Thanks to the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron;
The C-17 Globemaster III "Spirit of McChord" and its crew made two trips to Kandahar AB, Afghanistan, in one day to transport the equipment for Canadian ground forces supporting the NATO mission.Col. Michael McLean, Canadian Defense Attaché, said the Leopard tanks will support Canadian troops by providing greater mobility on the ground and more flexible options.
"The enhancements will enable troops to counter threats more effectively and safely," said Colonel McLean. "The sooner we can provide the security and stability, the sooner we can help the Afghan people develop a positive and independent future for themselves and their children."
The 817th EAS, deployed from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., supports the mission of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, NATO forces, and operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom."It filled me with pride watching a (Canadian) tank being loaded onto a McChord C-17," said Senior Airman Bryan Mumma, 376th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, also deployed from McChord AFB. "We work hard to keep our aircraft operational as the supplies we deliver downrange are crucial to our troops and in this case, to the Canadian ground forces."
[...]
"It has been an awesome deployment for us," said Maj. James Hall, 817 EAS Det. 1 commander. "We have had the opportunity to haul stuff for just about every member of the International Security Assistance Forces. The Dutch, Romanians and now the Canadians have had major moves since we have been deployed. It is a great experience working with the militaries from all over the world, especially when it is carrying something as cool as tanks for our great neighbors from up North."
Good Deal,,,, I am glad to see Canada back in the fight.
I am positive that our libranos will soon complain that we are supplying the Afganistan zoo with new animals. The libranos like leopards can't change their spots.
today is a grand day for canada...we have stepped upon the world stage in a magnificent way...we all should be very proud of the great job our troops are doing...moonbats, please keep your bitterness and hatred toward the troops to yourself...they r just doing their job, and a great job at that....GO ARMY
NATO: Up to 20 Taliban killed in clash with NATO troops in Kandahar province
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - NATO-led forces and Afghan troops clashed with suspected Taliban rebels in southern Afghanistan Thursday, leaving as many as 20 suspected insurgents dead, an alliance spokesman said.
Some 60 insurgents attacked a joint NATO and Afghan patrol in the southern Kandahar province's Panjwaii district, said Squadron Leader Jason Chalk, a spokesman for the NATO-led troops.
The nationality of the NATO troops was not disclosed, although Canadian forces operate in the Panjwaii-area.
The troops returned fire and called in air strikes on insurgent positions that left up to 20 insurgents killed and two suspected Taliban detained, Chalk said. There were no casualties among NATO or Afghan troops, Chalk said. ..-
canoe news
All I know is that we have to give our Army the best in equipment.
If we have to suffer for a while, so be it. In Alberta we took a pay cut of 4 % so Our kids would not have a debt left by us.
Can we do less for those dying for us. It will take a bundle to get us up to snuff. Lets keep it that way in the future. Much cheaper both in a human & monetary sense.If not in moral.
KKKate/KHate, ... just a small suggestion here, a sort of constructive criticism if you will. I think these military movement posts would pack a much more stirring wallop if you could provide some hotlinks to appropriate music, say the US Army Band playing "As the Caissons Go Rolling Along", or the US Air Force Band playing "Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder", or to a Marine Corps Band rendition of "The Halls of Montezuma", or perhaps a full suite of Sousa marches.
Budd:
John Philip Sousa would love to be here to play his marches. He had a decent sense of not only music, but of Patriotism as well.
And what's with the American references to military music? Canada has their own, as well.
Try The Maple Leaf Forever, for starters.
How come the MSM and the left in general gave Chretien (who ordered the invasion) and Martin (who ordered the latest offensive) a complete free pass on Afghanistan? Afghanistan was a non-issue last election; why did it automatically become public issue #1 under Harper? It became an issue *before* our troops started dying in increasing numbers, so that's not the reason why. The most likely explanation is that the MSM and left are using Afghanistan - a Liberal mission for over 4 years - as a club to whack Harper over the head with, which of course is pretty low even by statist standards.
