Monday, October 08, 2007

Stunt

This is a "stunt", just to clarify:





Meaningful work:


Bernier moved from one military machine to another during his tour Sunday, clapping his hands together like a kid in a candy store.

"So, what do you have here?" Bernier asked as he moved from a Nyala RG-31 with a remote control gun to a LAV-3 armoured vehicle.

Bernier and Oda both donned flack vests and helmets, took rides aboard an immense twin-rotor Chinook helicopter and quizzed soldiers about the workings of the military and its machines.

But outside the small talk, the ministers stuck to prepared statements and left tough questions to high-level civil servants.

The visit included about a dozen carefully staged photo opportunities, a couple of funding announcements and just a handful of questions about affairs of state.

It wasn't until the pair were leaving, faced with a boycott of another photo-op, that Bernier agreed to answer questions from reporters.

In all seriousness, Bernier's visit raises some interesting questions, not least of which, why not Flakies? Way better.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

huh?
“John F. Kennedy said to the Americans: ‘Don't ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,”' Mr. Bernier said.

“Now, today, I'm asking Canadians, ‘Don't ask the Afghan government what it can do for us in Canada, but what we Canadians can do for the Afghan people.”'

tdwebste said...

Anonymous,

I agree with your concerns for the Afghan people. What is Canada doing to bring lasting peace to Afghanistan?

How is Canada leading the fight against corruption and bringing good governance to Afghanistan? Military success is required, but alone it is not enough.

Media attention is helpful when it directs the Canadian public to areas needing attention.

tdwebste said...

Why are Bernier and Oda looking for photo-ops and avoiding media questions?

Is this nothing more than a media stunt and Conservative propaganda? Don't know but it sure does look like it.

Steve V said...

tim

It's almost comical that the media threatened to boycott another photo-op unless Bernier actually spoke. What a waste of money, so Bernier can play soldier guy.

James Curran said...

"How is Canada leading the fight against corruption and bringing good governance to Afghanistan? Military success is required, but alone it is not enough."

Kinda tough to fight a group of terrorists killing our soldiers while the country's president wants them to become part of his government.

Ya have to wonder about the security of our troops and the confidentiality of their missions at this stage.

Steve V said...

"Kinda tough to fight a group of terrorists killing our soldiers while the country's president wants them to become part of his government."

I'm of the opinion that Canada should suspend all offensive operations until the Afghan government figures out who the enemy is. Allowing Omar into the government, under any circumstance, is obscene.

I saw a story today on the British troops in Iraq. While the troops have retreated from Basra, they are fully engaged in border security and training the Iraqis. This experience might be a template for the future Canadian participation moving forward.

Anonymous said...

Well, at least he didn't put his helmet on backwards like Papa Jean.

Koby said...

“Now, today, I'm asking Canadians, ‘Don't ask the Afghan government what it can do for us in Canada, but what we Canadians can do for the Afghan people.”'

ha ha

You Sir are no John F. Kennedy

Steve V said...

How original. Gag.