Where is Jack Layton's Outrage at this?

[vonGarvin]

Check out this story:
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/070710/w071029A.html
(shared with the usual disclaimers)

"A suicide bomber targeted a NATO patrol in a crowded marketplace in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing 17 civilians, officials said."

"...school children were among the wounded."

"...the bomber showed 'no concern for the potential deaths and injuries of civilians.'"

And here is what Jack Layton has to say about Afghanistan (from http://www.ndp.ca/page/5496)

The growing civilian death toll in Afghanistan at the hands of NATO forces is more disturbing evidence that the counter-insurgency mission is not working.
These deaths mark an escalation in the conflict. We have lost more Canadians in this - our heaviest combat, since Korea.
We support our troops and their families (Edit: I call BULLSHIT on this one) and it is out of the deep respect for each and everyone of them that we seek a de-escalation of this conflict.
We learned with great sadness from Afghan officials, that 45 civilians were killed this weekend by a NATO air strike.
According to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission - the organization which Prime Minister Harper and his government have entrusted to monitor detainees - over 270 civilians have been killed in military operations by international forces, so far this year.
Two-hundred and seventy.
This is unacceptable.
It is unacceptable to Canadians, and to the Afghan people.
On Monday, the Afghan ambassador to the United States asked foreign forces to limit the use of high altitude bombing in their campaigns.
Yesterday, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, responding to the surge in civilian deaths including the deaths of 7 children in a single attack, called on NATO to minimize civilian casualities. (EDIT: when are they going to call on the Taliban to stop suicide attacks when children are present?)
Today I am calling on the Prime Minister to take a leadership role and add Canada’s voice in telling both the Bush administration and the North Atlantic Council of NATO that the level of Afghan civilian deaths is unacceptable and that indiscriminate and deadly airstrikes be stopped. Airstrikes which are only adding to the escalation to a war that shows no signs of ending.
The ratio of combatants versus Afghan civilians killed by NATO forces is quickly reaching the 50-50 mark. Clearly, the current strategy is not working.
Mr. Harper isn’t building the conditions for a lasting peace.
He’s fuelling the conditions for an escalating war.
That’s not what Canadians want.
And never before has the need for leadership on this issue been greater.
As Parliament rose for its summer recess, the Standing Committee on Defence, tabled its report on the current mission in Afghanistan.
Amazingly the Liberals tabled what it called a “complementary” report – simply accepting most of the government’s recommendations on the mission.
That’s not leadership.
Stephane Dion and the Bloc Quebecois seek to have Canada’s involvement in this mission continue for two more years.
We believe that two-more years is two years too long.
I call on Stephane Dion and Gilles Duceppe to answer the question – to their fellow Quebeckers (EDIT: What about fellow Newfoundlanders?  What about fellow Nova Scotians?  What about fellow New Brunswickers?  What about fellow Ontarians?  What about fellow Manitobans?  What about fellow Saskatchewanians?  What about fellow Albertans?  What about fellow British Colombians?  What about fellow residents of the territories?  Or are we to believe that there are 'Quebeckers' and 'Canadians', and that being one does not make you the other, in either case?) and fellow Canadians - “if the mission is wrong in 2009 – why isn’t it also wrong in 2007?”
In the upcoming by-elections, voters will finally have an opportunity to have their say on Canada’s involvement in this mission.
The choice is clear.
They can vote for parties that got us into this mission, extended this mission, or who want it to go on another two years – or they can vote for the NDP.
Canadians want us to go in a different direction in Afghanistan – it’s time the Prime Minister started listening to them.
Thank you.
(EDIT: You're not welcome)

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I would like to know what is stopping Jack from going? There are even a few tourists in Kandahar right now. He could also fly to Pakistan to talk to Taliban leaders there, clearly it’s not important to him.

 

[Munxcub]

All that's important to him is undermining everything the CF are accomplishing, spewing BS rhetoric to ignorant Canadians in order to gain popularity he doesn't deserve...

 

[Scott]

I am now reminded why I do not like small dogs...always yapping for no good reason.

 

[Pain]

Well said, Captain. 
It does not look like the NDP has really changed its tune since the controversy in September. 
First: "'We in no way intended to suggest that our Canadian Forces personnel were in any way associated with terrorism,” the riding association said in a statement Wednesday afternoon."
Second: The actual preamble says just that: "'In such a situation, Canadian troops end up acting like terrorists, destroying communities, killing and maiming innocent people,' the resolution stated." 
Third: If you check the NDP website, you will know that they are anti-NATO and anti-Norad.  Therefore, this preamble and the words from Layton's own mouth, should be of no surprise.
This is typical of the bureaucratic doublespeak that seems to mark Layton's tenure.
My question is, Is highly selective support count as support? ???  Support on dictated terms does not seem so supportive to me.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Just sent to a whole bunch of editors


Jack Layton calls for our immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan, citing reports of civilians killed, not mentioning that the numbers and reports are disputed. I notice there is no outcry from him about the 17 people just killed by a suicide bomber or the young girls gunned down for the crime of going to school.
He also says the cost to Canadians is not worth it, well this sounds discriminatory to me. Is he saying the decent men, women and children of Afghanistan aren’t worth Canadian blood? Would he have said the same thing in 1944 about the Dutch? There was a time when the Left had both moral and physical courage to put their words into deeds and were willing to pay a heavy price for their beliefs. I am sure the veterans of the Mackenzie-Papineau Battilion are disgusted with the lack of moral backbone of the “new left”.
So what exactly is stopping Layton from going to Afghanistan or Pakistan to meet with the tribal leaders or the Tailban? There are tourists in Kandahar if they can make it, why can’t he? The sad answer is that Layton doesn’t give a damm about the Afghans or their future. Nor does he care about our troops. Layton only cares about votes and hanging out in the trendy spots in GTA, god forbid he soils his shoes with Afghan soil.

