TravellingTimeMachineSalesman

[ Bush has been in power for six years. Why hasn't he gone back to Somalia to finish the job? Why doesn't he go to Sudan? He called it a genocide. Where is he? Thats because most of the US forces are over in Iraq fighting where they should ever have been sent in the first place! Once again Americans are being sent to fight and die in a war that the US government have no real plan or intention of winning.

The Somalia debacle can clearly be attributed to the West's inability to "stay the course" in a crisis or hotspot. Former US President Bill Clinton has to one of the worst leaders America has ever had! Why did he abruptly abandon Somalia when there were people that supported us and were willing to help? The battle in Mogadishu that killed 18 US Army Ramgers and "Delta Force" personnel was no reason to cut and run, we should have "hung in there" and fought on and won the peace. No wonder Bin Laden and his disciples are still in business they see us for what we really are-------weak and indecisive!!!

Yes! However what he said before "Little Big Horn" has far and wide implication for Canada's mission to Afghanistan. We need to win the war against the Taliban and get our service personnel safely home!This will mean having to escalate the war and aggressively go after the Taliban along the Pakistan border. What we don't need is a Vietnam type quagmire thats costing lives. Now is there anything wrong with that?

More "boots on the ground", nix the Leopard tanks, and give the forces in Afghanistan "Griffens" or "Bell UH-1"s to ferry in "hunter and killer" teams who would seek out and destroy the Taliban along the Pakistan Border or whereever they are. General Armstrong Custer said it right, "Lets win the war,a nd get the hell out"!!

Did anyone mention the 24 Pakistani soldiers who were ambushed and mutilated by the Somali gunmen? Hey folks, these were Muslims who were killed and their remains desecrated in the worst way by other Muslims. Then there were 18 US Army Rangers and "Delta Force" personnel killed and two helicopters shot down in Mogadishu. Now the "Airborne Regiment" had 0 for casualties can anyone explain why that was, perhaps the Canadians were too fearsome for the locals? Canada's elite para-commandos suffered no loses and managed to keep their base and personnel safe. Were they doing something right here?

We need to keep them across the border and prevent them from killing our soldiers. The Sultanate of Oman had the same problem with Maoist insurgents until the British SAS, Omani irregulars and Iranian marines kicked them out of their mountain stronghold in Dhofar and drove them back across the South Yemen border. Being we lack the troops emphasis should be placed on getting the various social projects completed, training the army, police, and border guards. Also we will need to make the lives of the Afghans better otherwise they might switch to the Taliban this according to the British General in charge of NATO forces.

The West cannot afford to fail in Afghanistan as the "Al Queda" will just slither back and the place will become another failed state. You will get no argument from me that Canada is paying a "high price" in blood, and treasure but something needs to be done to contain the Taliban threat. This isn't decades ago we need to deal in "present days' realities" and not yesterdays!

NATO has admitted that there aren't enough troops in Afghanistan to secure the border. With less than 20,000 men available thats not enough to adequately secure the border and guard the various places the Taliban are attacking on a regular basis. Even Canada has said they haven't got enough troops to go around. Maybe if the US had gone to Afghanistan instead of Iraq they would be able to seal the border with Pakistan. More flag drapped aluminum body containers (not coffins) and "ramp ceromonies" will be occuring on a regular basis until NATO change its strategy and get more troops over there!!

At the time of this writing two more Canadians have been killed in an ambush by the Taliban in the Panjwaii district that was declared "safe". Wasn't "operation Medusa" intended to clear this area of guerrillas? Apparently the same Taliban are now re-infiltrating the same place we spent all that time clearing out. This supports my contention that we need to be engaged in "search and destroy" operation to hunt down these Taliban fighters in the hills especially along the border with Pakistan. Canadian forces shouldn't be sitting in these various places waiting to be ambushed and picked off like geese in the fall. Didn't the French in Indochina, and Cuban dictator Battista lose due to not going after the guerrillas in their staging areas? More troops, along with light transport helicopters ( forget the Leopard tanks) get out there and attack the Taliban where they rest, plan and train! This where a "para-commando" unit should be deployed in that role.

No, I am not a member of the military! I am just a 'concerned citizen' who believes in the purpose of the Afghanistan mission. We cannot and shouldn't allow Afganistan to become another 'failed state' and future "AlQaedistan" and base for jihadis. Fulfilling the mission is in a kind of exit strategy that will leave the nation in better shape to handle future challenges they may face.

