NDP calls for immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan

[Reccesoldier]

Take a look at the NDP's policy.  It can be best described as isolationist.  If elected to a majority government (very unlikely, but lets use our imaginations here) the NDP would:

Withdraw from the WTO
Withdraw from NATO
Withdraw from NORAD
Withdraw from NAFTA

The only historical correlation I can think of (and it shouldn't surprise most of you) is that of Russia under Lenin.  His isolation of Russia did manage to turn a largely agrarian nation into an economic and industrial power but Canada is those things already.

Just two of these policies would ruin our country. The Canada we know would not survive an NDP federal government implementing a withdrawl from the WTO or NAFTA.  I think Alberta would be the first to go, then Ontario or Quebec which do something like 85% of their business with the US.  BC likewise relies on US trade but also needs to trade with Asian nations all of which are members or seeking membership in the WTO.  In short just the proposal to withdraw from the WTO/NAFTA would kill our economy if implemented as most of Canada's trade is aligned not East to West as it was 50 or so years ago but North to South.

The isolation caused by an NDP government would not stop there though.  Just think of how the US (our largest trading partner) would view a nation that not only withdrew from the world economic community but the defense community as well.  We would end up as Cuba North not just to the Republicans on Capital Hill but the Democrats as well.

NDP government = National suicide

 

[Echo9]

Here's a question to ask anyone who uses the expression "We support our troops- bring them home":

Would you support additional funding for military spending, even if it results in sacrifices being required in social spending?


If the answer to that question is no, then the person in question simply does not "support the troops", but is looking for a dodge from the charge of disloyalty to the country and its causes.  I'd love to see someone ask that question to smilin' Jack.


As a sideline, did anyone read the letter to the National Post from the President of the NDP?  Indication that the party is just as shallow and dimwitted as its leader...

 

[a_majoor]

And Jack jumped the gun anyway, as here is the sitrep on who is withdrawing......

http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/afghan/articles/20060921.aspx

Taliban Announce a Retreat

September 21, 2006: So far this month, NATO forces in the south have killed over a thousand Taliban gunmen, wounded more than that, overrun several Taliban camps, captured over a hundred Taliban and seized large quantities of documents and equipment. The Taliban have used large units in this area to scare off the police and enable terror teams to work on the civilians. In one case, a force of 400 Taliban crossed the Pakistan border and tried to take control of a district. But the swift appearance of NATO troops forced the Taliban to disperse and flee.

After two weeks of getting hammered like this, the Taliban have announced that they are dispersing their forces in the south, in the face of the NATO offensive. That Taliban announcement just confirms what can be seen on the ground. This means that the Taliban will concentrate more on their terror operations, which have managed to enrage a large chunk of the population in the south. The Taliban terror operations have concentrated on extorting aid from the locals, and trying to impose very conservative customs (like no school for girls) on tribes that don't practice that kind of stuff. Without the larger groups of Taliban to back up the terror teams, many villages and districts will resist the terror. Some of the Taliban teams will switch to just anti-government operations, which the villagers favor. By driving away corrupt cops and government officials, the Taliban score points with the civilians. But the Taliban is more of a religious, than a political operation. Ultimately, burning down schools is more important than chasing corrupt bureaucrats.

September 18, 2006: A suicide bomber attacked a Canadian patrol outside, killing four Canadians and several children. The patrol had stopped and was giving out books and pens to the kids when the Taliban terrorist came in on a bicycle and detonated his bomb.

September 17, 2006: The government has agreed to arrest and prosecute senior tribal and government officials involved in the drug trade. Believe it when you see it. But if this did happen, it would make a difference, and hurt the drug trade.

September 16, 2006: In eastern Afghanistan, a force of 7,000 U.S. and Afghan troops are moving to shut down Taliban operations in five provinces along the Pakistan border. A slightly smaller NATO/Afghan force continues to do the same in southern Afghanistan.

The best way to support the troops is to reinforce success, which a squadron of tanks, a company from R22er and maybe a six pack of CF-18s would do nicely.

 

[rmacqueen]

You will also notice the Jack has over looked the fact that Karzai has asked the US ambassador to investigate whether Karzai's brother is involved in the drug trade.  Karzai is trying to get that side of things under control as well but the NDP don't mention it because it goes against what they are saying.

 

[warspite]

You will also notice the Jack has over looked the fact that Karzai has asked the US ambassador to investigate whether Karzai's brother is involved in the drug trade.  Karzai is trying to get that side of things under control as well but the NDP don't mention it because it goes against what they are saying.

Hopefully then the NDP will just shut their traps because they never know what they are saying. ;D

But really the NDP should just shut up with their yuppie blabbering and go sit in a corner. Maybe it's just my reading of the signs but it does look like their anti-war support the troops blabber has begun to backfire... very badly. Ten thousand supporters at the wear red fridays rally, a visit from the Afghan president supporting the war, and according to the article a_majoor posted the taliban is on the run.... Wow it almost seems like what the NDP has been saying has been completely discredited and that the NDP have been proven as the yuppie fools that they are.

