"Tali-vermin Exterminators"
(apparently 1,000+ confirmed kills ... and counting!)
Also see:
JTF2 scopes trained on Taliban elite
Elite commandos 'in demand,' says Gen. Hillier after speech
Mike Blanchfield, The Ottawa Citizen, March 28, 2007
Posted on 04/01/2007 9:54:07 AM PDT by fanfan
Canada interjected itself squarely into the hostage standoff between Iran and Britain yesterday after dressing down the Iranian envoy in Ottawa, joining the growing international effort to pressure Tehran to release the 15 captured sailors.
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said he summoned Iran's top diplomat in Canada for a meeting on Thursday to urge Tehran to immediately release 15 British sailors and marines, now entering their second week of captivity after their boat was intercepted in the northern Persian Gulf region in what Britain says was a lawful United Nations patrol in international water.
"We view this as a provocative and extremely unhelpful act on behalf of Iran. There appears to be plenty of empirical evidence and independent evidence that suggests that the boat, the sailors were in Iraqi not Iranian water. Now the Iranians are disputing that fervently," Mr. MacKay said in an interview yesterday.
"We continue to press for Iran to release these sailors. We view this, given the current climate, as destabilizing for the whole region and we'll continue to press that issue where and when we can."
But Iran countered after the MacKay meeting, with Charge d'Affaires Abbas Assemi maintaining Britain had violated Iranian territorial water and Canada and the world should side with Tehran and condemn the British "violation" of its waterways.
"The British officials who are aware of the mistake of their marine troops have launched political hues and cries as well as propaganda through media to cover up their wrongdoings and attribute them to others," Mr. Assemi said in a statement released by Iran's official news agency, IRNI. "By resorting to fake evidence, the British government is seeking to distort the realities."
The griping between Canada and Tehran was a side battle to the main diplomatic deadlock, which deepened yesterday between Iran and Britain when three Royal Navy sailors were displayed on Iranian television and a third letter from the lone female sailor was released.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday the "parading" of the navy personnel in public would only heighten disgust of the Iranian regime.
The European Union also expressed its "unconditional support" for Britain yesterday, something Mr. MacKay said he noted.
Mr. MacKay said Canada has a vested interest in the current standoff because it has engaged in its own naval patrols in Persian Gulf region.
"It isn't simply between Iran and Great Britain. This has implications for all. Canadian sailors have been in these waters, as well, in the past. And so again there is a direct impact on Canada. There is a direct implication on the international community."
MacKay would not comment on the effect the incident would have on future patrols by Canadian warships in the region.
The MacKay-Assemi meeting was a rare occurrence because Canada and Iran have scaled back diplomatic relations.
Iran does not have an ambassador to Canada, and diplomatic contact between the two countries has been downgraded to between lower level officials.
Aw, come on. I remember that brave caper (also saw the tv movie that was made about it).
Just having a LITTLE fun. :-)
Now when does that hockey game break out? ;-)
"The Canadian Navy has three destroyers, 12 frigates, 3 long-range patrol submarines, 3 oilers, 14 coastal defense vessels, and various training vessels"
The Canadians are also export the largest amount of oil to the US. They are indeed, with Australia and the Brits are best allies.
However, that list of navy ships is very light for a country with such huge shores.
Yeah but we also use the P-3 derived Aurora for maritime patrol. It's a lot easier to patrol those waters with air assets than sea assets. We also have a VERY small military, but we only have 30 million people.
Gee, I hope nothing jumps off over there while Pelosi is schmoozing with Ass-ad. cough cough
They are in Afghanistan now playing hockey with terrorist heads as pucks. The best man for man special forces in the world are Canadian JTF2. They are doing what no other forces have been able to do in Afghanistan right now.
Hey, save some of those heads for us! Or are we forced to go find our own severed terrorist heads?
I have a tendency to jump on people who I perceive to be discounting the effort of our brave soldiers.
Sorry.
:-)
Well, I am glad to see this, but if it comes to taking action against Iran-bombing their oil refineries or nuke processing centers say-what will the Canadians do? Right now I'd guess that public opinion is heavily against taking part. Harper is a great improvement over the previous government, but he still leads a minority government and would be extremely reluctant to take action.
They are augmented by the Canadian Coast Guard. The CCG has a extensive working relationship with our own CG. See here: http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/main_e.htm
"Tali-vermin Exterminators"
(apparently 1,000+ confirmed kills ... and counting!)
Also see:
JTF2 scopes trained on Taliban elite
Elite commandos 'in demand,' says Gen. Hillier after speech
Mike Blanchfield, The Ottawa Citizen, March 28, 2007
To the CBC the problem with Iran doesn't exist.
*sigh*
;-)
This is obviously the case for even if the Brit's (they weren't) in Iranian waters, the lack of national concern because of it would justify at the most a statement of "Hey watch yourselves and don't let it happen again".
Of course, it's only a political ploy by Iran to vent their frustration with unanimous voting to stifle their nuclear aggressions in UN vote.
I seriously doubt that if Britain were to threaten Iran it wouldn't be with a rubber dingy with 16 soldiers.
The JTF2, has been tasked along with Brit SAS, Aussie SASR, US Seals in a number of joint operations in Afganistan since the war began. They certainly have performed extremely well in joint operations as well as on their own unit. While the JTF2 does not have a long current unit history, their natural roots are found in the famed Devil's Brigade, a joint US/Canadian commando unit in World War II. It was at Anzio that a German in a diary dubbed the 1st Special Service Force the "Devil's Brigade." The original monikor for the unit was "The Black Devils." The calling card the Devils left on dead German soldiers at Anzio who they raided at night read (in converted English) "The Worst is Yet to Come."
The warships come with the bathtub...
The warships come with the bathtub and rubber dukie...
The warships come with the bathtub and rubber duckie...
If enough nations did this the Iranians would back down, hand back the people they kidnapped and it likely would all happen without the use of military force.
If France hadn't of backed Saddam by undermining international efforts the Iraq war might have been avoided. One wonders if those who claim they're after peace understand the consequences of their actions.
We are members of NATO. If Nato goes in, we go in.
Much has changed up here, many Canadians are reclaiming our pride in our country, and our honourable history.
With Stephen Harper at the helm of this great ship, our country is doing the right thing time after time. I'm so proud!
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