This cover story predicts Canada's Afghan withdrawal will be replaced by Canadian air strikes
The Canadian Air Force [says a press release from the magazine] is currently in the midst of a C$2.1 billion mega-upgrade program for its fleet of CF-18 Hornet jets, and close air support is the primary training emphasis for Canada's Department of National Defence right now. (Duncan lectures on ethics, society and law at the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies.)
Instead of ending our involvement in Afghanistan as currently planned, Duncan finds, Canada's Afghan mission may simply change tactics, replacing its so-far ineffective ground troop contingent with an assault from the air.
“Such death from above, as alarming as it is, involves all pro-government forces, including Canadian forces. The tactic shows every sign of being a fixture of NATO's Afghanistan strategy for years to come, and whatever role they play after 2011–the withdrawal date our govenment has pledged to keep–Canadian forces will continue to be involved in it,” he writes.
Nato airstrikes in 2009 killed hundreds of Afghan civilians. Nato troops and the Taliban are locked in an unwinnable scenario — the same "Afghan Trap" that snared the Soviet Union in the late 1970s — with insurgent forces using roadside bombs and pro-government forces firing laser-guided missiles, and civilians often suffering the heaviest toll. “Whenever troops are in perceived danger, airstrikes will continue, whether or not the presence of civilians can be confirmed,” writes Duncan, as he examines many aspects of the war from past air raids to current tactics, and even Canada's efforts towards establishing new forts and helping with reconstruction projects. The Afghan Trap, he writes, has drawn in another victim.
posted by D. B. Scott at
6:03 pm
13 Comments:
Couple of problems with this:
(i) the editor of This is your son (a fact that should have been disclosed); and
(ii) perhaps that's why you're plugging it because, otherwise, it has absolutely nothing to do with the the magazine industry.
So, WTF?
I agree...why do you constantly feel the need to plug This magazine. Compared to so many publications out there, This is a really bad publicaton.
Good thing the designer placed a drop shadow on the cover line, I am not sure the yellow 120 point type on the blue background would have been readable.
Anonymous 2: Constantly?
I have to admit to noticing DB's non-disclosure re. his son & THIS.
But the reason I noticed it? Because this is the first time I have ever seen him fail to disclose said fact.
I have never met DB but I know from this blog alone that he is above-board, vigilant and honest. And opinionated, sure -- what's wrong with that?
Agree with GarBut. It's been disclosed so many times before I think we regular readers know the connection (although I did forget about it until is was mentioned in the comments section).
Anon 4
To finish discrediting the first two Anonymooses, we should also point out that DB has often written about the content in magazines.
Seems he still thinks that the ideas and stories that propel our best magazines still matter.
And, uh, it's DB's blog, he can do what he likes. Phht! We all know Graham is his son, DB's been upfront about it from the get-go. And as for covering the important content of a Canadian magazine in addition to the people and business of magazine publishing? Good.
Big Bad Anon #1 here to Rick Whatshisname : Now, now...we are both anonymooses, aren't we? (Unless your last name is Spence but you want to keep people guessing.)
And, what's this about discrediting? I made a valid criticism and DB was good enough to post it. If the editor of Profit or a columnist who writes about entrepreneurs starts gabbling about dubious foreign policy schemes then I think he's vulnerable to a fair comment that he's strayed off topic.
I come here to read about magazines, not what the magazines themselves have published...unless it's about the industry.
"News, views and reviews of the Canadian magazine industry." Sound familiar, Einstein?
All anonymouses - DB's blog is a service to the industry, and he does it for free. If you don't like it, start your own. Better yet, if you'd like your own publications to be promoted, send him a press release - I'm sure he'd be thrilled to do more coverage and doesn't have the time to go digging for everything.
Anon #1 again: Attention Kat Tancock: Yes, DB does his blog "for free." And it probably doesn't hurt his public profile as a magazine educator and consultant. No one is saying they don't like it; in fact, quite the opposite -- we have come to expect that his high standards are maintained and yes, we anonymouses are so bold as to criticize him when they aren't. That's still allowed, right? Don't go wagging fingers just because I happen to have a fair comment to make. Sheesh.
And congratulations: you're Kat Tancock. I'm entitled to be anonymous, and we anonymooses comprise probably 80% of the comments on this and many other blogs -- including your own over there at MastheadOnline (Seriously, when someone identifies themselves as "Dave" or "Steve" on your blog, then they are anonymous. So, enough with the "Hear ye all anonymouses, if you don't have anything nice to say..."
Finally, I seriously doubt DB wants to rewrite press releases. Leave that to Masthead. I, for one, am a fan of the intelligent opinions, sharp writing style and insights DB offers here.
Reply to Anon 1: Unlike you, I did not post anonymously. If you click on the names in blue with the little blue lines under them, you can tell the posters from the posers.
Anon #1 again: Oops, my bad. Sorry Rick. Still, my anonymity doesn't invalidate or discredit my criticism, nor does it make me a "poser" -- at least in this particular case. Value should be on what's being said, not who is saying it.
And, don't be so quick to tweak the noses of those who don't want to reveal their identity; your own blog accepts anonymous comments, so you clearly endorse the practice. Bit of hypocrisy going on there -- and there's another fair comment.
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