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Naive to state combat troops unnecessary

Midland-Penetanguishene Mirror

28 July 2010

MIDLAND – Re: “How is the military helping our world?” Letters,
July 22.

Ms. Brock says, “If we didn’t have any soldiers, then we would not be
able to have any wars, for who would fight them?”
The statement is very naive. We need combat troops. Eventually, you have
to prove to enemies or potential threats that you are able and willing
to respond with force. Either that or you just bow down to your enemies
and abdicate your sovereignty.
Ms. Brock says, “It has always been my belief that war is not right. I
think other ways should be tried first. I taught this to my children
when they were young.”
This is noble, but naive. Wars have waged for centuries and will
continue to be waged, no matter how many times the hippies gather and
chant “Give Peace a Chance.”
Ms. Brock says, “It is morally wrong for army recruitment officers to
come to schools and try to snap up our youngsters. It would be OK if the
military was used more for helping the world rather than hindering it,
but I’m not sure that is the case.”
The Canadian Forces have participated in numerous UN and NATO missions
that assisted innocent civilians caught in armed conflict all over the
world. Have you never heard of the Red River flood of 1997 in Manitoba,
or the Ontario-Quebec ice storm in 1998? How about the recent earthquake
in Haiti?
The Canadian Forces does a lot more than fight wars and kill people.

Leading Seaman (Ret’d) Bruce Forsyth, CD
Royal Canadian Navy Reserve

**************************************************************************************************

Unedited column:

In response to “How is the military helping our world?  By Jennifer
Brock, Letters, July 15,” I am very dismayed by her comments.  While it
is sad when young men and women die in combat, that is a reality for
militaries across the world.  People have seen war movies (both
fictional and documentaries), and I doubt anyone has delusions about
what you do when you join the army: you may be required to kill or be
killed.  Same for the Air Force and the Navy.  The photos we all see of
the dead troops from Afghanistan, the ones with them in their desert
pattern combat clothing with a Canadian Flag behind them; the ones that
we see on the news every time one dies, are joking called by the members
themselves, “death photos”, as everyone posing for those pictures know
that that is the photo that will be on TV if they die.

Ms. Brock says, “If we didn’t have any soldiers, then we would not be able to have
any wars, for who would fight them?”  Why don’t you tell that to the
Israel, who have an army because the Palestinians have vowed to wipe the
State of Israel off the face of the earth.  Are you kidding me that
there will be peace in the middle east and in the world in general if
everyone laid down their arms?  That would be a wonderful thing to
happen, but welcome to the real world, Ms. Brock!  You statement is very
naive.  I personally wish that there will be world peace, but that is
not something that is going to happen any time soon.

The answer is we need combat troops: army, navy and air force.  Peace at all cost
does not work.  Eventually you have to prove to your enemies or
potential threats that you are able and willing to respond with force.
Either that or you just bow down to your enemies and abdicate your
sovereignty.  Why do you think that there was no WWIII between the West
and the Soviet Union?

Ms. Brock says, “It has always been my belief that war is not right. I think other ways should be tried first. I taught this to my children when they were young.”  This is noble but naïve.  Wars have waged for centuries and will continue to be waged, no matter how many times the “hippies” gather and chant “Give Peace A Chance.”

Ms. Brock says, “I think, also, that it is morally wrong for army recruitment officers to come to schools and try to snap up our youngsters. It would be OK if the military was used more for helping the world rather than hindering it, but I’m not sure that is the case.”  Have you ever read a newspaper, Ms. Brock?  The Canadian Forces has participated in numerous UN and NATO missions that assisted innocent civilians caught in armed conflict all over the world.  Have you never heard of The Red River Flood of 1997 in Manitoba or the Eastern Ontario-Quebec ice storm in 1998?  How about the recent earthquake in Haiti?  The Canadian Forces do a lot more that fight wars and kill people.

I encourage you Ms. Brock to visit a recruiting centre
and get the real information on the Canadian Forces, who do more than
recruit trained killers, as you see them.  Besides not always fighting
wars, the Canadian Forces also provides a free or subsidized education
at either Royal Military College or a civilian post-secondary
institution.  If you want to be, among other things, a doctor, mechanic,
cook, air traffic controller, pilot, communications specialist, the
Canadian Forces will train you at no cost, while paying you a salary,
and guaranteeing you a job upon graduation.  You will note that not all
these occupations necessarily require you to necessarily kill people.

Maybe Ms. Brock you should visit her local legion branch or any of the
numerous military parades and remembrances, including Remembrance Day,
that are held each year.

Leading Seaman (Ret’d) Bruce Forsyth, CD
Royal Canadian Navy Reserve

About the author

Bruce Forsyth

Bruce Forsyth served in the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve for 13 years (1987-2000). He served with units in Toronto, Hamilton & Windsor and worked or trained at CFB Esquimalt, CFB Halifax, CFB Petawawa, CFB Kingston, CFB Toronto, Camp Borden, The Burwash Training Area and LFCA Training Centre Meaford.

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