The force assembled for the missions in Bosnia and Afghanistan
represents a third of the Canadian army's field soldiers,
leaving the rest of the army stretched thin, critics say.

WHERE'S THE ENEMY'S ARMY?

Don't you find it kind of strange that one third of Canada's 3,000-strong ground army is being sent to Afghanistan and Bosnia [June 2003] even though there is no army to oppose them or no war going on? For people with short memories -- or who never knew it in the first place -- we've already destroyed Bosnia and Afghanistan. They are war-ravaged desolations similar to what's left of Grozny, Chechnya after the Soviet Union was defeated there (after invading and waging war on Afghanistan for ten years until Afghan patriots defeated them). According to the Canadian general heading the war on Afghanistan now, the main threat will come from "a suicide bomber" against whom there is no protection anyway.

Actually, as has been pointed out several times in the news lately, the only thing living and moving in Afghanistan are poppies blowing in the breeze. Are our troops being sent to guard opium plantations for the international heroin trade? And what they'll be doing in Bosnia is not at all clear, other than leaving us vulnerable at home to an attack from our REAL enemies, perhaps the Communist Chinese who have us surrounded and are sabre rattling.

All the best,
Jackie Jura

USA GAVE CHINA PANAMA CANAL and China readies for future USA fight. CNN, Mar 25, 2003

Army needs your support, General says
Chris Wattie, National Post, Jun 28, 2003

The commander of Canada's army told more than 3,000 troops bound for overseas missions yesterday that the Canadian public will "walk with them" when they are deployed to far-off countries such as Afghanistan. But Lieutenant-General Rick Hillier, the Canadian Forces chief of land staff, said the country needs to pay more attention to its land forces.

"I have a lot of sympathy for the vast majority of the 31 million Canadians who will never get to see you and just what great Canadians you are and how well you represent them," Lt.-Gen. Hillier told the soldiers of 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, parading in CFB Petawawa. "And that is a sad thing." "I call upon Canadians to really, actually start taking an interest in their army, because I'd like to underscore for them that when a single Canadian soldier walks on soil in a foreign, hostile land, every single Canadian walks with him or her. They need to pay attention to their army. They need to visibly support you, and they need to ensure that you are set up for success."

The troops of the brigade, whose members will begin shipping out for missions in Bosnia and Afghanistan in a few weeks, were holding their final parade before going overseas. The parade included soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, deploying on Operation Athena to Kabul in August, and troopers of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, bound for Operation Palladium in Bosnia in September.

After reviewing the parade, Lt.-Gen. Hillier made an unusual break with military protocol and asked the soldiers standing at attention to break their ranks and gather around him. "Now I've got to tell you I love formations, and this is one of the finest formations of soldiers I have ever seen," the general said, to applause and cheers from the ranks. "And I'm sorry, I'm going to break up your formation. I want the soldiers on the flanks and the soldiers in the centre out here to squeeze forward right up to me here.... I like to be able to see those soldiers' faces."

Lt.-Gen. Hillier acknowledged that the coming mission to Afghanistan will be dangerous, but pledged to give the battle group in Kabul "whatever they need." Commanders have rated the threat to the Canadian contingent, part of the 5,000-strong, 29-nation International Security Assistance Force as high, and some military intelligence estimates have predicted a near certainty of Canadian fatalities on the 12-month mission.Lt.-Gen. Hillier however, advised the soldiers yesterday to minimize the risks. "Be vigilant. Use the training. Use the experience. Listen to your leadership, ears and eyes open and just go do the job. Do it as you professional Canadian soldiers can only do it. And come home safely. That's what we want you to do."

Major General Andrew Leslie, who will be the senior Canadian officer in Kabul, said that without the NATO-run force in Afghanistan, the country would quickly slide back into anarchy. "It would devolve very quickly back down into all-out war, quite frankly. That's how potentially grim the situation is," he told reporters after the parade.

Maj-Gen Leslie said his greatest fear is suicide bombers, like those who blew up a bus full of German ISAF troops this month, killing four and wounding dozens more. "With all the best skills, with all the best training in the world, it is really tough to defend yourself against someone who's willing to die to kill you," he said.

The force assembled for the missions in Bosnia and Afghanistan represents a third of the Canadian army's field soldiers, leaving the rest of the army stretched thin, critics say.

James Bartleman, the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, also reviewed the troops and said after the parade he had never seen anything like it. "I have 35 years in the diplomatic corps and service, eight years as ambassador to NATO and five years ambassador to Israel and Cypress, and so I've seen a lot of Canadian soldiers in my time, but never this many," he said.


40,000 police & army circle Baghdad (675 checkpoints at 23 entry-points 24 hours a day). AP Fort Wayne, May 27, 2005. Go to IRAQ HELL BAGHDAD BRACELET

IRAQ-AFGHAN PHONY WARS

Army selling Afghanistan's water (run by Cancap, a subsidiary of Montreal-based SNC Lavalin to produce 9,000 litres/day). CBC, Jul 27, 2004. Go to 9.Keeping Masses Down & CANADA SELLING AFGHANS' WATER

Soldiers playing Santa in Afghanistan (hand out shoe boxes of trinkets to destitute of war-ravaged nation). Canoe.com, Dec 20, 2003. Go to FEEDING FREEDOM'S FOES & AFGHANISTAN REMEMBERED & AFGHANISTAN AFTERMATH

Where is the Iraqi army? (no photographs or witnesses - must have disappeared into thin air). Sydney MH, Nov 3, 2003. Go to 28.Reality Control

CANADA'S TRAUMATIZED SOLDIERS

Afghanistan world's biggest heroin dealer (poppies springing up everywhere in midst of Western armies). Independent, Jun 22, 2003

OPIUM WARS WITHIN

China preparing war against USA (accelerating modernization of weaponry). Rense.com, Jun 27, 2003. Go to 6.Super-States and 28.Reality Control

Red China taking Pentagon tour (highest ranking military officer as part of military exchange). WashPost, Jun 27, 2003. Go to 6.Super-States & 28.Reality Control

ARMING OUR ENEMIES

IRAQ A MAGICIAN'S TRICK

DRUG WAR & PEACE

AFGHANISTAN REMEMBERED

AFGHANISTAN AFTERMATH

Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events ~

email: orwelltoday@gmail.com
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