Posted on 06/21/2005 11:30:44 AM PDT by MikeEdwards
Rick Mercer who is a very funny if not liberally bent comedian in Canada
well did Rick ever change his tune towards soldiers when he did a Xmas special with Canadian soliders in Kabul and up in Petawawa [besides the fact they are just great guys, hands down] he did joke after joke about the equipment and yet it isn't funny....
one of the most moving films from the Underground Royal Commission series is the one about Canadian peacekeepers sent to Croatia in 1993, they followed the plight of one unit - these guys said they arrive in Croatia without helmets (some dispute over where to order them?), with little ammunition, old flak jackets and tanks that aren't real tanks but practice tanks, Lew Mckenzie had been promised these tanks would never see action, they were practice tanks and they said peacekeeping are you kidding me we arrive in the middle of firefight with Serbs on one side, Croats on another and Muslims on the other, and we have just a few bullets........
by the by, former General Lew McKenzie was asked by the UN to set up their "rapid deployment force" and he said thanks but no thanks the problem is, just like the Canadian army, is he couldn't just set it up in a cost effective efficient way, he has to feed the troops with wine from France and beef from Alberta and lamb from New Zealand and all kinds of stupid rules
in the field, if the UN peacekeepers needed a crucial part of a piece of equipment, the requistition had to go through 52 channels so you'd be lucky to get the part in 3 months when you needed it that day so Lew got good at being creative and find the parts locally and even paying out of one's own pocket, Lew also apparently often ignored commands from above - if Lew had been in Rwanda......
It is pathetic in its ridiculousness. Though they are starving the military, they are still paying for something they are ashamed of and refuse to use. As you and others have said, the strength of the US is also a curse. Europe, Mexico, and Canada willingly let their militaries deteriorate because they know the US will respond to any threat out of its own self interest. Japan also but they were forbidden to arm for a long time. So, basically we are protecting 60% of the world against the rest. Those countries only need enough military for ceremonies and parades. A few flag bearers ought to do it.
The irritating thing is their shame, fear, and insecurities find their outlet in bashing and opposing the U.S. at every turn. Just as the draft dodgers during the Vietnam war they try to find justification for their cowardice by finding something wrong with what they are afraid to involve themselves with. They attempt to transform themselves from cowards to brave revolutionaries. It is all a fantasy that only survives through denial.
The canadian military still uses reject hardware that
the americans used in vietnam. Namely helmets, radios
and lunch buckets.
At least they did in the 80's when I was in the army.
I've got a better one than that. One of their units (their cyberwarfare unit as it happens) bought, at great expense, four units of super-duper ultra hightect gizmo computer (I forgot the technical terms. Sue me). The company they bought it from promptly went out of business. The fourth unit was scavenged to provide repair parts for the other 3. And while they could improve basic capability by going to radio shack (I kid you not), bureaucratic standards prevents them.
And dhimmitude sounds about right. Our military are more than flag bearers. Since we frown on flag wavers here. Excess patriotism (read: ANY) is distasteful and politically incorrect. It smacks of national pride, which as we know leads to nationalism, which leads to racism. And Canada is not about that. Or so we'd like to think. Still, there are a valiant few in our military who try. And if you go by individual standards, our average soldiers outperform American soldiers in practice mode. And JTF 2 can stand proudly up with the best of any military. Problem is, American soldiers do all the real work. And there's only 150 JTF 2. And there aren't even enough of our regular soldiers to do much. We have't had a brigade level exercise in well over a decade.
For the record, quite a few Canadians are fed up with Anti-Americanism. And Bush has his highest support in any other country in America in the world right here (25% said they would vote for him). Many of us are grateful for what you do for us, even as we wish our country would let us do it for ourselves.
When push comes to shove, a hell a lot of Canadians by numbers, if not percentages, will back America. And do. Every day, even when it means censure. Quite a few Canadians here in fact. And I guarantee you the folks at Free Dominion would not idly stand by while Anti Americanist slurs were occuring around them. Nor do they pass in much of Alberta, and rural BC, and most of Ontario north of Toronto (and excluding Ottawa).
By the by, Canadians of any sorts never see themselves as revolutionaries though. Left or right, it's just not in the national self image.
That's fascinating. Can you tell us a bit more about that?
Do you folks think there is any hope for the Canadian military? Or will it just continue to fade away until there's is truly nothing left?
What do you think actually can be done about it?
The Americans should take over the entire military. The federal gov't could outsource defense to them.
Ewwwww. Still, it's half happened already, to be fair. Sad. Do ou think anything can be done to change that?
I posted this earlier on another thread. I thought it was also relevant here. It is a good example of why "Canada, the Nation" is in big trouble.The Canadian Liberal Party decided long ago that Canada is a brand to be marketed, like Coke. The Canadian Flag is treated like a logo.
Here is what The Canadian Ambassador to the USA said recently...
One aspect of this agenda is to sharpen the Canadian brand in the United States. I repeat they don’t know us very well. They like us but they really don’t know us. So I’m doing outreach visits to cities all across the United States and that supplements the work of all of our consulates and our honorary councils across the United States and we want to go even further than though and develop a well thought out, well executed branding exercise that will sharpen the focus of the Canadian brand in the United States of America.
That's an excellent point. We even have propaganda/'advertisements' for Canada here. On every channel. Multiculturalism stuff mainly, but also 'heritage moments', mainly about how we developed our state-run health care and education and other social programs.
I never thought of it like a brand, and the Liberal Party as a company's board of directors. But, when I think about it, I realize it is...More than any other country in the world even.
They exemplify all that Sheila Copps and those who follow her stand for. Stupidity. I think Mark Steyn said Sheila would have to take off her pantyhose to count to 12. The Liberals deny and rewrite Canadian history to suit themselves.
RE: "Canada, the Brand", the problem with branding the country is how hard is it to switch from one brand to another? Not very.
I hear you. Plus, everyone champions their own flavour. SO there's noone flavour that is Canadian. Which kinda defeats the purpose of unity.
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