ceemes

All I can say is this is one of the better writen and nicer pieces of racism and bigotry that I have ever read.

Why would Canada or even Mexico for that matter want to tie their currency to the US'? When you consider that massive and ballooning US debt along with equally fast declining dollar value who in their right mind would even consider this? Until the US gets its own economic house in order, both Canada and Mexico should avoid this scheme like the plague.

Democracy will work if the Cubans are allowed to decide for themselves - and that includes telling the likes of Bush, Chavez and the Miami nitwits to buzz off. Exactly, it is up to the Cubans to decide for themselves exactly what form of government they want. Those who think that Communism in Cuba would fall over night with the death of Castro are living in dream world where the sky is green and fluffy pink clouds float. The Soviet Union survived intact with the deaths of both Lenin and Stalin, China is still Communist long after Mao died. No doubt that the Party in Cuba has plans in place in the advent of Castro's death and the death of his heir apparent. I would not be surprised to see Cuba follow the Chinese model, of fast economic reform combined with slow democractisation starting at the local/village level. The very worst thing that could happen to Cuba is for it to become a completely free market economy and democratic overnight. One just has to look at the former Soviet Union to see the disaster of such an event. Cuba will in time reform, however it will take time are require a long transistion phase. You think another Bay of Pigs is in the offering? Be a bloody big mistake if they tried that again.

Before calling for Democracy in Cuba, perhaps Mr. Bush should first start calling for the reinstatement of Democracy in the US. Given the voter irregularities that happened in Florida during the 2000 Presidential election and the irregularities that happened in Ohio in 2004, Mr. Bush should becareful throwing stones at Cuba when his own house is made of glass. As bad as the Castro dictatorship maybe, it has been better for the majority of the Cuban people then the one that it replaced. I strongly doubt that the Cuban people want to return to the good old pre-Revolution days.

Universal National Service that I envision is rather differnt then the draft system such as the US had. That system was basically a lottery where the winner or loser depending on your point of view and time frame got yanked out of civvie life and thrown into the military for a few years. Plus that system was rotten to the core, it was full of loops holes for the likes of Bush, Cheney and yes even Clinton to take advantage of, in other words, if you were rich or well connected, there were many ways of avoiding the system. As I said, I would like to see a system in place based on either the Israeli or Swiss model, a defence force based mainly on the concept of the citizen soldier with a small but robust corp of life time career professionals. And it would have to be a strictly defensive force, activated only due to threat of invasion or actual overseas threats. Indeed, that was exactly the force that Canada sent overseas during WWII, any army of citizen soldiers for the most part. Check out the roster of units that landed at Normandy and fought and defeated some of the best the Germans had to offer, units such as the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, the Canadian Scottish, the Seaforth Highlanders, all reservist units made of hositilities only citizen soldiers. And unlike the US based draft system of old which in my opinion was basically unfair forced servitude, at least during the post-WWII era; the Swiss and Israeli models would require every able-bodied man and woman to belong to an active reserve after they finish their one or two year full time training stint with the Regs as part of their responsibility and duty of holding citizenship, much like paying taxes or voting is. Basically, it would be the small price every citizen would be required to pay for the freedoms they enjoy. And it could work, after all the Swiss have had such a system in place for decades, and they have a robust democracy and enjoy the same if not more freedoms then we Canadians do. As for Peace Keeping missions, that would still fall mainly on the shoulders of the Regular Forces however, like today, Reservist could volunteer for such duties. I would agreed with you thatt twenty or thirty years ago they would of been able to buy us for pennies on the dollar but not today. Their dollar has lost a lot a ground and their debt load is incredable and unattainable. And yes, we are still dependant on the Yankee teat, but that is slowly changing, the question is, will it change quickly enough. Canada's blessing and its curse is that we are blessed with an over abundance of two commodities that the US is currently starving for, oil and potable water. And it is those two important commodities that will play a key role in the current resourse wars we have just begun to see. If Canada does not kowtow to future US demands for those two commodities, then I would not be surprised to see US troops in our streets. And is the world does switch from the Greenback to the Euro for its oil imports, then the US will suddenly find itself beyound bankrupt and will be forced to secure oil reserves closer to home, and that my friend means Canada. They would be forced to invade and secure our oil reserves because their dollar would be as useless to us as it would be to the rest of the world. Irans proposed Euro Oil Burse is a major threat to the US and the dominance its dollar holds in the world market. Other oil producers have stated they too would be very interested in a Euro based world oil market and many major importers like the idea as well. Recently China and Venezula penned a deal where China will buy Venezulian oil and pay for its investments there with the Euro. China has also or is in the process of cutting an identical deal with Iran and other oil producers. So if the world turns enmass to the Euro over the Greenback, the value of the US dollar would become less then the Mexican peso at its worse. The US economy would collapse and its need for oil could not be meet by simply buying it anymore, so that leaves only one option, to secure a large domestic supply and the closest supply is in Canada. I've dealt with the Chinese and Asian markets. It is not so much as they shut us out of them, but more of a case we do not produce much other then raw materials that they want. Plus sadly, when it comes to quality of consumer goods, our quality is sadly lacking. However, big ticket items such as commerical aircraft, high tech equipment and raw materials are doing a booming trade in both Asia and Europe. We have to get off the same page as the US, did you know that over 50% of its GNP is accounted for from containerized imports alone? That on any given day, 50,000 containers of goods enter into the US from overseas and less then 10,000 are going out? The US is bleeding money, which is okay as long as the Greenback is the only currency that is allowed to pay for oil, the Fed can just keep on printing dollar bills. But the day that stops, and that day may be coming sooner rather then later, the US will find itself screw, chewed and tattoed. That is while we have to break our dependance on the US markets and dollar....otherwise Canada will fall as well. I would of agreed with you about them becoming more tolerant, especially after the humiliation of Vietnam. However, post-Reagan and post-9/11, if anything they have become more intolerant then they were back in the 50's. And as for equity, I am sure the individual American believes that, but sadly the individual American in no longer in charge of his or her country.....it is now controlled by a very small elite.

