The General Hillier Years. The Merged Superthread
- Thread starter bossi
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"well duh!"
+100 to the CDS
I agree, definitely the best interview I've seen. I especially liked how he shot down the fishing at the end.
Cheers,
CAW
+100 to the CDS
I agree, definitely the best interview I've seen. I especially liked how he shot down the fishing at the end.
Cheers,
CAW
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Well done Mr Hillier. I wish that was on the national news.
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Excellent interview by the CDS. I wish just for once someone would come out and tell the CDS what an outstanding job he is doing and drop this " Decade of Darkness" crap.
The CDS deserves a pat on the back but who will give it to him and when?
The CDS deserves a pat on the back but who will give it to him and when?
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GUNS said:
Unfortunately no one will, cus politically that would be too right wing...or journalistically, too sympathetic.
Meh, he's the type of guy that knows "its better to be the guy who gets no praise and have his peers or those under him think he deserves it, than to be the guy who gets the praise and noone think he deserves it."
Cheers,
CAW
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I liked how he shrugged off being called a "prop".
Hat's off to the CDS (not before saluting though
)
Hat's off to the CDS (not before saluting though
)
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The Cdn Forces are indeed fortunate to have general Hillier. No BS, tell the truth. He may not be great on the Ottawa cocktail circuit, but he sure as hell calls a spade a spade and not a shovel. Every new CDS should have a least one tour in the big A, to be groomed and fully understand whar war is all about. sorta reminds me of Lt General Quinn, now there was a great leader..
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Steve Madely interviewed the General from 0800 to 0900 today. Audio clips:
http://www.cfra.com/chum_audio/Rick_Hillier1_Feb28.mp3
http://www.cfra.com/chum_audio/Rick_Hillier2_Feb28.mp3
My brief summary of what the CDS said:
*Tanks vs. Mobile Gun System: MGS capabilities, esp. protection, still not up to snuff; Leopard I replacement needed.
*Strategic airlift (CC-177) is essential for missions at home (e.g. disaster assistance) and abroad.
*No specific "airborne" regiment will be created.
*The General is not feuding with MND O'Connor...but they have "intense discussions".
*In asserting Arctic sovereignty the Canadian Coast Guard has a role and the CF also have a part to play (no mention of any specific type of navy vessels, whereas Auroras, troops were mentioned).
*Submarine program is on course except for Chicoutimi.
*CF-18 replacement, around 2017, will almost certainly not be a UAV.
*The Cyclone helicopters are scheduled to start delivery in early 2009.
*The Griffin helicopters are OK for operations in Canada but have "huge limitations" for operations abroad.
*The Taliban this year are not going to try to seize and hold ground in major "offensives"; rather they will focus on suicide bombers, IEDs and simultaneous small scale hit and run ambushes.
*1,400 out of 2,500 Canadian troops live outside the Kandahar base.
*Recruiting goals are being met and the Afstan mission is actually a major pull factor; attrition is relatively low.
Mark
Ottawa
http://www.cfra.com/chum_audio/Rick_Hillier1_Feb28.mp3
http://www.cfra.com/chum_audio/Rick_Hillier2_Feb28.mp3
My brief summary of what the CDS said:
*Tanks vs. Mobile Gun System: MGS capabilities, esp. protection, still not up to snuff; Leopard I replacement needed.
*Strategic airlift (CC-177) is essential for missions at home (e.g. disaster assistance) and abroad.
*No specific "airborne" regiment will be created.
*The General is not feuding with MND O'Connor...but they have "intense discussions".
*In asserting Arctic sovereignty the Canadian Coast Guard has a role and the CF also have a part to play (no mention of any specific type of navy vessels, whereas Auroras, troops were mentioned).
*Submarine program is on course except for Chicoutimi.
*CF-18 replacement, around 2017, will almost certainly not be a UAV.
*The Cyclone helicopters are scheduled to start delivery in early 2009.
*The Griffin helicopters are OK for operations in Canada but have "huge limitations" for operations abroad.
*The Taliban this year are not going to try to seize and hold ground in major "offensives"; rather they will focus on suicide bombers, IEDs and simultaneous small scale hit and run ambushes.
*1,400 out of 2,500 Canadian troops live outside the Kandahar base.
