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February 9, 2010

Somehow programmed to kill? Murder, rape and our media

Suppose a director general (roughly colonel equivalent) in the federal public service--say in the high-stress finance department--were arrested and so charged. Would our media be engaging in the full-court press they are now putting on the case of Col. Russ Williams?

Would they be asking questions about psychological evaluations ('The generals hand the air force chief a list of recommendations after an “extensive file review.” That review does not typically include a psychological assessment...')? Do they think Air Force transport pilots (the official biography stupidly deleted here) are somehow trained killers just waiting to explode?

It's a helluva story. But f...... upchuck with our media's anti-military, hurl-making, stinking, AGENDA.

Update: The agenda, Globeite in this case, in action:

Murder charges may unfairly tarnish military's reputation
Canadians must differentiate between actions of one senior official [er, officer, you idjit] and Canadian Forces as a whole, observers say
...
“This is what Canadians will be watching for: will the military close ranks around this, as perhaps we've seen in the past, or will they openly co-operate” with the investigation, said Steven Staples, president of the Rideau Institute, an Ottawa think-tank that examines, among other things, the military and defence policy...
That John Ibbitson, the Globe and Mail's ("Canada's National Newspaper") Ottawa news bureau chief and at the same strange time a columnist, can write such a thing without any honest characterization of St. Steve is flipping dishonest, er, journalism. But who's a real journalist these days?

Perhaps the Globe might just cease fire (Mr Staples' true love) on the Canadian Forces. Mr Ibbitson's piece concludes with true, unqualified, crap from Mr Staples:

“This man was part of the elite, the inner circle,” Mr. Staples observed. That elite is exposed and vulnerable, too.

Count the colonels (and Navy captains, to repeat). Some "inner circle".

Posted by Mark at February 9, 2010 8:32 PM
Comments

I don't know this guy in any matter whatsoever but the media ballyhoo has a suspicious odour to it.
Perhaps it is the media's noble reputation for non-partisan "journalism"......
One would expect the constabulary to have their ducks in a row.....but then.....
That said one of the characteristics of successful long period serial criminals is intelligence, charm and attention to detail...IMHO.
Unsophistocated, drifters are the exception not the rule....IMHO.

Posted by: sasquatch at February 9, 2010 9:25 PM

The same media that didn't give a [darn] about Dr Nidal Hassan and his lengthy list of "warning signs" that were ignored out of p.c. fear.

Posted by: andycanuck at February 9, 2010 9:27 PM

They're also milking the photos of him with McKay. Although I was 2% impressed with Tuesday's Red Star not running one on the front page, although they did so on the inside.

Posted by: andycanuck at February 9, 2010 9:31 PM

ah, andycanuck beats me to it.

If Col. Russ Williams was really on his game, he'd have converted to islam and be done with it.

... and from that moment, it would be our misunderstanding that led to the "problem at hand".

Posted by: marc in calgary at February 9, 2010 9:33 PM

And suddenly a nation of professional military morale experts come out of the media tapestry. Amazing!

Posted by: Adrian at February 9, 2010 9:46 PM

New Lieberal Party attack add: ...homocidal soldiers breaking in your homes...

You go Iggy!

Posted by: Stick at February 9, 2010 9:54 PM

I have no argument with the idea that the media are anti-military, but this story isn't much of a case of that. As a society we expect a lot of our military officers, because (unlike in the civil service) there is a code of honour associated with the services, and officers in particular are expected to be honourable men par excellence. Hence, a moral scandal involving an officer is more of a scandal than one involving a bureaucrat. This story wouldn't be any less of a story -- indeed, it may be even more of a story -- somewhere with a more robust military tradition, such as the US.

Posted by: Phil in Canada at February 9, 2010 9:55 PM

I might buy that this particular individual is a predator but I wouldn't believe it is indicative of the military, nor would I expect some sort of cover-up. It has annoyed me that the press is seeing some sort of angle here. Had this been the incident at Fort Hood, well...

Posted by: Osumashi Kinyobe at February 9, 2010 10:14 PM

mark....you screwed up in assuming anybody in the gubermint would be arrested and exposed for their crimes.If so...we would have no gubermint(which is not a bad thing).Otherwise every politico from Diefinbaker to the Cretin to Harper would be on trail or in jail.The laws are for us plebes only,not the elites.
Oh...and pscychlogically(sp)....any of us who have more then two brain cells to rub together are capable of killing somebody to protect our loved ones...the only diff between us and the pscyhos..we will later regret we had to do it....but we will know we were right to do it.Just ask your wife standing beside you,instead of giving the euolgy at her funeral.