Actually, the US went bankrupt back in '72. Back then, the US dollar was pegged at $35US per troy ounce of gold, mainly because by the end of WWII the US held the vast bulk of the worlds gold reserves. During the post war reconstruction, nations were basically told to use US$'s to pay their bills because the the dollar was backed by the US gold reserves. They were told also that they could exchange any access dollars for gold. By '72 both France and Germany had extensive US dollar reserves they could not use and wanted to exchange them for gold as per the deal. Problem was, the US gold reserves had been tapped out and the US defaulted. The only thing that saved the US dollar was a quick deal cut with the House of Suad and OPEC in which OPEC agreed to accept only US dollars for exchange for oil. Today, the US dollar is under threat of being replaced by the Euro. The soon to open Iranian Oil Burse has stated that it will only accept Euro;s as payment. Other oil producers have also stated an interested in doing business in either only Euro's or a mix of Euro's and Greenbacks. Canada has played with the idea of accepting only the Canadian dollar in exchange for its oil exports. This is the big fear of America, its empire is back by its dollar, and if the world starts to opt to use another currency for trade, the US will go bankrupt and its empire will fall...just as the Soviets did.

If the US is the worlds policeman, then they are a bizzarre combination of the Keystone Kops and the worst stereotypical corrupt Irish American Cop during the days of Al Capone in Chicago. They are very selective about where they police and who they help. More often then not, they help and prop up some of the worlds worst dictators and strongmen. The only time the US acts is if its economic or geo-political interests are threatened, otherwise the US could give a flying fig about the world. Ask the Tibetians of '49, or the survivors of the Prague Spring of 68, or the Hungarian Uprising of 56. Talk to the people of Vietnam about the benelence of America's policing, or those in Laos or Cambodia. Ask the Panamaian's, the Hondurains, the Agentinians or countless millions around the world about how great it is to have the Americans policing their nations, installing dicators, secret police, death squads and all the other inhuman instruments a strong armed proxy needs to keep its people down in order to serve their Imperial American masters. Don't get me wrong, America and the American people have done a lot of good in the world, sadly tho the evil its elites and leaders have done far out weigh that good. Oh, as for Reagan beating the Russians and defeating Communism? I suggest you look the role Mikhail Gorbachev and his reforms of perestroika and glasnost played. Had someone like Gorbachev not assumed the leadership role of the former Soviet Union when he did and instead we got another hardliner like Leonid Brezhnev, then the odds are Reagan would of ended his second term still fighting the cold war and the US would be even deeper in debt. Indeed, we probably still be fighting the cold war today. Bush is an unmitigated disaster who's only brilliance is the ability to continuously b.s. the faithful. Watching the Bushies is akin to watching Lemmings run off a cliff and into the ocean to their doom. The one thing that does set Reagan apart from Bush, Reagan was not stupid enough to get into a useless war.....hell even Shrubs old man knew where to draw the line in regards to the middle east and Iraq......guess the Shrub got his brains from his mothers side of the family. We are talking about the US as a policeman since the end of the cold war then you provide examples that occured DURING the cold war? improper logic my friend. try again. as for Gorby - you seriously had me laughing here. Think about it a little deeper. Gorby was a RESULT of Reagan policy!!! The US bankrupted the USSR during the arms race and when the iron curtain was pulled back it revealed a shrivelling and dying "empire". That country is still suffering the disatrous impacts of the overspending that was necessitated by the unwinable spending war they got into with the USA. My goodness, friend. Think things through a bit eh? The US as the worlds policeman today is no differant then the US as the worlds policeman of yesterday, its actions are dictated by US economic and geo-political concerns and not by any sense of alterism. To this day, numerous right wing dictators and despots are still in power due to overt and covert US support. And they will remain in power as long as they toe Washingtons line and do its bidding without complaint or questions. As soon as any of them step out of line, the US will come down hard on them and replace them with yet another bought and paid for puppet. Both the fates of Saddam and Noriega have proved that beyound a shadow of a doubt. Because the US acts in such a manner, nations such as Iran feel that it is in their best interest to develop a suitable deterant, nukes if you will. North Korea has shown the world that having just a few nukes is enough to stay the American hand. Other small nations will soon be delevoping their own nuclear programmes or attempting to buy nukes from others. This is the post-cold war world we now live in. Before, the US and the USSR counter-balanced each other, sure they had their wars of proxy, but for the most part keep each other in check. This balance allowed smaller less powerful nation to keep relatively small Armed Forces and away from the nuclear option, because they knew that they were protected by which ever sphere of influance they feel under. Even non-allined nations enjoyed this freedom. But today, we no longer have that balance and instead we have a rogue super-power who feels it has the right to control the world and tell other nations and cultures on how to live. Is it any wonder why nations such as Iran and North Korea want the bomb? If I was them, I sure as hell would want it as well. And it is not just smaller nations who feel threatened by the current US position, even other near or ex-Super Powers are feeling the pinch and this has had some interesting results. China, Russia and India are traditional enemies, and have been so for centuries and yet today, they are forming alliances with each other. All three are currently in the nuclear club and have the fire power to destroy the US. Recently, China and Russia conducted joint military exercises, namely an amphibious assult. However, the main purpose of the exercise was to find way to harmonize their command structures into a unified entity. China has also made alliances and signed deals with two OPEC nations on the US's shit list, Iran and Venezalia. Vietnam, which not only defeated both the US and France but also fought short war against China in the mid 70's has made moves to improve relationships with China, this includes exchanging military officers for cross training. What is happening throughout the world is a realinement of nations into new cooperative spheres of interest and mutual defence to counter the threat that the US of today represents. This includes the EU which is hardening its attitude towards US trade and foreign polices. Russia is currently seeking if not actual admitance to the EU, but at least an alliance. Given the on-going disaster that is Iraq and the current hardening of attitudes towards the US around the world, I think that within the next twenty years, America will find itself completely isolated, broke and friendless. As for the reforms that Gorbachev brought in, Reagan had little to do with it. I strongly suggest you study more about what happened in the former Soviet Union during the Gorbachev era.

