|
Author
|
Topic: Canada in Afghanistan: Live on CBC Radio "The Current"
|
|
|
KenS
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1174
|
posted 29 February 2008 03:52 AM
For those who aren't familiar with him, Scott Taylor is an excellent and knowledgable independent columnist. I know there are some who check the Halifax Herald website to pick up Scott's columns.I'm pretty sure you don't have to be a subscriber to the Herald. I'm actually not sure the frequency or days of his columns since I'm going to see them anyway. Perhaps someone else here has noticed. You can get the audio from the CBC website linking to whatever city has the right time. Taylor isn't very good as a radio host / interviewer, in temrs of style. And so far in this first half hour he's just letting the military and correspondents close to it speak verbatim. But I'm sure that will not be the case as the program develops in the hour after 9:00.
From: Minasville, NS | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Toby Fourre
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 13409
|
posted 29 February 2008 02:41 PM
I found the first half hour a wasted effort. We have had years of these chats with front line troops. I had to go out after the second half hour but they still hadn't got to explaining why Canada is involved or what we are trying to do in respect to what used to be called, "The Great Game." There was no discussion about China which shares a border with Afghanistan. Does anybody think that China is simply waiting and watching? If there was a civil war in Canada, does anyone think that the US would simply wait and watch? So, what's China doing?How about all the others who share a border with Afghanistan? Iran? And farther afield: Russia and India? All we hear about is that some of "Al Qaida" move in and out of Pakistan. That's not enough. Whenever I try to find answers to these questions, and more, I run up against two motives: Canada is involved in order to cement relations with the US. The other has to do with oil and gas and pipelines: Pipelineistan! So, why don't we get a full understanding of what this war is all about? So, from what I heard, the program avoided dealing with the big issues.
From: Death Valley, BC | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
sgm
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5468
|
posted 29 February 2008 05:22 PM
The most incredible moment of this programme, for me, came when Christie Blatchford claimed that she was unaware of any examples of a war skeptic or opponent being accused of not supporting the troops or of being disloyal to Canada.After being given an example by a reporter in which a Canadian military officer implied the Ottawa Citizen was a source of information for the Taliban, she claimed she still didn't see the connection. Many other examples could have been provided, of course, including one from the House of Commons just this week, when the Conservatives' Cheryl Gallant accused NDP MP Yvon Godin of deliberately endangering soldiers' lives by asking questions about the mission in Afghanistan: quote:
Gallant: Too many people in this House assume that the Taliban are a ragtag band of primeval warriors. It is easy to think that because their values are so primitive. However, Brigadier General Atkinson answered thoughtfully and echoed many comments by General Hillier recently. He stated that when there is a story printed in the Ottawa Citizen today, no matter what it is, it is being read. We should all ponder that statement when we debate in the House of Commons. While I certainly understand that the modern media and communications have made-- Speaker: The hon. member could perhaps ask her question at this moment. Gallant: Mr. Speaker, why is the member for Acadie—Bathurst purposely making statements that will endanger the lives of our soldiers in Afghanistan?
This is only one of several examples from recent debates in the House of Commons. Others include Peter Van Loan's identification of a Liberal MP as an 'Information Officer for the Taliban,' and Harper's statement that opposition questions about detainees reflected greater concern for the Taliban than Canadian troops. Blatchford must either be wilfully obtuse or completeley out of touch not to be familiar with these kinds of attacks on MPs who question the war or its conduct. [ 29 February 2008: Message edited by: sgm ]
From: I have welcomed the dawn from the fields of Saskatchewan | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Email this thread to someone!
