Perhaps you didn't see Defence Minister Peter Mackay on Newman's Politics.
Mackay stated categorically that he had spoken to Gates several times, including the previous day, about the great work being done by Canada, according to Gates. So the criticism wasn't directed at Canada.
Newman said that if a change in strategy was needed, that meant the old strategy wasn't working - of course, Newman is as well-versed in military strategy as I am!
And forgive me for believing the defence minister.
Anyway, isn't criticism of other NATO members' caveats about active combat one of the reasons both Dion & Layton cite to advocate ending Canada's active combat mission?
NATO's very survival has been put into question because of those caveats.
Isn't it about time Canadians stopped whining about perceived slights emanating from the republic to the south? Do we need validation à la Oprah every time we do anything?
"Canadians can handle constructive criticism, but arrogance is something else entirely."
Oh, the irony. Canadians receiving criticism from America.
"Marines vs. other NATO forces in southern Afstan"
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Mark
Ottawa
Bruce:
The problem is that Gates insulted the NATO allies for their incomptence. That frankly is stupid, stupid, stupid. The European politicians are jittery and to be told that their militaries are incompetent (they trained with the U.S. for 60 years? Right? So how can they be sooooo inept?)
Also I'd remind Gates that many other NATO countries have much deeper knowledge about COIN: France, Spain, Portugual and the Netherlands for example. Golly, France pretty much wrote several chapters on the subject through their experiences in Indochina,Algeria and Africa.
The problem is the political constraints placed on many NATO armies. That's a perfectly legitimate issue to raise and argue about.
xavier
Mr Gates' "clarification" can be found here:
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Mark
Ottawa
I did not realize US mistakes in Afghanistan were being kept a secret. The papers have been full of them daily for years. You could look it up.
After all the crap coming out of Canada about the USA, we are now supposed to, what, apologize? Or is self flagellation required?
Kent: Yes, according to far too many Canadians:
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Mark
Ottawa
Kent: But if Americans became Shiites en masse all might be forgiven:
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Mark
Ottawa