[eastbay]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/0 ... index.html

The six soldiers killed in a roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan are Canadians, Canadian Forces have confirm.


How much longer will you allow yourselves to serve as a water-boy for the pointless US military occupations??

The only gain from this insanity is the largest opium crop in Afghanistan's history. Why would you collaberate with the US in creating more and more meaningless poison and death. It makes no sense whatsoever. Do the right thing and stop your support for the senseless killing.

[Plantagenet]

The six soldiers killed in a roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan are Canadians, Canadian Forces have confirm [sic].


How much longer will you allow yourselves to [s]serve as a water-boy for the pointless US military occupations??[/s] fulfill your obligations under the NATO treaty.

The only gain from this [s]insanity[/s] service is [s]the largest opium crop in Afghanistan's history[/s] meeting your obligation as a rich democratic country. [s]Why would you collaberate with the US in creating more and more meaningless poison and death. It makes no sense whatsoever.[/s]
Do the right thing and [s]stop your support for the senseless killing[/s]. help the democratic government in Afghanistan stand up against the Taliban and Al Qaida Islamofascists.

[eastbay]

The US backed 'democratic' government of Afghanistan has governmental authority that reaches out about one city block from the ARG ( which is about the same distance as the reach of the 'democratic' Najibullah government ) plus maybe 100 meters from an unexploded US military vehicle. National revenue is about 100% derived from US tax money.

And Canada has signed on for this madness. I thought Canadians were smarte than this, but they too fell for the anti-terror nonsense. And now they're stuck in this quagmire too. Maybe if enough public pressure hit Ottawa, then common sense would prevail and the Canadian military presence in Afghanistan could end.

[strider3700]

We usually do what we say we will. We signed on until 2009 and I believe we should stay until then. The push for an extension is what pisses me off. come 2009 take a look around if our presence isn't helping then bring them home.

I do disagree with our playing by international rules and respecting neighbouring borders while no one else does. Pakistan should have been rolled into this fight ages ago. Giving the enemy an easily accessible safe location to run to is stupid. Hell I bet a quick call to India saying Pakistan is going to be listed as an enemy do you want a piece or not would get us a hole bunch of new troops to help out.

Yeah the nukes would be bad but they're going to fly one day so why not today?

[eastbay]

The Spaniards usually do what they say they will do too, but they saw the stupidity of these military occupations and part way threw in the towel. Your country could easily do the same by truthfully stating you were duped and that helping babysit a meaningless US military occupation was not what we signed on for.

The situation changed. So change your situation.

[Patton]

There are many of us who are awake, and who disagree strenuously with the Conservative "Government"'s policy regarding Afghanistan.

Many Canadians (a majority) still believe that Canada's international role should be as peacekeepers rather than warmakers.

Unfortunately we cannot immediately reverse current policy - we have to kick Harper out first!

[Kickinthegob]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', 'A')nd Canada has signed on for this madness.

[strider3700]

You have to remember we went to war before Harper and the conservatives where elected. The Liberals decided we should head over there. Harper was the only one arguing that we should be staying over there although I haven't heard much out of the conservatives lately.

Hell I'd happily vote for any party other then the conservatives if they would support a right for legal firearm owners. Every party but the conservatives are attacking firearms so I vote conservative now

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kickinthegob', '
')Some of the headlines say 'NATO' soldiers were killed, so I guess in true doublespeak they were not really Canadians.

[gampy]

Well, right or wrong, we are there and are stuck indefinitely.

I hope the NATO people have some kind of idea on how to leave that failed state without too much grief. Right now, it's easier to stay there than leave. We will be there for many a year, beyond 2009, trust me.

As long as there are only a few Canadians killed at any given time, and no major disasters or massacres, the Canadian public will not force the government to pull out.

Can you say quagmire?

Man...look at the Americans and Iraq. It will take an awful lot to get this ship to turn.

And yes, it was that imbecile Chretien who signed us on to this folly. Nation building never works unless you are willing to kick some serious ass. But we are not the Huns, or Nazi's.

Democracies, as a rule, are not built for conquest. Well, the Americans are not really a democracy, and neither are we, but our respective populations would never tolerate the bloodbath necessary to reshape that country into something resembling a nation state.

Same goes for Iraq. No one wants to see entire towns leveled or people massacred. (well thta happened in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it was with precision guided missiles and stand off weapons.)

So we hem and haw, and the warlords continue to do what they have always done. The only reason the Taliban were in power is because they were more ruthless than the local fiefdoms. That country will never become anything even remotely resembling a western nation. Never. So why do we try? That sounds callous, and all, but geez man! Some things you just can't change, Why stress over it?