Posted by: Justthinkin at February 9, 2010 10:23 PM

Remember that Steven Truscotte as a 16 year old was convicted and sentenced to death for a murder that was probably committed by a soldier.

Posted by: George at February 9, 2010 10:24 PM

As a serving army officer, I'm having a real case of cognitive dissonance over this - and I'm surely not the only one. I cannot reconcile the idea that a man who went through the same basic officer training as I, holds the same Queen's commission, attended the same staff college, spent years immersed in the same ethos of service, of duty and of honour could be a psychopath. The man was a commanding officer, for cripes sake.

To have arrested this man, the police surely have enough evidence to make the charges stick, and a guy just doesn't wake up at 46, with a full colonel's stripes and goes on a full Dexter. So I can only conclude that this guy may well have managed to serve like a top notch officer while committing horrific crimes. How the heck does someone manage that - psychologically speaking? This isn't one of life's losers like a Bernardo, but a senior leader! Just doesn't compute...

*smoke coming out of Tanker's ears*

Posted by: Tanker at February 9, 2010 10:30 PM

I thought I had read the newspaper reports quite well but obviously not as thoroughly as other posters. I have not seen any anti-military bias and would be as likely to as anyone else.

Neither are they milking the photo with McKay in my opinion, and I do wonder at how quickly paranoia has broken out among the SDA posters.

This is a tragedy for all the families involved, the small community in shock, as well as the military family.

The Toronto Sun broke with the interview and it was done very well. No tabloid sensationalism.

I'll scream when I see the bias as well, but this is a bit ridiculous.


Posted by: gellen at February 9, 2010 10:33 PM

I noticed too that the CO's bio at the 8 Wing (Trenton) site has been taken down since yesterday as well. It was still there around 8:00 pm yesterday. However, I did a screen capture when there...


I suppose if much of the media had their way, they would find some way to prove all Col's are psycopaths. (I got out in time! Two more promotions and it could have been me! Ha-ha)

(Major, Army Logistics, retired)

Posted by: rmgk at February 9, 2010 10:44 PM

I'm kind of with tanker on this. This a hard one to get your head around. As a former military I realize that some officers can be asshats but this looks like a plot from Criminal Minds on TV. This guy is a real Jekyll & Hyde. the details should be interesting if not frightening.

Oh, btw, insert the word "alleged" in all the appropriate spots.

Posted by: Texas Canuck at February 9, 2010 10:47 PM

He's the freaking base commander. You expect the media to report the story on A14 for a day and then leave it alone?

I agree with gellen. I'm not seeing bias here. This guy, if guilty, seems to be a full-blown sexual predator and that doesn't happen in an "oops" moment. This is right up there with asking about how an islamist goes undetected in the US military until he kills people.

How DOES a sociopath manage to go undetected in the Canadian military? Not only undetected, but have a quite successful career while raping, torturing and murdering the people he has sworn to protect?

I think that's a valid news story...

Posted by: djb at February 9, 2010 10:50 PM

As a serving military officer, I would hope that they bust this guy down to the rank of no hook private so I will never ever have to salute him. Unlike that other colonel who was charged with embezzlement--and busted "down" to lieutenant-colonel...I guess you can steal from the taxpayers and the military will forgive you for all your years of "good" service. I figure once a thief always has been a thief.

Posted by: favill at February 9, 2010 10:52 PM

Close ranks? Indeed!

The most dangerous thing to an officer's life and career is not the enemy, but rather his own commander. Being a poor performer just means you have to suck up more to get promoted. A DUI or beating your wife will end your career. Murder is highly frowned upon.

Many commanders keep tallies of the number of junior officers they've sacked. If this guy had ranks closed around him, we never would have heard of this story. There would have been 30 witnesses saying they saw him playing darts at the Officer's Club at the time of the murders, assaults, and when Michael Jackson died.

Soldiers gossip like old ladies drinking Darjeeling in the parlor. Nothing is kept secret for long. Military prosecutors are very conservative - they wouldn't arrest someone without ironclad evidence.

