Canada Needs a crack Parachute Regiment to Hunt Down the bands of Tali

TravellingTimeMachineSalesman · October 11, 2006

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!!

Argus · October 12, 2006

They.
Illegally.

Detained.

A mere hungry teenager.

Didn't their commander ask the local elders what to do about the hordes of thieves which kept squirming through the wire at night? Didn't the elders look at each other in confusion and just say "Uh, just kill them like we do"? Were they White supremecists?

Put cigarettes out on his feet.
And beat him to near to death.

Then left him there to scream.

Wasn't he killed by a native, who was sort of crazy himself? The guy who tried to commit suicide and basically wacked his brain? Are you saying the native guy was a white supremicist?

He finally died.
At which time they were heard to remark:

"We can't leave now."

"We haven't killed enough niggers yet".

Didn't you just make that up?

Wasn't the death reported, in fact, by an NCO, over the nervous objection of weak commanders who wandered to hush it up? Didn't the guy who reported it wind up in prison while the commanders wound up being promoted?

It goes much deeper than a confederate flag

Yes, it's called piss-poor to non-existent leadership all the way up the political toady of a CDS then in place. The only officer who showed more concern with the unit's welfare than his own career was the CO who frankly admitted that the discipline problems in Airborne were such that it was unfit for combat duty.

He was immediately replaced, with no action taken against the well-known group of indisciplined troublemakers or the weak junior officers who allowed them to run rampant. And the Airborne was shipped off to Somalia. And it was this group which screwed up in Somalia.

killjoy · October 12, 2006

This is hilarious.

Didn't their commander ask the local elders what to do about the hordes of thieves which kept squirming through the wire at night? Didn't the elders look at each other in confusion and just say "Uh, just kill them like we do"?

Yeah. Sure. I guess that makes it alright. What was I thinking.

Ok. You guys are all right. There were no problem individuals in the regiment at all, they had no ties to white supremisct groups. They had every right to kill that kid. There were no problems at all. They never said, "We can't leave now. We haven't killed enough niggers yet", and none of them were racist. I'm making it all up. What the hell would i know? I was only like there.

I'm just a harping hippy liberal with an axe to grind.

Carry on.

.

killjoy · October 12, 2006

post script:

While you rubes are getting your jolly's off claiming the only reason I said they had links to white supremiscts is because of the Confederate flag (which I didn't), or trying to bring to the table that the 'local elders' gave them permission to torture the kid to death as though that were a valid point on any dimension in the universe, and calling me an idiot....

I'd just like to ask why not even ONE of you supposed 'military experts' has bothered to point out to 'timetraveller-whatever-his-name-is' the blatantly obvious: that the jagged mountainous terrain of the Pakistan border is NOT the 'perfect place' to kick a bunch of 'crack' paratroopers out a plane, what with all the updrafts that have brought more than one helicopter down already or the jagged cliffs or the fact that mountains are a paratroopers worst nightmare..etc.,etc.

None of the military experts here thought of that?

Unbelievable. Carry on.

.

TravellingTimeMachineSalesman · October 12, 2006

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?

killjoy · October 12, 2006

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?

Yeah, I don't even know what you're saying here; it's gibberish.

Anytime you're ready to say anything at all that has any relevance to anything I said in any way you just let me know, k?

Try arguing what I said instead of what you wish I said.

.

Argus · October 12, 2006

This is hilarious.
Didn't their commander ask the local elders what to do about the hordes of thieves which kept squirming through the wire at night? Didn't the elders look at each other in confusion and just say "Uh, just kill them like we do"?

Yeah. Sure. I guess that makes it alright. What was I thinking.

You were thinking it was all white supremecists.

Ok. You guys are all right. There were no problem individuals in the regiment at all,

Has ANYONE said that? Nope.

they had no ties to white supremisct groups

Other than one or two guys who probably had the tattoos as more of a rebellion thing, no.

There were no problems at all.

Did anyone even SUGGEST that?

They never said, "We can't leave now. We haven't killed enough niggers yet",

I don't recall ever seeing that quote. Do you have a reference? In any case, that's the kind of thing dumbass young jocks full of piss and vinegar tend to say. In fact, the death of Airborne can probably be blamed more on the conflict between the elite jock-boy, stupid gutter humour culture of some of the Airborne troops and the soft-handed, wishy-washy, wine & cheese set mentality of the national media, shocked, horrified, that young men would say and do foolish, sometimes disgusting things which (ohmygod!) were quite far from being politically correct.

