McKenna's appointment as Ambassador to the US....

[Spazito]

doesn't seem like good news, imo.

"Some critics have questioned his links with a controversial Washington D.C.-based investment firm, The Carlyle Group.

The group's multimillion-dollar investors have included members of the family of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. It owns companies that make equipment for the American military, and has hired high-profile former politicians including former U.S. president George H.W. Bush and former U.S. secretary of state James Baker."

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/01/14/mckenna-announce050114.html

Given that MDS is an upcoming critical decision by government, his cozy association with the Carlyle Group doesn't bode well.

[Feathered Fish]

1. I am not impressed with Mr. Mckenna

Even though he was the death of Meech Lake, he is shady. Heard a radio interview with him a few days ago, and he was talking about Missle Defense like it was a great and wonderful thing for Canada. What the hell?

[Spazito]

2. Yep, I heard his waffling when questioned on MDS too...

and it certainly didn't sit well with me. He shouldn't take part in ANY discussions on MDS because he has, at the very least, an appearance of conflict of interest given his having sat on the board of the Carlyle Group.

[Feathered Fish]

5. HMmm

My mistake. Clyde Wells was the death of Meech Lake. oops.

[hermetic]

3. When the MDS discussion comes up

perhaps you will remind your leaders of this: (from Jim Hightower) In December there was another test of this boondoggle. The scheme is that the military industry can build a whiz-bang technological wonder that will allow a U.S. missile to be fired at an incoming enemy missile and shoot it out of the air. So far, the Pentagon has shoveled $80 billion into this smoke-and-mirrors stunt, with another $50 billion to be thrown at it in the next five years.

I say "smoke-and-mirrors," because it doesn't work – and nearly all independent experts say it won't ever work, and isn't even needed.

Indeed, the Pentagon even rigged its previous tests – including putting beacons on the target missile so their Star Wars missile can find it easily – yet, it still didn't hit the target. The latest test was especially embarrassing. Instead of merely missing the target this one couldn't even get off the ground. Pentagon chief Rumsfeld, however, is undeterred, saying that critics who claim that his pet project doesn't work are misguided, because "what the definition of 'work' is, is terribly important."

Well Rumsfeld, try this small dose of reality: The system is so flawed that it cannot be fired if the weather is bad! Excuse my skepticism, but it's at least possible that an enemy might not wait for a perfectly clear, calm day to take a shot at us.

The only thing that the Bushites' highly touted missile defense system can be counted on to hit is the federal budget. But they don't care, for its all being deficit financed, paid in IOUs that our grandchildren will have to pay – long after the Bushites are gone and their Star Wars scam has been assigned to the scrap heap of ridiculous waste.

[Hand]

4. BIG red flag!

McKenna: "Am I cozy with folks? I'm afraid I'm not."

Never mind that it's total BS; note the odd and inappropriate use of the word "folks". That's classic ChimpSpeak, as in "We'll find the folks responsible for the WTC attack" or "Kim Jong-Il starves his folks," etc. Chimpy was taught that usage by Karen Hughes to make him look more folksy, and of course is so insane that he doesn't know when not to use it.

Q: Where'd McKenna pick up the habit? From whom????

:grr:

Other big red flag, of course: He's from New Brunswick (Province of Swine).

:evilgrin: