We Stand On Guard For.....

Lots of military news today, so I thought I would comment.

Sheila must be in the tequila again

This is military related, but it also has to do with a little thing called logic. In yesterday’s National Post, Sheila Copps wrote (ed. need to register) regarding the purchase of the four subs, one being the HMCS Chicoutimi, the scene of a fire which caused the dead of Lieutenant Chris Saunders. She stated that over four years, three successive defence ministers tried to convince Cabinet to purchase the subs. Tequila Sheila comes to the conclusion that, since the military “begged” the government to buy the subs, the military, not the government should be blamed for their disrepair.

Let me take you through the thinking of the military mind, dear reader. The military thinks about the tasks given to it by the government and then pitches the government for the equipment to complete those tasks. In most countries, these tasks are something like defend the country from foreign enemies, and do any other tasks the government asks. The second part is where the peacekeeping and disaster relief are covered.

The military determined that having the capability to deploy submarines was important. In other countries, the governments would likely accept that advice and ask what subs we should buy to meet the need. Usually the military suggests a piece of equipment that is very fancy and does a lot of cool stuff and is the best piece of equipment for the job money can buy. Face it, if it is your life on the line, you want the best piece of kit there is. In Canada, the government is so cheap that the military is reduced to trying to get the equipment any way they can. They know the government will never buy the best subs, but something is better than nothing, so they came up with something like this used sub deal. At $800 million, less than the cost of a useless gun registry, Cabinet rejected the plan twice, until the military came up with a deal to trade the subs for free use of CFB Suffield (and, I think, CFB Wainwright) by the Brits. This is touted as “getting them for free”. Now, any kid who gets an allowance knows this is not really free, since the Brits were going to pay use to use those bases. As well, they have been mothballed for four years, so there will be a cost just to get them running again. However, in Sheila’s world this is free, just like health care is free. If you don’t actually have to give someone the money, it’s free.

Note to Ms Copps: Wake up! Based on experience, the military knew you would never approve the “Cadillac” of subs (remember what your buddy Jean said about the helicopters?), so they started by pitching the used Chevy. Four years after the Chevy has been rusting in sea water it gets approved and any problems are not the governments fault? Knowing the Liberal government's pattern of under funding the military, I would also be interested to know how much the repair costs for these subs were under funded and how that contributed to this accident.

Court Martial of Public Opinion

Global Sunday is going to hold a mock trial (article: need to register) where the government will be accused of failing to adequately equip the Canadian Forces. Ask any military member what they think of this question, and I am sure most will have already found them guilty. The only problem is the public keeps commuting the sentence.

This sounds like a bit of a publicity stunt, but maybe it will help to prevent some of my friends from getting killed. God knows nothing else has helped.

And finally,

Focus on the Big Picture

Yesterday’s National Post published a letter by the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Ray Henault, about an editorial cartoon which depicted a Canadian Forces (CF) submarine as a coffin with his comments that it was “tremendously offensive” to all members of the CF.

What is really offensive to me is the shabby treatment of successive Liberal governments towards the military.

Note to General Henault: Less time spent complaining (my job); more time spent fixing the military’s problems (your job). It’s not like you don’t have enough to do. If you are not sure where to start, email me here and I will be happy to respond. As a former member of the military, I have some thoughts as well as first hand experience. Or you could get yours ass out of the puzzle palace (National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa) and ask just about anyone else in uniform. Oh, it also helps if you listen to them.