He came so close to doing it too. I was pulling for him like I was pulling for Dubya to handle a disaster correctly and in a timely manner. Unfortunately, The Harp didn't quite make it through the entire day without fucking it up in some manner. Last night, The Harp made a "surprise" visit to Afghanistan to inspect the troops and re-confirm the support for the troops. Now, where The Harp made his mistake is making his "Dubya style" speech when he addressed the troops.
The Harp's speech was designed to stick it to the opposition that we aren't a nation that cuts and runs at the first sign of trouble, and that we are taking a lead on the world stage. Now, I am all for taking the lead on the world stage, but not by being the lead on terrorist hit lists. There are several ways for Canada to be a leader on the world stage, but doing it by being an aggressive nation is not one of them that Canadians truly want. If The Harp wants to be a world leader, then how about doing some humanitarian relief missions with Canada taking the lead. It would be a lot safer, and we won't have extremists plotting to bomb the fuck out of our country. As I stated in previous posts, I am in strong support of our troops overseas but only in a supplementary role. What I want to know is who gave the order for Canada to take the lead in Afghanistan. There is very little info out there on who specifically gave the command to take over the lead in Afghanistan from the US. If anyone knows who was did that, please post in the comments along with a link showing proof. I do want this to be accurate to help inform the people who actually gave the command.
Now, I stated that we should take a commanding role in the world in a more peaceful manner and now here is my plan. Africa has millions of starving people and thousands of them die every year. What Canada needs to do is give debt relief to African nations and send engineers to Africa to irrigate the lands to make sure African families can feed themselves. If Canada took the lead in helping Africa in this matter, then other nations that want to help out will have a peaceful outlet to make a difference. I would prefer The Harp to be going to Somalia to help feed the children over going to Afghanistan to help bomb the crap out of them. Even if The Harp wants to stay in Afghanistan, then at least be there to help rebuild the nation, not tear it down some more. Canada is a nation of peace and we should make sure we keep that status around the world.
13 comments:
It was your boss who decided to go to Afghanistan. But that was OK then because he was a Liberal. If you want to bash Harper and/or the Conservatives why don't you at least do it on policy instead of the convenience of the day. Just like Bono, your old boss and the Liberals have only been paying lib service to the situation in the rest of the world. At least Harper is showing some balls which Paul Martin and the Liberals had none of.
Ummmmm, that didn't answer the question. We all know that Canada, under the Liberals, went to Afghanistan, my question is who okayed the increased role in Afghanistan. Please read the entire post before commenting.
While I agree that it's a good moral booster for the troops (much more than insipid Timmies coffee), harpo had to try and score political point and ruin the whole trip... what a turd...
Hey man, never underestimate the power of the double double. If I was in the military, or had the balls to join, then I would go to Afghanistan now that there's a Timmies there. I would have thought that The Harp would have waited until it was up and running before he visited Afghanistan.
Nice use of the f-word clown,just like a Liberal big foul mouth and no real guts to back it up,Harper rocks liberals curse as they back away.
Wow, your biggest problem is the fact that I used profanity. I seem to recall the Cons in the blogosphere constantly using profanity when commenting on the Liberals. But at least you agree with everything else. It's good to see a Con openly being against the stance of their party and agreeing with a Liberal that we can better use our influence helping people than killing them.
What you're suggesting is decreasing our role instead of increasing. In other words leave the Afghans to fend for themselves. Seems to me that what's everybody was bitching about the first time the U.S. helped repel the Iraqis.
Ever hear the expression "walk a mile in my shoes"? Well read this article before you make comments.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/03/13/1485911-cp.html
my question is who okayed the increased role in Afghanistan.
Uh, that would have been Paul Martin, saying one thing, doing another, as usual.
And what you're seeing now, and I know this is problematic for so many Liberals because they haven't seen any for so long that they don't know what to look for - anyway, what you're seeing ow is called leadership.
Can you imagine? Having won the election the bastards are actually governing!! The temerity.
ABba
Wanted to copy quotes from Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan for your consideration, especally for those who thnk we are straying from our, "traditional role," (guess that must have started in Kosovo):
Capt. Julie Roberge acknowledges she sometimes sees locals flashing the thumbs-down sign at her, or shooting menacing glances as she rides through town.
But she describes her real enemy as ignorance. Many locals can't read newspapers and don't understand why foreigners are in their country, she said.
That's why the public-relations graduate is helping the newly appointed provincial government with media relations. She invited the local media this week to the first-ever news conference by Kandahar Gov. Assadullah Khalid.
Since the literacy rate is so low, Roberge urges the governor to use the radio to reach citizens.
"A democracy without the support of its people is useless," the Quebec City resident says of her Afghan public-relations work.
