CPAC talk politics show

[GAP]

Just watched interesting CPAC program (10am wpg...will be repeated this evening)

They had Matthew Fisher arguing for the CF in Afghanistan and some dweeb (NDP?) pulling Jack's Kum By Yah line. Good points made by Matthew Fisher.

 

[AIC_2K5]

That 'Act For Earth' guy was a Jackass. I found that Mathew Fisher wasn't entirely competent, either. He had some of his facts wrong, and there was a couple of times where he could of spoke up to defend his position but didn't.

There was one enlightening phone call, though. A retired Colonel from the CDA. Set that tree-hugging ***** straight.

AIC

 

[GAP]

I didn't get to watch all of it, so I probably missed that. For the most part there were good, legitimate arguments made by Matthew Fisher in favor of the CF being in Afghanistan and the CF altogether

 

[DVessey]

I didn't get to see the debate in question, but I did have the opportunity to go and watch a debate at Queens between LCol (ret) Doug Bland, a professor at Queens arguing for CF involvement in Afghanistan, and Steven Staples of the Polaris Institute.
In my opinion, Mr. Bland won hands down (something the principal of Queens didn't like to admit).

Mr. Staple's arguments seemed to consist of:
1) Linking the war to the US and encouraging anti-US sentiment
2) Criticizing the administration/running of the missing (which I believe is important - we need to have reasoned and informed debates about missions we're involved in and not just bring up 'support our troops' anytime someone gets critical). BUT, he tried to say we should get out because of this
3) Jack's kum by yah approach: Pull CF out, negotiate with Taliban, send in aid.

 

[stevenstaples]

Thanks for coming to the debate. Of course, I would say it was a bit closer than "hands down" for Doug...

If you are interested in reading the formal part of the debate, each of our opening statements are in today's Whig Standard (Sept 22, 2006) in the opinions section:

http://www.thewhig.com/webapp/sitepages/content_list.asp?catname=Opinion+Columns&catmainname=Inside+Today&psttme=9

Best,

Steve

 

[HDE]

I heard Karzai give a speech today on the presence of Canadian troops in Afghanistan.  He expressed considerable gratitude for the efforts being made by the CF in Afghanistan and so, going on the premise that he has a greater interest in the future of Afghanistan than Jack Layton,  or various others, I'll take his views as more valid. 

 

[GAP]

And we have a pretty good idea of what his adgenda is

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Mr Staples,

Have read both your argument and Mr Bland's.

Have also examined both your CV and Mr Bland's.

No offence, but he is just slightly better educated on the subject at hand than you are.  As are a good portion of the members of this site.

I truly believe that not only do you not understand the profession of arms and how we operate, but that you are also fairly dismissive that any of us can be anything more than knuckle-dragging neandrathals that enjoy breaking things for the sake of breaking things.

Since you have repeatedly proven to me, through your performances on such shows as Question Period, that you are more interested in listening to the sound of your own voice and scoring some cool sounding but vacuous sound-bites, than listening to those of us who actually soldier for a living; have actually been to the Middle East; have actually either read a book or two on counter-insurgency or even (horrors!) participated in a counter-insurgency- well, I'm not terribly interested in much that you have to say on the subject of Afghanistan.

No offence.

 

[NCSnotty]

Listen to the debate here:

http://alumni.queensu.ca/studiesandtravel/EducHomecoming.htm

 

[George Wallace]

I'm listening to part 3 of the 4 parts of the Queen's University debate between Steven Staples of the Polaris Institute and Doug Bland of Queen's School of Policy Studies debated the issue of Canada's military mission in Afghanistan.  Rather interesting.