Agh, dumb Canadians!

[Da Skinna]

Boy oh boy I'm ticked off with Canadians who've (my opinion) confused Afghanistan with Iraq.

56% I just saw on the news oppose the war.

I can't understand why. As far as I think, they are confusing it with America's imperial outing into Iraq.

Iraq is not Afghanistan. Something I've tried to make clear here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...istan+is+-Iraq

Now it's not a clear minority but a majority.

Hopefully this coming election in Canada we can clear the air about WHY we're in Afghanistan, and why this country, as we're in it, is worth it.

[Hookah Smoking Caterpiller]

Boy oh boy I'm ticked off with Canadians who've (my opinion) confused Afghanistan with Iraq.

56% I just saw on the news oppose the war.

I can't understand why. As far as I think, they are confusing it with America's imperial outing into Iraq.

Iraq is not Afghanistan. Something I've tried to make clear here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...istan+is+-Iraq

Now it's not a clear minority but a majority.

Hopefully this coming election in Canada we can clear the air about WHY we're in Afghanistan, and why this country, as we're in it, is worth it.

Its like many counter-insurgency campaigns slow, without massive victories to report and only 'A solider has been killed by a roadside bomb' to replace it it can appear to be a loosing battle.

[Archimonday]

I hardly consider Iraq an Imperial outing, and please don't confuse the American people with the American Government, after we elect our officials the American people have almost no say as to what our Government does and when, especially on matters of War, More people here in America oppose the War in Iraq, and just because some idiot like George Bush or John McCain want's to continue staying there, does not mean every American want's to be there. If you want to talk about Imperialistic Americans, look at those two men in particular, for they have no Idea what the American People want.

Secondly, I wish Canada luck with their coming elections, here in America we are having a spirited one, one for the history books, and I am so excited to be living in this time.

Last but not least, places in foreign lands can easily become confused with others, so its not the peoples fault they get the two confused, I can name a 100 people I know here in the US that don't know which is which, and I'm pretty sure such numbers are true else where in the world.

[Da Skinna]

I hardly consider Iraq an Imperial outing, and please don't confuse the American people with the American Government, after we elect our officials the American people have almost no say as to what our Government does and when, especially on matters of War, More people here in America oppose the War in Iraq, and just because some idiot like George Bush or John McCain want's to continue staying there, does not mean every American want's to be there. If you want to talk about Imperialistic Americans, look at those two men in particular, for they have no Idea what the American People want.

Secondly, I wish Canada luck with their coming elections, here in America we are having a spirited one, one for the history books, and I am so excited to be living in this time.

Last but not least, places in foreign lands can easily become confused with others, so its not the peoples fault they get the two confused, I can name a 100 people I know here in the US that don't know which is which, and I'm pretty sure such numbers are true else where in the world.

Sorry... A neo-imperial outing.

And you're right about Americans, not having any say what happens in their government. They're lazy enough to just demand more and more cheaper goods, lazy enough to not demand enough from their media, their government and lazy enough to on average forego any history book like... I dunno, Thomas Paine.

I love the idea of America, but its makers and those of us who see what's really going on hate what America has become. Largely consumerist sheep.

Might be tough words to you, but c'est la vie.

[Archimonday]

its not an Imperial Outing, its not a Neo-Imperial outting, contrary to what your country may be feeding you, America is not out to create a GRAND AMERICAN EMPIRE, and especially not by Anexing Iraq into our union, its not going to happen, so stop calling America an Imperialist Country, its not.

[Da Skinna]

its not an Imperial Outing, its not a Neo-Imperial outting, contrary to what your country may be feeding you, America is not out to create a GRAND AMERICAN EMPIRE, and especially not by Anexing Iraq into our union, its not going to happen, so stop calling America an Imperialist Country, its not.

What do you mean out to create an empire?

America already reigns. Iraq is just a thoughtless move they made thinking it was a great short-term strategic victory.

The Bush and Cheney Gang, along with Rove and all their corporate backers, finally succeeded in bringing about a plan they concocted, Cheney and Libby and Wolfowitz back in the '90s.

There's more than one way to annex a country, and there's more than way to install and mainatain a dictator.

[Medicus]

I can understand why 56% Canadians oppose the continuing war in Afghanistan. I think you'll find similar opinions in other Western nations.

Then again, 44% support the war. Need I remind you that American Presidents have been elected on smaller margins?

[Archimonday]

What do you mean out to create an empire?

America already reigns. Iraq is just a thoughtless move they made thinking it was a great short-term strategic victory.

The Bush and Cheney Gang, along with Rove and all their corporate backers, finally succeeded in bringing about a plan they concocted, Cheney and Libby and Wolfowitz back in the '90s.

There's more than one way to annex a country, and there's more than way to install and mainatain a dictator.

Oh so first we're going to Anexx Iraq, and then place a dictator in power, yes, I see now.

Your drowning in your own Ignorance.

[duda]

Yea, but the US shouldn't be in any of the two countries.

[pericles_plato]

Yea, but the US shouldn't be in any of the two countries.

Afghanistan because of Bin Ladin. I wouldn't send the army in just special forces.

[Rapax]

So canadians are dumb because you believe they confused Afghanistan with Iraq? Yeah that's rich. How could anyone be against Afghanistan, they must be confusing it with something else.
Oh please...

