Comments on: Hillier, Afghanistan, And The Politicization Of Force http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/ Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:43:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: HelpmeJebus http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50456 HelpmeJebus Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:24:47 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50456 I think HILLIER was the best CDS the Canadian military has had in a while. Here was a guy who finally put his men before his political masters. He was (is) a soldier first and deputy minister second. He is getting out at a good time leaving behind a good legacy and riding out on a high note. Truthfully, I think he is being forced out by the HARPER gov't but that is neither here nor there. As for him not understanding Afghanistan or its history, I have to disagree. I think that all involved are very much aware of the history. Why else would the US invoke Article V of the NATO Charter? They know full well that to achieve any lasting peace in Afghanistan they must ensure that the world is on side. Their first best option was NATO - the UN would have been nice but have proven more impotent that normal lately. The fundamental difference between the history of Afghanistan and the current war in Afghanistan is that the Taliban stands alone. There is no other nation-state supporting them or al-Qaida. This is not the Cold War by proxy. Why else does the Taliban resort to terror strikes against their own people? They cannot bring the population on side ideologically and have resorted to a war of attrition. If the West were to pull out now it would simply leave a power vaccum not dissimilar to when the Russians pulled out. Afghanistan has had elections, boasts the highest number of female MPs, the people are allowed to play games, girls can go to school and so on. These seem worth while to me and should be worthy of continuing our efforts to help the Afghan people. Diplomacy has its place but unfortunately the current climate in Afghanistan is not it. And I hope it is Andrew LESLIE who gets it as well... I think HILLIER was the best CDS the Canadian military has had in a while. Here was a guy who finally put his men before his political masters. He was (is) a soldier first and deputy minister second. He is getting out at a good time leaving behind a good legacy and riding out on a high note. Truthfully, I think he is being forced out by the HARPER gov’t but that is neither here nor there.

As for him not understanding Afghanistan or its history, I have to disagree. I think that all involved are very much aware of the history. Why else would the US invoke Article V of the NATO Charter? They know full well that to achieve any lasting peace in Afghanistan they must ensure that the world is on side. Their first best option was NATO - the UN would have been nice but have proven more impotent that normal lately.

The fundamental difference between the history of Afghanistan and the current war in Afghanistan is that the Taliban stands alone. There is no other nation-state supporting them or al-Qaida. This is not the Cold War by proxy. Why else does the Taliban resort to terror strikes against their own people? They cannot bring the population on side ideologically and have resorted to a war of attrition. If the West were to pull out now it would simply leave a power vaccum not dissimilar to when the Russians pulled out.

Afghanistan has had elections, boasts the highest number of female MPs, the people are allowed to play games, girls can go to school and so on. These seem worth while to me and should be worthy of continuing our efforts to help the Afghan people.

Diplomacy has its place but unfortunately the current climate in Afghanistan is not it.

And I hope it is Andrew LESLIE who gets it as well…

]]> By: MatthewGood.org » Blog Archive » If The West Won’t Do It, Perhaps The Afghans Will http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50347 MatthewGood.org » Blog Archive » If The West Won’t Do It, Perhaps The Afghans Will Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:51:28 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50347 [...] a follow up to an entry I posted the other day, this AP report is of considerable significance… “An opposition group [...] [...] a follow up to an entry I posted the other day, this AP report is of considerable significance… “An opposition group [...]

]]> By: Jon Dehm http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50306 Jon Dehm Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:20:10 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50306 Excellent article. Excellent article.

]]> By: christopherlee http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50267 christopherlee Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:40:53 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50267 btw, YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU AS PM, ANSWER THE CALL! btw, YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU AS PM, ANSWER THE CALL!

]]> By: christopherlee http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50266 christopherlee Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:40:22 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50266 I would like to ask you to run for prime minister. I honestly dont think there is any other Canadian more qualified than you are. If you run, you have the support of me, and pretty much anyone who has ever heard of you. If you want to make a difference, this is the best way. I would like to ask you to run for prime minister. I honestly dont think there is any other Canadian more qualified than you are. If you run, you have the support of me, and pretty much anyone who has ever heard of you. If you want to make a difference, this is the best way.

]]> By: Patrick Pitt http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50191 Patrick Pitt Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:47:25 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50191 Look I think he was a media whore who went way outside his bounds. And to the political tub thumpers who allowed him to do just that when it sought their ends. Interestingly enough when those same tub thumpers got into hot water about letting him have a long leash and then yank him back they found that the dog had teeth to bite the master as well. As Steven Tyler would say, when you're sleeping with the dogs you wake up with the fleas, the whole lot deserve one another. Fuck his tenure though, the mess is what it is, I don't care how the CTV glorifies him. He's a smart and calculating man - not some awww shucks newf that I'm so tired of getting played up by all Canadian media outlets. The real issue here is - who's up next....I'll give you three guess and they all start with Andrew Leslie. Look I think he was a media whore who went way outside his bounds. And to the political tub thumpers who allowed him to do just that when it sought their ends. Interestingly enough when those same tub thumpers got into hot water about letting him have a long leash and then yank him back they found that the dog had teeth to bite the master as well.

As Steven Tyler would say, when you’re sleeping with the dogs you wake up with the fleas, the whole lot deserve one another.

Fuck his tenure though, the mess is what it is, I don’t care how the CTV glorifies him. He’s a smart and calculating man - not some awww shucks newf that I’m so tired of getting played up by all Canadian media outlets.

The real issue here is - who’s up next….I’ll give you three guess and they all start with Andrew Leslie.

]]> By: vika http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50183 vika Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:19:59 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50183 Interesting thing about history, just yesterday I was reading an interview with a retired Vietnamese general. He was discussing the US inability and unwillingness to learn the culture and philosophy of Vietnam before invading it back in the day...well, we know what happened The Art of War says "Five things are to be assessed: THE WAY, the weather, the discipline, the terrain, and the leadership" THE WAY means inducing the people to have the same aim as the leadership, so that they will share death and share life, without fear of danger Interesting thing about history, just yesterday I was reading an interview with a retired Vietnamese general. He was discussing the US inability and unwillingness to learn the culture and philosophy of Vietnam before invading it back in the day…well, we know what happened

The Art of War says “Five things are to be assessed: THE WAY, the weather, the discipline, the terrain, and the leadership” THE WAY means inducing the people to have the same aim as the leadership, so that they will share death and share life, without fear of danger

]]> By: maximilian http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50182 maximilian Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:17:00 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50182 Karzai's not great, but he has been considerably hobbled by US policy. The consequences of Afghanistan going south are so much higher than Iraq than it's alarming how little resources are being focussed there (so far what's been spent would equal about three weeks of Iraq expenditure). Now with Pakistan's comparative increase in instability Afghanistan is even more pivotal. Worrying. Karzai’s not great, but he has been considerably hobbled by US policy. The consequences of Afghanistan going south are so much higher than Iraq than it’s alarming how little resources are being focussed there (so far what’s been spent would equal about three weeks of Iraq expenditure). Now with Pakistan’s comparative increase in instability Afghanistan is even more pivotal. Worrying.

]]> By: Agent-K http://www.matthewgood.org/2008/04/hillier-afghanistan-and-the-politicization-of-force/#comment-50162 Agent-K Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:10:41 +0000 http://www.matthewgood.org/?p=2418#comment-50162 Damn... excellent piece. When are you going to appear on "Canada's Next Prime Minister"? Damn… excellent piece. When are you going to appear on “Canada’s Next Prime Minister”?

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