Put up or shut up

So Canada is going to lead an international team of election monitors to oversee the Iraqi elections... from Jordan. According to Canada's top election official, this is how things should be done:

“Even though there is value to electoral observation in the visual sense of visiting polls and so on . . . I've always said if I had my druthers I'd rather be doing this type of thing.”

Oh, so I take it you'll be overseeing the next Canadian election from Buffalo? (and am I really supposed to listen to a man who wants to have his druthers?) Don't pretend that you think this is the better way. This is a crappy compromise because nobody wants to go to Iraq. I appreciate the fact that it is very dangerous there right now. However, I do think that if Iraqi democracy is going to have a chance at succeeding, the world needs to play its part.

I hope that the Canadian government doesn't think that this is part of its new specially positioned role in the world that Paul keeps going on about. Because if this is it, it isn't looking so hot. Being involved in the world is going to take some risks. You can't just offer opinions from a safe distance and expect to gain any respect.