This guy was a Decepticon First Class - classic case of malignant narcissism.

When we receive awards, they state that our service brings "great credit to [ourselves], our unit, and [our service]". The same is true when someone in the Corps does something dishonorable; it brings shame to all of us regardless of whether we could have or should have known. The Officer Corps is a self-policing organization. It was our job to teach this man honor. We failed. That's a verdict we impose on ourselves. The liberals and mass media can go $&%* themselves for their opinions on the matter.

Posted by: POWinCA at February 9, 2010 11:00 PM

I agree with those who do not see media bias here. It is a shocking story -- particularly because of the disconnect between an accomplished military man and a sexual criminal. Everyone I know -- most of whom don't pay a lot of attention to military stuff -- is just stunned. Perhaps because we do consider military personnel to be leaders -- certainly more so then bureaucrats. This is a big story and I do not think the media are exploiting it.

Posted by: LindaL at February 9, 2010 11:04 PM

I was about to make a tongue-in-cheek comment about the "Military Ethics" courses that have been rammed down our throats in the last decade...guess Col Williams missed those classes. I would bet there are aircrew who have served with this guy that could point to a few questionable things he has done on "away" trips..but didn't because "what happens away stays away".

Posted by: favill at February 9, 2010 11:08 PM

IF he is more than a suspect, I wonder if he has other victims as a predator?

For example, young female jr officers being told they would not get promoted unless they...

You figure it out.

Posted by: rmgk at February 9, 2010 11:12 PM

I think the military people commenting here show a much greater conception of ethics and morality than our media. Or most of the rest of us.

Mark
Ottawa

Posted by: MarkOttawa at February 9, 2010 11:14 PM

I'm actually not too bothered with the content of the reporting per se. As has been pointed out here, a colonel and a base commander charged with two murders? Yes, that's more than newsworthy (though I agree, the reference to "psychological evaluations" was simply crap of the highest order).

The real problem is that our media is just plain dumb as hammers when it comes to the military - plain dumb in a way you just don't see in many other countries where even the strongest critics of the military at least have a good understanding of its workings.

As a retired officer myself, I find it's the little details (or lack of attention to them) that gradually wear on me. I don't mind the cub reporter from the Podunk Daily Farm News sounding a bit lame, it's when the "national heavy-hitters" at CBC and CTV come up with dopey-sounding stuff.

Examples include calling an airman a "soldier" or stating that the murdered corporal was one of the colonel's "officers".*

And because Col Williams was Commander 8 Wing, that has created untold confusion; he's been reported as "Wing Commander Williams" or, worse still, "Commander Williams".

Tip to reporters: if you want to sound like you have a shred of credibility, get the terminology straight.

As far as Steven Staples goes, the kindest thing we can do is probably just to ignore him. He seems to suffer from some sort of intellectual Tourette's syndrome and just can't help himself from making sudden incoherent outbursts.

* Akin to saying a medical orderly at a hospital is "one of the chief surgeon's doctors".

Posted by: JJM at February 9, 2010 11:15 PM

Mark, the Canadian media, except for some notable exceptions, is agenda-driven. What is chosen for broadcast and print overkill and what is essentially ignored depends on how the topic will benefit or detract from their goals.

Posted by: chutzpahticular at February 9, 2010 11:19 PM

JJM: The thing is St. Steve is one of the media's go to guys. And readers or viewers do not know what a piece of work he is.

The sad thing is our reporters care not a whit about their credibility in terms of those who know a bit about the subject. They care only for the quick, and increasingly ignorant, hit. See Mr Ibbitson. But, oops! he's also a columnist. Cheap Canadian media destroying any real journalism

Mark
Ottawa

Posted by: MarkOttawa at February 9, 2010 11:25 PM

On my local newscast, Global Toronto reporter Jennifer Palisoc stated that "...this is a scandal that is rocking the Canadian military."

How is this a "scandal"? Moreover, how is this "rocking" the Canadian military? Williams is alleged to have commited these heinous crimes, his military credentials are irreleavnt, except for the sociopathic angle of how someone could have fooled so many for so long. But I fail to see where the "scandal" here lies.