Having said that, I concur with Norm "Norm" Spector - no peacnik he - in expressing bewilderment as to why Harper so eagerly bought into the war on terror when the price was so dear.
My theory, of course, is that the Mossad has pictures of Harper at an early 80s Star Trek convention, resplendent in full Spock regalia.
Bud, you just got yourself evicted.
And damn good riddance too.
Good on ya Kate.
When it comes down to it .
Ad hominem, "no it's not", and anti-Americanism is all the left has!
Hit for the "stupid" cycle, and you're toast!
banned boy sed: "Gee KKKate/KHate, ... I guess you're just as thin-skinned as audra trower estrones williams."
I got banned by Audra within hours of my first post at babble. I've been commenting here for months. I'm not a fan of the war on terror but your suggestion that Kate is as thin skinned as Audra Trower Issues Tissues Traore Nu-cha' Wilzzzzzzz.. is factually inaccurate.
Its good to see the Leos rolling out. It'll be a big boost in morale for our guys and gals over there.
If the Taliban are afraid of our troops now, wait til they hear the Leopard roar!
You mean Budd KKKampbell has been evicted? Hey, KKKampbell, there you go, "off into the wild blue yonder".
It's sad, really. I wanted to make an ecumenical post that would support your tolerance for Islamic terrorists.
Maybe like KKKampbell believes, we are more alike than we have been led to believe. We have common denominators.
For example, when the Hell's Angels got pissed at Cynthia Garcia because the 5-foot-5 gal weighing 120 pounds got mouthy with them, they drug her into the desert and beat her(admittedly, they didn't properly use stones).
"I want to cut the bitch's head off," the confessed killer admitted after he had repeatedly stabbed her.
Regrettably, because they did not bring the professionalism to the job that Islamic terrorists do, the knives were dull and the head was not completely severed.
Still, you can see the spirit of the thing was in ecumenical keeping with the spirit of The Religion of Peace.
So I suppose that we can say that there are some common denominators between The Religion of Peace and some North Americans.
The practice of decapitating people can be seen as an area of mutuality that we all can appreciate.
another twisted CBCpravda headline.
Liberal contenders slam Harper for 'anti-Israeli' accusation
two libs good, four conserves bad.
Stephen - sell CBCpravda soon.
...Chretien (who ordered the invasion)...
Cripes Bob, now you've got me cuttin' an' pastin' (got to do this before Mark posts this himself)
Here's Mark's letter to The Ottawa Citizen:
Afghanistan has not been 'invaded' by foreign forces
Re: Canada loses 40th soldier to bomb, Oct. 8.
This story refers to "the U.S.-led invasion to oust the Taliban." But there was no invasion of Afghanistan.
Before the fall of Kabul, and of most of the rest of Afghanistan, to the insurgent Afghan Northern Alliance in November 2001 -- and the consequent collapse of the Taliban regime -- there were no foreign regular combat formations in Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance did receive air support and assistance from special forces (both U.S. and British); that, however, is not an invasion. Substantial foreign ground-combat forces -- including Canadian -- only entered the country after the Taliban had been deposed by indigenous Afghan forces, and those foreign troops entered with the agreement of the Northern Alliance.
It is most unfortunate that the mythical "invasion" of Afghanistan has become common currency amongst journalists -- and this is no mere quibble. Describing what the U.S. and U.K. did in Afghanistan as an "invasion" tends to equate those actions in people's minds with the real invasion of Iraq. That equation implicitly and wrongly calls into question the legitimacy of NATO and coalition actions in Afghanistan, which have been authorized unanimously by the United Nations Security Council.
Mark Collins,
Ottawa
bob- Norman Spector is hardly an analyst of scope or depth; his main focus is to constantly assert his own superiority.
If Spector suggests that he cannot understand why Harper is in favour of the war in Afghanistan, 'when the [political] price was so dear', that displays Spector's mentality, not Harper's.
Spector does things only for their egoistic or self-promoting results. Harper makes decisions based on principles. Assisting Afghanistan to move into and retain a democratic governance, educate all its citizens and move out of the ancient divisive tribalism, is an act of principle. Not political gain.