You will of course note that I listed both Saddam and Noriega as US puppets who had outlived their usefulness. Both stayed in power as long as they did due to overt and covert US support, both Democrat and Republican. Both did their masters bidding and when they stopped doing so, they were quickly removed.....well, not so quickly in Saddams case. However, the point remains that the US has a long and bloody history of overtly or covertly overthrowing nations governments and installing hard line dictators. No matter how you like to gloss over it, it still stinks to high heaven.

If the US is the worlds policeman, then they are a bizzarre combination of the Keystone Kops and the worst stereotypical corrupt Irish American Cop during the days of Al Capone in Chicago. They are very selective about where they police and who they help. More often then not, they help and prop up some of the worlds worst dictators and strongmen. The only time the US acts is if its economic or geo-political interests are threatened, otherwise the US could give a flying fig about the world. Ask the Tibetians of '49, or the survivors of the Prague Spring of 68, or the Hungarian Uprising of 56. Talk to the people of Vietnam about the benelence of America's policing, or those in Laos or Cambodia. Ask the Panamaian's, the Hondurains, the Agentinians or countless millions around the world about how great it is to have the Americans policing their nations, installing dicators, secret police, death squads and all the other inhuman instruments a strong armed proxy needs to keep its people down in order to serve their Imperial American masters. Don't get me wrong, America and the American people have done a lot of good in the world, sadly tho the evil its elites and leaders have done far out weigh that good. Oh, as for Reagan beating the Russians and defeating Communism? I suggest you look the role Mikhail Gorbachev and his reforms of perestroika and glasnost played. Had someone like Gorbachev not assumed the leadership role of the former Soviet Union when he did and instead we got another hardliner like Leonid Brezhnev, then the odds are Reagan would of ended his second term still fighting the cold war and the US would be even deeper in debt. Indeed, we probably still be fighting the cold war today. Bush is an unmitigated disaster who's only brilliance is the ability to continuously b.s. the faithful. Watching the Bushies is akin to watching Lemmings run off a cliff and into the ocean to their doom. The one thing that does set Reagan apart from Bush, Reagan was not stupid enough to get into a useless war.....hell even Shrubs old man knew where to draw the line in regards to the middle east and Iraq......guess the Shrub got his brains from his mothers side of the family.

You clearly don't understand the oil argument. It's not about buying oil. It's about controlling the access to it. And how it is paid for.......Saddam wanted Euros, not Greenbacks......a big no-no in the US and UK's books...now Iran is porposing the same thing and surprise surprise.....the rhetoric and rationals to attack Iran have been racketted up big time.

Perhaps it would of......three years ago when it was news

Now now, lets not confuse them with too many facts shall we, their grasp on their world view is shaky enough as it is.