Posted by: jon at February 9, 2010 11:30 PM

I don't know what's more shocking, Ibbitson's column - the fact that he would even write that, or that it would get past the editors at the G&M - or the commenters here who don't see his piece for the vile, utterly specious piece of crap that it is.

If Williams was a Liberal politician, would Ibbitson be writing "murder charges against Colonel Russell Williams could damage the reputation of the Liberal Party of Canada"? If it was a doctor, would Ibbitson write that the charges "could damage the reputation of physicians," or suggest that physicians might be off the hook provided that they do X and Y in the coming weeks?

Ughh.

"They're also milking the photos of him with MacKay." - andycanuck

Yep,and on CBC too: last night, immediately as Peter Mansbridge began his coverage, there was in the background as he spoke a lengthy (ten-second) slo-mo of the accused talking to Peter MacKay. The image was stretched out widthwise - maybe a 2.5 to 1 aspect ratio - to include MacKay. There's zero justification for that, it's a sickening, thinly-disguised smear-job.

Ibbitson: "There are too many pictures of Col. Williams with people like Defence Minister Peter MacKay. 'This man was part of the elite, the inner circle,' (Steven) Staples observed. That elite is exposed and vulnerable too.'"

What an absolute, transparent joke. Steven Staples, who is one of the CBC's go-to guys they use whenever they want to criticize or undermine the mission, is a worm. To use the murder to two young women as an opportunity smear the armed forces is appalling. And he says others are "exposed" and "vulnerable" as a consequence of the murders. *How so*? In what revolting partisan universe does the private action of an alleged murderer "expose" others in the same profession? How about Williams' neighbours - are they "exposed" too? How about his wife?

Ibbitson should be ashamed. That's probably the most cowardly, specious, sickening pieces of journalism I've ever read. Just morally septic. As for Steven Staples, it's long been evident that he's just a partisan little errand-boy in Italian frames. He's like Eric Margolis without the conviction. No wonder he's cited as an "analyst" by the CBC and by Ibbitson.

Slime.

Posted by: EBD at February 9, 2010 11:35 PM

I served under four Lieutenant Colonels during my service years and only had one that was an ass hat. One of the four went on to become a B. Gen. and most likely would gone further but died of heart issues. We would have gone to hell and back for him.

Something like this??? Can't imagine, don't know what to say, except to agree with JJM, media, get the terminology straight.

Tanker, ditto except *smoke coming out of foxhound's ears*

Let the law take its' course.

Posted by: Ken (Kulak) at February 10, 2010 12:39 AM

Socio/psychopaths often pick high risk occupation, not all are murderers;however a very large percentage hold high risk professions, be it a criminal (certainly high risk, skydiver, pilot, race car or any extreme sport, CEO's, and stockbrokers etc. Socio/psychopaths are ideal in these "occupations" given their absence of fear (or any emotion), intelligence, calculatedness and, most of all, on the surface: calm, cool, controlled, and charming, but their coolness or seeming control has nothing to do with character, but everything to do with manipulation, and deceit...waiting for the perfect moment to pounce and indulge in their predatory nature. The vampires of the world.

Posted by: ?24u&i at February 10, 2010 12:41 AM

This is an important story that needs to be covered.
As a former serving member, I share the revulsion of many posters here when it comes to media fluff and sensationalism regarding what is in reality one of our most diverse national institutions.
I will be keeping an eye out for commentary from writers whom I actually respect, such as Christie Blatchford of the Globe and Mail (go back to the Post Christie!), and I plan to minimize my exposure to the usual lame-stream media networks.

Posted by: Craig in Goose Bay at February 10, 2010 1:13 AM

EBD

I completely agree with your post...well written! Please sent it to that Pr@#k Ibbetson. IMO what he wrote is a new low...even for him!

Posted by: Al W at February 10, 2010 1:14 AM

Tanker...you have got to be kidding.Because this clown went to RMC and has a Queen's commission,he is above reproach? Guess what? I have a Queens commission too,although I started out as a private.And worked through the ranks.I also have a set of wings,which nobody but the Queen herself can remove from me. Silver spoon officers like yourself got fragged in Nam,and with good reason.This aboration that sucked,blew or f&*ked his way to 4 yellow stripes is NOT an example of a good military person,but of some political jackass who managed to some how sneak through.
Tell me,Tanker,who are/were the most important people in your unit?The officers sitting in the bar,or the grunts send out by said officers(and I use the term officers loosely)? Don't know about you,but the most important to me was the buck private who had been there,done it,and was saving my ass because they knew where the bear shit in the woods.
As they say,there are who do because they can,and those who pretend to do,because they can't,and those are the most dangerous.

