And some Canadians support these Guys?
Ophelia notes one project of the charmers called the Taliban, and follows with
even more. I am particularly impressed by the commitment to civil society.
You have until January 15 to stop sending your girls to schools. If you do not pay any heed to this warning, we will kill such girls," one official quoted the commander as saying. "We also warn schools not to enrol any female students; otherwise, their buildings will be blown up
The militants have also prohibited immunisation for children against polio – claiming that the UN-sponsored vaccination drive is aimed at causing sexual impotence – causing a sharp rise in cases of the disease.
This is of course made much easier for them by restrictions put on their troops by many of the NATO nations. And it appears that a substantial part of Canada's "left" believe that we should simply pack up and leave the place to the Taliban. The abandonment of key principles of the left in history should be a sad embarrassment. Of course, the NDP will say they want to "negotiate" with the Taliban. What exactly do they think there is to negotiate? It would seem rather like negotiating with John Gotti. I deeply hope we do not end up with the appalling planned coalition.
I do hope Barack Obama carries out his promise to beef up the effort in Afghanistan.
As Ophelia says, Allah the merciful indeed.
Labels: Afghanistan, Layton, NDP, stupidity, Taliban
Hillier on Grim Milestones and Nichola Goddard
On
CTV's Canada AM this week, Canada's former Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hiller made a very good point about the 'grim milestone' themes so beloved in our standard media, as the 100th death of a Canadian soldier during the Afghanistan Mission is reported. He was asked to explain, by the somewhat inane reporter, the meaning of the new grim milestone number of 100.
Truthfully, for the soldiers, their families, those that are engaged, that 100 number is meaningless. The number one is what's most important. Each family has lost one, a husband, a son, a father, a brother, or in the case of Nichola Goddard, a wife, a daughter, and that's what's important to them; the number 100 has become truly a media focus, and really doesn't reflect what the soldiers, the families themselves, experience and think about. They deal with losing a family member.
I don't seem to be able to link directly to the video but it is worth trying to find as the idiotic reporter, no doubt a total Obama fan, then asks Hillier whether we should not simply implement NDP policy and surrender.
But Hillier's statement took me back to a major surprise on my drive home on the weekend listening to The Sunday Edition on the CBC. Michael Enright reliably began by observing the grim milestons, even using those words, so predictably, and then began an interview with the parents of
Nichola Goddard, mentioned specifically by Hillier.
This is a lovely piece of work, and Enright does the things he does well (there are some) in the interview. And the contrast between the near-pacifism of Goddard's parents and her strengths is lovely.
I do what I do so you can do what you do.
What do you think I am - a princess?
Heartbreaking.
The
podcast of the whole show is here. The segment is the last 20+ minutes of a roughly three-hour radio show, but an apparently shorter podcast. It really is worth hearing.
Labels: Afghanistan, Canada, commitment
Terry Glavin in Afghanistan!
He has been posting actively and wonderfully from Kabul.
This post
on Obama supporters in Kabul is a nice introduction.
Once you have found your way to his blog you should read the other posts as well. Browse, and be enlightened.
Labels: Afghanistan, Terry Glavin
Depressing Canadian Election Campaign
Well, at least one part is depressing, as Harper effectively removes Afghanistan from the discussion, and any appearance he had of principle on the issue at the same time.
By not blogging on this earlier, I have been granted the opportunity to link to Terry Glavin,
as always excellent on the subject and the ethics involved. Let's hope the Post makes his essay available via a link.
Labels: Afghanistan, Canada
Afghanistan roars onto the the Olympics Medal Table!
First ever!
And in taekwondo!
(h/t
Terry Glavin.)
Labels: Afghanistan, medals, Olympics
