two things: kill our enemies and break their stuff.
In fact, I’m surprised that peaceniks want our troops to be viewed as peacekeepers… in my mind this increases the likelihood that they will be deployed. Let’s conduct a thought experiment:
Suppose a conflict has broken out in fill-in-astan but a truce has been declared and the international community wants to waste its time/money/effort sending peacekeepers to mediate the dispute. There are two countries that have soldiers available:
Country A’s troops have a reputation as badass mofo’s. A’s citizens view their military as a potent force and are proud of their martial heritage.
Country B’s troops have been trained in a similar manner to A’s but the citizens of B think of their military as a glorified police force who look scary but don’t really want to hurt anyone. This is the image that is portrayed to the rest of the world as well.
Who do you think the international community is going to ask for peacekeepers first, the Stormtroopers from A or the policemen from B?
I think this deserves some research.. Does viewing the military as a bunch of glorified policemen (aka peacekeepers) make it more likely that our troops get sent overseas or at least requested to participate in overseas ventures?
Political Grandstanding… July 25, 2007
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In another ‘Oh look at me I’m hard done by!’ Dany Williams was out in the media again bitching about the feds not upholding the atlantic accord…
Life in this country would be so much easier if the feds would just stop with equalization payments. Get out of the healthcare game, let each province tax whatever they feel necessary to provide the level of nanny state they feel they need. As for myself I just want Dany to shut up… please… I can’t stand it when politicians play the victim…
“Ghetto Dude” July 22, 2007
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Wow, posting a lot today… must be really bored… yes. yes I am… stupid rainy weather…
Anyway, story from the land of the enlightened (aka Toronto) about a University student and self confessed “political junkie” named Evon Reid who applied for a job with the provincial government. His application was forwarded to someone else in the office with the note “This is the ghetto dude that I spoke to before” unfortunately Mr. Reid also made it on the recipient list.
I’m just wondering out of all the things you could have referred to Mr. Reid as (black guy, black dude, etc.) why ghetto dude? I’m sure the person didn’t think before writing that but come on… As for the racist implications… well they’re obvious enough no point in me belabouring the point.
In any case, Mr. Reid is going to get the apology he deserves and the employee in question will probably have to go to some sensitivity training on the taxpayer’s dime (though as punishment for being so stupid they should be forced to pay for their sensitivity training as well)… [cynic]Not that that sensitivity training will make a lick of difference[/cynic]…
Turmoil in the Green Party… NEVER!!! July 22, 2007
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I have a sneaking suspicion that this might have something to do with this.
If I were a Greeny I would have some serious misgivings about how close my leader was to the Liberals (whose record on climate change/GHG reduction is apalling to say the least)… of course I’m not a Greeny so I’m just sitting back waiting for the fireworks…
