Osama Bin Laden Has Poopy Pants

“These are detestable murderers and scumbags” – Gen. Rick Hillier, chief of defence staff

While I’m supportive of Hillier, I’ve been a lot more cynical than the majority of cheering masses who’ve applauded the Liberal government’s after-the-fact support of his statements.
I’m not suggesting Hillier received marching orders or a script, but I do suspect he’s been let off his leash for reasons more pressing than a sudden resolve to root terrorists from their dens. My hunch is that internal polling after the attacks in London revealed how open Paul Martin’s Liberals are on their right flank should national security suddenly rise to become a priority among the electorate.
They’re racing to reposition themselves.
My cynicism was reinforced when the media wing of the Liberal Party came in on cue to calm the jittery nerves of blue Liberals and red Tories. This was no mere jump from their ideological one-trick pony to a fresh horse for the Star – they took the thing out behind the barn and shot it.

This country is sending a timely signal of where it stands in the struggle against international terrorism with plain-talking Gen. Rick Hillier’s announcement of a more active and dangerous role for Canada’s military in Afghanistan. Rather than being cowed by the horrors committed in London, Canada is proceeding with plans to fight the Taliban and Al Qaeda. … Canadians can take pride in that their country is responding with more than words, and more than heartfelt condolences after the London bombings. Undeterred, it is taking action by bringing the battle to a mutual enemy. It was thus in 1939, when Canadians did not quail, or hide, or falter in confronting a brutal foe. And so it is again.

An “uncowed” Star resurrecting the gallant ghost of “Red Ensign” Canada. The buttons pop.
Think about what has transpired here for a moment.
Nearly four years after co-ordinated attacks that killed thousands, changed the skyline of the world’s greatest city and staggered the economy of an entire continent, four years in which thousands continue to be slaughtered in bombings, beheadings and mass executions across the globe – Canada’s military remains so tragically under-equipped and underfunded that an incident involving name-calling is hailed as Canada’s message to the enemy that we shall not “quail” before the threat of Islamist terrorism.
And if that didn’t yank you from your happy little rhetoric-induced buzz;

Michael Forestall, a Tory member of the upper chamber’s national security and defence committee, said Tuesday the minister of defence is considering plans to refit the 1960s-era aircraft for a mission in Afghanistan’s volatile Kandahar region.
Col. Alan Blair, wing commander of 12 Wing Shearwater near Halifax, where 22 of the Sea Kings are based, confirmed in an interview that Defence has asked for a plan on how the Sea Kings could be used in the mission.
“Yes, we’ve provided some input for options, but it’s completely out of my hands what is done with that,” he said.

Murderous scumbags, indeed. Let’s just save everyone a lot of trouble and start lowering the flags now.