On parrots

It was just last week that the Cons were reminded that patterning their message on Afghanistan after Bushco's propaganda on Iraq - in that case the language of "cut and run" - wasn't winning them any points with the Canadian public. But they've already managed to forget the advice entirely, as Gordon O'Connor's latest spin is nothing more than a clunkier version of the equally well-worn "as they stand up, we'll stand down":

During an appearance on CTV's Question Period that aired Sunday, O'Connor said those numbers are largely due to Canadians' lack of clear understanding of Canada's successes in Afghanistan, as well as the challenges faced there.

He said there is reason to believe that the situation in Afghanistan is improving, and Canada's frontline role will soon be reduced.

O'Connor said Canadian troops recently sponsored an Afghan infantry battalion, providing intense mentorship and training, and as a result the battalion is now out conducting its own operations...

"Over the next four or five months were going to be picking up four or five additional Afghan battalions to train and mentor and get them out into the field," O'Connor said.

"We're hoping by the end of this rotation that's going in now, the so called Van Doos rotation, we'll have about 3,000 Afghan army operating within the Kandahar province, and as we train more and more of the Aghan army to carry out their own operations we'll continue to withdraw, put more emphasis on training, and at some stage basically be in reserve."

If there's a bright side for Canada, it's that unlike the U.S.' equivalent message, O'Connor's seems to be paired with some recognition that the combat mission actually will end in the relatively near future.

But it still speaks volumes about the Cons that they still can't seem to come up with anything to say that hasn't already been beaten to death by their ideological soulmates to the south. And if they continue to lack any ideas of their own, it may not be long before Deceivin' Stephen's already-poor approval numbers equally track those of Bush and company.

Update: It turns out that Graham Richardson made a similar point on QP's panel discussion. Now if only he also agreed with me that the suppression of information at the Department of National Defence is worth discussing, as he didn't even bother asking O'Connor about the issue in his interview.