What colour is the sky in your world? This time of the year, either blue or grey. Now how about addressing the points eh? How many nations has Iran invaded in the last twenty years? How many governments has it overthrown? How many has it bombed? Now compare those figures with the US's. Face it, the US under Bush has become very dangerous, not only to other nations and their citizens, but to the average joe in the US. Simply by declaring that it (the US) will use pre-empitive military strikes, including the use of nuclear weapons, against any nations that MAY become an economic or military rival at some future time is a challenge no nation can ignore. This does not make the world any safer, on the contrary, it makes it far less safer and give the more radical elements around the world jusification for increased military spending and action. As much as I hate to say it, but nation such as Iran would be insane NOT to pursue the development of a nuclear deterant. I predict that in the next twenty years, you will see the nuclear club membership more then triple...if just to keep the US in check. OK dude. In my view the US is a pretty good policeman. I'd way rather have the US using its muscle to police the world, but I'll put you down for one vote for IRAN as the world's muscleman. Please, can you provide me with a list of the leaders who were displaced as a result of US action? I'd like to see that list. As you wish....here is a short list: 1953 - Dr. Mohammad Mosaddeq of Iran, ousted by joint CIA-British operation that installed the Shah of Iran into power. 1954 - Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, elected president of Guatemala. Overthrown by CIA lead coup that install the U.S.'s hand-picked dictator, Carlos Castillo Armas, who outlaws political parties, reduces the franchise, and establishes the death penalty for strikers, as well as undoing Arbenz's land reform. 1961 - CIA-backed coup overthrows elected Pres. J. M. Velasco Ibarra of Ecuador 1964 - João Goulart of Brazil ousted by U.S.-supported military coup. 1973 - Military takes power in Uruguay, supported by U.S. 1973 - U.S.-supported military coup kills Salvador Allende Gossens in Chile and brings Augusto Pinochet Ugarte to power 1981 - The CIA steps in to organize the contras in Nicaragua 1983 - U.S. troops take over tiny Granada. Rather oddly, it intervenes shortly after a coup has overthrown the previous, socialist leader. One of the justifications for the action is the building of a new airport with Cuban help, which Granada claimed was for tourism and Reagan argued was for Soviet use. Later the U.S. announces plans to finish the airport... to develop tourism. 1989 - Panama - Manuel Noriega - US/CIA puppet 2003 - Iraq - Saddam Hussein - another US/CIA puppet that outlived his usefullness. This list focus's mainly on South America and the ME, suggest you do a further search on your own....I think you will be unpleasently surprised by what you dig up.

What colour is the sky in your world? This time of the year, either blue or grey. Now how about addressing the points eh? How many nations has Iran invaded in the last twenty years? How many governments has it overthrown? How many has it bombed? Now compare those figures with the US's. Face it, the US under Bush has become very dangerous, not only to other nations and their citizens, but to the average joe in the US. Simply by declaring that it (the US) will use pre-empitive military strikes, including the use of nuclear weapons, against any nations that MAY become an economic or military rival at some future time is a challenge no nation can ignore. This does not make the world any safer, on the contrary, it makes it far less safer and give the more radical elements around the world jusification for increased military spending and action. As much as I hate to say it, but nation such as Iran would be insane NOT to pursue the development of a nuclear deterant. I predict that in the next twenty years, you will see the nuclear club membership more then triple...if just to keep the US in check.