*Recruiting goals are being met and the Afstan mission is actually a major pull factor; attrition is relatively low.
Mark
Ottawa
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From today's National Post
Way to go, sir!!
Liberal slur worst insult, Hillier says: Defence chief vs. MP: General fires back for Coderre's Tory 'prop' slight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTTAWA - Canada's outspoken top soldier says he's been shot at, targeted by suicide bombers and called every name in the book. But none of that was worse than being called a political "prop" by a Liberal politician.
General Rick Hillier, the Chief of the Defence Staff, has fired back at Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre for levelling that accusation against him two weeks ago.
Gen. Hillier drew Mr. Coderre's ire after he referred to Liberal cuts to defence spending in the 1990s as a "decade of darkness" during a speech to hundreds at a major military symposium in Ottawa.
"I never thought he would become a prop for the Conservative party," an angry Mr. Coderre fumed afterwards.
"I felt it was part of a communications plan ... To get involved in politics, there is one way: You should run."
At the time, Gen. Hillier said he was not taking sides politically.
But in an interview with the CPAC television network that was broadcast yesterday, Gen. Hillier was asked again about what he thought about being called a "prop" by the Liberals.
"I've been shot at. People have attempted to blow me up. I had a suicide bomber targeted against me when I was the commander in Afghanistan. And I've been called every name in the book, I'm certain," Gen. Hillier replied. "I don't think I've ever been so insulted as to be called a prop for a political party."
He reiterated the purpose of his one-hour speech at the Conference of Defence Institute's annual meeting was not to pick sides politically but to talk about the state of the Canadian Forces.
Indeed, he has used the same "decade of darkness" metaphor in the past, including in his speech the previous year before the CDA.
"I'm not a politician. I'm a soldier and I call things the way I see them, factually, and I try not to put the slant on that," Gen. Hillier added.
"I do that because I think the government of Canada needs that honesty from the Chief of the Defence Staff."
The Liberals cut defence spending by nearly one-quarter in the 1990s but in 2005 infused $13-billion into the defence budget, the largest increase in military spending in a decade.
That extra spending -- the largest single outlay of military spending by the federal treasury in decades -- was the result of intense lobbying by former Liberal defence minister Bill Graham, who also lobbied former prime minister Paul Martin to appoint Gen. Hillier to defence chief.
Mr. Graham and Gen. Hillier also helped convince Mr. Martin to send Canadian troops to Kandahar to take part in heavy fighting as well as reconstruction projects.
After their election last year, the Conservatives pledged an additional $5-billion over the next five years and announced $17-billion in large equipment purchases for the Forces, including transport planes, ships, trucks and helicopters.
Way to go, sir!!
Liberal slur worst insult, Hillier says: Defence chief vs. MP: General fires back for Coderre's Tory 'prop' slight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTTAWA - Canada's outspoken top soldier says he's been shot at, targeted by suicide bombers and called every name in the book. But none of that was worse than being called a political "prop" by a Liberal politician.
General Rick Hillier, the Chief of the Defence Staff, has fired back at Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre for levelling that accusation against him two weeks ago.
Gen. Hillier drew Mr. Coderre's ire after he referred to Liberal cuts to defence spending in the 1990s as a "decade of darkness" during a speech to hundreds at a major military symposium in Ottawa.
"I never thought he would become a prop for the Conservative party," an angry Mr. Coderre fumed afterwards.
"I felt it was part of a communications plan ... To get involved in politics, there is one way: You should run."
At the time, Gen. Hillier said he was not taking sides politically.
But in an interview with the CPAC television network that was broadcast yesterday, Gen. Hillier was asked again about what he thought about being called a "prop" by the Liberals.
"I've been shot at. People have attempted to blow me up. I had a suicide bomber targeted against me when I was the commander in Afghanistan. And I've been called every name in the book, I'm certain," Gen. Hillier replied. "I don't think I've ever been so insulted as to be called a prop for a political party."
He reiterated the purpose of his one-hour speech at the Conference of Defence Institute's annual meeting was not to pick sides politically but to talk about the state of the Canadian Forces.
Indeed, he has used the same "decade of darkness" metaphor in the past, including in his speech the previous year before the CDA.
"I'm not a politician. I'm a soldier and I call things the way I see them, factually, and I try not to put the slant on that," Gen. Hillier added.
