After spending quite a bit of time reading everyone’s threads, there are a number of things that I would like to express to our friend Kgerrard.
As a student at the University of Toronto, in the heart of the city, I find myself encountering people that share very similar views as yourself. My riding, Trinity and Spadina went NDP under Olivia Chow, and there is a strong socialist attitude entrenched in the area. Here are the 3 most influential schools of thought that make Left leaning people have such appalling views of the armed forces.
1) MILITARY = AMERICAN
Virtually every country in the world has a version of a national armed force. To be a state you must “be a geographically bound entity, that sets rules and regulations, and has a monopoly of force of its citizens.” To ensure the sovereignty of your country, you must be able to enforce and regulate the laws and guidelines that you set for you state (like Canada is trying to allow the Afghanistan government to bring peace and stability to the country, so they can set up a government, and carry on as sovereign state).
Many socialists often to refer to the success of Scandinavian countries, with their progressive socialist values. Let me point out that all males in Sweden after graduation are subjective to mandatory military service for 8 months. Sweden also designs, manufactures and services their own SABB fighter jets, completely state sponsored. Service is also required in Norway, Finland, Denmark, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland and the majority of European countries. Sweden spends more on their military of a percentage of GDP per capita than Canada. True socialism believes in a strong military, not the NDP.
2) SOLDIERS = ALPHA MALE WAR MONGLERS
This perception is most likely due to many Hollywood movies that glorify war, and undermine the purpose of professional armed forces. The Canadian Forces makes people jump through many hoops, including screens, interviews and a general aptitude test to make you fit to even be a part time reservist like myself. The vast majority of the Canadian forces members have a high school education, with 30% holding a university education (correct that if I’m wrong). The CF is composed of intelligent people, that are like-minded in the fact that we want to help make a positive difference in society. The CF is composed of a large amount of women, and represents all ethnic and religious groups in Canada. All members are subject to TIPS training on sexual and religious harassment, and racism.
3) MILITARY CREATES WAR
Doing a minor in conflict studies, I have been forced to read dozens of academic journals about recent and past conflicts. I have done extensive research on Rwanda, and now Sudan. I have listened to every guest lecturer that has spoken at UofT on conflict resolution, and the Responsibility to Protect. Through my “superior intellectual capability”, I have come to the conclusion that if people want to kill other groups with sticks, they will do so. The primary weapon to murder over 800,000 people was a $0.10 machete, not a professional army. When societies fail, this is when we must have a highly capable and effective armed forces. We as Canadians and Western nations have a responsibility to protect those that are less capable. It would have cost 200 million dollars to send armed troops to Rwanda and end the killing. It has now over 3 billion in aid to the country.
$200 million = 800,000 peoples lives saved?
In Canada where there is flooding, forest fires, or even the unlikely place of riots, the Forces will be there. Did anyone protest CF members forest fighting in BC? People who wear uniforms are subject to higher accountability. More importantly people like Kgerrard love to see a person in uniform go down, and wants to prohibit their success. Protest all you want, it is your right. But keep in mind what exactly it is your opposing, because Stephen Harper, or Paul Martin before him is not George Bush. Do NOT confuse this issue for your anger towards the US invasion of Iraq, or their foreign policy.
Enjoy your peace games, and your protests will only enhance the training of the exercise.
) attend crappy poetry readings, or protest for the "fun" of it. Do I agree with a lot of the posts in various threads here? Nope, but that doesn't mean that I'm automatically against the military. Just because I hate the war doesn't mean I can't love the warrior.
