Canadians killed at 'disproportionately' higher rate than NATO allies: report

[paracowboy]

I don't blame him so much as I do journalists who publish his tripe without the slightest disclaimer as to his political agenda or his typically abysmal research.

carrion-feeders

 

[TK Ranch]

There are always thase in this country who think the Military should be only used for floods, ice storms and blizzards in TO. these are the same people who come up with this "study". I dont quite understand where they got there information from but it reaks of NDP pollicy.

 

[vonGarvin]

Funny you should say that.  I was speaking with a German soldier last week about Afghanistan.  He was under the impression that the only reason the North was safe was because of the "fear" the German soldiers inflicted on the Taliban..

:rofl:
Remind your "friend" that the Waffen-SS hasn't been around since May, 1945!

 

[Nieghorn]

I didn't know whether to laugh or be outraged by this story on the local tv news today . . . I really have to stop watching local news . . . their reporter had the nerve to get a comment from a soldier's parents about it.  They were pretty relaxed, and called for other countries to help out, but I'd be pretty pissed off if they came at me with fear-mongering 'stats' like that. 

 

[vonGarvin]

You know what kills me?  Statistics like this.  You know the ones.  I'd hasard a bet that if you were to go to a variety of "health" statistics, and you'd probably find that 200 to 300% of the people out there die of a variety of causes!
But, as my bottom message says: never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.  Don't take news like this likely, because Taliban Jack et al see this as justificaiton and/or fodder for their twisted agendas.

 

[HDE]

I'd love to see how Staples allowed for the massive difference in the size of the the forces involved.  Canada has around 2,000 in Afghanistan while the Yanks have  had hundreds of thousands in Iraq.  It follows that the loss of a Canadian is proportionately more severe than the loss of one American in a far larger organization.  The real story is how "legitimate' news organizations even bother with this phoney "analyst", whatever that means.  It'd be interesting to see Staples actually being tossed a few hardball questions on his "research"

 

[paracowboy]

It'd be interesting to see Staples actually being tossed

into a pit full of chimpanzees cranked up on crystal meth and armed with straight razors.

 

[TCBF]

"into a pit full of chimpanzees cranked up on crystal meth and armed with straight razors."



Can I use that?

Tom

 

[paracowboy]

feel free. But I get a nickel each time.

 

[medicineman]

I'd love to see how Staples allowed for the massive difference in the size of the the forces involved.  Canada has around 2,000 in Afghanistan while the Yanks have  had hundreds of thousands in Iraq.  It follows that the loss of a Canadian is proportionately more severe than the loss of one American in a far larger organization.  The real story is how "legitimate' news organizations even bother with this phoney "analyst", whatever that means.  It'd be interesting to see Staples actually being tossed a few hardball questions on his "research"

As I always say, statistically speaking, 43% of all statistics are statistically useless.  The reason is you can make anything say what you want it to say.  Needless to say, always check your source - something anyone in anything remotely relating to science knows, but not alot of our newsmedia for some reason...

MM

 

[George Wallace]

I still like the idea of having Stephen Staples pick the winning numbers of the Loto.  If he can predict 108 more deaths, he can predict this Friday's SuperSeven Numbers.

 

[armyvern]

feel free. But I get a nickel each time.

Para you're almost rich if you charge TCBF interest on that nickle.

Statistically speaking, he already owes you the nickle for using that line when he asked if he could use that line.

So if you inflate your interest rate numbers, a la Steve, statistically you should be a millionaire at approximately 0600 tomorrow morning.

 

[Chewie]

LOL...ArmyVern good to see you still have a sharp tongue

Chewie

 

[Reccesoldier]

There is definitely an agenda here. The company who did this "study" dresses to the left and has taken the liberty to read the stats in order to give the numbers the most possible negative impact. In Iraq the US has lost 39 soldiers/marines/navy so far this month.

Note the statement "When adjusted for the relative size of troop commitments" since the US has aproximately 150,000 troops in Iraq and we have 2200 in Afgh, then each casualty suffered by Canada in Afghanistan counts as much as 68 US casualties in Iraq.

Lies, damn lies and statistics.

 

[Babbling Brooks]

A commentor over at The Torch also brought up the issue of support staff in a coalition.  If we could deploy our own air support (both CAS and transport), our casualty ratios would most likely go down, since - with some notable exceptions - aircrew aren't going down in the Afghan environment at the same rate as ground troops.  Same goes for any number of support functions Canadian troops use, but don't provide.

It would be an interesting exercise to determine the front-line to support ratio for deployed CF members in Afghanistan and compare that ratio to other coalition members.  Then we'd have some context for the stats that started this discussion.

 

[Loachman]

Content deleted.

 

[rz350]

A commentor over at The Torch also brought up the issue of support staff in a coalition.  If we could deploy our own air support (both CAS and transport), our casualty ratios would most likely go down, since - with some notable exceptions - aircrew aren't going down in the Afghan environment at the same rate as ground troops.  Same goes for any number of support functions Canadian troops use, but don't provide.

It would be an interesting exercise to determine the front-line to support ratio for deployed CF members in Afghanistan and compare that ratio to other coalition members.  Then we'd have some context for the stats that started this discussion.

very true, any way to get that data?

As for bashing the Germans and other allies, I find that in just as poor taste as American bashing, they are our allies, and all have their place. (even if they are "only" doing Combat Support Services, they are still helping make the whole thing work)

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

As for bashing the Germans and other allies, I find that in just as poor taste as American bashing, they are our allies, and all have their place.

Ahh, young jedi, but you haven't had to deal with them...

 

[COBRA-6]

+1

as a fellow Camp Warehouse internee, I agree with Teddy  ;D

 

[paracowboy]

what Teddy said. "Allies"...riiiight :