Second verse, same as the first

Babble on.

Vicki Robertson writes an essay for the CBC today that touches upon familiar military matters from a seagoing perspective. It's worth reading:

Truthfully, the military is more plagued by politicians than technical glitches. The way we operate, argue about, and fund our military is political. Popular files are easy to throw money at: health care, education and child care are always safe bets. The military reaches that stature only when tragedy strikes and the media pick up the scent.

But the news cycle is short and the election cycle is long.
...
Still, we can't pin the blame on politicians. They take their cues from us – the voting public.

Every time a talk-show caller wants to see tax dollars fight homelessness rather than buy new aircraft, our politicians hear it. And when we elect a party that promises to cancel the contract for much-needed helicopters, our pilots hear it.

I said it worth reading - I didn't say it was original.

"Canadian foreign policy requires a stronger, more capable military." Yup. "Our soldiers, sailors, and airmen deserve better." Uh huh. "Canada has a proud military tradition that has been squandered by thirty years of cheap politics." You're tellin' me. *stifling yawn* "We're losing capabilities through underfunding and lack of direction that will take years, maybe decades, to regain." Shameful! *checking watch* "How can Canada remain sovereign without the means to defend our own borders?" *SNORE*

Yadda, yadda, yadda...the general public is tired of hearing these pleas, and to tell you the truth, those of us in Canada who care about our military are tired - so very tired - of pleading.

That doesn't mean we're going to stop, though. Because what we're saying is important, and it's true. And like it or not, Joe and Jane Canuck need to hear it again, and again, and again...and again, and again, and again....and again, and again, and again, AND AGAIN until it starts to sink in.

You want me to move on to other topics? Vote for someone who gives a rat's ass about our men and women in uniform, who understands a military's purpose in a modern, free nation, and who's willing to make the tough political decisions to fund and direct our armed forces.

Until you do that, you're going to have to get used to hearing a broken record with the volume cranked.

Babble off.