What keeps Retired Gen. Wayne Eyre up at night?
Summary
Retired General Wayne Eyre discusses his memoir, *Into the Breach*, reflecting on his 40-year career, including the Afghanistan mission and the chaotic 2021 evacuation. He addresses the Canadian Armed Forces' ongoing sexual misconduct crisis, emphasizing the need for external oversight and cultural reform while retaining core values of service. Eyre also critiques past strategic indecision regarding defense spending and warns of the risks of great power conflict in a shifting global order.
Topics discussed
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Intro: General Wayne Eyre's nomination and new memoir
Early life and motivations for joining the military
Recruit training and early career experiences
Evolution of military roles from peacekeeping to combat
Debunking the Canadian 'nation of peacekeepers' myth
Reflections on the Afghanistan mission and troop performance
The burden of command: notifying families of deaths
Managing troops and the reality of friendly casualties
The 2021 Afghanistan evacuation and Taliban takeover
Communication challenges during the election and crisis
Addressing the narrative of abandoning Afghan allies
Was the intervention worth it? Lessons from Ukraine
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Acknowledging past obliviousness to sexual misconduct
Trust issues and external reviews (Louise Arbour)
Defining necessary culture change vs. retaining core values
Rebutting the 'woke vs. warrior' dichotomy
Military funding, readiness, and political decision-making
Trust in the US alliance and national autonomy
Conscription, natural disasters, and military roles
Global threats, great power war, and closing remarks
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