She works at a Canadian-run base in the desert near the mud huts of Kandahar, in the shadow of a craggy, dirt-coloured mountain where the charred remains of an old Soviet helicopter are still visible.
Canadians at this base are helping the new provincial government set up its departments, and training police officers.
Warrant Officer John MacPherson says the country needs Canada's help.
"This is my seventh mission (abroad)," said the Montreal native. "I've seen quite a bit. I have never seen a people that are this poor. They have nothing and we're just trying to give them a better life.
"It's going to take a long time."
Khalid says his province and country need Canada's help after decades of war. And, he warns, countries like Canada need a stable Afghanistan.
"I will tell Canadian people ... if we don't do this (reconstruction) now, today in Afghanistan, tomorrow we will need to do this in Europe and in Canada," he said.
"Ninety-nine per cent of people in Kandahar, all over Afghanistan, they are thinking about peace. They want peace, they want stability, they want reconstruction, and they are tired of war.
"All Afghan people like peace and like your soldiers here, and they respect your soldiers. ... We need your soldiers, and I'm proud of them."
The current deployment was a result of the Foreign Policy and Defence review initiated by Paul Martin. The new policy was approved by the Liberal Cabinet and implemented. The person actually approving the deployment is the Prime Minister, Paul Martin. If you want actual documents proving this, you'll have to do more digging on your own. It's not exactly a secret.
First hint of the new deployment was here: Speaking Notes for The Honourable Bill Graham, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence at a conference on "Canada in Afghanistan: Assessing the 3-D Approach"
Waterloo, Ontario - May 13, 2005
First detailed announcement here:
Speaking Notes for the Honourable Bill Graham, P.C., M.P. Minister of National Defence at a joint session of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Ottawa, Ontario - May 16, 2005
"Even if The Harp wants to stay in Afghanistan, then at least be there to help rebuild the nation, not tear it down some more. Canada is a nation of peace and we should make sure we keep that status around the world."
You might want to take a much closer look at the actions and role of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) along with the pers training the Afghan army. Afghanistan is now the single biggest CIDA project.
Canada builds on success in Afghanistan
Backgrounder
March 2006
CANADA IN AFGHANISTAN
At the 2006 London Conference, Afghan President Hamid Karzai presented a five-year development plan to the donor community. The following initiatives, funded by the Government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), are aligned to support the Government of Afghanistan’s Interim National Development Strategy.
Enhancing security
Anti-Personnel Mine & Ammunition Stockpile Destruction (APMASD)
Years of conflict have generated war debris across Afghanistan. Explosive remnants of war, including ammunition stockpiles, are a serious security issue because most of the ammunition is stored unsafely with stockpiles having little or no guarding in place. If the ammunition is not collected or destroyed, it can be used as improvised explosive devices by illegal armed groups.
This project will support the Government of Afghanistan in surveying, collecting and destroying the most dangerous stockpiles, and therefore reduce the security risk of illicit use of anti-personnel mines and ammunition. With today’s funding announcement of $7 million, over three years, Canada will maintain its lead donor position to the APMASD program.
Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups
The disarmament of pre-democracy armed forces has contributed greatly to the overall improvement of the security environment in Afghanistan, however, a significant number of illegal armed groups still exist posing a serious threat to peace and stability in the country.
This initiative will support the Government of Afghanistan’s goal to establish a secure environment through disarmament and disbandment of these groups, setting the conditions for good governance and the rule of law, thereby reducing the level of armed violence throughout the country.
Canada, already a leading donor to this program, will provide an additional $7 million, over three years, to support the disbandment of illegal armed groups, helping to ensure the consolidation of efforts towards the rule of law in Afghanistan.
Mine Action National Development Budget
Mine clearance will promote agricultural revival, economic development and human security in Afghanistan. Since 2002, CIDA has contributed $25 million for mine action initiatives in Afghanistan, through UN Mine Action Services (UNMAS). Canada has led the international process in the development of the International Convention Against the Use of Landmines and is currently the lead nation on mine action in Afghanistan. CIDA’s latest contribution of $5 million will be provided to UNMAS to continue its work in mine clearance, impact surveys, mine awareness programs and rehabilitation for victims.
Addressing the drug challenge
Counter Narcotics–Integrated Alternative Livelihoods Program in Kandahar
Afghanistan’s trade in drugs is seen as the biggest challenge to its long-term security, development and governance, and according to a 2005 UN survey, the province of Kandahar is the second largest producer of poppies in Afghanistan. This innovative initiative, a pilot to be conducted in Kandahar by the Afghan Government, seeks to demonstrate that there are viable and sustainable alternatives to poppy production. These alternatives will be offered to farmers to allow them to sustain their rural families, while giving up the illegal cultivation of poppies.
