November 11th The Canadian Soldier[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?

[M.Dancer]

There's no doubt that Canadians have developed a full-blown, if heartbreaking, romance with their soldiers – and, it can be argued, a more robust sense of the country's place in the world. They have become modern-day action heroes, fighting the Taliban in lethal skirmishes, chasing pirates off the Somali coast, providing a worthy air escort for the Olympic torch across the ocean. But it's an awkward love affair.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canadians-embrace-new-role-for-military/article1355000/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/cenotaph-vandalized-days-before-nov-11/article1357429/

[eyeball]

But where and how will you serve next?

“The question facing Canadians – and it's very important – is what do we want to do with a better armed, better equipped, better funded military,” says Janice Stein, director of the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto. “Are we willing to use it? That's the debate that's coming.”

I'd say the very first thing we need to do is determine precisely what we are willing to use it for and why.

I'd start that process off by holding wide-ranging public reviews into our all of our military alliances and treaties and hold a referendum on which ones to keep, renew or discard. Apparently we can't trust our Constitution to define what a just war is so the only one's who can be trusted with this is us, the people, and directly. We certainly can't trust our political parties with that job. This website's vast volume of posts that decry the decision making ability of every political party in existance should be enough to convince anyone around here of that.

[Smallc]

Very nice...and very true. I hope that everyone here will take the time tomorrow. Lest we forget.

[M.Dancer]

This is interesting, from Afghanistan.

The seven families had flown to Kandahar as part of the military's Next of Kin program that acquaints relatives with the land where their loved ones fell. Canada is the only country to provide such a service, and nearly all families of the 133 dead have signed up for a visit, according to Col. Jean-Luc Milot, who heads the program.

During a private ceremony, Afghanistan army commander Abdul Bahshir personally thanked the families and offered them medals of appreciation.

The most heart-rending moments of the day came during a service for the families. Even the normally stock Brig-Gen. Vance struggled for composure as he addressed them. “May our warm embrace comfort you now, and in years to come,” Brig-Gen. Vance told the families, pausing momentarily to catch his emotions. “You are family.”

Each family then laid a wreath at the memorial and placed letters at plaques bearing the faces of late soldiers.

“It's been a very emotional and healing experience,” said Nicole Starker, wife of Michael Starker, a medic who died during a gun battle with the Taliban. “I wanted to get to know this side of my husband, to visit the place that took him.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/a-rare-celebration-of-life/article1359196/

I hope the embracing the families of the fallen is not a fad that will be forgotten once we leave. Death is forever.

[Army Guy]

Yesterday i attended the rememberance day in Fredricton N.B and was impressed by the amount of people who showed up, and the welcome we recieved as we marched on and around the memorial...it filled me with pride to see so many and how proud they were of all of us....For that i thank you.

To the vets to whom i had the pivilage of sharing a beer or two,at the Legion, Thanks for putting everything into perspective for me, to listen to these men's stories , thier hardships, thier losses...really sank home, thier similarities and differences of both our experiances at war...

Anyways i toast you once more, thanks.

[M.Dancer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMzHlkB-Yg

Nice to see our fathers are rememembered far away....and just as nice we pay compliments back