Via Macleans' Paul Wells, a CPAC hosted debate/discussion on Afghanistan. Participating:

• Chris Alexander, former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan
• Andrew Coyne, national editor, Macleans
• Mercedes Stephenson, military analyst
• Scott Taylor, editor, Esprit de Corps
• Paul Wells, senior columnist, Macleans

I find more apparent truthiness in what former soldier Scott Taylor has to say about the situation than what Chris Alexander, a hawkish former ambassador to the country, now the Conservative candidate for Ajax-Pickering, has to say.

When Alexander continually presses his point that "overwhelming force" is the only sure way to victory, Taylor pushes back and reminds us that western forces already present an overwhelming force against the insurgency today as measured in any dimension whether it be force numbers, technological superiority, training, equipment, or funding. And it's not working.

We failed Afghanistan early on in our involvement. When we entered the country the Taliban had already fled and there was at that time no real insurgency. We didn't prepare the country to stand on its own, and we didn't leave then when we most easily could. Damningly, we allowed our involvement in what was essentially a police action to track down Bin Laden turn into an a full-fledged war of occupation that will stretch out for many years to come.

Well over an hour, worth listening to even if only to see what policy makers you may disagree with are thinking...