While the Conservatives and Liberals are content to support the troops with empty gestures like slapping decals on vehicles or donning red t-shirts, the NDP actually does something significant–like insuring reservists can serve without worrying about losing their jobs–to support the troops.
Now, while it's entirely true that being a CF reservist was and is voluntary, and while it will be difficult for small-business owners to keep positions open for employees on long-term tours of duty, the significance of this post for me is that it was the "evil, troop-hatin'" NDP that was looking out for "the troops," and that the Liberals (who first put 'em there) and the Conservatives (the party of the people who claim to L-O-O-O-V-E "the troops" and who will attack and slander anyone who questions "the mission") have done nothing to protect the livelihoods of the people they have put in harm's way for such supposedly valuable work.
I might as well point out this other example of the NDP's "ohmygod!! so surprising!!!" concern for "the troops."
When the government has a $14.2 billion surplus over and above moneys required for the day to day operations of government, one would assume that of all governments, this government, a government that reportedly likes to support the troops, would have looked at this issue very seriously, and if it did not want to accept the recommendations from the NDP then it could at least accept the recommendations from the DND ombudsmen.
I can't resist point out that my sparring partner in that post's comments section ("roundhead") tried to argue that this example of NDP concern for "the troops" was bogus because it wasn't mentioned during "Question Period" where more people would have heard about it. Which is imbecilic since if it had been brought up at that time, as opposed to during regular debating about bills and policies, "roundhead" could have accused the NDP of show-boating.
Let's face it; in the USA the virulently pro-war Repugnicans have been quite blatant about their total disregard for their precious troops, denying them minimum rest periods between deployments, dawdling on armoured humvees, ignoring appalling conditions at Walter Reed, etc., ... and it's quite clear that the CPC (and the Liberals) are not substantially different.
3 comments:
Hey thwap...I don't usually do "hey lookee here" comments, but in this case I think it is timely and topical, so I hope you don't mind. I recently wrote something that looks in a critical way at the idea of "supporting the troops" and what that does and can and should mean for those of us who oppose war and empire. Please check it out!
In case anyone's wondering, ... I went and did just that!
naturally like your website however you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts.
Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I to find it very bothersome to inform the reality on the other hand I'll certainly come again again.
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