Rex Murphy
A Salute to the General
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TRANSCRIPT
Why is General Rick Hillier so popular?
For one thing it's the way he speaks - and no - I'm not referring to the rhythm and tone of his Newfoundland accent, wonderful, of course, as that so eminently is.
In one of his first briefings on the Afghanistan mission, in July two years ago, he 'explained' to reporters that the Taliban and Al Qaeda were "murderers and scumbags" and he went on to an equally emphatic statement about the nature of the Canadian armed forces:
"We're not the public service of Canada," he said. "We're not just another department. We are the Canadian Forces, and our job is to be able to kill people."
What's remarkable about both those statements is how blazingly clear they are: their intense, unqualified definition.
They are a million miles away from the grey muddy fuzziness, the pure slipperiness and evasion that characterizes almost a hundred per cent of the language of politics: the saying one thing and meaning another style, or the desperate language of the perpetual partisans who say anything if it will boost their cause or hurt their opponents.
People may not like what he says. He's been controversial since he stepped into the public spotlight, but they like it that they know he says what he thinks.
He doesn't water things down. He warned in that same July briefing that Afghanistan would be tough; there would be casualties. Very recently, to the horror of some in the government, he warned of how long it would take for there to be real security in that country.
He doesn't duck and he doesn't trim. It's no secret that his political masters, and probably even the Prime Minister himself, might prefer a more tractable, less compelling presence. But there are no signs General Hillier is so married to the prestige of being Chief of Defence Staff, the glory of the position, that he will water himself or his statements down to guarantee staying there.
Finally, the most basic reason that he's so popular is that he keeps the covenant -- and that is the word here, as the anniversary of Nov 11 should remind us -- between a military leader and his troops.
He said it best just this week: "I am no politician and I don't think I'm very wise". Of his troops he went on" I am their champion and in a way I serve them as much as I serve the government of Canada and you Canadians and Canada itself."
There's some chatter, mainly political, about General Hillier becoming too much the "face of the mission." It's a hard thing to berate the General in charge of the mission for being its face, and a harder thing altogether to claim he's stepping outside his role when he articulates why our forces are there in the first place.
A more regular or successful articulation of the mission, from both the governments who launched or endorsed it - Liberal and Conservative - might have taken away some of the need for the General to expound it so frequently. But he surely should not be blamed, and certainly should not be punished, for filling a vacuum his masters have allowed to emerge. He should not wear their failings.
Should Prime Minister Harper see him as a problem? Not at all. Rick Hillier's popularity is an index of competence and forthrightness. The day that competence and forthrightness are a problem, will bring a dawn no one really wants to see.
For the National, I'm Rex Murphy.
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Comments
t0 Rex . your comments last week ,mentioning about the Irac War doseno't hold,has a matter I have you deleted for 2 months. The War is not Canadian War nor a American War,but a Sr and Jr Bush and Dick Chenney War,and Canadian. have been conned, and 71 Canadians have been deceived By The Bush's and Dick Chenney,it is a disgrace,that is why I did not buy a poppy this year year,both my brothers were in the second world War,and I find to support a War that was conned and decetive, very wrong .e.p.h.
Removal of General Hillier would be a great disservice to Canada and Canadians. He has earned the respect of Canadian forces and Canadians. The Government must recognize that and act accordingly. Time to back off and let the manager manage!
HARPER AND HIS STAFF SHOULD NOT BE SURPRIZED. HE SEEMED LIKE THE DEFENSE MINISTER AHEAD OF O'CONNOR AND NOW MCKAY. HE IS GETTING THE MEDIA REACTION THAT MOST POLITICAL LEADERS WISHED. HE WAS USED AS HAPRER'S SPOKE PERSON TO SELL THE MISSION THEY CANNOT, SO WHEN HE TELLS WHAT HIS VIEWS ARE, WHICH IS NOT WHAT THE PMO AGENDS ON, THEN HE UPSETS THE GOVERNMENT. HARPER HAS A PROBLEM WHICH HE DESIGNED. IT WOULD NOT BE POLITICAL WISE TO REMOVE HIM NOW, THEY ARE STUCK WITH HIM UNTIL HE REALLY MESSES UP. THE LONGER THE WAR THE MORE PROBLEMS HARPER WILL HAVE.