 

[vonGarvin]

Well said, Colin P, and his attitude only confirms to me that he is a racist.  Worse than the radical right, who wear their racist attitudes on their sleeves, the radical left is in denial.

 

[Jaydub]

Yes, Colin, it was very well written.  I hope that it gets published.  What papers did you write to?  I'll watch for it.

I also recommend that you send that directly to the NDP as well.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I sent it to all the major papers, the NDP will get a special letter to them and c.c. to their local candidate and other parties. Plus I will point out that I came from a hardcore NDP family with a father who was an MLA and connected to most of the founding members of the NDP and that they lost me by the way they treated firearm owners and the military.

 

[Bert]

Jack Layton calls for our immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan, citing reports of civilians killed, not mentioning that the numbers and reports are disputed. I notice there is no outcry from him about the 17 people just killed by a suicide bomber or the young girls gunned down for the crime of going to school.

Also other numerous situations.  Interesting key point Colin.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I wonder if Jack has read these tidbits....

http://www.nato.int/isaf/update/press_releases/newsrelease/2007/pr070712-534.htm

''KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (July 12) – Taliban extremists used an Afghan boy in a July 7 bomb attack in Sangin district center, Helmand province, that killed the boy and two members of the Afghan National Security Force at a bazaar.  “We’ve heard the attack has outraged almost everyone in the bazaar and that they are condemning it,” said Lt. Col. Mike Smith, Regional Command South spokesman.  “Reports indicate that everyone is disgusted at this incident.”  The Taliban extremists paid the Afghan boy to push a cart into position, according to an ISAF official.  When the target arrived earlier than expected, the Taliban extremist bomber detonated the bomb before the boy could get away, said the official.''

Or how about this???

http://www.recorder.ca/cp/National/070710/n0710181A.html

''Chaos created by international troops roaring through Kandahar City on military convoys needs to be reigned in, Afghan elders said Tuesday, and they're counting on Canada's military leadership to do the job.  The elders applauded Canadian efforts to make connections with civilians on the ground, such as a simple yet profound gesture to honour the families of two Afghans killed by coalition troops.  Canadian troops weren't involved in the men's deaths earlier this month. But a presentation made by Canadian soldiers to compensate their families won the respect of several local elders who say Canada should teach other international forces to respect Afghan customs.  "We know that when a suicide bomb hits a Canadian convoy, the Canadians aren't going to start shooting at everyone on the streets," said Kandahar's provincial governor Asadullah Khalid ....  (following the recent shooting of a motorcyclist who didn't stop when approaching a convoy) As a gesture of respect, Grant decided to present the two families with several items customarily given to those who have had a family member killed.  He said the fact that the incident happened in Canada's area of control meant it was the right the thing to do. The military spent about C$700 on the items, which included bags of rice, tea, sugar and two sheep.  "They were pleased we were making the effort, but still angry because the circumstances were preventable," said Capt. Kent MacRae, an operations officer for the Civil-Military Co-operation Team, who presented the items to the families. ''

 

[reccecrewman]

I'm interested in finding out where he got his facts........... I quote "The ratio of combatants to civilian casualties is closing in on 50-50". What A** did he pull that figure out of? It goes to show the old saying is true....... "Put a percentage number in a statement and 40% of the people who read it will believe it" or something to that effect.  Hey Jack.......... (Man I wish he'd visit these forums) Take our .02 of advice and go to Afghanistan and visit.  Walk the streets, breathe the air, mingle with the locals and seek out the Taliban leadership and table your proposals to them.  Let us take a look see for a quick minute.  Off the top of my head, since the Taliban government has been toppled, these are a few things Afghans have;

A Government more committed to rebuilding a country destroyed by 30 years of war,

The right to elect officials to lead them;

Females can go to school and have a hope of some sort of future;

Rural areas are getting infrastructure they never had or probably never dreamed of - schools, fresh water wells et al;

Art is being brought back to museums after having been hidden away for years like it was taboo;

Photos can be taken of families to save memories;

Women have a plethora of rights and liberties they never had;

The list goes on and on......... From personal experience (Something Mr. Layton lacks) the Afghan civilian population is quite happy with what we and all NATO countries are doing to help them out.  If Jacko takes anything out of all this, I hope it would be this;  Afghanistan is virtually un-conquerable (Is that a word?) Ask the Russians, ask the British and many others who have tried to do their will in that Country. If the vast majority of Afghani's wanted us out, believe me, we would be out. They want us there, and like it or not Jack, we belong there. 66 brave souls gave their all for Afghanistan, you have the audacity to sit on your soapbox here in the security (Your welcome for that by the way) of Canada and put on a phony facade that you and your party care about Canadian soldiers and their families? Only the blind, deaf and ignorant can believe the B.S your spoonfeeding the Canadian public, and come to think of it, the blind can probably see right through you and the deaf can probably hear the BS......... that only leaves...............

What a piece of work this guy is.