Dion Wants to Know More About AFG Mission

[The Bread Guy]

Two words - HELLO, McFly?!?!  How much more is there to know that a parliamentarian can't get?


Dion wants more info on Afghan mission
Meagan Fitzpatrick, CanWest News Service, 24 Jan 07
Article Link

More needs to be known about what Canadian troops are doing in Afghanistan, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said Wednesday.  And he wants the House of Commons foreign affairs committee to hold hearings to provide answers to his questions.  “We have to find out first if the mission is operating well. What’s happening? And that’s why we want hearings with the foreign affairs committee, so as to determine exactly how we can improve that mission,” Dion told reporters following the Liberal caucus meetings in Quebec City.  “We support the troops but we can’t support the troops effectively and efficiently if we don’t know what’s happening.”  For example, Dion said he wants to know exactly where aid money from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has been spent.  The Liberal leader was evasive about whether he supports troops being in Afghanistan until 2009, but hinted it may have been a rushed decision to extend the mission until then. “Mr. Harper put us in this situation to have two years extension with no clear mandate, no clear commitment from our allies, no clear pressure on the government of Pakistan to close the border… They have all of this very wrong and we want these hearings to improve this mission and we are strongly backing our troops,” Dion said ....


Dion doesn't support withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan
JOAN BRYDEN, Canadian Press, 24 Jan 07
Article Link

Canadian troops shouldn't be pulled from Afghanistan "with dishonour," said Stephane Dion, who called for parliamentary hearings into the mission now that federal Liberals have papered over their differences on the issue.  The newly minted Liberal leader said Wednesday that MPs are now united in wanting to improve the dangerous mission, putting more emphasis on diplomacy and development.  "I'm optimistic, I'm very confident that . . . there is a way to have a mission that will really make progress and we'll work very hard for that," Dion said.  Dion said Liberals are opposed to immediately withdrawing Canadian troops "with dishonour," as he accused NDP Leader Jack Layton of wanting to do.  But Dion was less clear whether Liberals would support eventual withdrawal of Canada's soldiers if the mission remains largely a combat effort aimed at rooting out Taliban insurgents ....

 

[George Wallace]

More needs to be known about what Canadian troops are doing in Afghanistan, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said Wednesday.  And he wants the House of Commons foreign affairs committee to hold hearings to provide answers to his questions.  .............For example, Dion said he wants to know exactly where aid money from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has been spent. 
....

It may help if he could get his house in order first.  What the Troops are doing and what CIDA is doing are two completely different matters, with completely different masters.

 

[Journeyman]

If he wants to learn about defence, security, and foreign policy issues, maybe someone could send him the link to The Ruxted Group. "Welcome to Ruxted; start reading"

 

[a_majoor]

M Dion is awfully forgetful isn't he? As a sitting Minister of the Crown he was presumably in a better position to ask and get answers to these questions between our deployment in 2002 and the last election, not to mention being able to find out all about ADSCAM, the state of Liberal Kyoto initiatives and the proposed four or five fould increase in production of the tarsands, among other things........

 

[Fishbone Jones]

He just keeps throwing things out, waiting for something to stick. He'll then seize on it and make it his focal point. Doesn't matter what the importance of the platform is, by repeating it and beating us with it, they'll claim it's the one issue in the forefront of everyone's concerns. It won't be, of course, but the sheeple will believe it. Right now, he and his party are rudderless, with no direction. He needs a cause to cement his and his parties stature, and he's got to do it before some other party decides to push for elections. Talking heads, a day late and a dollar short. He's already fading into oblivion.

 

[CrazyCanuck]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070124/dion_afghan_070124/20070124?hub=Politics


Dion says Afghan mission can be improved

Updated Wed. Jan. 24 2007 4:43 PM ET

Canadian Press

QUEBEC -- Canadian troops shouldn't be pulled from Afghanistan "with dishonour,'' said Stephane Dion, who called for parliamentary hearings into the mission now that federal Liberals have papered over their differences on the issue.

