Parrish and the Canadian Military

There has been lots of reaction to Carolyn PARRISH’s comments in regards to statements made by CDS Gen. Rick HILLIER in military circles and letters to the editors, particularly Her nonsensical view that Canada has a 100 year long reputation of peacekeeping, and:

“We’re sending in armed troops to kill people (in Afghanistan). This is a drastic change in direction. I don’t think anybody has consulted with the Canadian public. The first time Canadian soldiers come back in body bags, you just wait for the outcry.”

Ummm… we already have been on the receiving end of a number of bodybags from Afghanistan… and does she not know what a military is for? Granted the CF have been wound down over the past couple of decades, but our primary mission is not peacekeeping. The CBC gives us a comparison between present-day Forces levels and WWI/II:

Military expenditure

• Canada’s defence budget for 2004: $13 billion.
  
• Promised budget boost: $12.8 billion over the next five years.
  

Armed Forces

• Today: 62,000 military personnel including 9,500 sailors, 19,500 soldiers, 14,500 air force personnel and 20,000 administrative and support personnel. There are also about 22,000 reservists.
  
• Second World War: 60,000 men and women enlisted in Canada’s armed forces in one month (September 1939) after the declaration of war.
  
• First World War: More than 600,000 Canadians enlisted to fight in the First World War from 1914-1918.
  

Navy

• Today: There are 30 surface ships, four submarines and 9,500 sailors in Canada’s navy.
  
• Second World War: At the end of the war, Canada had the third-largest fleet in the world, after the U.S. and the U.K. 23 Canadian ships were sunk by German U-Boats in the Battle of St. Lawrence alone.
  
• First World War: During the course of the First World War, Canada’s naval service grew to a force of 9,000 men and 100 ships.
  

Canadians on the front lines

• Today: More than 1,200 members of the Armed Forces are deployed overseas.
  
• Second World War: More than one million served and approximately 45,000 died.
  
• First World War: Almost 620,000 Canadians served in First World War and 66,000 died.
  
• Canada in NATO: Of NATO’s 19 member countries, Canada is…First in land area (9,093,507 sq. km), and sixth in total military spending ($13 billion)
  

This letter to Ms. Parrish from Edward Campbell argues a more realistic view of the Canadian military with some great historical references:

We will soon be celebrating the 200th anniversary of battles like Lundy’s Lane and the capture of Detroit. The first Canadian VC (our top medal, awarded only to the bravest of the brave in battle) was won by Lieutenant Robert Dunn, of Toronto, at Balaclava, at the Charge of the Light Brigade, over 160 years ago – one of the very first VCs ever won. Canadians served at the relief of Khartoum in 1884, and it was Canadians who defeated Cronje’s Boers, at Paardeberg, in 1900. I’m sure you know about our record in 1914-18. Perhaps you think our part in the intervention in Russia in 1918/19 was our initial foray into peacekeeping ““ I think most historians would disagree. Of course you know that Canadians ““ some of your constituents amongst them, fought around the world in 1939-45, in Korea in the early “Ëœ50s and, in too little known battles, in the Balkans in the “Ëœ90s.

Parrish is angry about this “new role” for Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, a role that includes killing, which is not the traditional job of peacekeeping. I think Roko said it best:

Phew. At least peacekeeping isn’t the traditional job of soldiers.