The Galloping Beaver
I'm glad somebody besides me remembers that whole Somalia debacle. It does seem that the Super Secret Harper Imitation Tories are a little less than "out in front" of the situation. Between this and the Keen firing, it's obvious this government is thin on talent and scared to let it show.
How long before Harper announces the full inquiry on Schreiber-Mulroney as a last-ditch effort to change the bloody subject? That I'd like to see!
May I say, again, how much I value your cogent analysis of all things military on this blog? The vast majority of Canadians (like me) have not the slightest clue of how the Canadian military is supposed to function, so we wouldn't have any way of knowing when the Harper government was feeding us shite unless you were there to let us know.
Thank you. Thank you.
BTW, is Sandra Buckler Harper's 'Press Secretary' now? 'Cause I had no idea we had one of those up here, and I'm pretty sure I've never seen her on TV.
Excellent analysis; am forwarding it on to my e-mail list. I've saved it for my own files. EM
Well said Dave, very well said indeed! To try and claim there is any "operational" excuse for this government's policy on detainees is classic Harper and just like classic Harper generally tends to be it is dishonourable, disgusting, and cowardly. I lost my temper last year when I realized our soldiers were being put in the position of either disobeying orders in a combat zone or follow prisoner transfers that could leave the troops open to Geneva violations charges down the road. It was so intense I literally couldn't comment on it for the longest time because of the rage it was causing as I do not like to write when I am that angry. While I do not pretend to have anywhere near the detailed understanding of military protocols that you do Dave I am not entirely ignorant of them either, and the idea that our government is more concerned with protecting its political reputation/viability than it is in protecting the honour of our soldiers (especially when this is the same government that claims to be the only ones that truly cares for/respects the military) is one I find exceptionally disgusting well above and beyond most of the political scandals that come from this government.
The concept of honour is obviously something totally foreign to Harper and clearly far too many of his caucus, otherwise this situation would not exist and they most certainly would not be trying to blame the military again. Didn't they learn their lesson when they tried to blame the military for the no media at repatriation ceremonies for fallen soldiers during their first few months in office when it clearly/obviously was a policy handed down from the government? Not to mention that I think this blocking of media at these ceremonies was also based on the claim that it was at the request of the families of the fallen, until those families went public and contradicted this government on that point. It would appear not.
http://www.canada.com/ottawaciti...6e- bc54831e9023
"Earlier yesterday, Brig.-Gen. Joseph Paul Andre Deschamps told court that Canada's second-in-command in Kandahar decided to suspend detainee transfers Nov. 6, one day after the incident came to light. Col. Christian Juneau took the decision after consulting with Defence Department headquarters in Ottawa because his boss, Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche, was away on leave.'
Brig.-Gen. Deschamps was also not allowed to elaborate in court on the rationale that led to the policy change because Mr. Graham objected on national security grounds."
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So much for the "we didn't know" excuse. The paper trail is there.
JB
Sorry. Bad link. Try this:
http://tinyurl.com/2tefl2
Outside the political box, Somalia brings to mind things that happen when soldiers are deployed on a mission of questionable purpose and no clearly distinguishable enemy. I suspect when the troops fight the same battles on every tour*, a hostility toward the place and the local population sets in, increasing the likelihood of unprofessional conduct. It only takes one incident.
So really, the longer the bullshit and avoidance of any sort of debate from the gov't over this, the more the risk of something very bad happening.
*a way to conceptualise Afghanistan is where army units go to fight every 18 to 24 months with no end in sight and no net positive change.
Thanks again for this post and your work on this issue Dave, I used it in a link to a new post at Saundrie. I wouldn't mind your thoughts on it if you have the time down the road to read it and comment.
News flash: Buckler sez she "misspoke". That conveniently gets Harper off the "blame the troops" hook. It doesn't explain why the Con's were defending a policy which they knew had been stopped months ago.
Wiggle and wriggle. It's a double-bind. Someone has to get hurt. Looks like it might be Buckler. Yeah, that's it. Blame the messenger -- even if she's your messenger.
JB
Boris, as a soldier who has been to the sandbox, it is clear, and sad that you do not have a clue what you are talking about.
Boris?!?
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