Posted on 04/11/2009 9:08:53 PM PDT by adanaC
Canadian warship thwarts pirates again
For the second time in a week, a Canadian warship has helped fend off a potential attack from pirates off the coast of Somalia.
The HMCS Winnipeg — which is taking part in the NATO-led counter-piracy mission known as Operation Allied Protector — and a Spanish ship responded Friday night after a civilian vessel sent out a distress call following an apparent pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden.
(Excerpt) Read more at canada.com ...
...despite the relatively modest size of their military, the Canadians do twice the amount of good in the world as all continental Europe combined.
Unfortunately a fair number of these pirates need to die to provide a societal memory to avoid this behavior for a couple of generations.
Good for Canada - apparently they and the French Navy are not impeded by the “stand down” orders issued by obama
The Canadians thwarted the pirates??? Are you sure they didn’t hockey the pirates or cut wood the pirates? Maybe they complained about the United States the pirates. Or maybe they gave the pirates mediocre socialized medicine.
Zero continues to screw the pooch on this deal.......
I used to talk with a conservative Canadian several years ago. He was not happy with the direction his country was headed, but he had the opinion that Canadians and Canadian troops received too little recognition for what they do. Maybe this story is an example of what he was talking about.
Amen!
Rock On Canada!
Other than Americans, obviously, more Canadians have died in Afghanistan than soldiers from any other country. The Germans, French, etc., useless. The Canadians deserve our respect and appreciation. They are there because WE were attacked on 9/11. They honor our alliance and our friendship...that can’t be said of most of our other ‘allies.’
crickets
I am glad Canada can do what we “seem” unable to do.
Zero is as zero does.
Well, c’mon.....At least he’s finally decided that his girls should have a water dog from Ted Kennedy.
I’m sure that was a gut-wrenching decision for the leader of the free world......
They are there because Article 5 of the NATO Charter was invoked for the first time in its history. More soldiers from the UK [152] have died in Afghanistan than Canada [116]. The US has lost 677.
Canada didn't not help us in Iraq.
I love the USA, but your media does tend to focus on it’s own belly button too much. The rest of the world quietly go about our business.
Are you aware that French commandos have carried out a helicopter raid against a group of Somali pirates soon after they released 30 hostages from a luxury French yacht?
The 850-tonne boat and its 30 crew were seized in the Gulf of Aden last Friday.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7342292.stm
The US media doesn’t report on any of these incidents though.
Some NATO countries have not sent combat troops. Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States are supplying the combat troops. Non-NATO member Australia is the other country supplying combat troops. There are about 2500 Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
As for Iraq...many countries didn't believe in the cause, or the intelligence, and Canada was not under any NATO obligation to intervene. I regret that they weren't with us...but then you can blame that miserable Jean Chretien. Steven Harper's conservatives wanted to participate in Iraqi Freedom.
Whatever the reason, Canada didn't join us in Iraq. The UK, Spain, Italy, and others were under no obligation to join us, but they did. Canada didn't join us in Vietnam either.
Canada's military has become a joke with just 50,000 personnel on active duty. Canada spends about 1% of its GDP on defense. And Afghanistan has weaked the military so much that the army must take a year off.
I am in no way diminishing the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, but Canada is not pulling its weight as a member of NATO generally and has allowed its military to wither and almost die. It is far easier to have the Americans shoulder the burden, both in blood and treasure.
Thank you. Most Canadians and Americans are cut from the same cloth. Love you guys even if you do pound your drums a little loud sometimes. That’s what makes ya great. :)
And on so many other deals.
The Shaming of America
No dispute there...it's always the U.S., U.K. and Canada. I give credit to Denmark and the Netherlands...but these are tiny countries and you know exactly who I'm referring to. NATO is a joke.
"Whatever the reason, Canada didn't join us in Iraq. The UK, Spain, Italy, and others were under no obligation to join us, but they did. Canada didn't join us in Vietnam either."
Yes, and every country you mention had conservative leaders at the time with the exception of the U.K. Leadership matters - countries don't take plebecites on whether they go to war. The Left is the Left everywhere. The U.K. didn't join us in Vietnam either though, so please, if you're going to hold that against Canada, than piss on the U.K. too huh? Of course we didn't help the U.K. in the Suez Crisis or in the Falklands...
"Canada's military has become a joke with just 50,000 personnel on active duty. Canada spends about 1% of its GDP on defense. And Afghanistan has weaked the military so much that the army must take a year off."
