Penticton Reservist (?): "It's time to end Afghanistan war"

[The Bread Guy]

Career firing alright, career STOPS ....  I'm guessing this chap may be getting a talking to on his next parade night.  Link to even longer letter below.

Shared in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the Copyright Act.

Soldier says it's time to end Afghanistan war
Letter to the editor, Toronto Star, 8 Oct 08
Letter link

I love my country just like anybody else. But when I hear of things our troops have done in Afghanistan, I have to ask, "What kind of legacy do we wish to leave behind?" Some examples: we respond to hostile fire by indiscriminate bombing and shelling of villages, killing innocent men, women and children; we fire white phosphorus shells (a chemical weapon outlawed by the Geneva Conventions due to the horrific way it burns human beings) into vineyards where it was known Afghan insurgents were deployed; we hand over prisoners of war to Afghan authorities, who torture them; and we shoot and kill a 2-year-old Afghan boy and his 4-year-old sister. Do we want to be remembered for hating, killing and destroying, or caring, healing and helping with reconstruction?

The war in Afghanistan is a lie. How can we inspire the Afghan people to respect liberty, democracy, equality for women, education for children, human rights and respect for life when we are maiming and murdering them and destroying their homes, communities, the economy and their country? If mothers and fathers keep on sending our youth to Afghanistan, then our sons and daughters will keep on fighting and dying and will keep on killing and injuring the sons and daughters of the Afghan people. And mothers and fathers of Canada and Afghanistan will keep on crying. Soldiers are trained to operate military equipment and vehicles. A weapon is put in one hand and ammunition in the other, and we are taught the fine art of killing our fellow human beings. If we wish to end this cycle of death, injury, destruction, hate, sorrow and despair, then we must stop war. So, when in future, our maimed soldiers walk down the street and our children ask, "Why?" we will say "Afghanistan" and mean a place where Canada turned against war and for peace, and not an obscene memory.

My fellow citizens, help me and soldiers like me end the war. Let's hear your voices. Let's do something we can all be proud of. If we achieve peace in Afghanistan, then the deaths of 97 of my "comrades in arms" and of unreported thousands of innocent Afghans will not have been in vain. Support the troops. Support peace. Bring our troops home now.

Corporal Paul Demetrick, Canadian Army (Reserve), Penticton, B.C.



Longer letter here.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Does anybody know this guy?  Still serving?

 

[vonGarvin]

I love my country just like anybody else. But when I hear of things our troops have done in Afghanistan, I have to ask, "What kind of legacy do we wish to leave behind?" Some examples: we respond to hostile fire by indiscriminate bombing and shelling of villages, killing innocent men, women and children; we fire white phosphorus shells (a chemical weapon outlawed by the Geneva Conventions due to the horrific way it burns human beings) into vineyards where it was known Afghan insurgents were deployed; we hand over prisoners of war to Afghan authorities, who torture them; and we shoot and kill a 2-year-old Afghan boy and his 4-year-old sister. Do we want to be remembered for hating, killing and destroying, or caring, healing and helping with reconstruction?
The war in Afghanistan is a lie. How can we inspire the Afghan people to respect liberty, democracy, equality for women, education for children, human rights and respect for life when we are maiming and murdering them and destroying their homes, communities, the economy and their country? If mothers and fathers keep on sending our youth to Afghanistan, then our sons and daughters will keep on fighting and dying and will keep on killing and injuring the sons and daughters of the Afghan people. And mothers and fathers of Canada and Afghanistan will keep on crying. Soldiers are trained to operate military equipment and vehicles. A weapon is put in one hand and ammunition in the other, and we are taught the fine art of killing our fellow human beings. If we wish to end this cycle of death, injury, destruction, hate, sorrow and despair, then we must stop war. So, when in future, our maimed soldiers walk down the street and our children ask, "Why?" we will say "Afghanistan" and mean a place where Canada turned against war and for peace, and not an obscene memory.

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story, eh?  This asshat outright lies when he says that we fire indiscriminately.  He outright lies that WP is outlawed by the Geneva Conventions.

36. Weapons Employing Fire
The use of weapons which employ fire, such as tracer ammunition, flamethrowers, napalm and other incendiary agents, against targets requiring their use is not violative of international law. They should not, however, be employed in such a way as to cause unnecessary suffering to individuals.  Source

He outright lies when he says that we hand over prisoners of war to Afghan Authorities: we have yet to capture a "Prisoner of War".  He outright lies when he says that we murder and maim them, destroy their homes, communities, economy and country.
I would bet dollars to doughnuts that this asshat has even stepped foot in Afghanistan.
:rage:

 

[Cloud Cover]

Sounds like a Doukabour name.

He's raised a point that's been raised here before- what are we really doing there?
I don't agree with most of his post, and I'm quite certain most CF members (living or dead) would not consider this guy to be a "comrade", 

 

[vonGarvin]

Hey, I agree with him in that it's time to end the war.  I'm doing my part: by bringing together lots of lethal effects delivering devices and applying them, judiciously, to the enemy, with a view to forcing them to stop.  Or at least to buy time for the Afghan army to go for "the big win".

 

[S.Stewart]

This is the kind of standard BS that fuels the crackpot anti-military/war protesters. Way to take us 30 steps back and making it sound like the war in Afghanistan is a giant melting pot of war crimes in which we as a nation are getting away with. Hope this idiot gets an administrative smack upside the head, and asked what in hades he was thinking.