The project, which is in line with the Government of Afghanistan’s Alternative Livelihoods Investment Plan, will provide funding of $18.5 million over four years. It will be Canada’s flagship project in support of counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan, and could lead to similar approaches elsewhere in the country.
Counter Narcotics Trust Fund (CNTF)
The CNTF is intended to support all eight pillars of the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy: Building Institutions, Public Awareness/Information Campaign, Alternative Livelihoods, Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Eradication, Drug Demand Reduction and Treatment of Drug Addicts, and International and Regional Cooperation. The purpose of the CNTF is to mobilize and channel additional resources through Afghan governmental institutions in order to support the efforts of the Government in fighting illicit drug production, and implementing the National Drug Control Strategy in Afghanistan. CIDA's $1.2 million contribution will be largely channeled to the Alternative Livelihoods component of the CNTF.
Creating economic opportunities
Vocational Training and Food Aid for War Widows
Since the late nineties, CIDA has been committed to the welfare and long term sustainability for war widows in Kabul and their dependants. To date, more than 40,000 vulnerable people have received food support through this program. While food aid addresses immediate basic needs, CIDA is also concerned with seeing that there are opportunities to secure a self-sustaining livelihood. Today's one-year commitment of $2.5 million to CARE Canada will assist with food aid support to the widows while the vocational training aspect, to be implemented by CARE Canada and World University Service of Canada (WUSC), is brought on-line.
This new training program for women, to which CIDA will provide approximately $4.5 million over five years, will give women the opportunity to acquire skills that meet labour-market demand, including increased literacy and numeracy skills. In addition, women will have increased access to job placements and job search assistance.
Food assistance and health education, coupled with vocational and skills training for sustainable income-generation, are key to the continued health and well-being of the vulnerable Afghan women and their dependants.
National Solidarity Program (NSP)
The NSP is the Government of Afghanistan’s mechanism for the development of rural infrastructure, reintegration of refugees and demobilization of ex-combatants, nation-wide. The program seeks to reduce poverty through strengthening community level governance and by providing grants to communities throughout the country to implement projects identified by communities themselves such as reconstruction activities. CIDA’s latest contribution of $10 million to support the work of the NSP will be made through the World Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund.
National Area-Based Development Program
This program is one of the National Programs of the Afghan Government. It plans, manages and coordinates local and regional recovery and development efforts at the district level. This, the second phase of the program, will generate sustainable employment by supporting urgent regional recovery and development efforts. Employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers will be provided through 450-600 public works projects. CIDA’s support of $3 million to the National Area-Based Development Program will be delivered through the United Nations Development Program, which administers the program jointly with the Afghan Government.
Building confidence in government
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF)
The World Bank has identified support to government operations as a high priority for international donors. To address that priority, CIDA will contribute an additional $22 million to the ARTF to support the on-going budget requirements of the Government of Afghanistan, bringing Canada’s total contribution to $109.5 million. The funding, which is administered by the World Bank in close collaboration with the Government of Afghanistan, will help the Afghan Government meet its general operating costs for such expenditures as salaries for nurses, teachers and doctors, interest payments, as well as operations and infrastructure maintenance.
Note: The Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar is aimed at promoting the conditions of security in that province which will extend the reach and benefits of the Afghan central government and enable other development actors to assist on the region's development.
And this doesn't even represent all the 'building' programs Canada is particpating in currently.
Sorry about the delay in replying, I was very busy yesterday and I didn't have a chance to get to my computer. Anyways, Canada's role in Afghanistan should be to help rebuild only not to destroy. Canada is doing its fair share in the rebuilding process and I am very happy about that, unfortunately they are also in armed conflict with the Taliban in an offensive capacity, which I think is wrong. I am sorry if I offend anyone about this statement but I hold a firm belief that I don't want Canadians to die. I prefer to see Canadian troops to come home with all their limbs attached and walking off the plane, not being carried in a casket. Now, the change in the role in Afghanistan was announced on November 25, 2005 by General Hilliard. This was 2 days after Parliament was dissolved. Now, there is no mention that Bill Graham was involved in the decision, but he was in charge two days before the announcement and it is rather safe to assume that he gave the order. For this, I am pissed off at Graham. As I constantly state, I am for our troops not dying and I am for Canada not being a target for terrorist acts. It is sad that there are so many people that are for that which pisses me off to no end. Now, since the Liberals were in power at the time, my initial problem is with them over doing this. Also, as a Liberal, I can go against my party on issues that I am against. It's kind of sad that only Liberals can have views that differ from their party and have open democratic discussions about it. Now I know that my blog won't change millions of people’s views on subjects that I discuss and I have no problem with that, my blog is for me to express my views on the Canadian political scene and it will never change. Once again, I do apologize if me not wanting people to die offends people but if you don't like it, too bad for you because my value on human life is unwavering and it will never change.
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