He also took several shots at the opposition, particularly on defence.
"We remind people, and we remind people especially at times like these, that the peace, the prosperity and the liberty we enjoy were earned by our men and women in uniform and they continue to defend and protect these values on our behalf all around the world."
Mr. Harper complained that his government had received "hundreds of questions" from the opposition on the "allegations of Taliban prisoners," referring to suggestions of abuse among detained prisoners in Afghanistan.
There is only one reason why "hundreds of questions" were posed on the detainee issue, complete Conservative incompetence. Harper criticizes the opposition, when the whole display was created by the gang that can't shoot straight. A two day story was elevated to maelstorm because the government had no answers, or conflicting answers, depending on the time of day. I would challenge Harper to find one non-partisan observer who didn't conclude the government handled the entire issue poorly. A nice attempt at spin, turn your own incompetence into a question of supporting the troops.
11 comments:
I wrote up a boog story on the idea of us bein' there to protect and defend our values. I didn't think our values protected or defended by propping up a warlord-ruled narco-state known officially as The Islamic State of Affghanistan and where Shari'a law is enshrined in the new constition. How does defending Karzai's opium economy defend and protect Canada?
JB
Steve,
A nice attempt at spin, turn your own incompetence into a question of supporting the troops.
PR dictates that political parties keep pushing their respective mantras and slogans. Conservatives have the "support the troops" one. The NDP has theirs, as well as the Liberals. You know this, but I guess that you can't help pointing out blatant PR spin. And I don't blame you.
BTW, on the subject of spin, have you seen Thank you for Smoking?
tarheel
I understand slogans, but in the case of the detainees, Harper's focus on questioning is actually a commentary on his own incompetence. Probably much more astute to not mention the issue at all, because none of it is flattering. I suppose it plays to the base, which is all that matters in these type of speeches.
A nice attempt at spin, turn your own incompetence into a question of supporting the troops.
Standard fare for this gang. In fact, I think it's their doctrine.
I just wrote about the fact that today, Harper has adopted the Liberal position of leaving the current mission in 2009, but perhaps staying on in a different capacity.
How he'll sping himself out of the fact that he's derided this position is anyone's guess.
Interesting isn't it that when Dion suggests pulling out in 2009 and rotating and doing other things he's called a flip-flopper.
Harper does it (copying again) and the neo-cons think he's brilliant.
No wonder Liberals aren't letting out their policies - Harper steals them, renames them.
That's a great point. Harper has essentially adopted the flip flopper's position.
anon...you aren't wrong, as they say.
I cannot imagine what the pretzel will look like when his supporters support this.
Can we dub him Dither's II?
Surely you could not expect PM Harper to accept that his government did anything wrong on this issue? Surely you could not possibly expect him and his government to foresee any problems with such a fine and stable country with such a rich history of respecting human rights as Afghanistan in how they would treat detainees turned over to them by Canadian troops? Surely you could not expect that this would be something of such importance to the "average" Canadian that they would want to know any of these pesky minor details and therefore did not bother to keep track of them? I mean really Steve V, next thing you know you will be telling us we should be expecting that PM Harper and his government should actually know the details of the issues and files overseen by the government and their respective ministers, especially in regards to issues of war!
How could you be so demanding, so unreasonable as to expect such above and beyond the call of duty and reasonable expectations as that! You are nothing but a political hack making a mountain out of a molehill here you know, especially since it was the Opposition that was asking all those dirty questions smearing the good name of our brave men and women serving in Afghanistan. Of course it was all the Oppositions fault that Canada was made to look like it was in breech of the Geneva Conventions, why if the Opposition had not been asking so many questions about it no one would have cared because no one would have known anything about the possibility. Ignorance is bliss after all and there is nothing more than a politician loves than an electorate in bliss thanks to the actions and messages of their party/government. You are such a fringe person expecting such pipe dreams as peace, order, and good/"responsible" government, why you would think they were our national mottoes or something the way you go on in this post!
*note* The preceding comment was laced full of sarcasm and irony, it is not to be read literally but rather in a very mocking tone of voice from the outset. Anyone that responds to this comment treating it as literal will not be dignified with a response.
scotian
"Accountability" is the casualty, spin and confuse to deflect.
Steve V:
Yep, pretty much...*sigh*
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