Canadians need to support our troops over in Afghanistan more, and our government will need more troops on the ground, along with increased funding and manpower for the PRTs that are trying to rebuild Afghanistan. Once thing is becoming crystal clear here we cannot leave without fulfilling the mission, and we will have to "stay the course"

Jah-Man!!! Democracy doesn't happen overnight, it takes time. The people of Afghanistan will be in a better position to decide their political future when they have an effective and responsible government in power. They certainly don't want a "government under God" telling them when they should pray, or what length their beards should be. This why Canadians should support our military effort over there!!

Hey "killjoy"!! What should the regiment have done with the thieves that were continualy crawling under the wire into the base? While I agree that the "Airborne Regiment" weren't social workers there are limits to ones patients when it comes to dealing with locals who steal. You ever go to some of the other African countries and see what they do when a thief is caught 'in the act' lets say in a marketplace, or if a tv or radio which takes more than a few years to earn and buy. In places like Nigeria, Ghana people don't bother waiting for the police, they "do it themselves" The locals have a nice way of making sure the person in question doesn't repeat his misdeeds again ever, its called "necklacing" or a severe beating! Did you ever enquire about the local "shar'ia court" where the the "law of God" continually practiced? A thief has three chances to reform himself or he will be minus a hand, now what do you say to that? You didn't say anything about the blacks, First Nations, and other minorities who wore the "maroon beret" and the "jump wings who were part of this gallant "band of brothers" Were they racists also?

To prove that not all members of the "Airborne Regiment" were not bad, years ago when I was in Barrie I was in a restaurant a few of them extended an invitatiion to have coffee when I said hello. We chatted away for hours and then we walked towards the docks continuiing our conversation and then I was somewhat leary overt the lake. I made mention of my fear and uneasiness about drowning. A young member replied not to worry " We are all excellent swimmers and we will pull you out if you fall in" I laughed and we continued on with our conversation. By the way nothing was mentioned about the "First Nations", blacks and other minorities who wore the "maroon beret" and "jump wings". What up with this? In case anyone wants to know racism is part of society!!

What about the infamous "Vandoos"? They were a real bunch of degenerates who should be allowed to depart whenever Quebec decides to end this arrangement that their kinfolk in the St Lawrence Seaway despise. Long before we had "the maroon beret" and "jump wings" these "Frenchies" gunned down bayonnetted or slit the throat of German prisoners who threw down their weapons and raise their arms in surrender in both World War I and II. I guess these guys didn't like the idea of sharing their rations, and water with "Jerries", or "Krauts" or having to walk a few miles to a POW camp in the rear so just gun them down and say they "tried to escape". I know that "#2 commando" use to wreck bars, and coffeeshops whenever their members were beaten up by locals. I know there were members with links to "white supremacists", but is Alberta really the only province with racists? About them not liking the Canadian gov't well I I wasn't too favourable about the Liberals "on Capital Hill either and I am from Ontario not exactly white! PET and his Francophones should never have been elected to run things in Canada as it was on their watch we allowed our military to "go to hell", the national debt to "soar through the heavens", and allowed radical feminists to destroy our society. By the way whose idea was it to send the "Airborne Regiment" to Somalia anyway? They weren't exactly social workers".

The "best of the best were racist"? Don't we have some of those in the RCMP, the Surete, the Corrections Canada? Yeah, a couple of diehard rednecks had a Confederate flag, made a couple of outrageous videos. No, I don't think what they did in Somalia to Shadane Arone was right, nor was I pleased watching the crude initiations and episodes of 'hazing' those involved should have been thrown out. Why do we always blame the majority for the wrongdoings, and misdeeds of a few immoral degenerates? Our liberal media didn't tell the public about the schools, roads that the unit built, the police force that was trained, these 'good deeds' never made the headlines instead we heard about the beating death of some thief who shouldn't have been inside of the base when he was caught. By the way it was Matchee an Aboriginal member that took part in the outrage displayed in the picture. The videos were old and many of those involved had been 'RTU' or had left the service. Not all members of the unit were racists, and overt bigots as there were many First Nations, blacks, and other minorities who were a "true band of brothers" and would die for each other in any "drop zone" no matter where it was. On the day of the disbanding of the regiment the most touching moment was the sight of a black sergeant his eyes brimming with tears as members stood in formation for the last time. I am sure he wouldn't share your view that there were 'nazis', 'racists' who wore the "maroon beret" and the jump wings. I think the Chretien and David Collenette owe the members of the ex members of the unit not only an explanation but an apology as well!!!!

