PMO watches the movie "Wag the Dog"?

I fear that the Conservative Government is employing "Wag the Dog" tactics, i.e. if you want to change the channel, wage a war.

The Conservative Government has sent six CF-18s to help enforce the UN sanctioned Libya no-fly zone. Mr. Harper seemed to support this very quickly. In addition, it has been reported that the Canadian Special Forces (JTF II) was also sent. Although the government doesn't comment on JTF II operational matters, they won't confirm what they will do, if in fact they are there. Presumably, if any Canadian nationals that wanted to get out, but couldn't, required rescuing, JTF II would be there. But it also raises the spectre of this group also engaging Gaddafi forces outside of that mandate, if required. They were reportedly employed in Afghanistan operations.

The Conservative Government have committed to daily briefings on operations conducted, which have the potential to crowd out Conservative scandals and a spring election from the news cycle. Especially, if a Canadian pilot or soldier is killed or captured during operations.

Another possible scenario is that if a CF-18 is shot down, or crashes, during operations, that the Conservatives would use this to justify the spending of $16B (or $22B for 20 years/$30b for 30 years, if you listen to Kevin Page, the Parliamentary Budget Officer) on purchasing the F35 fighter.

Excuse my cynicism, but the Conservative Government (as well as lot of the politicos on Parliament Hill) antics over the past couple of years have brought me to this.