tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post4801707928356041972..comments2023-10-22T09:18:16.885-04:00Comments on Far and Wide: Manley's Conclusions QuestionedSteve Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04871113039374739208noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-55681729762030443582008-02-23T12:08:00.000-05:002008-02-23T12:08:00.000-05:00steve v and ti-guy,In the past, both Iggy and Rae ...steve v and ti-guy,<BR/><BR/>In the past, both Iggy and Rae are on the record being more hawkish than Dion. Now Dion has joined them and left the majority opinion of Liberal MPs and Canadians who do not want Canada to continue it's military role in Afghanistan.<BR/><BR/>Dion promised to listen to grassroots Liberals and Canadians, he is ignoring us and following the advice of the elites. It's time for his head.<BR/><BR/>By the way, where are we with Kyoto? Didn't Parliament pass it last year? If it needed to be reintroduced in the new session, why hasn't it? Or has Dion capitulated on the environment as well?<BR/><BR/>Not a happy life-long Liberal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-62101670533631339992008-02-23T11:03:00.000-05:002008-02-23T11:03:00.000-05:00With the 1200 Cdn troops in Kandahar plus a new 10...With the 1200 Cdn troops in Kandahar plus a new 1000 NATO troops, this may be an attempt to convince the US to leave their 3200 marines, in Kandahar, permanently.wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03589410224972050999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-60271984303793675572008-02-23T10:28:00.000-05:002008-02-23T10:28:00.000-05:00Those two are probably more hawkish on Afghanistan...<I>Those two are probably more hawkish on Afghanistan than Dion...</I><BR/><BR/>Certainly Iggy is. I disagree with MississaugaJoan's conclusion (you're not concern trolling, are you?) but her analysis is probably correct. There is no methodology underpinning these proposals. It's one of the reasons that cause me to oppose this mission more than anything else. I don't like being treated like a stupid rube.Ti-Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06620550471437012866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-43854548272689986132008-02-23T10:25:00.000-05:002008-02-23T10:25:00.000-05:00According to America's latest counterinsurgency gu...According to America's latest counterinsurgency guru, General David Petraeus, battling an insurgency is enormously labour-intensive. The current orthodoxy is it requires as many as one rifle for every 25-civilians. There are just shy of 900,000 Afghans in Kandahar province. Do the math. 5,000 is barely a third of the number needed.<BR/>Manley's number is a political number. Nowhere in his report is there any sign that he read Petraeus' FM 3-24 field manual or any of the classic works on guerrilla warfare. 1,000 is a number he pulled straight out of his ass which is where his report should be returned.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-68574590079729567412008-02-23T10:22:00.000-05:002008-02-23T10:22:00.000-05:00"Maybe it's time the rest of us join the Iggy and ..."Maybe it's time the rest of us join the Iggy and Rae forces and ask for Dion's resignation."<BR/><BR/>Those two are probably more hawkish on Afghanistan than Dion...Steve Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04871113039374739208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-77366435647413812222008-02-23T10:20:00.001-05:002008-02-23T10:20:00.001-05:001000 is a common number used because it's a lot bu...1000 is a common number used because it's a lot but not too much. Bush Sr. used to talk about a "1000 points of light". It, like the rest of the Manley Report, was written to manipulate Canadians into agreeing for a continued military mission in Kandahar.<BR/><BR/>Germany and Italy, with more troops in Afghanistan than Canada, have forbidden their troops from Kandahar. And there is good reason. Manley and the Conservatives on the otherhand are cozing up to the Americans - believing their pro-military actions will win them favour with the Americans.<BR/><BR/>Dion, in 2006, acted on principal and voted with the majority of Liberals against the present military mission.<BR/><BR/>Dion, in 2008, has lost his principles and has forced the Liberal caucus to do the same.<BR/><BR/>Maybe it's time the rest of us join the Iggy and Rae forces and ask for Dion's resignation. We were hoodwinked in Montreal.MississaugaJoanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07302396652312132141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-55677217476278840752008-02-23T10:20:00.000-05:002008-02-23T10:20:00.000-05:00"And, what gives the Manley panel expertise on mil..."And, what gives the Manley panel expertise on military matters?"<BR/><BR/>Well, you would assume they consulted with military experts before reaching their conclusions? If they didn't, and this should be clarified, that it puts the whole process into question, furthering the view that it was nothing but a political exercise.Steve Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04871113039374739208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-78565796978926352852008-02-23T10:18:00.000-05:002008-02-23T10:18:00.000-05:001,000 troops - reminds me of the piece meal approa...1,000 troops - reminds me of the piece meal approach Bush/Rumsfeld used for Iraq.<BR/><BR/>If you're going to do it, do it right.<BR/><BR/>And, what gives the Manley panel expertise on military matters?RuralSandihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09552973218865121867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20358187.post-77576884817657241122008-02-23T09:59:00.000-05:002008-02-23T09:59:00.000-05:00Before we agree on a final Afghan "compromise", I ...<I>Before we agree on a final Afghan "compromise", I think it is up to the Liberals to ask some tough questions on the methodology to come up with these 1000 troops.</I><BR/><BR/>You are assuming that the "compromise" has anything to do with success in Afghanistan. This is about avoiding Afghanistan as an election issue by the Liberal and Conservative hierarchies than anything else. My guess is only the NDP and Bloc will bring this up (not for any noble reasons but simply because they can without looking like idiots). All you will hear from the Liberal benches is silence.Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06509182679650412982noreply@blogger.com