I, too, am becoming increasingly concerned that people are becoming militaristic without understanding what the ramifications of feeling that way really are. I support the military, and I think that in the world as it is now (and is likely to be in the foreseeable future), a well armed, well trained, professional military force is essential to preserving our basic freedoms. We need people willing to take on this responsibility as long as there are people in the world willing to use force against us. It is, in my opinion, unjustified to fault the soldier – his existence is the consequence of the malfeasance of others, and he’s doing what he feels is right so other people are safe.

I am not now, nor have I ever been – including when I wore a uniform, a proponent of projecting war on other people. Defend ourselves, do not be the aggressor.

I’d argue, for example, that the people of Iraq are demonstrably worse off now than they were under Saddam. Canada was absolutely right not to get involved in that fiasco.

Afghanistan is a bit different. There was, initially, a somewhat solid ground for a limited campaign to achieve specific goals. Unfortunately, that has long been lost. Afghanistan is better off now than they were before, but when foreign forces pull out they’re going to be back to the same-old in a few years… so really, what has been achieved for the mighty cost? What is the benefit to Canada of our continuing participation in the conflict?

It’s not that I disrespect the soldiers… I pretty well disrespect the people who send them places to die for nothing.

Sooner, rather than later, some North Korean nutbag is going to go on a rampage, and we’ll all be glad there are soldiers to protect us. Frankly, if things had carried on the way they were going down south, I’d have been expecting US tanks rolling across our borders, and I’d hope that we have enough Canadians with the cojones to fight them back.