[deMolay]

Patton one small issue it was the LIBERALS who put the troops in Afghanistan. Harper inherited their decision. I say bring them home and sell the Crazy Moslem Nutbars guns and ammo to use on each other. They are all insane anyway and have been for 1000 years. They make Charlie Manson look like a Cherub.

[kabu]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gampy', 'T')he only reason the Taliban were in power is because they were more ruthless than the local fiefdoms. That country will never become anything even remotely resembling a western nation. Never. So why do we try? That sounds callous, and all, but geez man! Some things you just can't change, Why stress over it?

[I_Like_Plants]

Aww come on you Canucks like being our biyotches.... (gives you a noogie) hehe

[Plantagenet]

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

[eastbay]

Canada went to Afghanistan as an ally with the US in retailiation for the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Dude, that was almost six years ago. I understand a quick trouncing may have been in order after they allowed a few of the wild guys to set up camp in their country.

However, to morph that into an endless military occupation cannot be morally justified. It's just plain old crazy to get sucked into serving year after year as a water-boy for the rampaging elephant to your south. In fact, it's embarassing.

[Plantagenet]

These were the men out there that night,
When Hell loomed close ahead;
Who saw that pitiful, hideous rout,
And breathed those gases dread;
While some went under and some went mad;
But never a man there fled.

For the word was "Canada," theirs to fight,
And keep on fighting still; --
Britain said, fight, and fight they would,
Though the Devil himself in sulphurous mood
Came over that hideous hill.

Yea, stubborn, they stood, that hero band,
Where no soul hoped to live;
For five, 'gainst eighty thousand men,
Were hopeless odds to give.

Yea, fought they on! 'Twas Friday eve,
When the demon gas drove down;
'Twas Saturday eve that saw them still
Grimly holding their own;

Sunday, Monday, saw them yet,
A steadily lessening band,
With "no surrender" in their hearts,
But the dream of a far-off land,

Where mother and sister and love would weep
For the hushed heart lying still; --
But never a thought but to do their part,
And work the Empire's will.

Ringed round, hemmed in, and back to back,
They fought there under the dark,
And won for Empire, God and Right,
At grim, red Langemarck.

Wonderful battles have shaken this world,
Since the Dawn-God overthrew Dis;
Wonderful struggles of right against wrong,
Sung in the rhymes of the world's great song,
But never a greater than this.

Bannockburn, Inkerman, Balaclava,
Marathon's godlike stand;
But never a more heroic deed,
And never a greater warrior breed,
In any war-man's land.

This is the ballad of Langemarck,
A story of glory and might;
Of the vast Hun horde, and Canada's part
In the great, grim fight.

[kabu]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SpringCreekFarm', 'L')et's not forget how we got there. Canada went to Afghanistan as an ally with the US in retailiation for the attacks on the World Trade Center. It's as simple as that and is justified because it was solidly determined that that was where the enemy lay. We are still there because the quagmire in Iraq has been the distraction for the "coalition" and the job is not done in Afghanistan. It may never be.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kabu', ' ')Did the Taliban attack the World Trade Center, or were they just "harbouring" a suspect that they had no reason to extradite until the widely established norms for extradition had been satisfied?

[Plantagenet]

A silent thank-you:

Have you ever wondered why, soldiers are overwhelmed with grief
on this day, when they proudly, salute the maple leaf
why it seems, they leave this place, to lands far away
at the sound of the bugle, on Remembrance day

They're remebering a time, when the world was a different place
when wars were fought on a bigger scale,hand to hand, face to face
where victories were defined, by the amount of feet you gained
and body counts didn't matter, nor did if your friend was slain

They're remembering the battles, fought for thier homeland
and of comrades lost, on the beaches, and field of a foriegn land
and of the crosses that mark thier place, row by costly row
just so the world could be free, of a common foe

They don't ask for a thank-you on this day to remember them
nor do they ask you to go see, the place of their fallen friend
They will not ask for anything, and they bought us our peace
They put and end to war, so we could be free

So now you might understand, a little more about the soldiers tears
when he stands and see's the flag, while were gathered here,
and although we may take forgranted, the peace bought with thier youth
for a few moments that it might take, please pause to say "Thank-you"



--Dan Gray

[kabu]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kabu', ' ')Did the Taliban attack the World Trade Center, or were they just "harbouring" a suspect that they had no reason to extradite until the widely established norms for extradition had been satisfied?