NL-Outsidethebox [confederation]

Article in the Washington times on Harpers visit. Interesting to hear the American POV.
http://washingtontimes.com/world/20060705-115849-3755r.htm

This site was in the article and is designed to promote Canada to Americans and dispel some myths. Very interesting and targeted spin. People hear what they want to hear and this is definately what they want to hear in the US.
http://www.canadianally.com/ca/

Personally I would have been much more pleased with 2 supply ships and one hospital ship but who am I to say.

The Hurc replacements OK, Heavy lift yes mainly because of the prospect of getting out of somewhere fast not so much about getting in. Getting into somewhere could be handled with rentals or leases but getting out you need your own for that eventuallity, which I hope never arrives. So while 4 Heavy lift planes to me doesn't seem like to much when you consider down time different taskings and what not. Will probably be the hardest sell. The blow could be softened IMHO if some F18's and T birds were retired.

As for the choppers while they are a needed requirement I don't think that by removing ourselves from interaction with the populace in Afghan we will be gaining anything on the Winning of Hearts and Minds front. In fact we will probably do more harm than good since only a small portion of resupply can be handled by helicopter and resupply convoys will still need to be used for the bulkier items like water and fuel. I would much rather see helicopters used as escorts to convoys than actually resupply.

Maybe if the roads were widened and cleared so that there was a dead mans zone of at least 50 metres either side so that IED's and ambushes could be mitigated more so. This would also add to the infrastructure in Afghan as prove to the people even more that we are there to help improve their lot in life not just protect our own self interests by erradicating the supply of Opium to our citizens and erradicating terrorists before they get organized. In doing so we would be furthering our own cause while helping theirs through infrastructure development to encourage growth.

The one thing that always bugged me about military procurement was the boom or bust mentality. I would much rather see an ongoing replacement schedule. This would also ensure that the affected industries in Canada always had at least a marginal expectation of work with the possibility of added contracts from Canada as well as elsewhere. Thus ensuring we kept our most talented here while waiting and looking for future contracts.

The people of Afghan need to develop their own sence of pride and not just that of poor Afghan. I saw this in Yugo when they won a football soccer championship. The gun fire and rockets actually made us go to a stand to until we realized what was going on LOL.

Our troops should have a afghan and Canadian flag on their uniforms not just a Canadian flag to show the Afghan people that we are in this together. Also if one of our troops gets killed the crossed flags of Afghan and Canada could be highlighted to illustrate that is isn't just Canada who has lost one of their own but also Afghan has lost a friend. Would make for a great momento as well :)
Crossed flag poles like is generally done with the American flag on a background of the world, UN, Nato, or the Afghan country map could also be used. Those round patches like the peelots have on their uniforms would work for something like the World or UN back ground. Decals stickers and other propoganda paraphenalia could also have a similar design, to spread around.

Just to point out the need to bolster the Afghany peoples pride just look at the response that having Afghan flags on some radios that were given out to some elders had. Little did they know the real reason was to provide a conduit to disceminate propaganda dispel the mistruths being spread around by the Taliban through rogue radio broadcasting (Jamming spooks required) and by prerecorded messages on Cassette tapes which the people had to buy at that. People hear what they want to hear if no other message is being put out there to dispel the mistruths half truths and out and out lies sometimes. Just look at the Animal Rights Activists propaganda campaigns and how they distort the truth and pander to the uninformed and hypocritical to build public support then they use this to try and sway the masses.