The newly minted Liberal leader said Wednesday that MPs are now united in wanting to improve the dangerous mission, putting more emphasis on diplomacy and development.

"I'm optimistic, I'm very confident that ... there is a way to have a mission that will really make progress and we'll work very hard for that,'' Dion said.

Dion said Liberals are opposed to immediately withdrawing Canadian troops "with dishonour,'' as he accused NDP Leader Jack Layton of wanting to do.

But Dion was less clear whether Liberals would support eventual withdrawal of Canada's soldiers if the mission remains largely a combat effort aimed at rooting out Taliban insurgents.

"I prefer to not contemplate that,'' he told reporters after wrapping up a two-day caucus meeting to prepare for next week's resumption of Parliament.

Dion said he's confident that Liberals can strike a balance between Layton's "shameful'' support for unilateral withdrawal and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's "blind'' support for the mission as currently constituted.

Although it was the previous Liberal government that committed Canada's soldiers to the combat mission, Liberals were split last year when Harper held a snap vote on extending the mission to 2009.

More than two dozen Liberal MPs, including then leadership front-runner Michael Ignatieff, supported the motion while the rest, including Dion, voted against it.

The issue was also divisive throughout the leadership contest. One leadership contender, Joe Volpe, called for immediate redeployment of Canadian soldiers out of the combat zone in Kandahar province to areas where they could concentrate on humanitarian aid and reconstruction -- essentially the same position advocated by Layton.

Another contender, Gerard Kennedy, now Dion's election readiness adviser, called for eventual withdrawal if Canada's NATO allies could not be persuaded to reconstitute the mission.

Differences were less stark Wednesday but not entirely smoothed over.

Ignatieff, now Dion's deputy leader, was much less equivocal than his leader when asked if he could contemplate any circumstance in which Liberals would call for the withdrawal of Canadian troops.

"I can't see any,'' Ignatieff told reporters.

He said there is "absolutely clear water'' between the Liberal and NDP positions.

"Our position is we support the mission, we support the troops but we have very strong questions about the way the mission is being handled and managed.''

Dion said the Liberals will call on the Commons foreign affairs committee to hold hearings on the mission. He said they want more information about the mandate of Canada's soldiers and on how $10 million in development aid is being spent.

He said Liberals want Harper's Tory government to pressure Canada's NATO allies into shouldering more of the mission's combat role. They also want more pressure applied on Pakistan to close its borders to Taliban insurgents.

"(Tories) have all this very wrong and we want these hearings to improve this mission and we are strongly backing our troops,'' he said.

Dion dodged when asked if he'd support extending the mission beyond 2009, saying the hearings must come first.







There's a little bit more about their other ideas (child care and global warming) on the link.

I don't think he is as radical as Jack Layton, and if he were to achieve power he would likely be realistic and rational on this whole debate. I am always a fan of new ideas and will admit I believe his hold some weight, but (this is a big but) I think at this point in time this thinking is two premature, and may be better put to use in a year or two.

As a final comment; I'm still not voting for him

 

[North Star]

Lol..he's playing the centre. He can't afford a position because he's trying to appeal to the anti-war left and the realist centre. The minute he takes a hard stand, he'll lose votes.

I betcha this will happen:

1) Election near the end of 2007/2008.

2) If he wins a minority, he puts together a committee to examine the mission.

3) Mid 2008 he figures out it can be improved but since it's close to the end of the mandate, he states in bad English that we'll "tough it out" to the end. After all, only one ROTO to go...

4) In 2009 we pull out to the relatively safe north and let the Yanks clean up. We offer to command ISAF to soften the blow, offering our newfound "experience". That way, he doesn't withdraw in "dishonour", but doesn't annoy NATO or the realist centre either.

Add a six-month "talks" with the remainder of NATO if the election is earlier.

 

[midget-boyd91]

If he wants to learn about defence, security, and foreign policy issues, maybe someone could send him the link to The Ruxted Group. "Welcome to Ruxted; start reading"

Better yet, if he wants to learn about the mission specifically he should have a little meeting with Dave Fraser and Rick Hillier about what should and what needs to be done.