Anyone who says that needs to have their head examined. Why would someone need their head examined for saying that, could you elaborate on that and why you think the U.S., would not protect us. I highly doubt that the U.S. would sit back and watch as Canada is attacked, we sure don't have the capability of defending ourselves. Thank goodness the U.S. is our neighbour, but maybe you'd rather have Iran as a neighbour., This of course begs the question, who else other then the US is in position to attack or invade Canada? Last time I looked, there were two smegging oceans between us any European or Asian aggressor. And be blunt, the US has been the only nation that actually tried invading Canada and is the nation that has made the most attempts to infringe on Canadian territories. Take up north for instance. To here the Americans tell it, the northern most border between Alaska and The Yukon suddenly veers some 45 degrees east once it hits the coastline. Being Americas "friend" is a doubious honour at best, just ask Panama or Iraq. If you have something the US wants and you are not willing to give to them under their terms, you can expect a quick reigm change forced apon you and your government. No other nation has invaded more nations or overthrown more government in the last twenty years then the Americans. We as Canadian should be very concerned about Harper kissing up to the US, did anyone catch his speech to the troops in Kandahar? A word for word carbon copy compulation of various Bush's speechs. Canada is a large nation with a relatively small population, rich in comodities that the US lusts after, the two biggest being oil and potable water. Surrendering even a small measure of our sovereignty to the US is bad. In order to remain the True North, Strong and Free, we need leaders and people in Ottawa to tell the Yanks to F - off and go piss up a rope. Otherwise, we may as well turn over the keys to the whole shop. I can't stand such arrogant opinions. Why SHOULDN'T we be ready to defend ourselves? Just because tactically the US pretty well has to does not absolve us of the responsibility. We spend less on our military than some third world countries. Why shouldn't we defend ourselves? No reason at all not to if you ask me. Let me get this straight right off the bat, I am not a namby pamby limp wristed anti-military whatever, I served in the CAF for seven years and I am very very proud of that fact. Can you say the same thing? I would dearly love to see some form of manditory National Service along the lines of the Swiss or Israeli models in Canada, where every abled-bodied man and WOMAN between the ages of 18 and 55 had to complete a complusory two stint in the regular Armed Forces for basic military and trade training followed by manditory enrollment into an active reserve after they completed their two years with the regs. This would give Canada a trained and equipped fighting force of between 10 to 20 million effectives, and that would be a suitable deterant to any would be agressor. I would like to see such a force not because I am gung-ho and pro-war, but because I can see the need for such a deterant to the most blatant threat to Canadian Soveriegnty going, the US. There is no other direct threat to Canadian nationhood, apart from a few internal radical Albertan and Quebec elements, then invasion and annixation by the US. No other nation in the world has the logistical ability to invade let alone occupy a nation as large as or far away as Canada. Only the US has the location and ability to pull off such an endevour. As it stands, the CAF is too small and too ill-equipped to stop the US if it decides the time has finally come to take over our nation. However, I very much doubt that you or I will ever see such a Canadian force in our lifetimes for a number of reasons: 1. The Canadian people would not support such a measure as complusory national service or manditory enrollment into active reserve units for all able bodied men and women till the age of 55. 2. No Canadian Government would ever support let alone propose such a measure, to do so would be instant death at the polls. 