Metrosexual Matt: Mark Collins also claims that Maj. Hess von Kruedner wasn't a peacekeeper. In both cases I think he is a pedant who overestimates his ability to spin convincingly. We invaded a sovereign (albeit failed) state; admit the obvious and proceed from there.
The thing that worries me is when a IED puts a hole in the belly of a Leopard. I'm sure the left will ignore the fact that the guys inside may have had a better chance, and instead blame the conservatives for another disaster.
ET: I have no love for Norm Spector but as harper supporter and a chief of staff to a PM and a former ambassador to Israel with a reputation to marching to the beat of his own drummer, he is an analyst worth listening to on occasion. Unless, of course, you're an anti-semite ;-)
"Harper makes decisions based on principles."
I'm a bigger Harper supporter than you are, trust me on this, I just disagree with his obtuse and immoral foreign policy and the communication thereof. It is not logical to conclude that Harper's support of Israeli war crimes is principled, no wiggle room there.
". Assisting Afghanistan to move into and retain a democratic governance..."
Oh come on. Only 20,000 NATO troops on the ground and we've been there 5 years. Things are getting worse, not better. Policies are to be judged by their execution, not their aims or goals. The large majority of Canadians, as a matter of principle, reject the Bush administration's foreign policy and Harper's enthusiastic embrace thereof. It is us, not Harper, who are acting on a higher principle.
The bottom line is that I want Harper to shut the hell up about any and all foreign matters and cut my God damned income tax before he gets bootfarked out of office due to his illogical and immoral foreign policy.
Even if I were to assume for a moment that Harper's foreign policy is logical and just it is still, in light of public opinion, irrational of Harper to be such a war hawk. The smarter thing to do is to act with a measure of solemnity in matters of war and foreign policy. Don't make a circus out of it. Issue a press release saying "We, like our Liberal predecessors, support the Afghanistan mission" and shut the hell up about it and get on with getting re-elected via implementing a conservative domestic agenda.
having some experience with armoured units, i think that would have to be one heck of an IED to punch a hole in a leo..GO ARMY
Putting all specters aside.....the real story here folks is that the Leo's were moved in by USAF C-17's. Two years ago, when we approached the USAF to help haul our gear into A-Stan, we received a very terse " sorry, all of our assest are engaged". What a difference a new PM in 24 Sussex makes. When we asked for help to move in the Leo's, the response was "how many planes and when do you want them"? That my friends is cooperation between allies, sans anti-American liberal excrement.
Remember to wear RED tomorrow, to support our troops, not the liberals.
Again Harper tells the truth and the libranos can't handle it, and neither can the cbc. The past 13 years showed the libs were anti-isreal and pro terrorists. The reason was Chretain really was campaigning for Kofis job, and that is why he catered to all those dictators in Africa and the mid-east, and against Isreal. All for nothing, Kofi got another term, and now SK is next in line. On top of that, all his plans for his team to make a fortune brokering the sale and purchase of Kyoto credits, from China, is also down the drain, even tho mo strong is still there.
pretty soon, just like the Aussies, we'll have our own 17's.
3w.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/10/12/Navigation/177/209923/Picture+First+glimpse+of+Royal+Australian+Air+Force+Boeing+C-17+Globemaster+III+airlifter+exiting.html
bob - I suggest you substantiate your conclusions that Harper's foreign policy is 'obtuse and immoral'. Otherwise, it remains your subjective opinion rather than the conclusions of an argument.
The fact that Spector was a chief of staff and an ambassador means zilch; so was Gagliano.
Your statement 'Harper's support of Israeli war crimes' is a fallacious argument (complex,circular), for you have to substantiate your claim of 'Israeli war crimes'. I disagree; Israel did not commit any war crimes in the recent Lebanon war. They were attacked on their soil by terrorists. Hezbollah is not a legitimate army of the state of Lebanon.