 

[medaid]

Why not have him over there for a week...maybe even two if his 'schedule' permits and ask the men and women over there what the mission is about... maybe he will then be silenced by his own idiocy...

 

[The Bread Guy]

Why not have him over there for a week...maybe even two if his 'schedule' permits and ask the men and women over there what the mission is about... maybe he will then be silenced by his own idiocy...

Assuming it's safe enough to go beyond the wire, right? 

[quote author=North Star]Lol..he's playing the centre. He can't afford a position because he's trying to appeal to the anti-war left and the realist centre. The minute he takes a hard stand, he'll lose votes.[/quote]

+100

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Assuming it's safe enough to go beyond the wire, right?   

Perhaps he could use one of the helicopters his party promised to buy when they were in power. Oh wait, they didn't fulfill that promise either.

 

[McG]

What the Troops are doing and what CIDA is doing are two completely different matters, with completely different masters.

CIDA is a part of the PRT.  That makes it part of the mission.

 

[cplcaldwell]

He calls for immediate hearings?

What the heck is SCONDVA for?

Hasn't this issue been heard and heard and heard? Or, is it that inserting more fear uncertainty and doubt in the minds of the electorate passes for policy?

 

[Blakey]

Lol..he's playing the centre. He can't afford a position because he's trying to appeal to the anti-war left and the realist centre. The minute he takes a hard stand, he'll lose votes.

You hit it right on the head.

4) In 2009 we pull out to the relatively safe north and let the Yanks clean up.

Apparently a dog handler who has worked in Ma'sum Ghar and has seen the Canadian troops in action doesn't think so.
http://blog.canoe.ca/warstories/

Doug Beazley is a reporter and columnist with Sun Media. He's written on military and security issues for Sun Media for many years. He makes his home in Edmonton, Alberta.

Dec 18, 2006
22:51 pm, Doug Beazley / General, 136 words   
Ready, aye, ready
You remember Leon, the civilian dog handler from South Africa working out of Ma'sum Ghar. He's watched soldiers operate on four continents.

And he's never seen any army better than Canada's.

"You people don't know. These guys are very, very good," he told me.

"When they came into Ma'sum Ghar, the Taliban didn't have a chance. The Canadians blew the s-t out of them and took the place over like it was nothing at all.

"That's why the Taliban keep hanging around, dropping mortars and rockets on us. Ma'sum Ghar controls the district. They're mad as hell because they lost Ma'sum Ghar and there's no way they're ever going to get it back.

"The Canadians are the ones fighting the war here. If they pull out now, this whole country would fall apart in a week."

Edit: Spelling

 

[Colin Parkinson]

M Dion is awfully forgetful isn't he? As a sitting Minister of the Crown he was presumably in a better position to ask and get answers to these questions between our deployment in 2002 and the last election, not to mention being able to find out all about ADSCAM, the state of Liberal Kyoto initiatives and the proposed four or five fould increase in production of the tarsands, among other things........

Well he would likely say "So many scandals, so little time, plus the briefing note was in English!"

 

[medaid]

Assuming it's safe enough to go beyond the wire, right? 

Indeed, I read the most outrageous yet funny thing today, when dear Mr Ujal said 'why does he (O'Connor) get to dictate security policies with regards to the visiting MPs, sitting in the comfort of this office in Ottawa' funny eh? He seems to criticise many things sitting is his comfortable office in BC, and Ottawa... hypocrite....

 

[MarkOttawa]

cplcaldwell: SCONDVA is now NDDN
http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/CommitteeHome.aspx?Lang=1&PARLSES=391&JNT=0&SELID=e17_&COM=10470



Mark
Ottawa

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Indeed, I read the most outrageous yet funny thing today, when dear Mr Ujal said 'why does he (O'Connor) get to dictate security policies with regards to the visiting MPs, sitting in the comfort of this office in Ottawa' funny eh? He seems to criticise many things sitting is his comfortable office in BC, and Ottawa... hypocrite....

Well you have to admit he is consistent in his hypocrisy.