 

[vonGarvin]

Smilin' Jack Layton changes his tune!  Remember his site?  "Support our troops: bring them home"?  Now he is saying "No, that's not what I meant, what I meant was to go elsewhere in Afghanistan".  What a putz!


I think Jack just blinked!

(insert "throat punch" smiley here)

 

[Trinity]

That's funny...

Cause his site has a petition to bring HOME the soldiers.

What does HOME mean to Jack?!

 

[vonGarvin]

In case people some day forget, this is what the image with the hyperlink looks like:


And the text of the petition:
"Support our troops. Bring 'em home.
Petition to the House of Commons

WHEREAS:

The Government of Canada has committed Canadian Forces to an unbalanced counter-insurgent (sic) mission in southern Afghanistan that has no clear objectives, criteria for progress, definition of success or exit strategy.
Jack Layton, leader of the NDP has called for the withdrawal of Canadian Forces from this mission.
We support the brave men and women of the Canadian Forces.
We, call upon Government of Canada to begin the withdrawal of Canadian Forces from the counter-insurgency mission in southern Afghanistan.

 

[paracowboy]

what a repulsive excuse for a human  : Someone print out the definition of the word "Honour" and deliver to that shmuck. Then, throat-punch.

 

[vonGarvin]

We, call upon Government of Canada to begin the withdrawal of Canadian Forces from the counter-insurgency mission in southern Afghanistan.[/i]

,
For the spin doctors who would argue that the petition doesn't call for the CF to come home (read: OC or JL), note that the petition calls for "withdrawal" not "redeployment" of the CF.

Putzes

 

[vonGarvin]

And let's not forget the resolution, which states, in part:
The resolution called on Harper to begin "the safe and immediate withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan" and "support the continuation of development assistance to Afghanistan and democratic peace building."



(this is from their website: see my sig line below)

 

[reilly]

What can be expected from the NDP (No downpayment party). Never forget the NDP riding association pushed resolution 1 B4 stating that Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan are “acting like terrorists, destroying communities, killing and maiming innocent people”.

Now what the hell kind of political party is going to brand its own soldiers terrorists? It was these soldiers that made freedom of speech possible. Does anyone know whether the leader of that party agrees or disagrees with that sentiment?

 

[zipperhead_cop]

I wonder if things in OrangeLand are not well?  Layton's stoic adherence to being wrong is starting to seem odd, even by their standards.  Most politicians in the face of being crushed by reality would have started to distance themselves and back down a bit.  We have seen what the party sentiment of their membership is.  Could it be that there is unrest within, and perhaps his leadership position is in jeopardy?

 

[AJFitzpatrick]

I wonder if the NDP has laid in a supply of butter and syrup.





This may be a little obscure, search on " Movement for an Independent Socialist Canada".

 

[warspite]

I wonder if things in OrangeLand are not well?  Layton's stoic adherence to being wrong is starting to seem odd, even by their standards.  Most politicians in the face of being crushed by reality would have started to distance themselves and back down a bit.  We have seen what the party sentiment of their membership is.  Could it be that there is unrest within, and perhaps his leadership position is in jeopardy?

Your right. It really doesn't make sense to keep digging when you've already dug yourself into a hole that could prove to be your grave. Makes you wonder what the heck the idea behind it is... I mean logic and realism is considered to be a bad trait in the NDP but like you said this is unusual for even for them.

 

[TCBF]

"... I mean logic and realism is considered to be a bad trait in the NDP but like you said this is unusual for even for them."

- All of the parties have suffered their own gaps in logic over the last few years.  The old guard is dying off.  The old guard had some grounding in logic because they survived the Great Depression, fought WW2, led us through the early (scary) cold war, and generally spoiled their kids (us) to the point where much of our generation has no idea what they are tinkering with.

They do not understand that freedom is rented, not bought.  The rent must be paid every one or two generations, and the only legal tender for payment is the blood of patriots.

 

[warspite]

"... I mean logic and realism is considered to be a bad trait in the NDP but like you said this is unusual for even for them."

- All of the parties have suffered their own gaps in logic over the last few years.  The old guard is dying off.  The old guard had some grounding in logic because they survived the Great Depression, fought WW2, led us through the early (scary) cold war, and generally spoiled their kids (us) to the point where much of our generation has no idea what they are tinkering with.

They do not understand that freedom is rented, not bought.  The rent must be paid every one or two generations, and the only legal tender for payment is the blood of patriots.

All very true, especially that last part.

 

[2 Cdo]

To all on this site, from now on please refrain from using the words "logic", "realism", and "New Democratic Party" in the same sentence, as it is interfering with me digesting my lunch! ;D

 

[HDE]

I believe a large part of being the leader of the NDP is keeping the lunatic fringe under control.  From our perspective Jack doesn't make much sense, however he looks like an elder statesman in comparison to some elements on the far left in the NDP.  Zipperhead-cop may well be right when he suggest a power struggle within the NDP and I'd imagine it'll get worse as the big unions increasingly distance themselves
from the party.

 

[TCBF]

Which brings us back to an interview of Preston Manning done by the CBC a decade or so ago.  They said Reform would attract the right-wing wackos.  He said perhaps, just as the NDP and the Liberals attracted the left wing wackos.