Posted by: Justthinkin at February 10, 2010 2:00 AM

EBD

You have said exactly what needed to be said - Thank-you for writing that post - the horrible, wormy feeling about the credibility of this story has been nagging at my 'msm alert' screen ever since it broke. The bottom feeders at msm are in a frenzy snapping and snarling at their audience; I instantly respond by wondering: what is their real motive? Certainly not any form of Justice for anyone, since Justice is not an agenda item of Canada's msm.

Posted by: Jema 54 at February 10, 2010 2:07 AM

The fact that the msm have refused to report on the crime, fraud, lies and corruption exposed by bloggers and Fox News in the Climategate scandal and the fact that they continue to promote the LIE, should make anyone with a iota of intelligence question anything and everything these people pump out of who knows where, IMO.

Posted by: Jema 54 at February 10, 2010 2:13 AM

That fact remains, at this point no one knows whether this man is guilty or innocent. I, for one, am certainly not judging the entire Canadian Military because of one officer who many or may not be guilty of a crime. I agree that the MSM is making the most of this "opportunity" to paint the entire military as violent and sadistic. Could just as easily have been a stockbroker, police officer or a politician(liberal of course).

Posted by: ?24u&i at February 10, 2010 2:26 AM

Just read Ibbitson's opinion piece.
GARBAGE.

Posted by: chutzpahticular at February 10, 2010 2:26 AM

That fact remains, at this point no one knows whether this man is guilty or innocent. I, for one, am certainly not judging the entire Canadian Military because of one officer who many or may not be guilty of a crime. I agree that the MSM is making the most of this "opportunity" to paint the entire military as violent and sadistic. Could just as easily have been a stockbroker, police officer or a politician (liberal of course).

Posted by: ?24u&i at February 10, 2010 2:27 AM

Why is it that the public is gobsmacked when a high achiever falls from grace?
High wire acts are what they do best.

Posted by: DaninVan at February 10, 2010 2:51 AM

No military person is going to "close ranks" with a murderer and rapist.

MB

Posted by: MB at February 10, 2010 3:00 AM

A high ranking member of the DND engaging in anti-social behaviour -- I think that's the second possible case in my recent experience, now what was that other one? Something about similar initials ...

Posted by: Peter O'Donnell at February 10, 2010 5:00 AM

I'm with most of the commenters here--I don't really see the media bias.

I live in Belleville. On January 29, just one day after Jessica Lloyd went missing, there were pictures in every single store. You have never seen such a coordinated effort to find anybody. My father-in-law runs a trucking company, and he had her picture on all his trucks within a week. Everybody was trying to find her.

And then we learn that it was Williams. He is not just "another Colonel". He is the head of the largest air base in Canada. I know so many people at the air base who are absolutely stunned and devastated. My husband is a doctor, and on Monday, when the news hit, patient after patient from Trenton came in just stunned and rocked to the core.

Military personnel take honour very seriously. And now someone has broken it in the worst way possible. I wouldn't say they are closing ranks; I would say that they are devastated, and it is a big deal. You should see what is happening in this community.

Think, too, that Marie-France Comeau, who died in November in Brighton, was given a military funeral (I had friends presiding over it). This guy was probably there, representing the base. That is just sick.

The base right now is so busy; They've sent thousands to Haiti, and others to Afghanistan. It's as busy there right now as it ever has been. And then this hits. It's not just a little story.

I hope the media writes about how the military is coping with it, and how they are continuing their amazing job in Haiti despite this. But don't downplay how serious it is to my community or to the military personnel there. Church services this Sunday are probably going to be mostly dedicated to this story as the military personnel try to come to grips with it (especially since one of the murdered women was one of their own).

Posted by: SheilaG at February 10, 2010 7:50 AM

"The Officer Corps is a self-policing organization."

I almost snorted my tea out through my nose on that one.

Now, what was the unofficial motto of RMC again?

Posted by: mitchel44 at February 10, 2010 7:54 AM

I happened to watch Mark Kelly intervewing Terry Malewski just as the arrest had been announced.

