From The Horse's (oops, the General's) Mouth

It's all very well for politicians to have their say about things they know very little about. Most especially someone like the leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament, expressing his views about Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. He agrees, does Stephane Dion, that the Canadian military must fulfill its obligations to NATO, and stay in Afghanistan. Just not in the danger zone.

Canadian soldiers, he stoutly asserts, must be there to keep the peace. Although there is yet no peace there. Canadian soldiers, he says, must be involved in teaching and supporting the Afghan military and the police, in building schools and medical facilities. Not fighting, O dear, not fighting.

Stationed in Kandahar, where Taliban terror activities are at their height. Not fight; build clinics and police stations, and schools so that the Taliban can torch them and murder teachers, nurses, schoolchildren. All of this takes place in an nastily unpalatable netherworld of reality of which Mr. Dion wants no part.

So here is General Rick Hillier, Canada's chief of the defence staff telling it the reality way: "If you're in Kandahar, you're going to be in combat operations. If you're in Kandahar, this is the home of the Taliban. If you're in Kandahar, and you have soldiers on the ground, you are going to be attacked by the Taliban. You simply are going to be in the middle of it."

Get it, Mr. Dion?