3. Canadian business would not support such a measure because it would require them to give their work force time off for military training purposes of at least two weeks per year. This could be off set by government compensation, however the loss of productivity would be prohibative. 4. I strongly doubt that the US would allow Canada to enact such a measure, mainly because it would be a direct threat to their current hold on Canada and Canadian politics. The powers that be in Washington are quite happy with the status quo vis a vis the strenght of the CAF. Just about large enough to support their (the US's) missions in various parts of the world, ie Afghanistan, and yet small enough to be brushed aside when the time came. The day Ottawa institutes a manditory military service model akin to the Swiss or Israelis is the day you will see US troops on the streets of Canadian cities and towns. It is long past time that we Canadians and Canadian industry weened ourselves off the American teat. The US economy is a false bubble economy propped up by massive debt and the Fed printing dollars of declining value. The only reason that the US dollar is held by most foreign nations reserve accounts is to pay for their oil imports. However, that could be changing in a very short while. The biggest threat Iran poses to the US in not some mythical future nuclear device, but its propose Iranian Oil Bourse, which is set to trade in Euros and not the Greenback. And it is not just Iran that is set to trade its oil in Euros instead of the Greenback, Venezuela is also opting to use Euros instead of the US$. Recently China and Venezuela signed a massive deal where China will pay for it Venezuelan oil import and its investments in Venezuela with you guessed it, the Euro, not the Greenback. I read an article a few months ago where Canada was considering demanding payment for its oil exports in Canadian dollars instead of US dollars due to the declining value of the Greenback. If these measure go through, and so far I see no reason that they will not, then the dominance of the US$ will be broken, plunging the US into a deep economic decline. Indeed as we speak, many nations such as China, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, Singapore and others with large US$ reserves are divesting themselves of their dollar holdings in favour of either the Euro or Gold. At the same time, nations such as China and Japan are becoming a bit leerly of acquiring futher US debt notes and instruments such a T-Bills. And without those loans from Asia, the US will not be able to pay for its various little adventures in the Middle East. What does this mean for Canada and Canadian export into the US? Nothing good to be honest. It is said that if the US economy has a hick up, the Canadian economy comes down with a full blown case of the flu. This is why it is extremely important that Canadian business seek and secure other markets overseas for its goods and services, it would be suicidal to continue to rely on the US market alone. Many progress Canadian companies have done just that, moved from relying on US markets and developed overseas ones in its place. The soft wood industry has done just that in light of the bs traiffs thrown at them by the US. The US will always be an important market for Canada, however, it should not account for any more then 10 to 20 percent of our total exports. My own business depends on cross border trade and I deal with Americans on a daily basis. Yes, individually they are a nice and even great people. However, as a society I find them sadly lacking in compassion, tolerance of others and understanding of cultural differances. However, they cannot help but be that way, after all they have been indoctrinated since birth to believe that the US is the end all and be all of peoples and nations. They really cannot comprehend that not everyone in the world wants to be like them or even like what they stand for. It goes against everything they have been taught since they learned to walk and talk.