This guy needs to go to school,study history,religion,geography.Pass the elementary test and the graduate before he can start talking about the complex isuues like Afganistan.Because you can shoot a gun ,we should not allow bulls like that to talk on public TV-
Go back to the barracks and keep there and remembers who pays you.
Carlos
Dear Rex, That dawn you refer to, which no one wants to see, may well be the morning following the coup. A wise man once said that war between two nations was far to important an activity to be left to the generals.
To keep it short and simple, if Rick Hillier is removed, some soldiers will get out like in the mid 90's and recruiting will fall. How does that bode for the mission.
Gen Hillier is the best CDS I have seen in years. All his predecesors since I have been in the CF have been politions, you never saw them other than when they were licking the boots of their political masters! Hillier is a soldger, and he actually cares about his troops! He would not hesitate to shake your hand wiether you were a Major or a buck Private. It has been far too long that the CF has gone without a true "leader". The government should leave the General where he is, as he is truly loved by the rank and file!
I know I would not hesitate to take a bullet for that man, A true General in all sence of the word!!!
I respect the opinion and the attitude of General Hiller, as Rex put it so accurately “he says what he thinks.” I believe the mission in Afghanistan is important, and that his public dialog has done much to revitalize a military that had been all but forgotten by many Canadians. Though I do not usually support Prime Minister Harper, he does have the right and the responsibility to reign in his CDS; since history has given us many reasons why a general’s popularity should be kept in check.
The real murderers and scumbags are the petro ghouls who "must" get their control of Caspian Sea oil and gas, and the pipelines through southern Afghanistan.
I watched Gen. Hillier on CPAC lecturing the Canadian Medical Association, lying, selecting details to mislead people, and if this is what he has been doing all across the country, no wonder he "needs" replacing.
His rumoured replacement, Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk, "because the prime minister likes him", get this, was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross by Governor General Michaele Jean. From January 2004 to January 2005 Natynczyk commanded 35,000 troops in Iraq.
Not just in Iraq, but supporting the atrocities against the people of Fallujah. He wasn't actually in Fallujah but obviously supported war crimes.
I've lived and worked in many many countries, glad to be a Canadian.
How far is this going to sink?
Brilliant piece of work Rex!!!
I particularly enjoyed the description of politics in the line " the desperate language of the perpetual partisans who say anything if it will boost their cause or hurt their opponents." I will never forget this, Bob Dylan could weave a song around that one.
I am one of the lucky members of Canadian Society that serves under the General. For once we have a General who speaks to the troops like we matter, and actually sounds like he means it. He is one of us, and is our champion in Ottawa. We (in uniform) hope he stays on and that when he is replaced, his replacement is as verbose as he is. Brovo Zulu General, from the troops.
Rex, we have evolved or perhaps de-volved from a nation of peace keepers to a nation of weak at the knee American hugging warriors. Rick Hillier has become the Westmoreland of Canada's involvement in Afghanistan and now we bow to his biblical rhetoric. Do you remember the film "Hearts & Minds" , I can't help but think that Afghanistan is Canada's mini-Vietnam. As usual, Canadians are 30 years late!
I think that Rex is right on the money. Hillier has become a strong symbol of the CF. He should be able to speak freely.
Rex Murphy,
Dear Rex...
Thank You for Your words...
I am gratful for people like You that calls a spade a spade...Your values are comforting to me at a soul level...
Blessings to You Dear Sir.
Suzanne
Again rex has nailed it.General Hillier makes people in this country nervous because he forces people outside of their comfort zone.For too long Canadians have been led to believe armys can specialize in cheap peacekeeping.General Hillier is teaching us that armys take and hold territory with extreme violence if necessary and that there can be a terrible price to pay.We have a huge Canadian territory, would it be worth the price?
If only our elected officials were as forthright as General Hillier.
Rick Hillier for Prime Minister? What a refreshing idea, but unfortunately only a dream.
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