Yesterday's News

The most upsetting thing about the coverage of our 4 dead soldiers yesterday was how undramatic it was. It was the top story on every broadcast I saw, but that was it. It got maybe 5 minutes, and then it was onto that Saskatchewan pedophile story. And I thought, that’s it? That’s all they get? The media are now officially jaded.

A guy on Radio Canada pointed out that in the beginning, they not only made a big deal about the dead, they covered all aspects of those wounded too. Today, they barely mentioned the wounded. I believe there were 10, three of whom are serious. But they are too mundane to merit mention now.

I listened to Cpl. Reid’s parents on the news this morning, and they are certain that their son’s death is not in vain. I feel for them, and I admire their courage and composure. But I dunno. Canada can’t stay in A’stan forever. We’re going to pull out at some point. Now we have 24 dead, and the political pressure is building. But Steve is resisting. If Canada is still there when we have suffered 50 or 75 deaths, and then we pull out, then are those deaths pointless? We can’t fix that country.

Is anyone negotiating with these Taliban guys? And if not, why not? And who is funding them? The money’s coming from somewhere. You don’t carry out an insurgency without money. Are we talking to those doing the funding? Negotiations are the only way to settle things.

Back in Canada, Steve-o cannot hold out forever. There will have to be elections soon. The war is unpopular in Quebec more than elsewhere, and Steve has knocked himself out trying to build up support here. But we have no loyalty to him. And the war is a deal-breaker, especially when coupled with Steve’s total support of Israel in Lebanon. We’ll vote massively BQ, and Steve & Co. will either be sent back to the Alberta wilderness or be stuck with another minority govt. I wish I had some faith in any one of the other parties to do a better job of fixing this mess, but I don’t.