There's your trouble. ... Christian nation ... Muslim nation ... Buddist nation ... Secular nation What difference does it make? The United States of America has ALREADY demonstrated that it WILL use nuclear weapons against another nation. Who's the bad guy? The guy that MIGHT one day use nukes? Or the guy that HAS used them in the past? Who's the bad guy? The guy that MIGHT use his gun one day to kill someone? Or the guy who HAS used his gun to kill others in the past? C'mon drea you're smarter than that. Don't lump the USA in with a country like Iran, whose prime minister (president?) has publicly expressed his desire to wipe israel off the map. You are correct......comparing the US to Iran is not fair at all......to the Iranians that is. Lets see, how many nations have the Iranian invaded in the last twenty years or overthrown governments? None that I can think off. Which nation and government has recently endorsed the first strike use of nuclear weapons against potential adversies? Oh yeah, Bush and the US. Which nation and government has stated categorically that it will not allow any other nation to become on par with it or surpass it militarially or economically? It wasn't Iran was it, but once again the good ole USA ala Bush. Oh yeah baby, lets not compare Iran to the US, coz when it comes to stirring the fecal matter, Iranians are mere pikers when compared to the Americans.

Anyone who says that needs to have their head examined. When you look at how our military has been cut back over the past 30 years, obviously a lot of people need their heads examined. exactly. I wasn't talking about you wilber. I was talking about the thread starter. Bash America, but cries to them for help when something happens. This is soooo laughable. America only helps those who they have a vested (finacial or geo-political) interest in. I was in the CAF some twenty years ago, back in the worse days of both Liberal and Conservative mismanagement of the CAF. And I worked with the US Armed Forces during joint exercises. Know what we called them back then? Semi's, for semi-trained, semi-educated, semi-useful, semi-intelligent, and semi-human. For the most part, we had little use or respect for the average US trooper, and judging from my friends still serving in the CAF have to tell me, little has changed since then.

Anyone who says that needs to have their head examined. Why would someone need their head examined for saying that, could you elaborate on that and why you think the U.S., would not protect us. I highly doubt that the U.S. would sit back and watch as Canada is attacked, we sure don't have the capability of defending ourselves. Thank goodness the U.S. is our neighbour, but maybe you'd rather have Iran as a neighbour., This of course begs the question, who else other then the US is in position to attack or invade Canada? Last time I looked, there were two smegging oceans between us any European or Asian aggressor. And be blunt, the US has been the only nation that actually tried invading Canada and is the nation that has made the most attempts to infringe on Canadian territories. Take up north for instance. To here the Americans tell it, the northern most border between Alaska and The Yukon suddenly veers some 45 degrees east once it hits the coastline. Being Americas "friend" is a doubious honour at best, just ask Panama or Iraq. If you have something the US wants and you are not willing to give to them under their terms, you can expect a quick reigm change forced apon you and your government. No other nation has invaded more nations or overthrown more government in the last twenty years then the Americans. We as Canadian should be very concerned about Harper kissing up to the US, did anyone catch his speech to the troops in Kandahar? A word for word carbon copy compulation of various Bush's speechs. Canada is a large nation with a relatively small population, rich in comodities that the US lusts after, the two biggest being oil and potable water. Surrendering even a small measure of our sovereignty to the US is bad. In order to remain the True North, Strong and Free, we need leaders and people in Ottawa to tell the Yanks to F - off and go piss up a rope. Otherwise, we may as well turn over the keys to the whole shop.

