Canadians Too Thick to Support Afghanistan Mission

Canadians Too Thick to Support Afghanistan Mission:
Defence Minister

by
C. L. Cook

PEJ News
February 25, 2006

SNIP

With his bum barely in the chair at the head of Canada's armed forces, rookie Cabinet Minister O'Connor is holding forth to the world's press, complaining of the dumb-asses, in the form of the majority of Canadians polled, he has to deal with. More amazing perhaps to O'Connor is the desire of an even greater number of Canadians asked that demands be made of Parliament to debate war issues before committing troops, a novel notion sure to displease the Freshman Tories.

But, put on the spot, O'Connor bleats:

"Our policy is that, in future, if we're committing troops somewhere in substantial numbers we would go to Parliament and we'd basically seek the support of Parliament."

But, that future is happening fast. It's a miracle no more than eight unfortunate Canadians have seen their futures end in Afghanistan to date. If not for the professionalism of the Canadian military, and a deployment in the relatively calmer capital region, the only place effectively ruled by the Karzai government put into power, it would be much worse.

But, it's about to get worse. And, Saturday's wounding of a Canadian in a grenade attack near Kandahar is evidence of that.

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