The first comment out of his mouth (Kelly) was that this was a PR disaster for the military.

This, yet again, confirmed my opinion of journalists
i.e. they are the scum of the earth.

Posted by: maggie at February 10, 2010 9:05 AM

"Justthinkin":

Your silly screed was, in its own very special way, just as much a diatribe as anything Steven Staples might come up with.

Posted by: JJM at February 10, 2010 9:12 AM

SheilaG @ 7:50 AM
I'm with most of the commenters here--I don't really see the media bias.

I said to my wife last night that the media had already convicted this guy.
Apparently Sheila bought their hype.
If this guy is guilty hanging is to good for him, but (and I have little use for the legal industry) he needs his day in court first.
Reporting on crime is important but hype, especially as I see here, is just latin for lazyness.

Posted by: Tony W at February 10, 2010 9:33 AM

Ah yes lame stream media doing what it does best spreading propaganda tarted up as news, hypocrites write fluff piece on Khadr lamenting rule of law rule of law whilst smearing our troops any chance they get. Boycotte the Globe, I have and it's satisfying knowing their numbers could shrink by half if our Military and their supporters boycotte all forms of biased MSM outlets. Why give him a trial just take him out and shoot him aye MSM?

Posted by: Rose at February 10, 2010 9:47 AM

SheilaG @7:50 said "I wouldn't say they are closing ranks; I would say that they are devastated, and it is a big deal."

This is how I feel, devastated. As I said earlier, let the law takes its' course.

Posted by: Ken (Kulak) at February 10, 2010 9:48 AM

While I haven't watched any news videos of this story, I have noticed there are a hell of a lot of pictures of Col Williams include Peter MacKay. For a person of such rank and position not to have a vast library of stock photos available is very unlikely. I figure leftoid editors are using the Williams/Min of Defense pairing as a subtle cheap shot at the Tories.

Posted by: Texas Canuck at February 10, 2010 10:18 AM

This is certainly a big scandal, but it will make absolutely no difference to the operation of the armed forces. The Armed Forces are very hierarchical. Almost everyone in a leadership position is capable of doing the job of the next level of the chain of command and in a lot of cases the job two levels up. It has to be that way so that the organization can still function when people start dying.

The old base commander will be gone, a new one will fill his place and the operation of the base will continue as if nothing had happened.

The case that is, I suspect bad for morale is the court martial of Capt Semrae (spell?, the guy in the mercy killing being sold as murder). That directly affects the day to day business of every soldier in Afstan.

Minuteman
Capt (ret) Armoured Corps and EME

Posted by: minuteman at February 10, 2010 10:43 AM

Serves you guys right. The Globe And Mail is written by idiots for other idiots!

Similiarly, some ex military guy dunked his kid and the press jumped all over him claiming that he was water boarding his toddler, and that gawd only knows how many others of 'em are doing it.

Sheesh. Our syphallitic 'journalists' should be water boarded for the crap they write, and a few should be tied into chairs and beaten to death with a lead pipe.

Really fellas, those quacks wouldn't write that chit if you didn't read it. The best thing we can do is encourage these dinosauers to go the way of their ancestors.

Posted by: jim at February 10, 2010 11:17 AM

Hey Justthinkin': Col Williams did NOT go to RMC. He was a graduate of the University of Toronto. He attended Command and Staff College, which is also in Toronto, upon graduation from staff college he earned a Masters Degree from RMC--which you can do by doing the course work while in staff college in Toronto. He was never an RMC grad. Who knows if Williams actually attended RMC he might have been kicked out of the military when he was an officer cadet vice a colonel--his proclivities may have been brought to light a lot sooner since he would have been under scrutiny from the minute he entered the College grounds as a recruit.

Posted by: favill at February 10, 2010 11:21 AM

I am calling for tighter screening of all UofT grads...as soon as the Col. is found guilty of something.

Posted by: dkjones at February 10, 2010 11:30 AM

Nice display of officer-like qualities, there Justthinkin. If one of my junior officers spouted off like that with absolutely no knowledge of that of which he spoke, I'd be up one side of him and down the other, because that is the kind of officer who gets good troops killed. And just so you know, my silver spoon is away for second line maintenance, so I'm kinda having to swan around without it. Sheesh, youngster - get a grip. You didn't even have a clue of the point I was making, which indicates to me that you don't get what being an officer really is all about.

