A Canadian soldier enjoying it in Iraq.

[dancing-loon]

For Canadian, serving in Iraq is a source of pride

Posted outside Baghdad as part of exchange with U.S., soldier says he's optimistic about future of war-torn country

He doesn't mind the odd looks. He says he's both proud of his country and of being one of the few Canadians taking part in what the U.S. Army calls Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Canada refused to join in when the United States, Britain and a collection of allies invaded Iraq in 2003. That Col. Mills and four other Canadian officers are serving in Baghdad under an exchange between the U.S. and Canadian militaries is little known, and little publicized by either government.

Col. Mills also cautioned that there is much more to be done in Iraq, and that the recent gains could evaporate if the Iraqi government doesn't move quickly to restore basic services such as clean water and electricity that haven't functioned well since 2003.

"We need to take this opportunity to restore services and get the economy going. If we can't, it's an evil spiral: People will just continue to get mad because they haven't seen changes," he said. "I think you can say some things have been accomplished. Can we declare victory again? No. ... The plan is we stay here for as long as we have to."

I recommend to read the full article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home
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Ottawa did a good job sneaking that arrangement by us!!! What wonders me, why are we now allowed to read about it so joyfully?? Sure, I'm happy for Mr. Mills... he is obviously in no distress or conflict of mind to be there. But why the secrecy of our government??? Are there more secrets not yet revealed??

 

[lone wolf]

Exchange agreements between armed services are no secret.

Woof!

 

[CDNBear]

Ottawa did a good job sneaking that arrangement by us!!! What wonders me, why are we now allowed to read about it so joyfully?? Sure, I'm happy for Mr. Mills... he is obviously in no distress or conflict of mind to be there. But why the secrecy of our government??? Are there more secrets not yet revealed??

I don't know how many times I gotta say this to you...read a bloody history book, read something other then the absurdity you read now...

Exchange programs have been going on for years!!!

As Wolf said, they ain't no secret.

Hell there's been Canadian Drop shorts in Iraq since the first days. Canadian Drop masters on board resupply Herc's. MP's and Intell Officers.

There isn't a conspiracy under every rock Loonie!!!

 

[DurkaDurka]

Wasn't the JTF2 involved with extracting that nutter christian from Baghdad?

 

[CDNBear]

Wasn't the JTF2 involved with extracting that nutter christian from Baghdad?

Uh huh!!!:canada:

 

[gopher]

For Canadian, serving in Iraq is a source of pride

[/quote]


I have no quarrel with how he sees the war. However, it clearly does not square with the Iraqi majority:

'We live in a nightmare. Death and carnage is everywhere' Ali, Baghdad resident

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/20/iraq1


``I ask myself why life in Iraq is so cheap. We are living in a nightmare. It is like there is a camera recording us and by its light we see images of death and carnage everywhere. The Iraqi have good hearts, but we are living in a state of hysteria.``

 

[dancing-loon]

That Col. Mills and four other Canadian officers are serving in Baghdad under an exchange between the U.S. and Canadian militaries is little known, and little publicized by either government.

The Department of National Defence website makes no mention of Col. Mills and the other officers being deployed to Iraq.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That's why I didn't know about it!! Never heard of it!!! I'm not a military person, don't have kids in the military either!

 

[CDNBear]

That Col. Mills and four other Canadian officers are serving in Baghdad under an exchange between the U.S. and Canadian militaries is little known, and little publicized by either government.

The Department of National Defence website makes no mention of Col. Mills and the other officers being deployed to Iraq.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That's why I didn't know about it!! Never heard of it!!! I'm not a military person, don't have kids in the military either!

And you don't need to either...:lol:

And does the big font make your lack of knowledge on the subject any less funny?

I think not.

 

[MikeyDB]

Dancing_Loon

Unlike Bear, the average person's knowledge of how the military works isn't common knowledge. And whether the exchange programme is "normal" or not is entirely beside the point. As a nation we declined an invitation to participate in the murder and mayhem taking place in Iraq under the banner of American greed and war-profiteering, it is indicative of the trust and truth one can reasonably expect of the current Canadian government to live up to the tenets of peace.

"Oh it's OK officer I'm not a gang member but I was in the neighborhood and I saw that the front window of this store was smashed so I (quite innocently) took a few things to give to the poor children in my housing development..."

"Faclitate and promote spin...." "Camouflage the truth under the artifice of pretense that this behavior is "normal"..." "Oh no officer I'd never pretend one thing then do something else..."

Dancing_Loon

It's easy to fool the children.

