Defence minister and military at odds on use of G-wagons

[CHIMO]

Defence minister and military at odds on use of G-wagons

OTTAWA — Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor assured Canadians in May that the military was restricting its G-wagons to the Canadian compound in Kandahar, after the lightly armoured vehicles proved highly vulnerable to roadside attacks in Afghanistan.

But newly released records indicate the minister's announcement came as a surprise to military commanders, who had imposed no such restrictions and continue to use G-wagons in dangerous convoys.

“It has come to our attention that a statement by the MND (minister of National Defence) . . . regarding G-wagons was not correct,” says an internal e-mail to the minister's office, the day after the May 30 announcement.

The minister “indicated that in the future we are going to limit nearly all the G-wagons to the camp, with some exceptions. However, this is not the case. . . . Please advise the MND not to repeat that statement as G-wagons will continue to operate outside the camp,” public affairs official Aarin Bronson warned.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060813.wgwagon0813/BNStory/National/home

[daleo]

1. If this had happed under Paul Martin

It would have been
- Martin was lying about G-wagons
or
- Martin doesn't control the actions of his own military.

[MrPrax]

2. Bwahahaha....

Boneheads...jeez wonder what the 'communication' problem might be...

"...Observers have questioned the degree to which the intensely divisive foreign policy issue may cost the Conservative government politically.

Sources also told The Hill Times that Jason Kenney (Calgary Southeast, Alta.), Parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister, has played a key role in coordinating information and connecting ministers with the Prime Minister while he was on tour in Europe, and that Minister MacKay and Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor (Carleton-Mississippi Mills, Ont.) have been working closely on the matter.

....

The PMO was said to be instrumental in crafting the evacuation plan. A Globe and Mail report on July 20 said the PM had micromanaged the crisis from his trip to the G8 meeting in Russia, causing delays and confusion.

"It's pretty difficult to micromanage anything if you're in St. Petersburg and all of the work is being done here is Ottawa," one senior government official said at a background briefing on the evacuation in Ottawa on July 20. "We've been in very close touch obviously with the Prime Minister and with his senior staff, and it's not a question of micromanagement at all but of close collaboration, and the Prime Minister has followed the work that we've been doing, the decisions we've taken and it's been extremely collaborative. I really want to emphasize that point."

The Hill Times (link originally posted by Tuvor)

Heck of a job, boys -- keep it up...