Canada shares a border with two NATO allies - Denmark, and the U.S., the world's only superpower...do you blame them for finding other spending priorities? Especially in light of having a population of just over 33 million people, about the same as California. If Canada with 33 million people, and 50,000 on active duty, spending 1% of GDP on their military is pathetic, then I assume you would make the same argument about the U.K., with a population of 66 million, with just 180,000 active duty, spending 2.4% of GDP...and you could make the same argumnet about the U.S. using similar raw data...numbers don't tell the whole story. Especially when you consider that Canada has suffered the 3rd highest combat deaths in Afghanistan. They are more than pulling their own weight there.
"The military may need a one-year break from operations starting July 2011 when the Afghanistan mission winds down, the head of Canada's army said Monday. Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie told the Senate defence committee Monday that the Canadian Forces have been strained by the mission that began seven years ago and need time to regroup."
The U.K. has taken a similar break by pulling almost completely out of Iraq. Smaller countries need breaks...and I'll bet our troops could use one too. France has taken a break since 1815.
"I am in no way diminishing the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, but Canada is not pulling its weight as a member of NATO generally and has allowed its military to wither and almost die. It is far easier to have the Americans shoulder the burden, both in blood and treasure."
No, referring to their military as a 'joke' and claiming that they're not pulling their weight...particulalry as members of NATO (despite being 3rd on the combat death list in Afghanistan) is no diminshment!
canadian population = 32 million approx.
USA = 300 million
USA economy probably well over 100x that of Canada
remove (ah) quebec from the picture... not much left, people that is:)
Well stated! Plus the fact Canada has a conservative Prime Minister.
Wouldn't it be interesting if one msm outlet would bring up why teddy is nicknamed "the swimmer"?
Oh, give it a rest
Everyone here knows about their socialized medicine, extreme taxes and inflation that many years of socialist rule has wrought, but they now have a conservative leader to lead them out of the abyss, while a majority of our citizens voted to jump in.
Beating them up on successful news of thwarting pirates while our POS leaders screw the pooch in the same arena with an infinately larger and more capable force is, well, extremely poor form.
Have a Happy Easter.
I await the story linking the pirates with American guns.
The only problem with the Canadian military is there isn’t enough of them!
Canada also took in our planes full of people on 9/11. There was no telling who was on the planes at the time. They treated our people like family.
Maybe the Canadians can do what Herr Hussein cannot bring himself to do - save our ship captain!
not much good is it just intercepting them by rolling a banner satying stop
all this means is that the pirates move on to another ship to rob
placing a banner saying stop is hardly doing much is it.
The pirates waved to the helicopter and then went away to find another ship.
not much good is it
the UK has lost more soldiers than Canada in Afghanistan and Canada refuses and has refused to help us in Iraq.
The UK is by far the best ally we have,They have been in helmund province for year and by far the worst place there. though I am thankful for at least Canada helping along with other countries in Afghanistan
Maybe the Canadians can rescue our hostage as US forces are stymied from doing so by Obama.
The US spends more on defense than the rest of NATO combined. The US forces are so far advanced from the rest that there are real questions of interoperability among members. And the US provides most of the logistics in Afghanistan. Canada's contributions are welcome but small.
Yes, and every country you mention had conservative leaders at the time with the exception of the U.K.
In Europe, conservative is a relative term. The people of the UK didn't support their presence in Iraq, but Blair had the courage to do it anyway.
The U.K. didn't join us in Vietnam either though, so please, if you're going to hold that against Canada, than piss on the U.K. too huh?
The point is that Canada has not been as loyal an allie as you make them out to be. After the Korean War, they have done very little with us militarily when it comes to real combat. The Australians have been far better in that regard.
Of course we didn't help the U.K. in the Suez Crisis or in the Falklands...
I suggest you read the history of the Falklands war and see what assistance the US provided. And don't get me started about what the US did for Europe during and after WWII. We have provided the security umbrella for Europe for almost 65 years and the Marshall Plan was essential to their recovery and economic resurgence.
Especially in light of having a population of just over 33 million people, about the same as California. If Canada with 33 million people, and 50,000 on active duty, spending 1% of GDP on their military is pathetic, then I assume you would make the same argument about the U.K.,with a population of 66 million, with just 180,000 active duty, spending 2.4% of GDP
First, let's talk about Canada and not be diverted by the UK, which I will address later. The Canadian forces are today funded by approximately $19 billion annually, and are presently ranked 46th in size compared to the world's other armed forces, and 55th in terms of active personnel, standing at a population of roughly 65,000, not including the 26,000 reservists. Its 1.1% of GDP spent on defense ranks 132nd in the world.
The UK has been in decline militarily and will continue to do so as it can no longer afford guns and butter. The British Empire has slowly receded as the UK made some hard choices, e.g., no forces East of Suez. The welfare state consumes more and more resources. As long as the US picks up most of the tab, the Europeans can luxuriate in their lifestyle and be critical of the US. Now that Obama is in charge, they can have the best of both worlds. They can control and direct what the US does, while we continue to pay the costs.
do you blame them for finding other spending priorities?
