I was glad to see President Harper in Kandahar today. It was great he finally found time to go and address our troops. Although it was a pity the timing was so screwy almost half of them couldn't be there. They were too busy fighting to attend his little photo-op. I also really liked Harper's snazzy khaki vest. I'm sure he wished he could have been done up like his hero Chimp Bush was, for his military photo op.
But it's just as well he wasn't. Even the Conservatives know that some things can't be spun. And the sad truth is, Chimp Bush really is a beast, while Harper is just a right-wing think tank nerd. Although judging from the reaction to his visit from some Tory Bloggers, you'd think Harper was nothing less than the The Conquering Hero of Kandahar! When in fact, any other Canadian leader would have done the same thing.
Still, as I said, I was glad he was there. I'm glad he expressed support for our troops. I just didn't like how he said it. I mean where does he get off talking about cutting and running? None of the political parties and only very few Canadians are talking about that. How dare he insult us that way. Imply that anyone who disagrees with him is a coward. Just like his hero was lecturing Americans today about not losing their nerve in Iraq. Too bad Bushwacky couldn't deliver that one from the bloody streets of Baghdad.
Another thing that bothered me was that although Harper was in Afghanistan with our troops, he seemed a little confused about why they were there. It was as if he had been reading the American playbook, instead of ours.
As far as I can determine, we're there as part of a U.N. /NATO mandated mission to help the people of Afghanistan rebuild their country, choose their own future, and protect them from the Taliban and other fanatics who want to prevent them from doing that.
It's not about the war on drugs, or preventing another 911, or fighting the terrorist hordes there, so we don't have to fight them in the streets of Canada. That's just the Chimp's nonsense. And he's at 30 percent in the polls. Even his own people don't believe him anymore.
The real terrorist threat comes from offices in modern cities in places like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Iran. Not from a medieval state like Afghanistan. It never did. It may have sheltered Bin Laden, but the planning, the money, and the 911 suicide bombers came from other places. Since the Americans couldn't hit them, they hit Afghanistan instead.
I'm glad they did. It helped free the Afghan people from the brutal dictatorship of the Taleban. But since they failed to capture Bin Laden and his deputy, it had very little effect on the real war on terror. And it never will. For Harper to imply that it could be an incubator again for Al-Qaeda terrorists is just naive. The real breeding grounds for terrorists are places like Indonesia's teeming slums, and the madrassahs of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. And of course, just about anywhere now, in that hellhole called Iraq.
So let's carry out our mission in Afghanistan. Let's try to help the Afghan people get back on their feet, and do our best to protect them from the Taleban. It's a noble mission. It is a war against hired terrorists. It's good enough.
But let's make sure that we don't get carried away with the rhetoric, and get dragged into a declining Empire's insane war. Because the so-called war on terror can be a cover for a far more dangerous war. The one over shrinking oil resources, and the future of the U.S.dollar. Although some don't think it will have much impact, I'm still surprised that with just two weeks to go before Iran puts it online, it's getting such little press. Only other smart bloggers are talking about that.
Everyone is more concerned with that other Iranian story. Even though their Islamic Bomb is at least ten years away. While their Bourse Bomb is just about ready to explode. Or not.
Look all I'm trying to say is that the whole region is one tangled mess of geopolitical intrigue. We have to be very careful where we tread. And understand some of the real issues involved. So we don't ever end up like a bunch of Boy Scouts, fighting and dying for other people's oil.
Harper didn't help things today. He should have made it very clear what our mission there is all about. Instead of just mimicking Chimp Bush talk. Just trying to score cheap political points. And please the Bush Regime. But that takes a real leader and as I said before, Harper is just a right-wing think tank nerd. With a self defeating strategy.
If he keeps trying to enroll us in Bush's crazy War on Terror, or linking it to the one in Afghanistan, it will do more damage to public support for the troops over there than anything the Taleban can do.
But at least it convinces me of something. We really need a debate, just to make that very clear. And the sooner the better.
OK Mr President?
BTW where did you get that snazzy vest?
I want one too.
No comments:
Post a Comment