That Would Be General (S)Hillier, I Presume?

I see that once again General Hillier is sticking his foot into Canada's political debate over Afghanistan.

"Because we are, in the eyes of the Taliban, in a window of extreme vulnerability," he said. "And the longer we go without that clarity, with the issue in doubt, the more the Taliban will target us as a perceived weak link.

"I'm not going to stand here and tell you that the suicide bombings of this past week have been related to the debate back here in Canada. But I also cannot stand here and say that they are not.

It's amazing how he pops up making statements like this every time Harper wants to babble on about extending the Afghanistan mission, or when the public becomes concerned about troops coming home in pine boxes.

As usual, the line seems to be that if you dare speak out against the Afghanistan mission, you aren't "supporting the troops".

You know what? If we cannot openly discuss the moral and ethical implications of the Afghanistan mission, then there is no debate. General Hillier's responsibility lies with his men, not with the politics of his orders. If, as Hillier hints, this debate is raising the "danger" level in Afghanistan, then he should focus his energies upon ensuring the well-being of his troops - not attempt to tell Canadians that we should not debate the mission.