Army Guy

This comment is very telling, about who we are as a nation....better yet who you are as a person....Afghanistan was one of the few conflicts that was not about oil, or big corporations....it was about helping out a nation that had endured 30 plus years of conflict, that had left them in despair, with no hope of a future, under a regime that was brutal..... It was a chance for us as a nation to give an out reached hand, and help them , give them some hope for the future..... Again a very telling remark.....why even try to help anyone if it is going to be too much effort or distraction..... I mean we as Canadians have the world by the balls, we don't know what extreme poverty means, nobody is starving to death, we live in a nation free from conflict, we go to the malls, spend our dollars of useless crap, we have freedoms that most only dream about.....and yet we are not willing to share any of that, because that would require effort and maybe some of our tax dollars.....I should clarify not all Canadians fell the same way you do....but alot do.... For me , what sank in long ago, was this nation has to faces, one it puts on for the public and world to see, " the smiling bubbly one, that says hey we are an honest, friendly, nation that want to help.....shit we even wrap ourselfs in our flag and tell everyone we invented peacekeeping, we want to help you......the second face is the one, that only cares about ME, is the government going to send my check on time, when is the hockey game on.....and why is this shit on the news about those muslim countries on again....... We talk a good game but we lack everything to put it all in motion......not all of us.....just guys like you eyeball....who are happy with their heads in the sand, who don't give a rats ass about anything else in the world or country, as long as it does not effect your personal life.....That's what sank in.....Does it matter....i think it does.....

Spent 6 months in the Sinai pen, that huge glob of land between Israel and Egypt, patrolling ( counting vehs in each zone) the desert by helo , with MFO forces, kind of like UN but a multi coalition force made up of dozens of countries..... Spent all our days off in Israel , Tel aviv, and Elat.....soaking up the sun and drinking way to much.....although we did go to Cairo and do the tourist thing, see the pyramids, valley of the kings and queens in luxor.....Israel had a more western feel to it....As long as you can get by the added security, and everyone being armed.....and of course there is the terrorist thing.....Just be vigilant and you'll be fine.... Got to see many great things, battle fields of WWII, and also the wars between Israel and Egypt.....i have a great bunch of photo's of destroyed Germany, British and American equipment out in the middle of the desert, in pristine condition....like the day the role off the assembly line.....tank tracks still in the sand.....found lots of empty casings, even a US water canteen,which we left as we felt it was a type of war grave, without the bodies... The desert was full of these sites which when we first got there, we'd land besides and check them out.....that all stopped when we started to find mines all over the place.....The entire region was full of history, to see it all you have to do multi trips..... Word of advice, do not eat from any of the outdoor vendors,that have meat on a hook or on display always eat at a good quality restaurant, and do not buy any bottle water,or use ice outside of any good source or you'll end up with what we called Jippo gut....where you puke and squirt at the same time, it is painful, it only gives you seconds to react, so could be embarrassing as well. Although it is a great weight loss program....i learned this the hard way, and spent 2 weeks camped out on a chair next to the bath room stalls in camp......anything more than 10 steps away from the toilet would normally end up with you shiting yourself...and forget about eating, or drinking, your body pumps that stuff out faster than a japanese bullet train....

We all knew that the situation in Afghanistan was not over, we also knew the consequences of coalition countries pulling out. So why does this surprise you.....Most Canadians knew all of this when , we decided to leave Afghanistan to it's own fate......we left when the job was not finished....because Canadians and the rest of the western world grew tired of the effort and funding required......I don't think those in favour of an early withdrawal should have that right to point they're fingers and say " See Afghanistan is a complete failure" You got what you wanted, our nation is out of Afghanistan, it is yesterdays news....Because part of that failure is we did not see this through we just gave up when it was convenient for us to do so... All this shows the world is unless it is a short term problem , the west is not up to the task.....it also shows that we as a western coalition can not work together to solve this type of problems, we lack the patients, the will, to see it through.....

I hope for all our sakes that your right.....but i could not get past the damage the liberals did in the past.....

