Shockingly, Stephane Dion is demanding an apology from Stephen Harper (h/t Dust My Broom). What was the comment that was so offensive to Stephie Dion? Well, apparently the truth:

I can understand the passion that the Leader of the Opposition and members of his party feel for Taliban prisoners. I just wish occasionally they would show the same passion for Canadian soldiers.

A heavy accusation, but Dion's comments clearly lead to that response:

Mr. Speaker, there are few things that are more important for the honour of a country than its duty to protect human lives, including war detainees. It is clear that the Minister of National Defence failed in his duty, even though he has often been briefed on this.

I have no other choice than to ask the Prime Minister to ask his Minister of National Defence to do the honourable thing and resign. [....]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has to see that his minister was negligent and incompetent with respect to a very serious issue for a country like Canada: the protection of the human lives we are responsible for.

The Prime Minister cannot keep his Minister of National Defence, not unless the Prime Minister is telling us that it is not important for Canada to protect the human lives we are responsible for.

Stephane Dion doesn't seem to understand the fact that the Government of Canada is responsible for Canadians and Canadian soldiers first and foremost, not murderous Taliban thugs. But Dion shows his spine in his response to the Prime Minister. Instead of denying the accusation and throwing it right back in Harpers face, Dion whimpered and whined.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister made two shocking statements. First, he said that the government does not care about human rights and, second, that the official opposition does not care about Canadian soldiers.

The Prime Minister must understand that he has insulted the entire Parliament with his statement and he should apologize.

Stephie, say these four words after me: "WE SUPPORT THE TROOPS". He should have screamed those four words back at Harper as loud as possible. But he can't say it, or he won't say it, because it would be a lie. The Liberal Party under Stephanie Dion does not support the troops. By concentrating all of their efforts to ensure the safety of Taliban fighters, they undermine the safety of Canadian soldiers.

There's also the fact that - as the US has demonstrated with Gitmo, and again pointed out at Jack's Newswatch - insurgent fighters do not qualify for treatment under the Geneva Conventions because they are not soldiers.

Dion's spinelessness brings back memories of a Charles Adler rant, put to video by Officially Screwed.

Labels: Afghanistan, Liberal Party, politics, Stephane Dion, Stephen Harper