Argus · October 12, 2006

post script:
While you rubes are getting your jolly's off claiming the only reason I said they had links to white supremiscts is because of the Confederate flag (which I didn't), or trying to bring to the table that the 'local elders' gave them permission to torture the kid to death as though that were a valid point on any dimension in the universe, and calling me an idiot....

I'd just like to ask why not even ONE of you supposed 'military experts' has bothered to point out to 'timetraveller-whatever-his-name-is' the blatantly obvious: that the jagged mountainous terrain of the Pakistan border is NOT the 'perfect place' to kick a bunch of 'crack' paratroopers out a plane, what with all the updrafts that have brought more than one helicopter down already or the jagged cliffs or the fact that mountains are a paratroopers worst nightmare..etc.,etc.

None of the military experts here thought of that?

Unbelievable. Carry on.

If I had decided the original suggestion was something I wanted to respond to I would have. I didn't. I'm responding to you. And your reaction appears to be - forgive me - to sulk.

Figleaf · October 12, 2006

Why is it good to be a "crack regiment", but not a "crack whore"?

killjoy · October 12, 2006

You were thinking it was all white supremecists.

No I wasn't.

Has ANYONE said that? Nope.

You mean I'm arguing something you didn't say? Gee. What's that like?

Did anyone even SUGGEST that?

You mean I'm suggesting you said something you didn't suggest? Gee. What's that like?

I don't recall ever seeing that quote. Do you have a reference?

It was on the video. You have a reference. It's called Goggle, besides I did already reference it.

I'm responding to you. And your reaction appears to be - forgive me - to sulk.

Not at all. I just know when something's futile. I have yet to see any of you quote me properly or do anything beside misconstrue what I said. The only caveat, the only thing I took back and restated, was that I should've made it clearer that I wasn't speaking of the entire regiment.

I don't have anything to prove here, so I take back everything I said. There were no members who were white supremiscts, with absolutely no connections to the Heritage front.

The Church of the Creator
The Church of the CreatorAs is the case with the COTC on the U.S. West Coast, the Church of the Creator in Canada for the most part is comprised of neo-Nazi Skinheads. The group became active in Canada in 1990 when it set up post office boxes in Scarborough, Agincourt, and Woodbridge, Ontario. The head of these Ontario chapters is George Burdi (aka Rev. Eric Hawthorne). Burdi, 23, is a college-educated Skinhead; his menacing looks and relative sophistication have earned him appearances on the Geraldo Rivera and Sally Jessy Raphael talk shows, as well as MTV News. In addition to his COTC affiliation, Burdi is active with Heritage Front -- Canada's most notorious hate group, led by Wolfgang Droege.

Not content with "mere" hate speech, however, Burdi has organized his followers, who number approximately three to four dozen, into the most active and dangerous COTC faction in North America. To this end, the group conducts weekly paramilitary sessions under the direction of COTC "Security" chief Eric Fischer, 29, a former member of the elite Canadian Forces Airborne Regiment. Fischer's training program is reportedly so grueling that in 1992 one COTC recruit collapsed and died; no charges were filed in connection with the incident.

http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/orgs/american/a...otc/canada.html

.

Army Guy · October 12, 2006

Hey Killjoy thought you could use a fire team partner...I First read these posts a few days ago got a chuckle out of them, then things were getting a little heated.

I spent sometime in the Airbourne regt, 3 CDO. 1991 to "the Parade" in 1995. DID the regt have a large displinary problem prior to deploying to Somolia, YES..it did, that much is fact and is written in the somolia report and serveral books written about the Regt IE "Pegasus" and others. Did everyone know about it. again Yes they did. Did it have a racist problem, in what we regard as racist today yes it did, not only in 2 CDO, but the entire Regt had it's problem rednecks, it was just that 2 CDO had more than thier share, and were the ones that the finger was pionted at. Rednecks is the term i use to discribe individuals who do practice racism, everwhere. those that sported Nazi tatoos, Nazi flags in thier room, racist reading material, and where not shy about it. These are not actions of a professional soldier, but actions of a racist.