Posted by: Tanker at February 10, 2010 11:33 AM

Actually, I'd like to express my sorrow to the folks in the Belleville and Tweed areas. It must have been worrisome living in an area with two unsolved murders in such a short time-frame. Especially, in small towns where people tend to know each other, it must have been off-putting to have in the back of your minds that the perpetrator may have been somebody you all knew. Unfortunately, it happened to be the highest ranking military officer in the area. Let the law run its course and if Col Williams is found guilty, I truly hope the CF busts him down to a no hook private and he spends the maximum, 25 yrs in jail. If found guilty, he killed innocent people and raped women for his warped sense of pleasure...but worst he killed one of his own troops--for the civilians we're taught to try and preserve our soldiers' lives in the execution of the mission. This gives a black eye to all officers in general--because the unwritten code here is that this guy was somebody to emulate if you wanted to succeed in the military--he was someone we were all suppose to look up to.

Posted by: favill at February 10, 2010 11:52 AM

One of the reasons Col. Williams has received so much media coverage is because he does not fit the profile of serial offenders, who even when they are highly intelligent, tend to be underachieving wannabes (e.g. Ted Bundy dropped out of law school; Paul Bernardo only dreamed of being a successful businessman) or hold low-ranking jobs (Son of Sam was a postal clerk, Green River Killer was a truck painter, Yorkshire Ripper was a truck driver). If Williams were a corporate CEO or a high-level civil servant, the attention would be the same.

Posted by: Barbara at February 10, 2010 12:03 PM

I can tell that my wife has been driving often in the last few days because she listens to the news on the radio while driving.Today while expressing our astonishment over this story she quickly touched on all the points made by the MSM.What will this do to the morale of our troops,how come he wasn't screened,will the military close ranks.I tend to agree with those who see the MSM as anti military,describing him as rubbing elbows with the elite,part of the inner circle,then showing him with the Peter MacKay,it's almost as if they were good buddies.

Posted by: h.ryan at February 10, 2010 12:35 PM

I don't blame his military background at all. It's his degrees in economics and political science that made him a sociopath!

Well, it makes as much sense as anything you'll read in the papers. He was trained as a transport pilot not an assassin and bypassed RMC.

Notice that I said 'You'll read'. I don't read the papers particularly the Globe & Mail any more due to the replacement of facts in favour of lefty hysteria.

Re Texascanucks comments, I am sure that there are pictures of (at the time) Captain Williams with the Governor General, Jean Chretien and assorted Liberal Cabinet ministers when he was with 412 Squadron in the late '90s. Funny how the papers can't find them.

Posted by: Al_in_Ottawa at February 10, 2010 12:54 PM

Barbara @ 12:03, your comment makes a lot of sense, although some of the MSM attention seems to be focused on showing pictures of Col. Williams with Peter MacKay.

Even a basic one term course in propaganda teaches you that the most effective long range efforts to smear, convince or destroy are to use subtle little things like having pictures of the intended victim with an alleged bad guy.

favill, hopefully the communities of Belleville/Tweed and base areas can get through this and continue to compliment each other.

Posted by: Ken (Kulak) at February 10, 2010 1:15 PM

Barbara, no one's suggesting that it isn't a big story or that Williams' position doesn't make it more newsworthy than the average (alleged) murder. What's revolting is the utterly specious smearing of others by implication.

Such a murder could occur regardless of who's in power, no? So we should ask ourselves these questions:

1) If this murder happened while the Liberals were in power, would The National open their coverage of the story with a lingering (10-second) shot of Peter McCallum chatting with the alleged murderer?

2. If (X) committed murder under the Liberals' watch, would the G&M write "There are too many pictures of (the alleged murder) with people like Defence Minister John McCallum", followed by this: "'(X) was part of the elite, the inner circle,' Mr. Staples observed. That elite is exposed and vulnerable too."?

I suggest not. The smearing of the military by implication that is inherent in Ibbitson's article would probably still be there, but it would be buffered somewhat.