Bullshit, sorry people, but this is utter bullshit......we are still digging up mines from WW1 for christs sake, in Vietnam and Cambodia people are still getting blown to rags from mines and other ordinance used by all side. Hell, they are still snagging left over WWII sea mines off both the West and East coast of North America. I was stationed at CFB Calgary back in the early 80's and partook in Operation Bi;bo. Bilbo was the operation where the CAF cleaned up the old bombing and live fire ranges of CFB Calgary prior to returning the land back to the Sarcee First Nations Reserve. We dug up all manner of old mines, bomb, mortar bombs and small arms rounds. We even found an old tank that got lost during a training exercise dating back from the early 50's. These explosives were placed during various training exercises under controlled conditions and still they got forgotten or lost. Mines placed in active war zones are not so well marked or noted. Their general location maybe marked on a map at the time, but as soon as the battle moves away from the area, they are quickly forgotten as other concerns take over. Landmines are silent and patient killers....they can sit for decades waiting for a victim, and they do not discriminate.....young or old, friend or foe, mines dont give a damn.

He is about as common as finding a diamond in a dung heap and about as honest as GWB reasons for Iraq. You want to see what Canada would be like under that greasy used car salesman, then just take a look south my friend.

I've meet the man, does the term oily, bent used car salesman ring any bells? That sod would sell this nation down the river for less then 40 pieces of silver. This election, I will see which party, the NDP or Liberals has the best chance of denying him my riding and vote accordingly.

I HATE for an excellent piece like that go to waste! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Excellent? In what way? Pure bovine solid waste material if you ask me.

Many Canadians enlisted and served in the British Army. Would you include them among those to be honoured? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If they fought with the British Forces in wars that Canada also fought in, then yes. Canadians have fought in both British and Canadian Forces during: 1) the Boer War 2) the Great War (WWI) 3) the Second World War 4) the Korean Conflict 5) during various joint UN Peacekeeping operations 6) in the former Yugoslavia 7) the current Afghani conflict. However, you will note that I did not include the Falklands War. To add food for thought, I was born in the UK and came to Canada as a young child. I was in the CAF during the Falklands War and did give serious consideration to leaving the CAF and enlisting in the UK forces since I held and still hold dual citizenship. Had I done so, I would not expect to be honoured for my service in the UK forces in Canada. For my service with the CAF and UN duties yes, but not if I had joined the UK force in the Falklands.

"Suspect" that's not what she meant??? AUGUST, if it WAS what she meant, she would have been "getting back to" us immediately afterward crowing about how she was right and McKeown was wrong. I was aware that we had people there (Nam) helping supervise the withdrawal, but thanks for the link, I learned some stuff that was new to me. Coulter's comments, however, clearly implied that she thought Canada took part in a combative role. Canada has contributed to the war effort in Afghanistan, which I heartily approve of. But Afghanistan and Iraq are two totally different kettles of fish. Canada has, however, pledged something like $300Million to the Iraq rebuilding effort, and has sent personel to help train the new Iraqi police and army, from what I understand. So, like VietNam, while we refused to become entangled in a war which was not ours, we have helped to clean up the mess afterwards. That was also mentioned to Coulter in the interview. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually at the US's request, Canada along with other Commonwealth nations were set to go into Vietnam in the late 1960's. However, the conditions demanded by the Commonwealth was that the US agreed to suspend their combat operations and adopt a stictly Logistics support role. The Commonwealth would take over combat operations while pursuing talks to bring about a peaceful settlement of the conflict. The US refused with the plan, and Canada, England and the rest of the Commonwealth told them to go piss up a rope. Not long afterwards, Australia scaled back their operations in Vietnam and began a troop reduction.

November 11th is a day to honour and remember Canada's War Dead and surviving vets, not Canadians who fought for other nations and their wars. While I am sure that those Canadians who enlisted in the US Forces and fought in Vietnam did so honourable and with the best intentions, they were not fighting for Canada. I say this as an ex-Canadian Armed Forces member and peacekeeper.