Massive casualties

The commander of Canadian forces in Afghanistan has said that a "flurry" of activities will occur in the fall and into next year.

When I read this, my heart sank - just when I thought it couldn't sink any further.

'Massive activities' from Canadian troops coming in Afghanistan: Lieutenant-General

"There’ll be a flurry of military operations starting with the major ones this fall, (and) there’ll be other ones certainly in the winter and spring," said Lt.-Gen. Lessard, head of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command. "We’re ready to launch."

Massive activites will lead to massive casualties but they don't seem to care.

Then comes the usual crippled logic for the whole thing.

If Canadian troops do not improve conditions in the districts before leaving next year, their sacrifices since 2006 will have been wasted, he suggested.

I can't believe that anybody with more than two functioning neurons is still using that stupid justification for mass death - of civilians and of soldiers.

Canada and the F-35's

From the wonderful Dr. Neil Kitson and his blog Canadians in Afghanistan

Canada's Purchase of the F-35 explained

They also did a wonderful explanation of the subprime mortages.

Lighthouses or killer aircraft?

Ottawa has announced that 1000 lighthouses around Canada's coasts, 206 of which are in Nova Scotia, are "surplus to requirements" and will be sold off. Since this government has managed to put Canada into the deepest hole in a very long time and is still digging, very few will be acquired for public use. Our heritage sold off to balance the books of an incompetent administration.

In its usual doublespeak, the HarpoCons call this "an opportunity for coastal communities". Uh-huh. I believe you.

The story of the acquisition by Canada of 65 F-35 killer aircraft for the sum of $9B made me do a little math. Now, we know that $9B is a lowball estimate. The things are bound to double or triple in cost before this is all over and I can't even find an estimate anywhere of the maintenance costs.

But even the original figure yields the following:

The estimated cost to maintain the Cape Forchu Lightstation, taken over by volunteers, was $80,000 a year. Using this as an average, $9B would pay for the care and upkeep of all 206 NS lighthouses for 546 years.

Added bonuses? They don't make noise, use gazillions of gallons of expensive jet fuel, or kill anybody.

Toys for the boys or joy for the rest of us?