That being said the Regt did produce alot of our countries best warriors, and alot of good people served in the Regt and i do not want to take away any of that. But to say the CAR was not a unit with alot of problems prior to deployment, is just wrong.

There was the great purges, and most of those rednecks and arseholes were shown the door after they returned from Somolia only because they were now under a micro scope and new leadership....The Airbourne needed Somolia in the sense it needed the spot light, it needed to get rid of the bags of hammers that were dragging the good name of the Regt thru the mud, along with the good men that helped make that name.

But like everything to little to late, and to make up for that they disbanded it, because they really did not want to fix it...And for that they punished the wrong people, people like the vets of 1st para, and those CAR members that did serve Canada proud...

TravellingTimeMachineSalesman:

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.

These guys are Canadian soldiers and had been issued Rules of engagements although some what lose in Somolia they still had RO&E to follow, written in accordance with Canadian law in black and white and can not be left to the interputation of the soldier, even a three year could read them and understand them.

A soldier does not "lose" his patients with local theafs only trying to eat, or make a buck. We follow Canadian law to the letter regardless of where we are, you don't then your arrested and charged, end of story...

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!

It's against Canadian law, the geneva convention, Military law, and goes again'st every moral value Canadians are taught. break those laws and your going to do time, and be release from our countries service, there is no gray area here, judges do not understand gray, "like the locals do it" your not a local and you are representing our nation, can't live up to those standards set out by the people of Canada or the high standards set up by our military then it's time to step off.

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?

Ask them, ask them if the ever experiance racism in the CAR, a unit made up of Canadians from across this country. What makes the CAR any different than any other population center in Canada. Are you saying that racism does not exist in Canada, of course it does, why would it not exist in a Canadian military unit.

I think your pissed because you are finding out that the CAR chrome armour has some tarnish on it.

But hey i'm only a guy that served in the CAR, there is tones of materials out there read up on it.

I'd just like to ask why not even ONE of you supposed 'military experts' has bothered to point out to 'timetraveller-whatever-his-name-is' the blatantly obvious: that the jagged mountainous terrain of the Pakistan border is NOT the 'perfect place' to kick a bunch of 'crack' paratroopers out a plane, what with all the updrafts that have brought more than one helicopter down already or the jagged cliffs or the fact that mountains are a paratroopers worst nightmare..etc.,etc.

The rest of you are not off the hook though. JTF2 is an elite unit who are trained to carry out assasinations, snatches and sniper action. Not win battles. To portray them as the end to all ends is to discredit the troops who gain and hold ground, patrol it and risk life and limb to guard it. What is needed on the gournd is soldiers, brave and serious ones. In this, we know we have them in great qauantities and, when they come home they should be honored for their service not belittled for not being Airborne, JTF, Special Forces or whatever you think they should be but, because of your ignorence, are not.

I think these two posts speak volumes, spoken by two soldiers, someone that has strapped on the gear been there and done that lots. And yet some of you have brushed thier opinons aside as meaniless. And they are bang on in thier accessment, Afgan is not about elite forces JTF or airbourne. It's about soldiers on the ground , not dangling from a chute, or fast roping like in the movies. All of which once on the ground are no more agile or nimble than thier Mech counterparts. You guys make it sound like thats all we do all day is drive around in our LAV's beating the bushes, in Mudusa i rarely seen our LAV, spent my time humping everything i owned on my back. This war is being won and it's being won by all of our Soldiers period.

killjoy · October 12, 2006

ArmyGuy.

Thanks. I'm being a jerk. You didn't say that but I know it.

Argus, Krusty: I'm being a jerk. I'm sorry.

I think I just need a break here. Been yelling about Afghanistan till I've been blue in the face for the past few months and 'getting it' from the "Left" or "anti-War" crowd, and now I'm percieving that I'm 'getting it' from the opposite side.

Perhaps I'm just projecting. I apologize to all. I'm gonna take a week off from here and chill.

.

JAh-man · October 12, 2006

These people who are attacking us now are the same ones we were there to save a year ago.. What if they decide they don't want our form of democracy?? Should we be forcing it on them??

TravellingTimeMachineSalesman · October 12, 2006

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!!

jdobbin · October 13, 2006

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!!

The re-instituted Vice department of the Afghan government could very well tell people what the length of their beards will be. It is unclear what puropose they will serve. Even right wing groups are nervous at the prospect of this group operating above the law.

jbg · October 13, 2006

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!!!

