First of all, Mr. Bland, I would like to point out that Mr. Staples is a good friend of mine. There are many opinions on the current conflict, and there is one in particular that I would like to raise with you, to see if you share my views.
I get to the UN often. I am also a member of the NATO Parliamentary Association. The debate on gauging current action in Afghanistan is underway everywhere, not just in Canada. I imagine that you both agree that responsibility for this war rests with civilian authorities, in other words, with the elected officials who decide how it should be conducted. If elected officials see things that are not going well, it is their duty to make them known and to try to change them.
Gentlemen, I would like to know if you agree that civilian authorities have the last say in how the war is waged. Naturally, that includes this Committee on National Defence. I hope that your answer will be yes.