Anyway, I guarantee - mark my word - that in the weeks to come this story *will*, via the various Liberal media appendages like the G&M and the CBC, become a *womens* issue in some manner. There area going to be examinations of sexism in the military, and by subtle or not-so-subtle extension the nasty Conservatives' attitudes towards women, with various women's group spokeswomen trotted out, and there will be examinations of "warning signs", and "incidents", etc etc etc. As I mentioned in an earlier comment, if Williams was a doctor or a politician or a bureaucrat or a journalist there would be no such attempt to connect the alleged murders with the alleged murderer's occupation, nor any suggestions that the CMA or the Liberal Party or PSAC could avoid blame IF they did X, Y, and Z.

(BTW, Mark: Do you by any chance have a screenshot of last night's version of Ibbitson's story? If you do, could you let me know? It seems to me that the update has been changed in one particular way.)

Posted by: EBD at February 10, 2010 2:06 PM

Ken and EBD - you are right, of course, the MSM never miss an opportunity to smear the military or the Conservatives. I'm just saying it wouldn't be such as huge story if the suspect were a lowly private.

Posted by: Barbara at February 10, 2010 2:41 PM

EBD: Sorry, I don't.

Mark
Ottawa

Posted by: MarkOttawa at February 10, 2010 3:13 PM

I'm retired and certainly wasn't elite material but this comment "Canadians must differentiate between actions of one senior official and Canadian Forces as a whole" was bang on..Too bad it went south after that...Would it matter if he wore a suit with a Ford lapel pin or if he was working for Canadian Tire ? God I hate this preconceived unspoken idea that military people are weirdos or abnormal people...We are like everyone else, we wanted to serve our country and be proud of it.Why paint us with the same brush?He's a psychopath and unfortunately a human being are we all psychopath? We're human !

What about what they are doing in Haiti..is that a bunch of psychopath?

The military is not closing rank, they opened their headquarter, their computers and the base and cooperated and still are cooperating in the investigation.

Did Ted Bundy look normal and pleasant..guess what he did .

Remember if you smear the uniform you're smearing all members and veterans, I'd like to see you say this on November 11th to all our veterans...

Posted by: Chris Whynott at February 10, 2010 7:47 PM

Barbara - It wouldn't matter to the media if it was a "lowly private". How many times have you seen "ex-soldier convicted of assault" and similar stories when some goon had spent two years in the militia ten years prior to the crime? I know from experience that command of a base or station is 'lonely at the top' and it takes strength of character; I do find it remarkable that a person who has been scrutinized at every level in the Armed Forces could get themselves arrested for a heinous crime. In my better than three and a half decades as an officer, the only civil crimes I saw senior officers nailed for was one of shoplifting and one of DWI. And Kate's Colonel list includes a few who were junior officers under my wing many moons ago - you're making me feel old!

Posted by: Aviator at February 10, 2010 8:07 PM

Chris Whynott: The point made better than I did. Thank you.

Mark
Ottawa

Posted by: MarkOttawa at February 10, 2010 8:53 PM

Curious how the media never acted this way towards politicians when a drunken Rene Levesque killed a man with his vehicle. Then we have the issue of the Ontario politician who killed a cyclist recently. Surely this is enough evidence to support legislation that no politician or former politician should ever be allowed to operate any form of vehicle other than a bicycle.

Posted by: loki at February 11, 2010 1:14 AM


Tragic indeed, as a society we should not harbour festering
lunatics in secret places like Camp Mirage in the United Arab Emirates where Canadian Forces operate out of. They
work out of Minhad Airbase, South of Dubai.

At: 25° 1' 36N 55° 21' 58E MINHAD AB 165 ft AMSL
Mag Var: 1.286E

GPS Coordinates:

25.2707179355, 55.3189566026
Location Map

GPS Coordinates:

24.9976840629, 55.0927164207
Location Map

GPS Coordinates:

25.2990298267, 55.3882511372
Location Map
GPS Coordinates:

24.4979674781, 54.3775321739

Best to know where the festering occurs !

Cheers

Concerned

Posted 02/11/2010 at 12:50:10 PM

Posted by: Concerned at February 11, 2010 12:55 PM

If one CF memeber being a whack job and killing two women is an indicator of our forces being an out of control killing machine...why hasn't the same microscope been turned on to the RCMP when one one of their members ambushed and murdered a Ottawa Police Officer back in Dec?

Posted by: Jtyne at February 12, 2010 9:31 AM
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