Upping the reality dosage in Canada
Babble on.
"We're not the public service of Canada, we're not just another department. We are the Canadian Forces, and our job is to be able to kill people." - Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, General Rick Hillier
Standing ovation. With no disrespect to Hillier, but much to some of his predecessors: it's about frickin' time a Canadian general said this in public. The politicians surely won't, and Canadians need to hear it.
Babble off.
posted by Babbling Brooks @ 9:40 a.m.
9 comments
9 Comments:
Gen. Hillier certainly makes all the right noises. I'll be even more impressed if he manages to get some net new capital spending programs off the ground, too. I am still not entirely convinced he's got the right stuff though, as I cling to the old belief that an officer sells his soul and loses his integrity the very nanosecond he accepts a politician-facing job inside the Puzzle Palace.
The CDS seems to be the exception to the rule... which is why I'm guessing he'll be replaced within 12-18 months. The guy is not nearly enough of a lapdog and is sure to ruffle many Librano feathers.
Having a bright, sunshiny day, are we Chris? That has to be the most 'glass is one quarter empty' comment I've ever seen you make.
Actually I'm having a terrific day, truth be told. I just have an extremely low opinion of politician-facing NDHQ staff, and an even lower opinion of their political overlords. It's a hard habit to break. Besides, I have to get all this crap out of my system now -- before I'm a slave to QR&O again, and have to shut my mouth about the chain of command.
My gut says Gen. Hillier is the best CDS we've had in about 30 years. I just hope the Hon. Bill Graham has the good sense to leave him alone and not sack him for telling it like it is. Do *you* trust the Liberals to do that? =)
No, but I'm hoping fervently that Billy and his party won't be in a position to fire the CDS for very much longer. :)
I posted on this same topic this morning. I just about split a gut reading my morning Globe & Mail.
Bravo Zulu General Hillier.
Damian. I asked this question at my place, but you must be too busy applying the sunscreen to have seen it. ;) Did you find it odd that they announced a deployment of JTF 2? Doesn't that strike you as kind of a goof? I thought secrecy was the watchword with those guys for the soldier's safety sake if nothing else, am I wrong?
Finally saw your post, Greg. Yeah, it's odd. But I doubt the snake-eating boys in black will be performing the same types of jobs as the rest of the troops in Kandahar. Personally, I'd expect them to be based with the rest of the Cdn contingent, but operating out in the boonies southeast of town, closer to the Pakistani border. To say they'll be 'going to Afghanistan' doesn't really telegraph much.
I think the G&M article also quietly indicates why Hillier would mention it: he's trying to boost support for the CF, and make it more attractive for recruiting. If he can do that without compromising the safety of his soldiers, good on him.
We'll have to see what ends up coming of it, though, before we know for sure. If a bunch of JTF2 troops get ambushed in a back alley in Kandahar while on a routine patrol, you'll hear me screaming about incompetence at the highest levels. But I really don't think Hillier, or the guys who run the unit are that stupid.
Paul Martin even supported Hillier. I was floored....
All armies must have the institutional memory of its self as an effective and undoubtedly deadly formation. I hope there are enough of the "muddy boots" to change the current memory of Canada's armed services.
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