Tim Blair

"We're a target. We're very clearly in its crosshairs," says John Thompson of the Mackenzie Institute.

al Qaeda is targeting Canada because these guys are not on television anymore. Until Second City Television is available on DVD for world markets then there will be no peace.

Who's providing the boots on the ground in the Triangle these days? I seem to recall (but not for certain) that the US Marine 1st Infantry Div was due to take control from US Army units. The smarty-pants Marine commander (M.G. Mattis) was quoted as saying the Army didn't know sh*t about winning hearts and minds. His Marines would move into Fallujah using a kinder, gentler approach to the occupying duties.

Do any of the readers here know any particulars about this?

I wish Major-General Molan well.

When Canada is attacked, any bets on how long it will take for the U.S. to be blamed?

The Canadians are bunch of pussies. They joined Francth, Germany, Russia and mighty Belgium on Iraq. Early 21st century history will not be kind to this group. If you are white and afraid of Jihad, move to New Zealand and learn to enjoy rugby and sheep. Kiwis--another bunch of pussies.

Rebecca,

Oh, I don't know...whole 30 seconds?

Found an answer to my own question (scroll up):

Violence has likely increased in this region in recent days because of a troop rotation which saw the 82nd [US Army] Airborne replaced by the 1st [US] Marine Expeditionary Force. The terrorists have shown a cunning knowledge of when new troops arrive, and they tend to increase their attacks accordingly.

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/alt200404010932.asp

I do wonder how long and what must happen to Canada before people stop saying, "they will never
attack us, we are too nice."

I have heard quite a number of people say this and
how I wish they would take their heads out of the
sand.

As we are the closest neighbours to the states,
we are very vulnerable. To hit us it a message to
them how vulnerable the states are to these
attacks. They are also aware, I would think we have troops in Afganistan, Bosnia and Haita and
in that we are clearly seen as enemies to them.

With no real security we will be seen as a easy
target by the terrorists, and the reason is because we are an easy target

Our government has really done nothing but help
the terrorists with their behavior in the last
three years. They threw 7.7 Billion dollars at
what they called "security" and then never followed up to see what we were getting for this
money.

Well, it seems we got very little and no grandstanding or spin can change that fact.

If Canadians wish to blame the Americans, go
ahead as what does it matter at this point? However it will be the Americans who will rush
to help us, and we know that!

Blame them, but that will not change the truth
that they have been pushing Canada in every
possible way to make us aware of the fact we
have immigration standards that invite terrorists
to live here, I suppose the fact that we still
run around feeling safe is not because of any
real work on the governments part, but because
we think we are not important enough for the
terrorists to worry about or we just think because
we were against the war in Iraq they won't be
"angry" with us.
Dream on,
Carol

Any decent person who heard what happened in Fallujah were disgusted. I feel sorry for the victims families.

But let's make 2 things clear:

1. The guys killed were "private security contractors" working for the US military. (i.e. posh mercenaries, probably ex-special forces, working for an army of occupation).

Let's not give the impression these guys were 'private individuals' just minding their own business! They were in the line of fire and they knew it, and they were armed- but obviously this does not excuse the horrific abuse of their dead bodies.

2. Why are some people and the media not more disgusted by the equally horrendous deaths of over 10,000 Iraqi civilians killed by American bombs and bullets. They did not choose war, but the death and destruction came to them.

Face it guys, the US have opened a can of worms in Iraq. The Sunni Triangle is now a kill zone for the Americans and it is of their doing.

"Why are some people and the media not more disgusted by the equally horrendous deaths of over 10,000 Iraqi civilians killed by American bombs and bullets."

Maybe because the deaths in Fallujah actually happened, rather than just a number the antiwarriors have managed to pull out of thin air...

Oh, yippee! Another caring leftist votes in favor of the return of the rape rooms and mass graves.

Oh, come now. By deflating the true number of casualties in Iraq, "rhactive" has revealed his or her blatant right-wing bias. Everyone knows that the racist Americans with their racist bombs killed at least 10 billion Iraqis, depopulating the country so Halliburton can have the oil. Any so-called "Iraqis" you see in video footage shot from "Iraq" are actually actors on a sound stage in Anaheim.