And again, you come up with yet another fallacious argument (ad populam)with your claim that 'the vast majority of Canadians'. Prove it, and so what? That doesn't make such a conclusion valid; the vast majority also believed in a flat earth. There is absolutely no way that you can claim, with any validity, that 'the vast majority' reject Bush's foreign policy.
Nor can you state that Harper is merely following it; because two people share a similar perspective does not make one a leader and reduce the other to a mindless follower.
What are you talking about - 'it is us not Harper who are acting on a higher principle'? I'm strongly in favour of Bush's foreign policy and also, on Harper's foreign policy. What 'higher principle' are you talking about?
Again, please justify your opinions. Just stating that something is 'illogical and immoral' is irrelevant. You have to substantiate this or it's just your own personal private opinion. I have a different conclusion - and I can justify it.
Who says Harper is a 'war hawk'? What an ignorant term; that suggests someone who is marching off to war here, there and everywhere, who is advocating war in every single issue. You know that is utterly false.
We elected Harper to be a leader not a weathervane for 'fickle public opinion'. What do you mean 'measure of solemnity'? Is Harper laughing about it?
Harper makes comments when asked by the media and by the opposition parties; the Liberals, NDP and Bloc are focusing on the Afghan War, not out of any principles, but because of their own political agendas.
Yes, things are better in Afghanistan. Rather than being confined as prisoners in their homes, women are working; they are allowed to go to school - which they were not allowed to do before; newspapers, internet, phones are allowed. They've had elections, developed a constitution, and are working to prevent the tribal warlords, who live as in the 10th century, from attempting to re-insert the 10th century in Afghanistan. Or do you prefer the Taliban?
Backdoor Bob: There's only one Rosie O'Donnell - get a new schtick.
How about this interesting fact:
Panthera pardus saxicolor - is native to Iran & Afghanistan.
I think Lord Strathcona's Horse & Leopard should be right at home in Afghanistan.
Al Qaeda and Taliban learn a new jig: "Dances with Big Cats".
Those Leos will cause the Taliban to rethink entrenching their forces for any set piece battle.
They dig in, the tanks will stand off and blow them out of their hole/bunker..you move day or night and the cat can see you and hit hard. Reinforced position? say hello to Mr. 105mm HE round..goodbye reinforced structure...
Before anyone says 'well what about the Soviets, they had tanks and lost many..' the Russian tanks were as useless as their crews.Quality was not job #1 in the former U.S.S.R...
Fortune teller, can you see
What my future's going to be
Can you see it all
In your crystal ball
Have you got a dream for me
Bobby "trust me on this" you still don’t have a clue. Canadians are fighting and dying to help those who can’t help them selves.
“I want Harper to shut the hell up about any and all foreign matters and cut my ….damned income tax”
How noble of you.
one cannot compare what happened to the USSR in afghani to today for one main reason....conscripts vs volunteers....same thing in nam...soon as you force people to fight, things go bad...i have a little inside knowledge on this...i was one of a few canadian soldiers who sent equipment to the afghan freedom fighters in the early 80's......GO ARMY
ET: I've seen at York Univesity what they do to academics who don't toe the Bush/Olmert line. As you may know there is a ten million dollar lawsuit pending on the matter. You have a strong financial interest in supporting the Bush/Olmert warmongering foreign policy. If memory serves correctly you were quite critical of Israel up until recently, when it became inconvenient to do so.
Given that you are an academic and are not free to give a rational and unbiased opinion on the matter, your credibility is less than zero, so consider keeping your bought-and-paid-for thoughts to yourself, please.
and yes, i do see the irony of it all...at least it was just used mess kits, rucks, boots, etc...not much of it left around today....GO ARMY
What absolute garbage, bob. I am completely free to say whatever I want. That's the most 'far-out' attempt to get out of accountability I've ever heard. You are grasping at straws to try to not answer criticisms.
York's problems are York's problems. You are just trying to get out of answering my questions. Is that because you don't know the answers, or because your answers are not grounded in fact but are only your personal bias? Answer the questions and don't run from accountability. Incredible blustering!