I've been lucky in a lot of ways my Dad was in the military, and later i would also serve kind of a family thing.....4 th generation sort of thing.... and we were always traveling across the country, Dad dragging us to all the hot spots for family vacations, usually in a tent "Can't take the army out of the man" and he wanted to give us all a taste of army life....So our vacations were some what hard core,living in a tent, bathing in ice cold glacier water, you get the picture....not many hotels, back then Army pay was not so great.. Been to all the provinces and territories, don't get to excited most of the time i only got to see them from a military point of view....trust me wainwright, suffield alberta are not all that exciting....nor is Dundern sask, i did however enjoy my time in Calgary, and Edmonton.....also got to see Victoria BC, and Williams lake as well i love BC just not the hippies....I got to travel through some of Manitoba for the floods, Ontario is one of the best provinces for hunting and fishing.....i loved my time there....I traveled through most of the northern provinces by Herc, helo and skidoo, it's beautiful but very deadly country to travel in....that's where i learned not to piss of mother nature.....got chased by a Moose after an unexpected encounter, thought that i could scare it off with a rifle shot.....spent 4 hours up the largest tree i could find, and it was'nt that big.....closest i ever came to shating myself....also one of the many times me and god had a conversation, ending with me promising to be a very good person.... If i had to pick a favorite it would be Hazen lake, a couple of hours flight time from Alert, on Baffin Island.....it was pristine country, maybe only 30 humans a year, we dug coal out of the cliffs to burn, as there was no wood to be had....the fishing was incredible...and the wildlife....you could feed the birds out of your hands, same as the foxes, and arctic hares....Seen a small herd of Muscox....even manged to get within 100 meters for pictures....got to see the franklin expedition historical land camp.....some of the cabins, mountains of empty food tins, While posted to Germany i traveled alot, and seen almost all of europe....did not get to see turkey....but did do a tour in Cyprus.....both sides.... I did however did not get to see any of eastern Germany, back then the cold war was still going on, even got to meet some real live Russians (SMELEMS) don't ask what it means but thats what we called them .....Russian military pers who would observe or spy on NATO exercises, .....just before i left Germany the wall came down.....worse country in europe was france.....i found them way to stuck up for me, unless you get into the smaller towns, Vimy ridge, Beaumont Hamel ....then they are very friendly....Holland was the best every time we traveled we got treated like royalty....did a lot of battle field tours....Spent some time in England doing some training, Seen alot of Europe from the top of an M-113..... The other spots where not so nice , to be fair there was a conflict going on.....Yugo, Kosovo, Somalia, Sinai desert, Afghanistan, Did mange to take my wife to Thailand, to enjoy the beaches, sun and culture.....would have loved to spent more time in asia, or got to see Australia , or south America.....maybe in the next life....

Then there should be no real issue to including it in a competition......This issue is going to give justin just as much grieve as it gave the Cons..... But right now it does not look like the Liberals are going to handle it any better.....which is why i have to ask what drew you to the liberal camp.....

That may have been part of it....the F-35 needed time to prove it's critics wrong....it stills needs time, shit even the US air force Navy are not 100 % behind the F-35....there are still members of the Chain of Command that speak out again'st it.....but right now there is only one horse in the barn....

Actually justin said just that....while answering questions about the F-35 and his plans for the Navy.....he stated that he will not being buying the F-35, and use the savings to put back into the navys programs.... And while he is not in office, and nothing is in concrete yet.....i hope he is transparent as he says he will be.....i hope he will be an adult , look at DND program , and there advice and make the right choice ...and if he is wrong about the F-35 atleast man up and say so.....he does that and he may swing my opinion....

The F-35 program has been reset.....by the Harper government.....if it had'nt we'd already have a contract..... And now....Justin is doing the same thing.....only they will not being looking at the F-35....how is that being transparent, and responsible government...... He is making a decision without all the facts.....that have not been made public by either DND or our government.....He' made the choice because it will get him votes and political points.....and screw the military.....And while i'm not i can honestly say i have little good to say about the Air force, because i'm jealous my life has depended on air support to many times not to want them to have the best equipment in the neighbourhood.

Another reason to vote liberal......these guys are not even in power yet and this is the second screw up they've made......anything but harper ya right..... maybe it should be anything but Harper and trudeau..... anything but the F-35 is a good sound decision based on nothing but a political choice.....Because that's the one Harper and crew wanted, sounds like something a couple of kids would do on the play ground.........to bad lives are on the line......this is the liberal line Screw the military, we will use and abuse them.....

Funny but 2 out of the 3 new sources all ref to your original source.....and the other one uses a source that you have discounted.....as it was used by students....I guess it is believe what you want to......but one source repeated several times does not make it fact....

For good reason , they are very hot topics and after a few to many beers could lead to civil discourse....or a punch in the month....those rules still exist in the military messes.....although unofficially....along with not bad mouthing the Queen.....

You and Derek have already hashed this out, the plan was for 15 surface ves.....the plan is still in play.....there has been talk in the media but no offical source from DND, or Government on reductions...... There is always a choice....... Justin during a question period while on tour , was quoted as saying that it was his plan to have Canada as the top contributor to UN missions.....he's your guy..... So now you've done a 180 on the F-35 program.....the same program you've been defending for some time now...Good on ya....i'am not totally convince it is the best aircraft either......but it is the only gen 5 aircraft available.......but lets have a competition anyways, so they can come up with the same solution.....Is your boy Justin going to have an open competition.....NO he is not....... Really that's all you got.....Is the Super Hornet still in production.....what does it mean when the production line is shut down to you.....do you think they continue to pump bils into R&D keeping the aircraft current......where do you go for parts, etc etc,.....and for how long given our history of keeping aircraft around for 30 plus years......how's that super hornet looking now......and the Rafale is a good plane they all are, but who's flying them in any numbers, and how long will they be current.....the Rafale story looks worse than the Super Hornet...... Thats what your basing your opinion on "how many shooting battles has Canadian pilots been in" Thats a crook of shit......tell me does your crystal ball say they never will be in any hostile environment for the next 30 years....How many CAP patrols has CDN pilots performed in the last 25 years over hostile areas....lots...... F-35 gives the owners a lot more options than a first strike mission....allieds countries during the gulf war used older aircraft on their first strike missions and lost aircraft.....and pilots.....but that's the question is it.....how much is a pilot life worth.....i'll tell you ones years wage, a free coffin, and burial..... I think the Commander of the Air force knows what he will need for any future needs, and he does not have a crystal ball......his decision is based on experience and threat assessments and he's been sold on the F-35......what is justin basing his requirements on.... what info does he have that the general does not..... Is the F-35 the end all be all aircraft, no it is not, but it is the newest one out there, and it will grow like any other aircraft out there......And if we were going to do this in 10 to 15 years i'd be all for the super hornets.....but we are to cheap for that......and you know that as well.....

