Call me naive, stupid, but like all this spy talk has my blond head spinning.

Okay it was blond, old age seems to have darkened it some what, but the thing is that the Canadian Military is acknowledging that they have ‘intelligent officers‘ operating in Afghanistan, gathering intelligence. Now, I know, like that is what one would expect, so why is it such a story?

The Canadian military has had intelligence soldiers operating in Afghanistan for as long as it has been in the country, Canada’s commander in Afghanistan told CBC News on Monday.

The comments by Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson came on the same day CBC News first reported the Canadian Forces have established a special intelligence unit to gather information on overseas missions in places like Afghanistan. (source – CBC News)

Now see that all makes sense to me. I mean it would be a pretty piss poor military if  THEY DIDN’T have officers gathering intel in the region. But what the story is about, is a NEW UNIT that is being set up, at the tune of about $27 Million. Now I have to wonder, WHY?

Is it that those currently assigned the task are incompetent? Are they inept or unable to properly perform these Intel Duties, that we need a more highly trained, unit that draws from the ranks, its members? Then too, there is this whole SPYING STUFF. I mean is the stated task to gather intelligence on upcoming attacks, on insurgents or is it to find out OTHER SECRETS? I mean just what is the GOAL of this new unit?

I guess my concern, is just what is the purpose? Don’t we have CSIS for some of this, and what about those already doing this work? WHY DO WE NEED ANOTHER AGENCY? Then too, there is the question of who is supervising this? Where will the information go, who will it be shared with, and let’s be honest, is this just another means of doing what the Americans want?

DO WE NEED IT?