Canada’s blabbering Chief of Defence Staff, General RickHillier, obviously is either planning on retiring soon, orbetting heavily that the Conservatives will win the nextelection. If not, he was not thinking too clearly recentlywhen he called the past Liberal era the “decade ofdarkness.”

The Liberals rightly responded by labellingHillier a “prop for the Conservative party.” This issomewhat amusing in that it was the Liberals who gaveHillier his job, and had no objections under their watchwhen he was publicly ranting and raving about killing scumbags and such.

Hillier claims that his speech had no political intent butif he believes that, he is too naive to hold such animportant position. If not, then he is a liar. Byfocusing only on the Liberals he conveniently avoids theissue of neglect of the forces prior to the Chrétien-Martinyears and the $40 billion deficit the Liberals inheritedfrom the Conservatives in 1993.

He also skips over theLiberals’ boosting of the defence budget in 2005 and theirimprovements to military social services in the 90s.Whether he admits it or not, General Hillier is banging thedrum for Stephen Harper in the upcoming election.

In contrast to General Hillier’s sucking up to Mr. Harperand the Conservatives, down in the U.S. it appears that someof the leading Generals are about to revolt. George W. Bush andfellow nutbars in his administration seem to be hell benton beating up on Iran. Every day there is another storyabout Iran this or Iran that dealing with nuclear energy orsupport for the insurgents in Iraq. All of which is highlyquestionable for one thing, and even if true hardly sufficientcause for another war.

Another war is the last thing the U.S. needs, and itssenior officers know it. They are already overstretched inIraq and Afghanistan, two other needless wars that arebleeding them to death. Taking on a bigger and moreorganized power like Iran in addition could be a follyworse than Vietnam, a war the top commanders are all toofamiliar with.

An article in The Sunday Times in the UK on February 25reported that a number of senior military commanders in theU.S. were prepared to resign if Bush orders a strike againstIran. The article says that the Pentagon has no stomachfor such a war and had deep misgivings. The Chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine General Peter Pace, isquoted as saying that there is “zero chance” of a war withIran. Like Hillier’s speech Pace’s are also political, butunlike Hillier, Pace is risking his career to avoid adisaster.

A significant number of senior military officers in the U.S.were opposed to going to war with Iraq, among them U.S.Marine General Anthony Zinni who was once commander of U.S.forces in the Middle East. But, despite their opposition,they went to war when ordered and now many of them may bewondering if it would not have been better to have resistedmore. Perhaps this time they will.

Another war certainly will not help advance the U.S.’standing around the world where its image is growing moretarnished everyday. Recently in Italy, Prime MinisterRomano Prodi resigned when he failed to get support inParliament for Italy’s participation in the Afghan War andAmerican base expansion in Italy. Both the UK and Denmarkare pulling troops out of Iraq in the face of growingopposition to the war at home.

The Christian Science Monitor reported on February 22 that polls are showing thatanti-American feelings are at an all time high in Muslimcountries. And, the Russians are rebuilding their militaryin the face of what President Putin has publicly called theAmericans’ militaristic approach to foreign policy that ismaking the world more dangerous. The Russians are alsosupplying arms to Iran, Venezuela and other countries thathave issues with the U.S.

Of course the Russians are not the only ones supplyingopponents of the U.S. In a recent article in The New Yorkerinvestigative journalist Seymour Hersh revealed that the U.S. itself was funnelingfunds to groups in Lebanon affiliated with Al Qaeda. Gofigure.

No doubt with the Conservatives in power in Canada, Mr. Bushis counting on his friend Stephen Harper to help out in awar against Iran. Perhaps instead of campaigning for theConservatives General Hillier might better serve his troopsand his country by taking a hint from General Pace andaddress the issue of continued Canadian participation inPresident Bush’s destructive policies.