The present situation in Afghanistan clearly demonstrate the need for airmobile operations using small groups of "hunter and killer" teams on "search and destroy" operations to root out bands of Taliban in the mountains. The Soviet found that their "Spetznatz" commandoes far more effective than conventional forces due to the hostile terrain. Canada urgently needs to reforming of a paratroop force to enhance its military capabilities in such place as Afghanistan, Dafur, the Congo etc. Too bad the ten defence minister David Collenette and PM Chretien didn't consider this before hand.

What I want to know is why the "Airborne Regiment" disbanded when Canada needs paratroopers? The "Special Forces Regiment" won't be ready in time for another crisis!!!

Why hasn't Canada got a crack parachute regiment that can be sent into action along the Pakistan border with Afghanistan? The key problem being faced by NATO is the border where the Taliban and other 'jihadis' are infiltrating to kill NATO sodiers and innocent Afghan civilians with the full knowledge we can't cross the border to hit their staging areas and bases. If we are ever going to win and safely bring our service personnel home then we are going to have to 'escalate' this war and cripple the Taliban's ability to fight. Someone needs to tell the NATO commander that more troops are needed and that we have to seal the border soon!!

The gov't in Ottawa needs to spell out to the public what we are in Afghanistan for, what we are trying to accomplish and explain in no uncertain terms that failure is not an option!! A major emphasis should be added that the people of Afghanistan need our help, that shouldn't be hard to do.

Canadian politicians need to do a better job in explaining why Canadian troops are in Afghanistan, and the public should get behind the mission!!

Room, did you read my correction? The Israelis were in South Lebanon NOT Afghanistan!! Their state of the art "Merkava" main battle tank was not only useless with the support of infantry but vulnerable to the wire guided ATGMs that the "Hezbollah" guerrillas were using. Even the Russians found that their T-72, T-80s and their PT-76 tank were ineffective most of the time in the mountainous terrain. This is why they began using their elite "Spetznatz" as "hunter-killer" teams to go after the"mujahideen" columns. Canada should get troop carrying helicopters rather than tanks!!!

When it come around to the application of plain old common sense, it seems the officials in Ottawa have fallen quite short! With Canadian soldiers fighting and dying in Afghanistan why was the "Canadian Airborne Regiment" disbanded, these are the ideal "para-commandos" we need to hunt down the Taliban insurgents in the hills especially near the Pakistan border. We need to be hunting down and wiping out these zealots right in their strongholds! Instead they are allowed to flee across the border, infiltrate with additional jihadi reinforcements and additional weapons to kill NATO soldiers, and Afghan civilians. This was the same sort of stupid, idiotic policy sanctioned by politicians that was allowed in Korea, and Vietnam of allowing the enemy a "previleged sanctuary" that prevented victory. And what about helicopters instead of using 'Leopard Tanks'? Didn't the Israelis find out to their sorrow that tanks don't work well in the rocky terrain in Afghanistan?

I would be prepared to go to war!! However its the 'gutless' and often impotent governments in the USA, Great Britain, and the other western nations that lack the backbone, and political will to take on the challenge of confronting this "schweinhund" and the murderous regime he leads! The time for negotiating has long since past and only a strong military force comprising of paratroopers from the 82nd and 100st Airborne Division, the British Parachute Regiment, and some from NATO along with massive airstrikes can rid Zimbab-we of the Communist ZANU-PF scum. In my opinion this would be like cutting out a massive cancerous tumour thats slowly killing a patient! ZANU-PF is that 'diseased part', " direct military intervention" is the cure! Now how about a massive "surgical strike" to free the oppressed people of Zimbabwe? The British Common-wealth didn't sit by when Hitler rolled into Poland did they? Well neither should we back down from confronti-ng Mugabe's "hell on earth"!!

Zimbabwe would be placed under UN Administration until "real genuine, free and fair electons" could be held. Those responsible for human rights abuse, corruption would be removed, and out on trial, and given long sentences away from Zimbabwe. If necessary some kind of direct rule would be implemented to put a stop the chaos, human rights abuse, and ZANU-PF sanctioned murder thats now going on! Any kind of rule is better than whats going on, wouldn't you say? You seem to be in favour of this "schweinhund" and his band of thugs, now why is that may I ask?