 

[CDNBear]

Dancing_Loon

Unlike Bear, the average person's knowledge of how the military works isn't common knowledge. And whether the exchange programme is "normal" or not is entirely beside the point. As a nation we declined an invitation to participate in the murder and mayhem taking place in Iraq under the banner of American greed and war-profiteering, it is indicative of the trust and truth one can reasonably expect of the current Canadian government to live up to the tenets of peace.

That's kind of funny since the majority of Canadian Forces that have partaken in Iraq, did so under the Liberal Gov't.

Dancing_Loon

It's easy to fool the children.

Hence why the children have no idea about what takes place openly right under there noses.

This isn't rocket science Mikey, it's simple partnerships. That whether you like or not, have been and will continue to be a large part of our alliances.

 

[MikeyDB]

Yes Bear unfortunately you're right.

Please tell me how you rationalize murdering Iraqi women and children to your family as "right".....

 

[CDNBear]

Yes Bear unfortunately you're right.

Please tell me how you rationalize murdering Iraqi women and children to your family as "right".....

I never did and I don't.

 

[MikeyDB]

Let me help you out with that Bear....

"It's all perfectly OK Lil'Bear, our good friends believed that those nasty bad Iraqi people had weapons that could destroy our way of life.... So before they (those bad nasty Iraqi people) could hurt us, we strafed and bombed their largest city. Yes women and children were killed by the thousand and yes we continue to strafe and bomb their nation because we don't know how to do anything else...."

"As it turns out Lil'Bear, there weren't any stockpiles of weapons and there weren't even any Islamic terrorists (Al Queada) in that nation, but becuase our good friends were convinced that they were dangerous we continue to destroy these folk who never harmed us in any way..."

"When the nasty white folk bash in our front door and claim the Mohawk Warriors are stockpiling weapons, it will be the same thing Lil'Bear and if we do what we think is right in Iraq and everywhere else our good friends tell us we should...well I guess it's perfectly OK to slaughter people...because our neighbors think that's the thing to do...."

Hope you find this useful.

 

[Nuggler]

Bearzy; you get nasty mit der Loony, an no more huggies for you............bad bear. bad.

Play nice.

:canada:

:toothy4:

 

[dancing-loon]

Dancing_Loon

Unlike Bear, the average person's knowledge of how the military works isn't common knowledge. And whether the exchange program is "normal" or not is entirely beside the point. As a nation we declined an invitation to participate in the murder and mayhem taking place in Iraq under the banner of American greed and war-profiteering, it is indicative of the trust and truth one can reasonably expect of the current Canadian government to live up to the tenets of peace.

"Oh it's OK officer I'm not a gang member but I was in the neighborhood and I saw that the front window of this store was smashed so I (quite innocently) took a few things to give to the poor children in my housing development..."

"Facilitate and promote spin...." "Camouflage the truth under the artifice of pretense that this behavior is "normal"..." "Oh no officer I'd never pretend one thing then do something else..."

Dancing_Loon

It's easy to fool the children.

Hi, Mikey, thanks for coming to my rescue. I appreciate when someone talks a little milder to me.
Of course I was very happy and proud of us Canadians, when Chretien managed to avoid sending our soldiers to Iraq. That's why I was alarmed to read about us having soldiers in Iraq.

 

[Sal]

I agree about Cretien. One of the few good things he did. Actually it was "the greatest" thing he ever did. For that, he has my respect.

 

[EastSideScotian]

Exchange is not unheard of at all, this isnt the first Article I have read on Canadians in Iraq....There was an Officer in 3 rcr that just got back from his exchange awhile ago he did 2 tours.

 

[dancing-loon]

Thank you, Eastside Scotian, for your professional input. I'm learning something everyday here!

Happy Easter to you! I really like your avatar!:smile:

 

[darkbeaver]

The Bear has killer thread instinct. Al-kada ate my baby right out of the incubator.

 

[Zzarchov]

Im always surprised by people who talk about death like it is some easily avoidable tragedy.

I don't know if you've been told this or not, but we all die eventually.

To say you should do no good in the world because those opposing you will ensure civilians are hurt in the crossfire, is to turn the world over to evil people. Not just on some large scale, but on very small scales.

Would you want police to refuse to arrest people if they threatened to have a child harmed?

"Sorry officer, you can't arrest that armed robber who shot three tellers just a moment ago, he has a partner that will ensure a child is harmed if you intercept".


When you allow behaviour no human should rightly endorse to go on, for fear of anyone being harmed in the crossfire, you are encouraging it..and causing more people to suffer in the end.