Hillier is Insulted

"I've been shot at. People have attempted to blow me up. I had a suicide bomber targeted against me when I was the commander in Afghanistan. And I've been called every name in the book, I'm certain," Hillier said. "I don't think I've ever been so insulted as to be called a prop for a political party."
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Well, maybe if Hillier didn't act like one, he wouldn't be so defensive. I'll leave it to other real and armchair psychologists to analyze the fact that Hillier felt it was more insulting to be called a "political prop" than to have people actually try to kill him.

Jim Reed recently had more than a few words of wisdom for Hillier on that score. Dave at The Galloping Beaver saw Hillier's behaviour from a different perspective while a Toronto Star editorial blasted Hillier for endorsing the "mission creep" in Afghanistan.

There is no doubt, however, that the realities of having to deal with a more combat-oriented role in Afghanistan has turned Hillier into a bitter and embattled leader of the CAF - a role he pushed for. Railing against the past is not the way to solve or change anything. There's a "new" government in charge now - the government that changed the purpose of the mission without any kind of game plan. If Hillier has complaints, they should be squarely aimed at the Conservative regime that now controls the funding and he also needs to re-examine his role in how the Canadian military has arrived at this point in a war that has no end in sight.

Hillier photo credit: CP