You mean you'll vote Strategically and you were influenced by some anonymous internet postings on how to do so......

That is not what Justin has said......He has said he plans to make our military smaller and leaner....( which means savings and place to cut ) and he also intends to increase our contributions to UN missions to the Max.....there has been no talks about increasing military budgets,or extra programs for the military..... with one exception cutting the F-35 program, dumping what he thinks is extra billions into the ship building program.....without consulting the military, or seeing the entire program.....he is making this decision based on facts you and i are privy to, and not the entire picture......and he has forced himself into a corner, that only has one outcome for Canada....no F-35, stuck with an aircraft that is only gen 4 and will be obsolete in the near future....In military talk that means pilots will pay for this mistake with their lives, because some dink did not want to look bad......and reverse his decision....That is the reality we face today...... It is the sad reality that Canadians will shrug it all off, and say at least we save our dollars......when our sons and daughters pay for those mistakes.....

So are you saying that the students did not get it right, students from the Columbia law School, and part of the Human rights Clinic, produced a damning report towards the US and the use of drones.....on this topic, and yet you have written off as false....no good, shit it was written by students, students who happened to use 3 very credible sources......

They have delivered more than any other party.... CF-18 Upgrade New C-130J New C-17 plus additional contract for more. UAV's A firm plan on the F-35 AOP's Firm contract for temporary AOR ship. Frigate program New Sub update's and new Sub repair facility in BC. Contract for new AOR's M777 towed Arty LAV 6.0 upgrades New and used Leo II MBT's M113 upgrades TLAV Iltis replacement ( G-wagon) HSVW TAPV C-7 upgrades New 40 mm auto grenade launcher sys New HLVW replacement. and many more such as NVG goggles, GPS, etc etc.... What has the previous liberals gave us to date.....a decade of darkness.....what has the new liberal government promised todate.....to cancel the F-35 program, and purchase anything but F-35, and use the money saved and dump it into the navy ship building program.......

Ya putin is shaking in his boots......maybe putin will throat punch him....now that would be funny....

If He did nothing wrong why is he stepping down again......and why is Justin on TV explaining that this act would not be tolerated......Not even in office and Liberals strike one.....

I'm almost certain Canadians will be back at the polls in before the summer....all parties have already clearly stated they would not work together.....

I think it is a problem when people , citizens start to organize to ensure someone else does not get voted back in.....it is the system we have in place right now, there are lots of systems or laws that i don't agree with, I'm a big fan of capitol punishment , but you don't see me shooting convicted felons, why because it is again'st the law, and the rules that govern our nation..... It is a way to to misuse the system, while it may be ok for you to use it to upset the Cons, what if it was used in other ways.....to discredit or swing votes to say the Green party.....

Come on, are you that disillusioned to think that a new government be it NDP, or Liberal, or a combination of both, will bring sunshine and rainbows.... The current system may not be perfect, but it is the one we have in place right now, to change it is going to require the new government to put that in place.....until then the current system is what we have to work with.....and it was never intended for strategic voting.....which can be used to undermine the whole voting process, or outcome of a fair election.....[/size] That old white guy living in that rural area has different concerns than you do, so what....do you think someone in the city gives a rats ass about dairy production, or farming..... If that many people want to get rid of Harper, then there is no really worry is there......[/size]

Let me ask you this, is it morally ok or just to vaporize and man, leaving only his sandals....and his pink mist on the desert floor....knowing full well this man was a bad guy, but also a man, with a wife and kids.....and then the next day be flown home to your family and kids.....do you think that would cause some Moral cognitive dissonance ..... Nothing prepares a man or women for the realities of war....once you've seen it there is no going back to a normal state....it changes everyone....some more than others but everyone changes.....

That is not what this is about for me, i not loyal to one party.....i vote for the party i think best suits me, and what i think is best for me, my family,my riding and for the country........in that order....not because i want second place, unless they had something to offer.....but because that was the original intention of voting....I thought you would understand, and you were talking about supporting the green party, because you liked may 's platform, and the green candidate in your riding, because she was the better choice... you've said your not a big fan of the NDP....so why would you vote that way.....because the greens are not going to get elected....again i support the idea of having a back up vote, but this whole idea of convincing someone to vote stratigically ....to ensure one canidate did not win, well in my opinion i don't think it's right.....