Wake up and realize the TRUTH, you ignorant right-wing sheepfuckers.

Rhactive,

Let me guess. A year ago, you were carrying a sign that read "No Blood For Oil!" on the front, and "Just Gas for Kurds!" on the back. Am I right?

rhactive - They were security guards for food convoys in the area, not mercenaries as you call them, so maybe they did deserve to live after all. As to the can of worms, by my reckoning it was opened with the first WTC bombing back in 1993, and after years of ineffective criminal justice attempts to stop the killings, we went proactive: Afghanistan and Iraq. BTW, you did know Iraq was heavily linked to that first WTC attack, didn't you?

This late breaking news from the other McKenzie Institute.

Any "can of worms" wasn't opened by the US or its allies.

But we're sure as hell going to close it.

"When Canada is attacked, any bets on how long it will take for the U.S. to be blamed?"

I agree with the post that said about 30 secs.
It will be far more interesting, to me, to see what France will say when they get attacked. They will blame the US, but they will do so in a much more 'sophisticated, European way'.

"The Canadians are bunch of pussies."

Not all Canadians. It's their 'elite' leadership in various places like the government, universities, and the media. Same problem we have in the US, only on a much larger scale. Plus, the 'elites' are in power. I can't understand why the Canadians can't find better leaders and elect them?

"Any "can of worms" wasn't opened by the US or its allies.
But we're sure as hell going to close it."

Indeed. Before 9/11 I don't think the US public would have had the stomach for any sort of prolonged war. Things change. I can't see the US public demanding we leave Iraq. I *CAN* see the US public wanting to know why Fallujah is still in one piece.

They don't fear us enough yet. We have to stop fighting, in that area, with handicaps. Even if we must level most of the buildings. That's a huge strong hold of Saddam&Sons former lackeys.
It should not be treated like the rest of Iraq.

At the very least, we should have very strong military occupation and control of that area. I mean checkpoints, ID cards, house searches, etc.. We should post pictures of the people who live there for possible identification by tortured Iraqis.

I also wish Major-General Molan well.

Face it RH, you really are slime.

Ah, rhactive, I like the blithe reference to a can of worms, supposebly denoting Saddam's regime as merely a sealed can.

Doug- "They were security guards for food convoys in the area, not mercenaries as you call them"

With some guys at $5000 a week, I'm sure they won't care what you call them!!!

And what's more - the private contractors where called in to guard food convoys etc. so that US soldiers would be freed up to do other 'more important' work.

So there!!

rhactive - Because they are well-paid military contractors it's ok to kill them, just don't mutilate their bodies? Does that mean if they'd been actual soldiers, multilation would be fine with you? If they were tourists, maybe maiming would suit your fancy.

Your attitude sickens me.

George, the 1st MEF has only been on the ground for a few days. Give them a chance to clean up the joint. As to Rhactive's "point," I say that Fallujah should receive no food shipments. Without these "paid mercenaries" to protect the food, the US will not be able to get the food delivered. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Rhactive, if you don't like armed security guards for food convoys, you ought to travel to Iraq as a human shield.

There, you can hang off the side of a truck in a food convoy and absorb bullets from the terrorists and criminals trying to keep the food from people. All the while, be sure to tell the Iraqis it's all about the oil.

That way, you would be doing something useful.

I hope Jim Molan doea a better job in Iraq than he did commanding the 1st Brigade in Darwin.

A senior Australian Defence Force officer is off to Iraq to take on a major role overseeing operations at the coalition force's headquarters, Prime Minister John Howard said today.

Bring the trooper home! Do we have an exit strategy? Do we have an entry strategy?

People, "rhactive" is obviously a retard. Who else would actually post as a rejoinder "so there!" Yeah, rhetard, that $5000 per week is really going to come in handy to the dead men. Stupid fuckwit, go back to Democratic Underground, no one wants your shit-flinging here.

Timbo, your hypothesis on AQ after Canadians seems to be at odds with your 'Spanish'hypothesis!

