They are not “shutting down” they military-—it is an “operational break” after 2011—obviously they entire army is not going on leave to some tropical paradise at the same time. Leslie was just trying to warn the government that our army should not immediately be sent to another far off war torn country (Darfur, for example)upon exiting Afghanistan.
I am also fully aware of what past governments did to our military, and the Canadian public’s indifference to such—and believe me, it has taken me years to begin to forgive my fellow Canadians for that. My better half has been in for 23 years—was in the artillery airborne—if you were around during that time, you may remember them—they no longer exist—my better half is, though, still in the military, and did a combat tour of Afghanistan last year, and will soon be preparing for another. We have many friends who have been to, or are currently in, or going to, Afghanistan.
It is bad enough the way my fellow Canadians treated my husband and our friends, and countless other service members throughout the years without getting absolutely ridiculed and disrespected by those whose aid we came to in the first place.
I have spent the last seven years defending, to fellow Canadians, our participation in this war, and our need to live up to our NATO and international commitments, even though it has meant much pain and heartache for me personally—and the video in question makes me wonder why I bothered.
If you read my posts regarding France and Canada I defend the soldiers and mock the countries.
I defend the soldiers so much that I became a member of the Canadian Airborne Forces Association as an ally paratrooper, to show solidarity when your nation was disbanding the Airborne Regiment, your husband should appreciate that.
I defend the French soldier so much that twice I lived with and trained with their Special Forces.
With my French and Canadian GIs we have all mocked their weak, liberal nations and the disdain that their countries show their few ballsy men that serve in the military, it is kind of a conservative guy thing.