Errant US bomb kills Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

[Richard III]

Most Americans probably don't have a clue but this has turned into a huge issue in the past 24 hours - all the more so because the President couldn't be bothered to offer a word of condolence in four media availabilities yesterday.

While that doesn't change my views on anything, even I have to admit that this was a pretty stupid ommission on his part. If they'd been killed in combat, he would have said something. By saying nothing now, Canadians are starting to take it as though Americans don't take the accident seriously, even though the US military has been reeling with shock and quick with the regret.

R.III

 

[Flatlander Fox]

The worst part about this whole thing is that it's hardly on the U.S. news. I watch BBC quite a bit, so I have been able to find out a bit more on the situation.

Anyone who says we have a left leaning media is full of crap.

Sweeping 4 lives under the rug is an atrocity in itself.

But I've come to expect this behavior from our esteemed administration and media.



P.S. There is no doubt that the pilot will never fly combat missions again. He probably won't want to either.

 

[Richard III]

Originally posted by Flatlander Fox
The worst part about this whole thing is that it's hardly on the U.S. news.

Yeah, I was thinking of doing a freeland piece for US use on how this is a textbook case of how anti-americanism develops, and so did a sweep early this a.m. of online papers to see who was actually covering it.

And - beleive it or not - the LA Times had detailed coverage, Detroit some AP wire stuff, and everybody else I checked was devoid of any references at all.

I'm not one of these Canadians who gets all anxious every time we aren't mentioned in US news, but this could turn out to be a serious foreign policy blunder in the long term.

 

[knowltok2]

I didn't catch any news programs yesterday (The grass was tickling my knees, and the weeds were choking out the bushes in the landscaping) but the story did get front page in our local town's newspaper. It was at the bottom of the page, but you have to keep in mind that only Sept 11 took top billing over local events since as far back as we have been getting the paper.

I too am disapointed in Bush not mentioning this. It sends many of the reverse signals that a Canadian pull-out based on this event would send. I am glad our military is apparently reacting appropriately, but this is a matter that goes beyond the military since it concerns the relations between two nations.

It was an accident, no one meant it, and everyone would take it back if they could, but just like scratching your car in the parking lot(only this is infinately more important than that), we should appologize and offer to do anything and everything that can be done from an after the fact point of view. We need to treat our friends better than this.

 

[Greadius]

Originally posted by Richard III
I'm not one of these Canadians who gets all anxious every time we aren't mentioned in US news, but this could turn out to be a serious foreign policy blunder in the long term.

Its the media that is covering it, not the government. To be fair, it is not a HUGE story to Americans. We loose people to 'accidents' and friendly fire fairly often, so its not a big shock or tragedy to Americans compared to loosing our own; which doesn't always grapple national headlines.
If it makes you feel any better, NPR spent about 5 minutes on it this morning.

 

[CivHobo]

Ah tis sad this happened, what is most sad is that the pilot was not a regular but a reservist in afganistan? Plus he was told twice not to drop his bombs in a known training area.

I remember somthing like this happening in the gulf war when an A10 fragged a british army convoy. They basically said they should have made the 'V' signs larger, very sad.

 

[Maj]

These accidents are bound to happen. I feel no grief nor anger and don't expect me to pretend to act as a bleeding heart every time a Canadian dies. Nationalism can be about as dangerous as fundamentalism when the right conditions are met.

Call me a monster for all you will, but if the majority believes a few deaths on "our" side constitutes the need for an immediate withdrawl, we might as well scrap any plans for sending soldiers to any region where the locals may possess weapons.

 

[knowltok2]

Originally posted by Maj
Call me a monster for all you will, but if the majority believes a few deaths on "our" side constitutes the need for an immediate withdrawl, we might as well scrap any plans for sending soldiers to any region where the locals may possess weapons.

I shall not call you a monster. Casualties are a price of war. It is supremely unfortunate that these casualties happened in the way they did, but you are right that we are all going to need stronger resolve than to call for running away the first time something goes wrong.

 

[Richard III]

Originally posted by Greadius
Its the media that is covering it, not the government.

I was referring to the President's skating over the whole thing all day Thursday, then curtly saying "I've sent my condolences to the Prime Minister" when finally cornered on it by a reporter at the last of five public events.

The trouble with this sort of thing is that in the grand scheme of things, it really shouldn't be that important, but Americans rarely understand how easy it is for unimportant American acts to be seen as Mighty Big Symbols by us lesser foreign powers.

 

[Greadius]

Originally posted by Richard III
The trouble with this sort of thing is that in the grand scheme of things, it really shouldn't be that important, but Americans rarely understand how easy it is for unimportant American acts to be seen as Mighty Big Symbols by us lesser foreign powers.

Well, to be fair, he does have other things to worry about... I'd have expected a lesser government official to placate the lesser powers; perhaps SecDef or Ari Fleisher...
Not that he SHOULDN'T say anything... I'm just saying its nothing personal... obviously.

If I was President, I would have said something; but I like Canadians...

 

[dannyevilcat]

I just saw those images of one of the caskets draped in the Canadian flag. Wow, it's a gut-wrenching image.
I've seen it many times with U.S. flags, never ours.

 

[Richard III]

I just crawled out of bed to read about President Bush's heartfelt expression of condolence at an unrelated public event Friday.

Well done lads.

Hopefully this will now go away.

R.III

 

[Immortal]

Sweeping 4 lives under the rug is an atrocity in itself.
[/B]

Which part of the country are you in? In Alberta, it has been top story, and the focus of the entire half hour news at 11 for the past 3 days. Could be reigionalism rearing its ugly head (Not in a anti-ROC way, but that some news agencies are focusing on things they find more imortant).

 

[CornMaster]

You know...that killed .05% of the Canadian Military!

Come on...the target is Bin Laden....not the True North.

 

[Daaraa]

It's been getting a LOT of coverage around here. 2 of the dead were from around here and have family around here.

 

[Richard III]

Originally posted by CornMaster
Come on...the target is Bin Laden....not the True North.

Your words are wasted on us civfanatics.

But don't let me stop you from telling that to the pilot, since he seems to be the one who's confused!

 

[Flatlander Fox]

Immortal, I am in the part of MY country that YOUR country didn't want (For good reason), the beloved North Country of Upstate NY. Very little on the American Media about it, but I watch the Canadian news AND the BBC channel, who have given it more coverage.

But in the endless march of time, it's fast becoming uninteresting history to the rest of the world.

 

[Greadius]

Originally posted by Flatlander Fox
But in the endless march of time, it's fast becoming uninteresting history to the rest of the world.

Maybe I'm missing the big picture.
Its tragic, yes, but it is not a world altering or earth shattering event. What is so significant about the story that it should caputre headlines continuesly?

 

[Ozz]

Lets get on with the JOB and finish it before anymore accidents happen.

I can't think of a conflict where this has not happened. Both the
Americans and Canadians regret this incident. If the Americans
have taken some time to express regrets to Canada, it is because
they want to be absolutely sure that they are to blame.

I would give them the benefit of time, They are honest and true
allies and will, I have no doubt, issue a apology statement once they are convinced it is entirely their fault. We should support them in this as True and Trusty Allies and Friends.

 

[Benjamin Miller]

I agree, the Americans are trying to hide that this happend. The day when this broke, I had CNN on alot, and there was ONE (1) referance to this. And it was more of an "In other news" type thing. It was even off CNN.com's front page on the same day. It's on there now, but in an "In other news" section.

At school, everybody I asked supported a pull out of Afghanistan. Of course many thought we should have pulled out a long time ago.