Political pressure, they had a bit of a black eye from Somalia.

I don't agree they needed to be disbanded, but there were some serious problems in a couple of the commandoes. At worst they needed a gutting and the trouble makers sent to Fort Edmonton.

I thought commando units were Canada's pride, historically.

M.Dancer · October 13, 2006

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!!!

Political pressure, they had a bit of a black eye from Somalia.

I don't agree they needed to be disbanded, but there were some serious problems in a couple of the commandoes. At worst they needed a gutting and the trouble makers sent to Fort Edmonton.

I thought commando units were Canada's pride, historically.

A commando in this case is a division within the regiment, like a company...... 1 commando, 2 commando etc etc.....

One of the "commandos" was poisoned.

M.Dancer · October 13, 2006

Hey Killjoy thought you could use a fire team partner...I First read these posts a few days ago got a chuckle out of them, then things were getting a little heated.
I spent sometime in the Airbourne regt, 3 CDO. 1991 to "the Parade" in 1995. DID the regt have a large displinary problem prior to deploying to Somolia, YES..it did, that much is fact and is written in the somolia report and serveral books written about the Regt IE "Pegasus" and others. Did everyone know about it. again Yes they did. Did it have a racist problem, in what we regard as racist today yes it did, not only in 2 CDO, but the entire Regt had it's problem rednecks, it was just that 2 CDO had more than thier share, and were the ones that the finger was pionted at. Rednecks is the term i use to discribe individuals who do practice racism, everwhere. those that sported Nazi tatoos, Nazi flags in thier room, racist reading material, and where not shy about it. These are not actions of a professional soldier, but actions of a racist.

That being said the Regt did produce alot of our countries best warriors, and alot of good people served in the Regt and i do not want to take away any of that. But to say the CAR was not a unit with alot of problems prior to deployment, is just wrong.

There was the great purges, and most of those rednecks and arseholes were shown the door after they returned from Somolia only because they were now under a micro scope and new leadership....The Airbourne needed Somolia in the sense it needed the spot light, it needed to get rid of the bags of hammers that were dragging the good name of the Regt thru the mud, along with the good men that helped make that name.

But like everything to little to late, and to make up for that they disbanded it, because they really did not want to fix it...And for that they punished the wrong people, people like the vets of 1st para, and those CAR members that did serve Canada proud...

TravellingTimeMachineSalesman:

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.

These guys are Canadian soldiers and had been issued Rules of engagements although some what lose in Somolia they still had RO&E to follow, written in accordance with Canadian law in black and white and can not be left to the interputation of the soldier, even a three year could read them and understand them.

A soldier does not "lose" his patients with local theafs only trying to eat, or make a buck. We follow Canadian law to the letter regardless of where we are, you don't then your arrested and charged, end of story...

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!

It's against Canadian law, the geneva convention, Military law, and goes again'st every moral value Canadians are taught. break those laws and your going to do time, and be release from our countries service, there is no gray area here, judges do not understand gray, "like the locals do it" your not a local and you are representing our nation, can't live up to those standards set out by the people of Canada or the high standards set up by our military then it's time to step off.

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?

Ask them, ask them if the ever experiance racism in the CAR, a unit made up of Canadians from across this country. What makes the CAR any different than any other population center in Canada. Are you saying that racism does not exist in Canada, of course it does, why would it not exist in a Canadian military unit.

I think your pissed because you are finding out that the CAR chrome armour has some tarnish on it.

But hey i'm only a guy that served in the CAR, there is tones of materials out there read up on it.

I'd just like to ask why not even ONE of you supposed 'military experts' has bothered to point out to 'timetraveller-whatever-his-name-is' the blatantly obvious: that the jagged mountainous terrain of the Pakistan border is NOT the 'perfect place' to kick a bunch of 'crack' paratroopers out a plane, what with all the updrafts that have brought more than one helicopter down already or the jagged cliffs or the fact that mountains are a paratroopers worst nightmare..etc.,etc.

The rest of you are not off the hook though. JTF2 is an elite unit who are trained to carry out assasinations, snatches and sniper action. Not win battles. To portray them as the end to all ends is to discredit the troops who gain and hold ground, patrol it and risk life and limb to guard it. What is needed on the gournd is soldiers, brave and serious ones. In this, we know we have them in great qauantities and, when they come home they should be honored for their service not belittled for not being Airborne, JTF, Special Forces or whatever you think they should be but, because of your ignorence, are not.

