Michael Dorosh said:
I don't see any inherent lapses in logic, Matthew, but if you are really determined to pick a fight, keep mouthing off. I won't warn you again about your tone, and in fact, you just got off Verbal Warning Status if I remember correctly.
Canada is run by civilians, that's the way the system works. As pointed out, sending MPs out to do 6 month tours would be a huge investment of money for no apparent gain. The lapse in YOUR logic is that you seem to think National Defence is the only issue important to Canadians. It's not. It's down the list. Way down the list. So you are suggesting that all cabinet ministers receive 6 months of indoctrination to help them better understand one single portfolio out of dozens. And while they're living in Afghanistan, how exactly are they learning about fisheries, health care, the cattle industry, or any of the other things they need to know about to run the country?
Plus, you haven't proven that giving them military experience (if you call it that) would help them one iota in making better decisions. I don't see that sleeping under canvas in Afghanistan will make them better appreciate their responsibilities. It might make them better understand that Canadian soldiers live in harsh conditions. Guess what, so do Newfoundland fisherman, seismic crews up in the Arctic, or roughnecks out on the wells. So what? What possible good would it do?
To begin, I don't believe I've ever been on Verbal Warning Status before, but you can correct me if I'm wrong...
In regards to your post, this is the most polite you've been to me in any dialogue to date, and I just want to say thank you.
In regards to your comment that six months is unreasonable, I agree with you. However, I would contend that putting
Cabinet Ministers out in the field is not only appropriate but essential considering the widening divide between the idealist
academics with padded expense accounts and chaffeured cars in government and the infantrymen in Kabul driving in open
cockpit ILTIS praying another suicide bomber doesn't jump in their lap while worrying about kids they haven't seen in
four months.
Bottom Line: There is a disconnect between the fact that we are asking soldiers, sailors and airmen to make the ultimate
sacrifice in carrying out the government's foreign policy, but those in government are so isolated they cannot even relate
to the men making that sacrifice. How does the proverb go: "Don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes."
Well in this case if you want Cabinet Ministers and MP's in general to understand the plight of our Armed Forces, the only
way to do that is to get them to see worst parts from a soldiers vantage point.
Take them on a tour of Kabul in an Iltis.
Take them on an ASuW Patrol in a Sea King.
Take them on a fisheries tour in Victoria-class Submarine.
Take them to a Reserve Training Session in the front of an MLVW and tell them the build-date.
Take them to Bosnia and let them watch an Aardvark clear mines from close enough they can feel the explosion.
Let them feel the fear.
Let them see the stoicism our men and women carry themselves with regardless of that fear.
You take those decisionmakers out for one year and put them through those experiences and pacificist Liberals or not,
they will step up when it's budget time.
You don't take the decisionmakers out and we get 1 or 2 more Liberal or NDP Governments and I think you may
have gone past the precipis at which point recovery is no longer an option.
I'll look forward to your response Michael....
Matthew.
P.S. On the priorities front, Canadians don't believe the military is important because our political leadership has failed
to explain why it is important. Ignorance plus poor leadership is a deadly combination....