I am in Ottawa today interviewing a variety of folks related to Afghanistan--a former RoCK (Representative of Canada in Kandahar), Public Safety folks (who sent police and other types to Afghanistan to mentor), a Senator (to ponder security clearances and oversight), and an NGO that trains and send folks to train Afghans.
The scheduling gods altered my plans so that my morning got freer after a breakfast meeting so I had time go to the Canadian War Museum. Note: War museum, not a museum of military history. It was very interesting--I learned a great deal about the early days plus additional information about the WWI/WWII experiences. I will be posting pics later, so that I can show a relatively unique exhibition--a hall of tanks, guns and vehicles. It also contained some stuff dug up in the 80's when a German informed the Canadians that Germany had dropped a few guys off in a remote part of Eastern Canada to observe the weather during WWII. It was unclear if they had been detected at all, but seems that they were not. The only notable part of the museum is that Afghanistan has not made an appearance, at least as far as I could tell. Herds of school kids may have blocked whatever A-stan stuff I might have seen, but still pretty strange to see almost nothing on the most violent hunk of war Canada has had since WWII. Much more space for Cyprus--which was a more violent and longer-lasting peace operation than I had thought. The museum is definitely worth a visit.
After today, I have one more trip to Ottawa planned but will add more if I can get more folks to agree to talk to me. Next time, I will be able to drive my brand new ... car!! We pick it up tonight.
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