Conflicted, Confused; Clearly Incompetent
Liberal leader Stephane Dion is clearly befuddled by events beyond his comprehension. Which doesn't stop him from declaring his position as Leader of the Official Opposition, certain that this is but a temporary stop on his way to becoming prime minister of Canada. Among his many positions, clearly oppositional to that of the current government, his unwavering decision that Canada must abandon its declaration of military support under NATO auspices, within Afghanistan.
The Canadian armed forces, he assures the Canadian public, must be re-assigned to a less obviously dangerous position in the country, so it can go about the real work of shoring up the disabled country's civil infrastructure, and train its army and its police force to take over the work of ousting the Taliban. Alongside those other NATO-allied countries' forces which have taken up a like position, out of direct harm's way, assuming the mantle of keeping-the-peace.
Except for the fact that there is no real peace, just a holding position where up to the present time the resurgent Taliban are kept at bay from as much of the country as possible - despite which Taliban agents experienced little difficulty in gaining access to the most security-conscious, highly guarded, high-walled and gated structure within the capital just yesterday.
Having discombobulated Hamid Karzai during his Afghan tour with his declaration of continued support for Afghanistan's cause, while at the same time warning that come 2009 Canadian troops will be re-directed elsewhere within the country, Mr. Dion in his great wisdom declares that Canada - and NATO would do well to re-direct priorities toward Pakistan.
Perhaps it has slipped his mind that NATO is in Afghanistan at the request of the Afghan government. And that Pakistan has made it quite clear that it feels capable of itself handling its growing Islamist insurgency, having no wish to invite foreign intervention - at least at this time.
The prissy dove suddenly turned uncomprehending hawk; it suddenly having occurred to Mr. Dion that the porous border between the two countries shelters the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
"We are going to have to discuss that very actively if they (the Pakistanis) are not able to deal with it on their own. We could consider that option with the NATO forces in order to help Pakistan help us pacify Afghanistan" declared Mr. Dion from the safety of Quebec City. "As long as we don't solve the problem in Pakistan, I don't see how we can solve it in Afghanistan."
The man clearly is a brilliant strategist. Yet his position was further clarified lest he be misunderstood, to indicate that he meant diplomatic, not military intervention. As though the U.S. and NATO haven't been engaged in diplomatic urging of the government of Pakistan to control the situation along its tribal belt for years.
As though Presidents Pervez Musharraf and Hamid Karzai haven't been negotiating that same goal as well. Uneasy neighbours at the best of time, but finally understanding this to be in their mutual best interests, the sticking point of allegiances and the nuisance of Kurdish aspirations aside.
But diplomacy, as Mr. Dion would have it, is all that is required. This man aims to make the news and obviously eschews keeping abreast of it as it unfolds. Only two days earlier a brazen attack by the very same Taliban forces likely responsible for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, attacked a government military fort in the remote tribal region of South Waziristan.
The superior numbers of the terror group spelled success for them as they exploded holes through the fort's exterior walls to successfully invade and fight hand-to-hand. With 42 soldiers representing Pakistan's Frontier corps, to their own 400 insurgents, killing some, abducting others. Representing but one of many such Islamist paramilitary strikes against Pakistan's military facilities.
In its ongoing struggles to contain and combat the combined forces of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, President Musharraf will take great comfort in Mr. Dion's proposal for diplomacy.
The Canadian armed forces, he assures the Canadian public, must be re-assigned to a less obviously dangerous position in the country, so it can go about the real work of shoring up the disabled country's civil infrastructure, and train its army and its police force to take over the work of ousting the Taliban. Alongside those other NATO-allied countries' forces which have taken up a like position, out of direct harm's way, assuming the mantle of keeping-the-peace.
Except for the fact that there is no real peace, just a holding position where up to the present time the resurgent Taliban are kept at bay from as much of the country as possible - despite which Taliban agents experienced little difficulty in gaining access to the most security-conscious, highly guarded, high-walled and gated structure within the capital just yesterday.
Having discombobulated Hamid Karzai during his Afghan tour with his declaration of continued support for Afghanistan's cause, while at the same time warning that come 2009 Canadian troops will be re-directed elsewhere within the country, Mr. Dion in his great wisdom declares that Canada - and NATO would do well to re-direct priorities toward Pakistan.
Perhaps it has slipped his mind that NATO is in Afghanistan at the request of the Afghan government. And that Pakistan has made it quite clear that it feels capable of itself handling its growing Islamist insurgency, having no wish to invite foreign intervention - at least at this time.
The prissy dove suddenly turned uncomprehending hawk; it suddenly having occurred to Mr. Dion that the porous border between the two countries shelters the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
"We are going to have to discuss that very actively if they (the Pakistanis) are not able to deal with it on their own. We could consider that option with the NATO forces in order to help Pakistan help us pacify Afghanistan" declared Mr. Dion from the safety of Quebec City. "As long as we don't solve the problem in Pakistan, I don't see how we can solve it in Afghanistan."
The man clearly is a brilliant strategist. Yet his position was further clarified lest he be misunderstood, to indicate that he meant diplomatic, not military intervention. As though the U.S. and NATO haven't been engaged in diplomatic urging of the government of Pakistan to control the situation along its tribal belt for years.
As though Presidents Pervez Musharraf and Hamid Karzai haven't been negotiating that same goal as well. Uneasy neighbours at the best of time, but finally understanding this to be in their mutual best interests, the sticking point of allegiances and the nuisance of Kurdish aspirations aside.
But diplomacy, as Mr. Dion would have it, is all that is required. This man aims to make the news and obviously eschews keeping abreast of it as it unfolds. Only two days earlier a brazen attack by the very same Taliban forces likely responsible for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, attacked a government military fort in the remote tribal region of South Waziristan.
The superior numbers of the terror group spelled success for them as they exploded holes through the fort's exterior walls to successfully invade and fight hand-to-hand. With 42 soldiers representing Pakistan's Frontier corps, to their own 400 insurgents, killing some, abducting others. Representing but one of many such Islamist paramilitary strikes against Pakistan's military facilities.
In its ongoing struggles to contain and combat the combined forces of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, President Musharraf will take great comfort in Mr. Dion's proposal for diplomacy.
Labels: Canada, Crisis Politics, Terrorism
posted by Pieface | 5:16 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home