I think these two posts speak volumes, spoken by two soldiers, someone that has strapped on the gear been there and done that lots. And yet some of you have brushed thier opinons aside as meaniless. And they are bang on in thier accessment, Afgan is not about elite forces JTF or airbourne. It's about soldiers on the ground , not dangling from a chute, or fast roping like in the movies. All of which once on the ground are no more agile or nimble than thier Mech counterparts. You guys make it sound like thats all we do all day is drive around in our LAV's beating the bushes, in Mudusa i rarely seen our LAV, spent my time humping everything i owned on my back. This war is being won and it's being won by all of our Soldiers period.

Good post. Well written.

Army Guy · October 13, 2006

KillJoy:

ArmyGuy.
Thanks. I'm being a jerk. You didn't say that but I know it.

I think I just need a break here. Been yelling about Afghanistan till I've been blue in the face for the past few months and 'getting it' from the "Left" or "anti-War" crowd, and now I'm percieving that I'm 'getting it' from the opposite side.

Been on this board for a long time, Screaming blue murder until my head exploded, change is always slow in coming, but things are alot different here now, the people are more receptive to "things Military". when i first got here just saying Military was like farting in church, everyone does it, just not openily.

Hang in there, we all need more soldiers on line talking to the people who pay our wages. getting out our views on things.

Theres alot of good people here and i've learned more from them than they have from me. it's all good.

JAh-man:

These people who are attacking us now are the same ones we were there to save a year ago.. What if they decide they don't want our form of democracy?? Should we be forcing it on them??

We've been in Afgan much longer than a year, and those that we are fighting are still the bad guys, taliban, Al quida, and mercs from across the muslim world. And we are not bringing about a form of democracy that we in Canada have, Yes it was an elected government, and it does have a parliment, but that is where the similarity ends, it is a muslim nation, with alot of hard core muslim laws, some of which have been curtailed because of our presence here, but most are laws in which they have decided upon. I just wanted to make that clear that it is not a pupet government made in our image that we are setting up, but thier government that hopefully is thier well after we are gone.

I'd also like to make it clear that we are here because the afgan Government has asked us to be here, to assist them in rebuilding thier army, police forces, to assist in rebuilding Infra structure, to help secure thier nation until they can do it themselfs.

We will be finished when the Afgan government asks us to leave. Or Canadians lose faith in the mission.

I thought commando units were Canada's pride, historically.

Canada's military history is full of pride, and Canada has a long history of elite fighting forces, 1 st para BN, the special service force( combined US/ Canadian unit), even a SAS regt from 47 to 49 until it was disbanded, CAR and much more. all served with pride ,all have served Canada with honor, don't get confused from my last post, the dark days of the CAR was brought about by the actions of a few. and should not tarnish the rest of the regt.

TravellingTimeMachineSalesman · October 16, 2006

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.

jdobbin · October 16, 2006

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.

The U.S. is in the mountains right now. Each country has their area of operations.

TravellingTimeMachineSalesman · October 16, 2006

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!!

jdobbin · October 16, 2006

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!!

That is an argument you should take up with the U.S. and the other countries of NATO. Canada is already contributing more troops and losing more troops proportionally to any other nation in Afghanistan.

It is a huge country. Even 50,000 British troops were not able to stop the violence decades ago.

TravellingTimeMachineSalesman · October 16, 2006

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!

KrustyKidd · October 16, 2006

I'd just like to ask why not even ONE of you supposed 'military experts' has bothered to point out to 'timetraveller-whatever-his-name-is' the blatantly obvious: that the jagged mountainous terrain of the Pakistan border is NOT the 'perfect place' to kick a bunch of 'crack' paratroopers out a plane, what with all the updrafts that have brought more than one helicopter down already or the jagged cliffs or the fact that mountains are a paratroopers worst nightmare..etc.,etc.
None of the military experts here thought of that?

Unbelievable. Carry on..

I didn't even address that factor in my thesis on this matter as I don't know the country myself.

Pretty much, you don't need airmobile battalions in Afganistan, you need mountain warfare experts coaching troops, desert warefare experts same and on and on. Troops are great, brave, motivated and this particular mission I can tell you does not need one frickin parachute.