Progressive Bloggers // Blogues progressistes

Just spent a day making a spread sheet of the new NDP caucus, with emphasis on the 58 (out of 75 possible) people elected from Quebec. What an interesting bunch of people! In addition to the young people elected from Quebec–of which there’s been a gr…

Shortly after the 2008 election, Stephen Harper caught everyone off guard with his plan to kill the per-vote subsidy political parties get. The backlash was intense, and this was seen as part of Stephen Harper’s Machiavellian plan to kill the Liberals….

Plenty of talk about where the Liberals need to move, left or right, the center, when really it should be about standing for things we believe in and letting the spectrum take care of itself. Truth is, people don’t fit into neat little boxes, part of t…

In case you haven’t seen it yet on the Argosy’s website, this year’s Convocation issue is now available in pdf format:
Argosy Convocation Issue May 12, 2011

“As three of the SEALs reached the top of the steps on the third floor, they saw bin Laden standing at the end of the hall. The Americans recognized him instantly, the officials said.

Bin Laden also saw them, dimly outlined in the dark house, and ducked into his room.

The three SEALs assumed he was going for a weapon, and one by one they rushed after him through the door, one official described.

Two women were in front of bin Laden, yelling and trying to protect him, two officials said. The first SEAL grabbed the two women and shoved them away, fearing they might be wearing suicide bomb vests, they said.

The SEAL behind him opened fire at bin Laden, putting one bullet in his chest, and one in his head.

It was over in a matter of seconds”

“As the SEALs began photographing the body for identification, the raiders found an AK-47 rifle and a Russian-made Makarov pistol on a shelf by the door they’d just run through. Bin Laden hadn’t touched them.”

Navy Times – Sources: Raiders knew mission a one-shot deal

—-

Read the whole story – it is very interesting. The element that interests me the most (after the fact that Bin Laden is dead – a blessing for the world in my opinion) is the difference that a few degrees of temperature made in the outcome of the mission. That what a person would assume is a small factor loomed large over success or failure – and the lives of the soldiers who undertook the raid.

“As three of the SEALs reached the top of the steps on the third floor, they saw bin Laden standing at the end of the hall. The Americans recognized him instantly, the officials said. Bin Laden also saw them, dimly outlined in the dark house, and ducked into his room.

Lawrence Martin sees difficult times ahead for the NDP. He writes that, even with their considerable numbers and their beach head in Quebec, the left has dreams, Harper has the cards. The evidence is compelling:Just like the Liberals, the New Democra…