Typically Canadian

[mbarrick]

As usual we are, despite all the flack for "doing nothing" quietly doing more than expected, more than we said we would, and doing it right. The headlines on all the papers today are about how "disappointed" the American government is with us, yet the American embassador to Canada, Paul Celucci, also had these words about our naval presence in the Persian Gulf which is still there because we are still in Afghanistan:

Ironically, because of the presence in the Persian Gulf, they will provide more support for this war in Iraq indirectly than most of those 46 countries that are fully supporting us. It's kind of an odd situation.

So, to those that are "ashamed" of our "lack of involvement" - shut the fuck up. Our government did the ethically right thing by staying in line with our prinicples regarding the UN, international law, and peacekeeping. Never forget that Canada invented peacekeeping and ever since we first distinguished ourselves in the Boer War, Canadian soldiers have continued to earn and maintain the respect of friends and enemies alike. General Rommel, the German commander of the North African theatre in WWII, said that if he had Canadian soldiers with American equipment he could win the war. In the first gas attacks of WWI at Yprès, it was the Canadians alone that held the line while everyone else ran and died. Canada was in WWII two years ahead of America and it was the Canadians (including my father) who spearheaded the invasion of Italy in WWII and cleared the way for the Brits and Americans. It was Canadians (again including my father) that landed at Dieppe and prooved that the invasion of Normandy, while difficult, was not impossible. Our peacekeepers were in Korea and, despite the reputation garnered from American draft-dodging, our volunteer millitary was in Vietnam. And in the first Gulf War it was Canadian fighter jets that were sent in first, specifically to be shot at, so the Americans could come in with relative safety to take out the anti-aircraft guns.

Be proud of Canada. Be proud that we have the guts and moral fortitude to finish wars and ethics enough not to start them.

Comments

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

very well articulated michael...it's one thing to take a stance against our government on their decision, but i was infuriated to read that someone would be "ashamed" to be canadian...our country has held up it's end in any modern conflict and our peacekeepers have been in many difficult situations such as somalia, bosnia, cyprus (my friend's dad was an m.p. there)...and our soldiers are extremely brave and well respected around the world...for anyone who doubts the input of canadians in world affairs, read up some history before blathering on about what a bad and weak country we are...perhaps we don't spend our money on defending our borders, and certainly our military deserves some support from our government, but we are committed to keeping peace through the u.n....we live in a great country and a proud one...and though we don't always trumpet our accomplishments or wave the flag we have a great deal to hold our heads up for...i think we all keep it in our hearts though, and since we are secure in our contribution to the world we don't need to focus anyone's attention on us...i'm glad you couldn't stay quiet forever...you have too much wisdom to contribute to such an important debate...

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

my grandfather was a veteran of the boer war...but with scotland...we used to have his medals, but one of my uncles has them now...funny i wonder if this is a precursor of things to come...

To do this, Milner precipitates a war with the Boers. As always, over-confident generals and politicians predict the war will be over 'by Christmas'. And again, as always with the British in their wars, they only win one battle - the last one. But they will have to wait two and a half years for that. Until then, disaster is piled on disaster, military careers are destroyed, 22,000 Tommy Atkins are laid to rest in 'some corner of a foreign field that is for ever England', and the Empire muddles on in the heat and dust of the South African veldt.