"I do that because I think the government of Canada needs that honesty from the Chief of the Defence Staff."
The Liberals cut defence spending by nearly one-quarter in the 1990s but in 2005 infused $13-billion into the defence budget, the largest increase in military spending in a decade.
That extra spending -- the largest single outlay of military spending by the federal treasury in decades -- was the result of intense lobbying by former Liberal defence minister Bill Graham, who also lobbied former prime minister Paul Martin to appoint Gen. Hillier to defence chief.
Mr. Graham and Gen. Hillier also helped convince Mr. Martin to send Canadian troops to Kandahar to take part in heavy fighting as well as reconstruction projects.
After their election last year, the Conservatives pledged an additional $5-billion over the next five years and announced $17-billion in large equipment purchases for the Forces, including transport planes, ships, trucks and helicopters.
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I love it! He's a master at this stuff. To say that he's never been so insulted as to be called "a prop for any political party" reemphasizes the fact that Politicians are among the lowest on the honorable scale. Re-stating that he is a soldier and therefore a member of an honourable profession is brilliant.
right on the money! ;D
right on the money! ;D
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Words and Deeds, sir, words and deeds.
Leadership +
The CDS is personable to the troops, speaks his mind to the politicos and leads by example. A proper officer. An inspiration.
However, I think we should stop short of absolute hero worship and putting The Boss on too high a pedestal.
Leadership +
The CDS is personable to the troops, speaks his mind to the politicos and leads by example. A proper officer. An inspiration.
However, I think we should stop short of absolute hero worship and putting The Boss on too high a pedestal.
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exgunnertdo said:From today's National Post
Way to go, sir!!
Liberal slur worst insult, Hillier says: Defence chief vs. MP: General fires back for Coderre's Tory 'prop' slight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTTAWA - Canada's outspoken top soldier says he's been shot at, targeted by suicide bombers and called every name in the book. But none of that was worse than being called a political "prop" by a Liberal politician.
General Rick Hillier, the Chief of the Defence Staff, has fired back at Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre for levelling that accusation against him two weeks ago.
Gen. Hillier drew Mr. Coderre's ire after he referred to Liberal cuts to defence spending in the 1990s as a "decade of darkness" during a speech to hundreds at a major military symposium in Ottawa.
"I never thought he would become a prop for the Conservative party," an angry Mr. Coderre fumed afterwards.
"I felt it was part of a communications plan ... To get involved in politics, there is one way: You should run."
At the time, Gen. Hillier said he was not taking sides politically.
But in an interview with the CPAC television network that was broadcast yesterday, Gen. Hillier was asked again about what he thought about being called a "prop" by the Liberals.
"I've been shot at. People have attempted to blow me up. I had a suicide bomber targeted against me when I was the commander in Afghanistan. And I've been called every name in the book, I'm certain," Gen. Hillier replied. "I don't think I've ever been so insulted as to be called a prop for a political party."
That is not what the CDS meant and proves once again that media can take people out of context at will
If you watched the last 2 minutes of the video you would see that Hillier was actually shrugging off the "Prop" insult, not taking offence.
Here's the link, watch it about 2 minutes from the end
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/58043/post-534252.html#msg534252
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I know I'm straying a bit off topic, but does anyone know what decorations/medals the CDS is wearing to the right (when facing him) of his CD2?
There are three.
Thanks
There are three.
Thanks
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Have a question for the CDS?
Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier answers your questions on the Canadian Forces
http://www.cbc.ca/news/chats/2007/03/chief_of_defence_staff_gen_ric.html
Mark
Ottawa
Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier answers your questions on the Canadian Forces
http://www.cbc.ca/news/chats/2007/03/chief_of_defence_staff_gen_ric.html
Mark
Ottawa
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{praise, endearing himself to the AF}
I think the Ol' Man has spent too much time around the Air Force; As I watched him on the boardwalk from KAF on CTV news tonight, he had his hands in his pockets. 
Not to condone hands in pockets but maybe it is chilly over there.
I think the Ol' Man has spent too much time around the Air Force;
As I watched him on the boardwalk from KAF on CTV news tonight, he had his hands in his pockets. Not to condone hands in pockets but maybe it is chilly over there. 
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