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Percy, not a single person in this thread has suggested that we pull the troops from Afghanistan, nor has anyone on this thread placed any blame on our government for the deaths of the soldiers.
I am not sure where your bitterness is coming from...
I am actually impressed with Harper on the military so far. It is the one thing in his platform that I could agree with. And so far, so good. I was amazed to see that his first visit abroad was to Afghanistan (I cannot remember a time in my life that a PM visited troops in the field -- that's almost 38 years). This attention has changed the focus of the media as well. There have been dozens of feel good items on the military and their missions.
If Harper continues with this and increases the spending as promised, I will be generally pleased.
My negaitive issues stem directly from Harper's apparent media paranoia. He is not allowing the press access to any of his ministers. He is not allowing the press access to any of the generals. All communication must stem from the PMO.
Additionally he has threatened his ministers with repercussions and potential "public humiliations" should they speak out of turn.
He has all but banished the scrum, a Canadian institution.
From where I am sitting I see the following:
1) a PM that is afraid of making mistakes... is he so unable to think on his feet that he must only appear when he is on script?
2) a PM that wants US-style interaction with his constiuents... only at press conferences and only when he controls the agenda (i.e. no questions from anyone he doesn't ask)... I am just waiting for the Bush-style speeches with cheering supporters bused in to make him look powerful.
In the end, I don't really trust him to do the right thing with Canada but will give him the benefit of the doubt for now.
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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke
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