Royal Canadian Regiment In Afghanistan
Canadian Lieutenant General Leslie Andrew Leslie recently noted that after Canada’s deployment in Afghanistan ends in 2011, Canada’s military may need a year to recover. The reason, as Ellen points out, is because Canada has been suffering 4 times the casualty rate of American troops in Afghanistan, because Canada’s in one of the most dangerous provinces.
Of course, Fox panelist Benson then mocked Canadians:
“I didn’t even know that they were in the war,” Benson said, adding he thought Canada was where someone went to avoid fighting.
No, Fox and the Republican party is where people go who avoid fighting. None of the panelists on the show appear to have ever served in the military.
Then Fox pundits made the suggestion that Canada leaches on the US for security:
“Would Canada be able to get away with this if they didn’t share a border with the most powerful country in the universe?”
Here’s a fact for Fox. There is only one country in the world which threatens Canada’s security in any meaningful way. Only one country in the world which might be able to successfully invade Canada: that’s the US.
Canada doesn’t need the US to save it from anyone but the US. Sort of like protection money: “Such a nice country you have there. Be a shame if anything any happened to it.”
Which is more or less what one panelist meant when he said:
“Isn’t this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country?” Gutfeld asked panelist Doug Benson.
I know many Americans don’t think this way, but I get tired of the idea that Canada is some pacifist country. We joined both WWI and WWII sooner than Americans, and we took heavier losses per capita (see endnotes). Sure, we didn’t fight in Vietnam or Iraq, but that’s because neither country was any threat to us, or to our ally, the US. Fighting in unnecessary wars is deeply immoral and worse than being immoral is a mistake which weakens the countries which partake.
Why are we in Afghanistan and not Iraq? Because there is a least a case that Afghanistan harbored terrorists who attacked our NATO ally, the US. We’re being a good ally. There was no credible evidence that Iraq was involved in 9/11, and we don’t believe that when Fred hits you, you should attack Mary instead just because you don’t like Mary and always wanted to beat her bloody.
For many years I have believed that Canada needs to revamp its military. Not to make it more of an expeditionary force, but to make it serve Canadians better. The main arm should be the Navy, supported by the Air Force, so we can defend our territorial waters. As for our army, they should be trained in insurgency/counter-insurgency. Officially, of course, the military upgrade would be so we could fight the colonial wars we keep getting dragged into by our entangling alliances. Unofficially the real reason would be because after Iraq, only a fool thinks the US isn’t one demagogic politician and one disaster away from invading anyone it pleases, whether there’s any good reason or not. Sound ridiculous? Well, 8 years ago would you have thought that if country X attacked the US, the US would use that as an excuse to attack country Y? Ridiculous is no longer a valid counterargument. The US was a rogue nation under Bush, I can see no reason to think it couldn’t happen again. And Canada has a lot of oil.
If the US invades, Canada can’t beat it on the open battlefield. But Canada is a big place, perfectly designed for guerrilla warfare.
But really, Canada and the US have been allies and friends for a long time, and I’m proud we’ve helped in Afghanistan. Hopefully relations will stay good. But when Fox is the top viewed news network in a country and spewing this sort of hate, one sometimes wonders.
(Hat tip to News Hounds for the Fox News video above.)
Endnotes:
In WWII Canada had 1.1 million men serving and lost 45,364. The total population of the country in 1945 was 12,072,000. Canada thus had a per capita loss rate of .376%. America’s death rate in WWII was .21%.
In WWI Canada had 64,944 military casualties in a total population of 7.2 million. The per capita death rate was thus a wopping 0.9%. The US lost 53,402, in absolute numbers less, and the casualty rate was .054%.
In WWI the US entered the war on April 6th, 1917. Canada had been at war since August 14th, 1914. (Granted, Canada had no choice in the matter as it had to go to war when Britain did, but it didn’t have to send as many men as it did. Granted, also, that there’s a strong argument that the US should not have entered WWI, which was not a war about any great principles or against any great evil, despite the propaganda at the time.)
Jibbidy
Not sure if you’ve seen this before, but here’s something to make you chill after all that rage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7oZ2t-_doM
The best explanation of how the First World War started I’ve ever seen. 🙂
Ian Welsh
Lol. Very nice. 🙂
Jobe
Nicely put
Andrew
I couldn’t agree more – the fact that Red Eye poses for any form of journalism (satirical or otherwise), drives me nuts. I first saw this on the same day we just lost another 4 soldiers in Kandahar.
I sometimes wonder if Americans (and in this case I’m referring to those idiotic Americans who seem to always find a TV show to spread their drivel, and not the sane ones), will ever stop to think that we’re not the ones that need a partner to protect us. Perhaps the fact that more acts of terror haven’t occurred on US soil is because we’re out there telling people that the US isn’t that bad once you get to know them….kind of like that friend everyone has that turns into a jerk after a few beers.
“Don’t mind him….he’s not normally like this….typically a great guy…try not to punch him in the face….thanks”.
