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Canadians are a people with a pretty decent sense of humor, I mean c'mon, take a look at some of the Prime Minister's we vote in....and we can take a joke with the best of them, even if we are the brunt of it, take a look at Newfoundland....
I thought about writing this post, I really did, because it's easy to get all wound up about "sumthin" that is really "nuthin" but I found myself needing to weigh in on this. While part of me wants to say, 'Ha! funny guys..you Americans are funny guys" smile, turn the other cheek and walk away, see it for what it is, a couple of 'TV morons with mics' and get back to business, but alas....I couldn't....so if I offend my American readers...well...I am offended...
It seems like there is a bit of a disconnect in the USA as to Canada and what we have been doing of late....first of all, when 911happened, we took all the planes that your country wouldn't allow to land in the United States, and landed them here, even put some of your folks up in our homes while you were struggling with the aftermath of the twin towers. I remember well, we worked late that night collecting names from Canadians opening their homes and calling to offer assistance and a place for stranded travellers to stay.
Then we booted up and helped you kick some ass in Afghanistan where your ill informed intel said Binn Laden was hiding...we've been there ever since. We've lost over 100 (116 to date, the highest casualty rate among allied countries fighting there) of our soldiers, with countless more injured and maimed, on your behalf....sure we have a stake in it, but let's cut through the hype, it is on your behalf... I'm sorry, but Binn Laden and his terrorists didn't seem all that interested in Canada prior to 911....
Apparently the folks at the Fox Network didn't know what we have been doing, as they let some host take a lot of low-brow shots at the Canadian Military, on a late night TV Show. You all know the story by now...no wait, perhaps not, because it might not be talked about in the U.S.A.
So here's the deal...we've been eating, sleeping, fighting, killing and dying in Afghanistan since our troops first landed in that God forsaken piece of desert in 2001. After your leaders pulled most of your troops out and headed into Iraq for reasons that have become quite feeble of late, perhaps even criminal, we dug in and stayed on in Afghanistan, still chasing and killing your terrorists.
The leader of our forces in Afghanistan Lieutenant-General Andrew Leslie recently said that our military may need a year to recover after Canada's mission in Afghanistan ends in 2011. Don't forget, Canada isn't a warmongering country, we don't have a huge military waiting to go after terrorists or others we don't like, so fighting a long term war in a far off country is taking it's toll on our limited resources. So the Lieutenant General was referring to our need to pull back, re-group and perhaps re-think what has become another Viet Nam. He referred to it in what I imagine was military jargon as a 'synchronized break' The host of the Fox show and his panallists picked up on that comment and thought it might be funny to say the following...
"the Canadian military wants to take a breather to do some yoga, paint landscapes, run on the beach in gorgeous white Capri pants."
"I didn't even know they were in the war,"
"I thought that's where you go if you don't want to fight. Go chill in Canada."
They continued by saying the Canadian soldiers needed a break for "manicures and pedicures,"
And they really pissed in our corn flakes when they made fun of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police saying police in 'Canada wear red coats and ride horses while the American police wear bullet proof vests...'
“Isn't this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country?” he said. “They have no army.”
That's what you think fella...c'mon up here, we don't need an army to deal with you, we're all fighting mad and good to go....This would be a good night for you to visit a bar in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Nunavut, I'm sure folks there would give you a warm welcome. Each of those Provinces has lost sons and daughters fighting in Afghanistan.
Tell your 'jokes' to the family of Trooper Jack Bouthillier, Corporal Tyler Crooks, Trooper Corey Hayes, and Master Corporal Scott Vernelli, the latest four young Canadians who recently lost their lives fighting in Afghanistan on March 20, 2009...
Following the outrage, the host of the Fox show made a public apology, thanks for that....it means so much....ha! I'd like to see him resign his television gig and sign up in the Canadian Army for a tour of duty in Afghanistan, we have some open positions, 116 and counting....
In case you still figure we are running around the beach in white capri pants, here is the list of the 116 men who won't be on a beach anywhere ever again... Canada's Fallen