[favre4ever]

because duda said so!

[Astaroth]

"pericles_plato", you do realize that the taliban government had an army and full control of the country? You do realize that it is impossible to find a terrorist if the whole country and its govt covers him?

And besides that, it was as much about destroying the taliban regime which supported al-qaeda and bin laden as it was about finding him.

[pericles_plato]

"pericles_plato", you do realize that the taliban government had an army and full control of the country? You do realize that it is impossible to find a terrorist if the whole country and its govt covers him?

And besides that, it was as much about destroying the taliban regime which supported al-qaeda and bin laden as it was about finding him.

I guess but i still don't like it. Its got WMD, phht bs.
Better still to be just in Afghanistan and get him than to go to Iraq.

[Boer]

Well I’m not Canadian, but I have at least one reason why Canadians oppose the war. When compared to their population, they have taken a higher proportion of casualties then America has. Canada has suffered 96 deaths out of a population of around 33,365,000, or a ratio of .000002877. America suffered 513 deaths out of a population of 305,054,000 or a ratio of .000001682. I know that my Canadian uncle feels that America has pulled its troops out of Afghanistan and sent them to Iraq leaving Canada and Britain to fight the war because the rest of NATO does nothing (in his opinion).

[OTZ]

Well I’m not Canadian, but I have at least one reason why Canadians oppose the war. When compared to their population, they have taken a higher proportion of casualties then America has. Canada has suffered 96 deaths out of a population of around 33,365,000, or a ratio of .000002877. America suffered 513 deaths out of a population of 305,054,000 or a ratio of .000001682. I know that my Canadian uncle feels that America has pulled its troops out of Afghanistan and sent them to Iraq leaving Canada and Britain to fight the war because the rest of NATO does nothing (in his opinion).

Which is typical of other conflicts Canada has taken part in...Canadian forces also suffered the highest ratio of Allied (non-USSR) deaths in Europe during WWII.

There are many reasons most Canucks don't support the conflict in Afghanistan:

1) It's taken too long to resolve. During this time, we've elected a Conservative minority government whom many of us wrongly associate with GWB. This of course taints anything Canadians do that involves the USA - ie, continued operations in Afghanistan. This won't change. The public wants out of Afghanistan because they see our actions there as an extension of the Bush administration's folly. We've forgotten why we are actually there in the first place (to support NATO and destroy al-Qaeda!).

2) We don't take going to war lightly anymore. We've been brainwashed into believing we are a nation of "peacekeeprs" and have quickly abandoned our historic roots of jumping into any war at the drop of a hat - even if our government didn't want us to. We actually should like war. We've been in lots of 'em, and generally dish out large servings of whoop ass with the occasional side-dish of no mercy.

3) We are a nation of confused peoples. Are we European? Are we American? What do we want to do with ourselves? Why do we care so much about how the rest of the world feels about us? Are we really that insecure?

Anyway, I am surprised that the support for our mission has remained so high, given the mounting casualties and the continuing lack of support from the US and several other NATO members.

Support will inevitably decline though. The public isn't seeing progress, and the "taint" is clouding our judgement on it.

I do resent the OP's insinuation that we are "dumb" for not being in more favour of the war. You have to understand why. It's got very little to do with Iraq, and I doubt there are many of us that mistake one country for the other - we are actually taught internation geography on an ongoing basis...

[Rapax]

2) We don't take going to war lightly anymore. We've been brainwashed into believing we are a nation of "peacekeeprs" and have quickly abandoned our historic roots of jumping into any war at the drop of a hat - even if our government didn't want us to. We actually should like war. We've been in lots of 'em, and generally dish out large servings of whoop ass with the occasional side-dish of no mercy.

Seriously? You support going to war "at the drop of a hat" just because you have a history of "dishing out whoop ass"? Is that really all it takes? Isn't it sensible that Canadians ask themselves what they go to war for instead of jumping into anything because they've done so in the past for their british overlords?

[Da Skinna]

Seriously? You support going to war "at the drop of a hat" just because you have a history of "dishing out whoop ass"? Is that really all it takes? Isn't it sensible that Canadians ask themselves what they go to war for instead of jumping into anything because they've done so in the past for their british overlords?

We voted in Parliament to go to war on September 10, 1939.

[Scar Face]

Eh', Im not surprised. Canadians are hopeless. We have no identity, other than some perverse obsession with destroying what little identity remains, we have no base values, other than radically changing the state, to a point where it is not recognized by its founders. In 1960's, Socialism became popular, in the 1960's, belief in world peace and unity became popular. Most people grew up.

Canada did not.

No one in Canada has any moral or political backbone, they just follow feel good policies. War doesn't feel good, limiting immigration doesn't feel good, ending the Caledonian blockade doesn't feel good, being economically responsible with state benefits doesn't feel good, attempting to wipe out regionalism and convince the huge chunk of immigrants and children of immigrants that they are Canadian [cant remember the number, its something like 3/4'ths] doesn't feel good. Doing anything for the good of the state may make someone angry with us, may anger our flower power ideals, and so we ignore the problems.

[Da Skinna]

We need a better healthcare system, we need to steal France's...