A Department of National Defence briefing on Canada’s role in Iraq yesterday was almost comically short on fresh facts.
Despite the reticence of military communicators to actually reveal much of anything about our participation in Operation Impact, a large truth emerged out of the flannel-mouthing and evading. Whatever else it may be, war is mystifyingly complex and paradoxically cooperative.
We are accustomed to thinking of battle as something that ultimately falls to the lone hero charging madly through mud and blood to save friends, allies, homeland. We are bathed in that belief by Hollywood liturgy, though almost as much by the way medals of valour are presented for brave deeds done under fire.