Also – Benson needs to get a haircut more suited to that giant cranium of his before he goes around cracking jokes at Canada’s expense…and Schulz needs to stop imitating Andy Dick. Nobody likes the original, and he just comes off like an ass (and for the record our Mounties can ride around on horses in bright red suits because people respect them…they don’t need a ton of gear to keep from getting shot because they don’t act like asses.).
PS – love the article. I only wish I could have put it as succinctly as you did.
Mini Marine
Does it really come as a shock that fox news is spouting crap like this?
Trust me there are plenty of us in the military that are sick and tired of their BS.
They have no credibility at all.
R Ockape
These are the type of people who, when their military (in which they never served) say “We’re really thrashing them (the enemy).
Who are the “we”, I don’t recall these ‘brave’ boys and girls being in any place more dangerous than where their hairstyles might get a little messed up or makeup smudged.
Who do those morons in the video think they are to snipe about people whose boots they are not fit to lick!
They should remember that it is such troops in the alliance whose lost limbs/lives have ensured the right of free speech in the West – such a pity that the morons in the video waste such a hard won precious gift.
Kenn
I’m really sorry about Fox News and their viewers. If it makes you feel any better, the rest of us have to share a country with those morons, not just a border.
British Army lad
Bunch of thick a*ses. I’d like to see any of them do a tour in Afghan with the Canadian army and see if they still think they’re so damned witty.
tom
Ottawa should just ignore the situation. It’s FOX news frat boys at 3:00 a.m., it doesn’t get any more irrevelant than that. Back in the 70’s when Prime Minister Trudeau found out that President Nixon called him an asshole Pierre simply brushed it off saying “I’ve been called worse things by better people”. Stevie is not as gifted.
JustPlainDave
As a point of order, the reason that we need an operational reset isn’t so much because our manpower losses aren’t sustainable (painful though they are), but because our operational tempo is so high compared to our force levels. My understanding is that there are two key areas of concern: 1) wear and tear on the kit and 2) key personnel shortages, IIRC primarily in the areas of high level vehicle techs. We have a lovingly hand-crafted military – force generation and sustainment is a real challenge for us.
Quite apart from all of that, it’s quite unlikely, contrary to the apparent belief of Fox frat bull session, that the entire Army is simply going to down tools come 2011. The battlegroup will rotate out, but it seems likely that significant numbers of Canadians will continue to be involved, in a range of roles (e.g., PRT, ANA training and mentoring).
Congrats on the new chez vous, BTW.
Ian Welsh
Hey, JPD, nice to see you.
Tom: agreed. As Ottawa I wouldn’t pay any particular public attention. As a blogger, otoh, I can notice 🙂 But iI really don’t like the way certain things played out over the last 8 years, I really don’t like the fact that Fox is the most popular news network in the US, and it really does make twitchy.
Chris
For the record I am an American, I honor and revere your soldiers who have served in Afghanistan and would like it to be known that Fox does not speak for me on this issue (or many other matters).
Louie Palu
Canada at War in Afghanistan
http://podcasts.theatlantic.com/2009/02/unconventional-warfare.php
Tothepub
Bloody morons. Obviously have no idea what actually goes on in a warzone or even a basic grasp of military knowledge. If they carry it on how about a repeat performance of 1812? I’m sure the whitehouse could do with some more redecorating.
DF
You are completely right. As an American and military vet, I am grateful that Canada is our neighbor and ally. You guys are stable and reliable – as opposed to Mexico, whose drug violence is starting to spill into the border states. The Fox comments were stupid and shallow.
The US military is going to take years to recover from Iraq and Afghanistan as well. Our forces are stressed out, equipment is worn out, and there is still no end in sight.
BTW, you forgot to mention that the current record for longest confirmed sniper kill is held by a Canadian: 2430 meters.
Geo
… and americans wonder why they are hated all over the world – they really need to sit on Fox News.
George Firth
Jesus Christ, they have no idea, nor concept of what dignity is, my opinion of America and just hit rock bottom, along side their interlect.
Neil Fiertel
Fox appears to be a subversive and fascist inspired media outlet reminiscent of
Der Sturmer from the Third Reich. In a free society one must put up with such scum but it is a shame that so many naive Americans believe their lies and interpretations of the world. CNN is next behind with their coterie of right wingnuts but at least they also have more reasonable talents as well. The loss of news in the States is the greatest single threat to its democratic future, I believe , and not the terrorist threat, real though it it. Fox is really the enemy in America and it is available in most every home. In the days of my youth, people feared communism and its fear led to innuendo and smear tactics. Now Fox and its odour premeates the naive livingrooms across America and this is clearly the threat that must be addressed by real news, real editiorialising and a stronger legal basis to counter the lax approach to libellous lies spouted by such outlets. In America, God forbid a nipple is exposed or a few savoury words spoken but it is fine, it appears, to lie , cheat and spread political filth and fear to every viewer.