I continue to critique Israel, just as I did before, and for the same reasons: the assumption that the land was empty, the assumption that Palestinians don't exist and must be redefined as Jordanians, the occuption and its treatment of Palestinians as non-citizens, the refusal by Israel to recognize a Palestinian state, the settlements in occupied land. There's no difference. I haven't changed.
I also critique the arab states for their rejection of a Palestinian state; if they had accepted it, I am sure there would be one now, but their refusal to accept the very idea of a Palestinian state, hidden within their equal refusal to accept an Israeli state, meant a dead end. Their rejection of democracy is a basic underpinning for their refusal to accept a Palestinian state.
What an excuse you are attempting, bob, to get out of being accountable for your own opinions - to claim that the person who criticizes you is 'bought by a university' and is therefore irrational and biased. Prove it. Go ahead. Prove it.
No bob, you are the irrational and biased person. All your opinions are unfounded, ungrounded and empty. Including your most recent.
ET: Now "Bob" alleges you are 'bought and paid for';
an allegation of moral turpitude, similar to the LIEberals.
Have you ever received brown envelopes with unmarked cash under restaurant tables, from university administrators?
ET is slandered with the allegation of graft.
This is the logical error of 'ad hominem' or attacking the person; one of the first things one learns not to do in logic or philosophy courses.
Shame, shame bob.
There you go, and "Bob's your uncle!!"
Uncle, uncle, okay, okay.
"Even if I were to assume for a moment that Harper's foreign policy is logical and just it is still, in light of public opinion, irrational of Harper to be such a war hawk. The smarter thing to do is to act with a measure of solemnity in matters of war and foreign policy. Don't make a circus out of it. Issue a press release saying "We, like our Liberal predecessors, support the Afghanistan mission" and shut the hell up about it and get on with getting re-elected via implementing a conservative domestic agenda.
Posted by: Bob at October 12, 2006 07:44 PM"
Bob you have just exemplified the difference between a moral coward and a person of morals.
The moral coward would back down from Afghanistan, he would philosophize his position and cease any and all attempts to increase the cause of justice, freedom, liberty or human rights at the border of his own nation. The only thing that matters to a moral coward is their very own political survival, there is no greater good, and there are no moral actions outside their own nation. This very same opportunistic politician would also not stand for morality inside his own country if that meant he/she would loose the next election. Is that the kind of Prime Minister you hope Harper will become?
Remember, we still had to rent civilian (ex-Soviet) heavy lift to get the Leopards from Canada to Kyrgystan. USAF took it from there.
Getting our own C-17's can't happen soon enough! It would be nice to be able to not only haul our own stuff, be to also transport whatever we can for our allies if needed. Much better than always bumming rides...
Right, bob is consistently using illogical tactics in his comments.
He's now accusing me of graft, of being 'bought and paid for'. No proof, of course, but he's using it as a red herring tactic to get out of having to answer my criticism of his comments.
Essentially he's saying that IF your salary is from the taxpayer, THEN, you are corrupt. Wow.
And IF your salary is from the taxpayer, THEN, your opinions are bought by ?, I'm not sure, but his tactic is to claim that my questions to him are invalid because I am an academic. Again, wow.
All that is rubbish, of course; he's just using any tactic he can, to get out of accountability. Answer the questions, bob. Flipping opinions out like old pancakes is useless. You have to substantiate your conclusions. So - answer the questions; substantiate your comments with facts; don't just flip pancakes.
McChord AFB is located just outside Tacoma, WA. Ft. Lewis AB is located just south of it. Watching those huge airplanes circle around to land is truly awesome. It amazes me every time I see them.
PS: When the Phillipines fell to the Japanese during WWII the conquering army held a huge parade in Manila. When the Filipino band approached the reviewing stand loaded with Japanese generals and other potentates, it immediately began to play a Sousa march called, "The Stars and Stripes Forever". It was an act of supreme bravery and defiance and something Bob could never understand.
PPS: As a proud member of Clan Donald, I was always taught, "Never trust a Campbell".
