An article in the Toronto Star by Queen's University political scientist Hugh Thorburn suggests a coalition between the Liberals and the NDP could form a new federal government. Because the Liberals have been moving steadily to the left for years, and Liberal front-runner Michael Ignatieff says should they adopt a further left-centre stance, the two parties could fit together.

But can you imagine Jack Layton in the cabinet?!?

Mr. Layton—remember how he blackmailed Paul Martin into adding $4.5 billion to the federal budget for socialist projects in return for NDP support?—has made recent statements on Afghanistan that utterly disqualify him. Worst of all was his allegation that Canadian troops have made Afghanistan "less safe for everybody."

Mr. Layton's remarks on the Canadian mission in Afghanistan are offensive on several counts.

First because his public and blatantly political posturing gives real aid and comfort to the enemy, encouraging more forays against our troops. Remarks like these act as a "fifth column" within Canada, telling our enemies that our politicians' statements are evidence of weakening Canadian resolve. In that, his assessment qualifies Mr. Layton for a "Neville Chamberlain" award.

Mr. Layton believes—correctly, it's true—that the mere presence of kaffir (infidel) troops on Afghan soil infuriates Muslim extremists. Of course it does. They want control of the whole nation. Indeed, the whole world.

But Mr. Layton's wrong-headed conclusion is that we should therefore pull out. He calls for a "staged withdrawal"; but with no one to replace the Canadians—and those on the scene say the Canadian troops are once again "punching above their weight"—such a staged withdrawal is just a plan for turning Afghanistan back over to the Taliban.

Where is the NDP's famous concern for women's rights? Maybe it doesn't go beyond the boundaries of Toronto/Danforth; because any pullout or weakening of the UN-approved NATO coalition would simply hand Afghanistan back to the Taliban. The burqas would soon be back, and women would once again be forbidden to go to school, or appear outside their homes without the supervision of their husbands or fathers.

Afghanistan would be plunged back into the eighth century. Is that what Mr. Layton wants?

As we saw at Munich and in Lebanon, as we see in Afghanistan and the so-called 'Palestinian territories' and in Iraq, and as we will soon see in the coming confrontation with Iran - appeasement never works; it only inflames an aggressor's appetite for more and more. If Jack Layton doesn't understand that, he doesn't belong in any cabinet.

Professor Thorburn's alternative suggestion - that the Liberals should support the demand of all the smaller parties for proportional representation—is much more sensible; then, at last, party representation in Parliament would reflect the balance of opinion across the nation. And then all voices would be represented, not just the four that have voted themselves $30 million a year of taxpayers' money.