Dion is ready to capitulate on whatever bill Harper puts forward including a bill that will kill a private member's bill that was just recently passed by his party and the opposition. Perhaps Dion can enter the Guiness Book of Records for most capitulations of any politician.
This is from the Edmonton Sun.
March 13, 2008
Dion on run againLiberal leader seems ready to capitulate on Afghanistan
By GREG WESTON, NATIONAL AFFAIRS
For months, ending Canada's combat role in Afghanistan has been one of Stephane Dion's only coherent and consistent stands on any issue of major national consequence.
Time and again, the Liberal leader could not have been more clear on Canada's biggest military engagement since 1945 -- it's time other NATO countries relieved our troops on the front lines of the Kandahar killing fields in Afghanistan.
"A Liberal government led by me will unequivocally commit to ending Canada's mission in Kandahar in 2009, and we will inform NATO of this deadline right away to ensure they find a replacement for Canada," Dion told a Montreal audience last month.
Polls have consistently shown Dion's position is shared by many Canadians who refuse to accept that Canada's future role in Afghanistan has to be an all-or-nothing proposition.
Like Dion, they believe Canada has a constructive role to play somewhere between the Conservative view of indefinite combat in Kandahar, and the NDP demand for complete withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Well, too bad for them. The political champion of their cause is about to turn tail and run.
As the sun sets on Parliament Hill today, all bets are that Stephane the Lily-Heart will once again sound the retreat, leading his Liberal troops into another show of embarrassing capitulation, this time surrendering to the Conservatives in the crucial Commons vote on Afghanistan.
The Liberals and Conservatives will no doubt try to characterize the vote as a triumph of non-partisan compromise between the two parties.
Don't believe it.
RHETORIC
Peel away all the colourful rhetoric, and the lengthy motion being put before Parliament today commits Canadian troops to three more years in Kandahar, three more years on the front lines of the most dangerous battlefields of the entire Afghan conflict.
The motion uses words such as security and defence to couch the harsh realities of the war -- things such as engaging in firefights with the Taliban, and getting killed.
But the sum effect of all this controversial verbiage will be to continue the status quo with some additional reinforcements, a few new aircraft, and the odd change to the public relations department.
The motion repeats the Harper government's threat to pull out Canadian forces next year unless other NATO countries send at least 1,000 more troops to Kandahar.
So far, judging by the complete dearth of offers, no one seems to be taking Canada's threat too seriously.
In any case, it doesn't mean much in practice. Yesterday, Defence Minister Peter MacKay told the CBC he was pretty certain the U.S. Marines would be there for us if no one else shows up to help.
Similarly, today's motion also commits the Canadian military to acquiring at least six more troop transport helicopters, and a fleet of unmanned spy planes as recommended by the recent Manley report.
So far, the forever efficient purchasing department at National Defence is living up to its reputation for taking a year to order take-out -- to date, it has managed to secure only two choppers from the Polish air force (seriously).
FLOWERY DESCRIPTIONS
The rest of today's motion extending Canada's commitment until mid-2011 is filled with flowery descriptions of peacekeeping in a war zone.
For instance: It is the opinion of Parliament "that Canada's contribution to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan should be revamped and increased to strike a better balance between our military efforts and our development efforts."
Exactly how that might happen will be left to the generals who will no doubt be happy to oblige once the Taliban quit blowing up our troops and shooting at aid workers.
As the Liberals rise in the Commons today to support the Harper government in extending Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan, it can safely be said that war is too important to be left to the politicians.
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