 

[brihard]

I'm not a lawyer, and I know applying the NDA to class A reservists can be tricky. Given that he has identified himself as a member of the C.F., can he be subject to legal/administrative action for this? This has to be one hell of a 129 at minimum...

 

[OldSolduer]

How do we know that this guy really serves, or is this a ficticious ploy?

As a parent who has lost a son to the war in Afghanistan, this "comrade?" besmirches the memories of all the fallen soldiers in Afghanistan.

I, for one, would have him in front of the CO, recommending his release, if this fellow really exists. He has no place in the military.

 

[Shec]

"Romeo Dallaire started out as a private and rose through the ranks to become a full general?"

Perhaps Cpl Demetrick aspires to be CDS; appointed by Prime Minister Layton no doubt.

 

[Danjanou]

I'm not a lawyer, and I know applying the NDA to class A reservists can be tricky. Given that he has identified himself as a member of the C.F., can he be subject to legal/administrative action for this? This has to be one hell of a 129 at minimum...

Failing that if this guy really is in this retired old school CSM see this Cpls CSM/SSM taking him aside for some old fashioned one on one career counselling. >

I'm sure OldSolduer concurs with this.

 

[OldSolduer]

"Failing that if this guy really is in this retired old school CSM see this Cpls CSM/SSM taking him aside for some old fashioned one on one career counselling"

Yes I do concur. One on One.....give me 5 minutes with him and he'll wish he never uttered those words.

 

[Jarnhamar]

What an asshole.

Some examples: we respond to hostile fire by indiscriminate bombing and shelling of villages, killing innocent men, women and children;

Wrong. Time and time again I hear over the radio Canadian officers refusing to fire into an area because they are unsure wether or not civilians are present. They make sure they know who is on the ground first,

we fire white phosphorus shells (a chemical weapon outlawed by the Geneva Conventions due to the horrific way it burns human beings) into vineyards where it was known Afghan insurgents were deployed;

Not sure if it's banned.  Using WP to remove cover and concealment so we can find the guys who are killing us seems like a sound plan.
Maybe it's in the wording, we're using it against bushesand not people. Same way we are allowed using CS gas to quell a riot but we're not allowed to use it to attack someone (Taliban) because hen it's considered a chemical attack.

we hand over prisoners of war to Afghan authorities, who torture them;

I remember a Canadian sgt (?) refusing to hand over a suspected taliban dude because he was concerned that the locals he was about to hand him over to would infact injure the prisoner. Hat was a little while ago. Besides, since we're trying to give the Afghan Army and police cedibility, isn't handing over POWs or detainee's what we're suposed to be doing? We're here to help them, teach them and mentor them, not do the job for them.

and we shoot and kill a 2-year-old Afghan boy and his 4-year-old sister.

An obvious very regrettable very sad accident. This douchebag is blowing that way out of context.
quote]
Do we want to be remembered for hating, killing and destroying, or caring, healing and helping with reconstruction?[/quote]
The latter. The Taliban make achieving the latter without the former impossible.

The war in Afghanistan is a lie. How can we inspire the Afghan people to respect liberty, democracy, equality for women, education for children, human rights and respect for life when we are maiming and murdering them and destroying their homes, communities, the economy and their country?

We're doing a great job of earning their respect. We're improving equality for women, education,human rights and health.

My fellow citizens, help me and soldiers like me end the war. Let's hear your voices. Let's do something we can all be proud of. If we achieve peace in Afghanistan, then the deaths of 97 of my "comrades in arms" and of unreported thousands of innocent Afghans will not have been in vain. Support the troops. Support peace. Bring our troops home now.

Job isn't finished yet. Deploying back to Canada today will mean all the hard work we've put in and all the sacrifices our "comrades" have made were made in vain. You'll be signing a death sentence over to any Afghan citizen who helped us.

Reading an idiotic story like this make's me want to volunteer to come back a 3rd time.

 

[PMedMoe]

I, for one, would have him in front of the CO, recommending his release, if this fellow really exists. He has no place in the military.

Recommending? Nay, demanding!

 

[Huzzah]

Cpl Paul Demetrick,
     You sir are an ignorant as s.

 

[George Wallace]

I have a strong suspicion a certain Cpl, if he is even actually a serving member, is going to be facing some very serious Charges.  

I am leaning more in the direction that this is a ploy by some anti-war group to create some support for their cause.

 

[Strike]

I would suggest that, if this guy is "outed" as a civvie who has never served, that a retired member or other civvie of this board out him as such to the paper.

 

[OldSolduer]

I'm now wondering if Cpl Demetrick is NES? You know the media won't bother to ascertain if he is NES or an active parader. I would daresay he will be "Non Effective" if he ever shows up at the armory, because his peers will encourage him to go "NES".
Has anyone checked to see if he really exists? This may be an "agent provacteur"
Maybe the NIS should investigate.

 

[Strike]

Isn't it illegal to impersonate a soldier/officer?  That could open a whole other can of worms if he's not a member.

 

[PMedMoe]

Don't know if this guy is serving or not, but you can search him on Canada 411 and a listing does come up for Penticton, BC.

Here's more letters published in the Penticton Western News and another from Mr. Demetrick.

 

[Redeye]

Hey, I agree with him in that it's time to end the war.  I'm doing my part: by bringing together lots of lethal effects delivering devices and applying them, judiciously, to the enemy, with a view to forcing them to stop.  Or at least to buy time for the Afghan army to go for "the big win".

That sounds like my kind of good time.  It's like when people talk about negotiating with the Taliban - those of you over there are using some of the best negotiating tools we have, in a clear language the the Taliban understand, both directly and indirectly.