LOL. Of course I do. Why should the US taxpayer pay disproportionately for Canada's defense. Not to worry, the US is going to have to spend less on defense because we can't afford to be the world's lone superpower any longer. The huge, crushing national debt and rising entitlement costs will force us to choose butter over guns, just as it did in Europe and Canada.
Especially when you consider that Canada has suffered the 3rd highest combat deaths in Afghanistan. They are more than pulling their own weight there.
Canada is doing its duty in Afghanistan. You can use all of the data you want, but it is the US who is bearing the overwhelming burden in terms of costs and lives. How many Canadians credit the US for defending them since WWII? Certainly not those who boo our national anthem at the Special Olympics or at hockey games.
The U.K. has taken a similar break by pulling almost completely out of Iraq. Smaller countries need breaks...and I'll bet our troops could use one too. France has taken a break since 1815.
There you go again, changing the subject and attacking the UK and France. The US cannot afford to take a break and it seems ludicrous to me that the head of Canada's army suggests that they need a year off from operational duties. When has the UK or France made such a ridiculous statement?
No, referring to their military as a 'joke' and claiming that they're not pulling their weight...particulalry as members of NATO (despite being 3rd on the combat death list in Afghanistan) is no diminshment!
I can separate the individual sacrifice from national policy. Canda's rank as 132nd in the world in its expenditures on national defense as a percentage of GDP speaks for itself. It is a joke, but it is on the US taxpayer. I guess we indirectly subsidize the Canadian health system, i.s., less money on defense means more money for the social welfare system.
Comparisons of the Butcher's Bill are invidious.
But as you have chosen to do so, bear in mind that Canada has half the population of Great Britain and one tenth the population of the US, so we are paying a Butcher's bBill disproportionate to our population.
The World Trade Center was attacked on September 9, 2001. Immediately following that attack, and before Canada was asked to do so, Canada uilaterally and without being asked, detached naval assets from NATO and sent them to the Gulf to work with US naval forces. This was before the Brits deployed naval assets.
By December 2001, Canadian JTF2 (special forces) bricks were in Afghanistan. By February 2002 Canadian regular forces were in Afghanistan.
Two of the hottest provinces in Afghanistan are Helmand where the Brits are deployed and Kandahar where the Canadians are.
Rumsfield wanted Canada in Afghanistan to enable him to deplloy additional forces to Iraq. We were already there and he felt that we would be best used there.
Notwithstanding posturing by our then Liberal prime minister, Canadian officers attached to US units were left in place even when the units were sent to Iraq. This included line officers in charge of line combat forces while drawing Canadian pay and allowances.
“”Stand Down Orders” issued by ZERO HUSSEIN!”
or better stated:
“Protect ALL MUSLIM TERRORISTS ORDERS” issued by ZERO HUSSEIN!
ZERO’S RESPONSE....
FLEAS Chattering
Oh! and Rahm Emanuel’s Dead Putrid Fish:-(
Which is why such comparisons are nonsense. The Canadians are the ones who like to trot out per capita losses in Afghanistan to demonstrate that they are doing more than their fair share. The reality is that Canada is not pulling its weight on defense spending and its 65,000 strong force is pitifully small even when comparing it to the US on the basis of population. The US is about ten times larger than Canada, but our defense spending is much more than Canada's $19 billion, i.e., about $700 billion.
The World Trade Center was attacked on September 9, 2001. Immediately following that attack, and before Canada was asked to do so, Canada uilaterally and without being asked, detached naval assets from NATO and sent them to the Gulf to work with US naval forces. This was before the Brits deployed naval assets.
How big is Canada's navy? What assets were sent to the Gulf? And why the constant comparison to the UK? Geographically, it is certainly easier for Canada to respond.
Notwithstanding posturing by our then Liberal prime minister, Canadian officers attached to US units were left in place even when the units were sent to Iraq. This included line officers in charge of line combat forces while drawing Canadian pay and allowances.
LOL. And how many of those were involved in Iraq on the ground?
Did they hold up another "stop" sign to the pirates?
Yes, we are aware of the rescue by the French. Yes, we are aware of the frickin' news media's bias for all things communist. Yes, we know everything you are saying and much more. If you have been on FR very long(and your sign up date says you are a member since 1999)you should know that. The MSM is the enemy of the conservatives of America and is the media arm of the dimwit party.
You are welcome and you might see a modestly bigger Canadian military in the future, if Harper stays in power.
Your post makes no sense. Neither do any of your other posts. Did you ever finish grade 8?
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