Read it again, Homer. It's not Tim's hypothesis, it's a statement from al Qaeda:

Canada has been named again in a chilling new call to arms from al Qaeda. A posting found this week on an al Qaeda website places Canada fifth on a target list.

The website is believed to be published by senior al Qaeda figure, Saif al-Adel. It calls on followers to attack Canadians and other westerners at home and abroad.

So, what was your question again?

Mathew,
no point in learning to love rugby if you shift to New Zealand, we are now crap at it, but you WILL learn to love our glorious leader.
Emily

Is it just me, or are the trolls snarkier than usual? Mostly they're just plain dumb. Now they seem to be violently angry at well. What gives?

Losing makes trolls angry.

Ain't it nice to see the caring sharing compassionate souls have orgasms over
the absolute savagery of Yesterday.

Well, fuck it. I have had enough. Next
time send in a Spectre gunship.

Kill em all and let God sort em out.

These pricks want to play intimidation?

Up the stakes.

It's all these fucks understand.

George...My husband just returned home from Iraq, he was 4ID and I was outraged when I heard the Marines say the Army "screwed things up" after taking over. I don't recall civilians being treated in such a welcoming way under 4ID as they've been treated under Marine control.

I do know that whatever city 1/10 Cav showed up to (my husbands unit) things quieted down, including Fallujah and Tikret.

I am of course overjoyed my husband is home. On the other hand, I wonder if it wasn't a mistake to do this redeployment at this time (looking at the bigger picture and all). Maybe it would have been better to wait until after the upcoming Iraqi elections to do the rotation.

rhactive, the guys were escorting FOOD into Falljah.

I also know someone who is over in Iraq working as a truck driver transporting food to the troops. This person has no previous military experience....he simply took a 4 week course and is now driving food shipments from Kuwait to Baghdad. The money these people make is taxfree and if I were younger with no kids, I'd take the risk and do it myself...I'd give up a year for 80,000.00, room/board and tax-free money, war-zone or not. Although I'd feel more comfortable if I were allowed to carry a weapon, which our civillan contractors aren't allowed to do.

Matt- "Because they are well-paid military contractors it's ok to kill them, just don't mutilate their bodies?"

Jeffs- "Rhactive, if you don't like armed security guards for food convoys"

Never said that! - I say again- they were armed and knowingly in the conflict zone as a matter of choice and working for the occupier. This makes them combatants in an ongoing theatre of war.

Think about this- the resistance fighters executed the 'hit' and escaped to fight another day. But it was the baying crowd that carried out the hideous mutilation.

Fred- "Well, fuck it. I have had enough. Next
time send in a Spectre gunship.
Kill em all and let God sort em out."

Oh sure- do that. And provide another example to the world that the US has no right to play the moral gaurdian.

(If proof were needed of course).

KellyW- Respect. I wholly agree with what you say.

All I was saying is that let's not assume these guys were civilians with no choice. Their employer- Blackwater Consulting takes it's core personnel from the Special Ops community. These guys who died were very likely to be highly trained killer/operators providing guard services to the US military. (i.e. mercenaries, the US Govt. being only one of their clients)

And when it comes to FOOD- don't get too moral. The food only needs guarding due to the collapse in security. AND there were no reports of a grain truck in the convoy!!!

FACE IT PEOPLE: America WILL lose this war. Not militarily of course. I mean hearts and minds world-wide. And unless you realise that fact, you will continue to fight an enemy you can't see clearly and an enemy you can't predict very well.

FACE IT AND ACCEPT IT.

I'll tell you what, RH. You and those who think like you stay the Hell out of the way and let me and those who think like me fight the war and I am willing to bet we damn will win it, and the hearts and minds of the people. Contrariwise, if we do it your way, I cerainly hope I have the right to interfere, carp, and complain while making it as impossible as I can for you to succeed.

I get incredibly tired of jerks who insist something won't work while simultaneously working as hard as possible to prevent it from working and/or changing definitions after the fact to claim that what did work didn't. With any justice in the world, you will eventually find yourself in one of those places that you seem to prefer, under one of those leaders you appear to support. I vote for any random Islamist leader, Kim Jung-Il, or Fidel Castro in that order.