As a civilian I am appreciative that using tanks against irregulars is not straightforward. Of course if the irregulars concentrate, as the Taliban *did*, that is a different story. So the tanks may not see much action, unless and until the Taliban attempt another pitched battle. We will see.
The Marine Corps' Hymn is fitting for Afghanistan, because of the phrase "to the shores of Tripoli". If I may quote from a description at Amazon of a book on the suppression of the Barbary Pirates, "at the dawn of a new century, a newly elected U.S. president was forced to confront an escalating series of unprovoked attacks on Americans by Muslim terrorists sworn to carry out jihad against all Western powers."
That president was Thomas Jefferson.
Mississauga Matt: Thanks.
Bob: It's not pedantry but simply accurate use of words. Allied forces had Germany and western Europe under heavy air attack, and special forces (SOE) were active on the continent, before D-Day. No-one called those actions an "invasion". And somehow they did not satisfy Stalin who kept demanding the "second front" in the form of an actual invasion of France.
Mark
Ottawa
Canadian Air Force C-17s to be based at Trenton
First plane may arrive next summer. Text of an Air Force general message (via Army.ca):
forums.army.ca/forums/index.php/topic,49093.msg461411.html#msg461411
"PAGE 2 RCCLHAV6073 UNCLAS CANAIRGEN 025/06
REF: CANAIRGEN 024 CAS 039 071735Z SEP 06
1. ON 22 JUN 06, TB APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF FOUR AIRCRAFT TO ADDRESS CANADA'S STRATEGIC AIRLIFT CAPABILITY SHORTFALL. AN EVALUATION BY ADM(MAT) STAFF HAS RECENTLY CONFIRMED THAT ONLY THE BOEING C-17 MEETS THE CF S MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS. INITIAL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE FIRST AIRCRAFT COULD BE DELIVERED TO CANADA AS SOON AS NEXT SUMMER
2. THE NEW FLEET WILL BE FLOWN BY CF AIRCREW AND MAINTAINED AT FIRST LINE BY CF TECHNICIANS. AFTER ANALYSIS OF THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT TRENTON WILL BE THE MOB FOR THE C-17
3. INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES TO 8 WING ARE REQUIRED TO SUPPORT THE NEW CAPABILITY. AS THIS WILL NOT BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE C-17 AIRCRAFT, INTERIM BASING REQUIREMENTS FOR BEDDOWN AND HOME STATION CHECKS ARE BEING REVIEWED
4. THE C-17 REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT NEW CAPABILITY FOR THE CF. TRAINING FOR INITIAL CREWS HAS ALREADY BEGUN, AND IT IS INTENDED TO FIELD THIS CAPABILITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. TO THIS END, A WELL-COORDINATED EFFORT AT ALL LEVELS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE EXPEDITIOUS INTRODUCTION TO SERVICE
END OF ENGLISH TEXT..."
Mark
Ottawa
Although I'm glad our Canadians in Afstan are significantly better armed, we should be more aware of the terrorists' capabilities. The country is awash in money from the poppy trade, with most of the profits delivered to the el Qaida zealots, and since even the mighty Merkavas of the IDF were destroyed by the Hez with impunity with off-the-shelf Russky RPG-29, Metis and Kornet weapons (and oh yes, the cheese-eaters will sell their MILAN anti-tank weapons to just about anyone, anywhere), we should not be too assured of our boys' safety. I'm sure Mullah Omar & Usama bin Laden shop in the same store as Sheik Nasrallah.
Indeed, I can just see the MSM arise wailing like the pack of hyenas they are when the first leopard is hit by one of these anti-tank rounds.
It will just give them PROOF that the war against terror is unwinnable, and we should retreat back to Canada, and try to appease the Islamofascists by increasing the quota of Muslims we allow into Canada.
Frankly, I'm happy as hell now. My son just returned from theatre (second tour), and he's safe & sound. My heart goes out to those families who lost sons and daughters over there, and to those who are bound to grieve for loved ones in the future.