Republic of Alberta, Part III

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
The Liberals just raised the military budget by $1 billion a year so according to your logic, the military supports the liberals and therefore, since you claim the military is aligned with Albertans, Albertans vote Liberal.

The Liberals rasied the military budget by $1B (which is actually pathetically small when you talk about a military, but whatever) because of the bad press they got recently.

Like when they made their own uniforms going to Afghanistan since the Canadian Military couldn't afford tan-colored uniforms.

You assume that members of the CF are right wing military nuts. They are not. They are a cross-section of Canadian society.

Again, you have nothing to back up your "assumption".

I think it's safe to assume most soldiers are "right wing military nuts", though, in the same vein that most NDPers are "left wing socialist nuts".

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher
Like when they made their own uniforms going to Afghanistan since the Canadian Military couldn't afford tan-colored uniforms.

Tan-coloured uniforms are in the pipeline. It is not about money, it is about priorities.

Originally posted by Asher
Again, you have nothing to back up your "assumption".
I think it's safe to assume most soldiers are "right wing military nuts", though, in the same vein that most NDPers are "left wing socialist nuts".

You're the one making the claim, you have to back up your assumption.

As for my comments, they are based on the fact that I was a member of the CF. The people I knew represented all aspects of Canadian society.

I can also tell you that a few years ago there was a major concern about the fact that the BQ/PQ had support from within the military. As well, many right wingers have questioned why the NDP gets support on military bases.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
Tan-coloured uniforms are in the pipeline. It is not about money, it is about priorities.

You buy this?
How many months will they be in the "pipeline"?

You're the one making the claim, you have to back up your assumption.

I wouldn't know the first place to look. You've obviously seen relevant polls. Please link them, otherwise don't dismiss my claims.

As for my comments, they are based on the fact that I was a member of the CF. The people I knew represented all aspects of Canadian society.

Define member of. What kind of soldier were you?
Please note that I don't give a rats ass about the admin goofoffs in Ottawa...I was talking about the soldiers, the ones who would fight.

[Tingkai]

That's on behalf of all the fine people working at DNDHQ.

You really have no idea about life in the Canadian Forces.

[Asher]

So I take it you were a desk jockey then. That's what I thought.

One of my friends (who is serving a peacekeeping mission right now, actually) is even farther right than I am, and all of his friends from the armoury that I've met were all right bastards.

Something tells me lots of the Federal employee desk-jockies may be left wing, but the soldiers sure as hell aren't in general.

Link it or drop it.

[Asher]

By the way, make I take the opportunity to laugh at how low the DND's entrance requirements must be if they would hire somebody who would consider invading a province and turning their major cities into warzones if they seceded.

[Tingkai]

Asher: you love talking as if you're an expert, when in fact you know nothing.

The CF is so small that most of the "admin goofoffs" in Ottawa as you call them have come off operational duties and will go back on operational duties.

Those "desk jockies" include men and women who have worked, and will work, as front-line soldier, sailors and airmen.

They have more balls then you ever will.

As for the friends of your friends, like I said, the Forces represent a cross-section of Canadian society. In an Alberta-based reserved unit, you will find right wingers. In Sask-based reserved unit, you will find left-wingers.

I know you will find this hard to believe, but the members of the Forces are loyal Canadians who will fight to protect Canada.

You will probably not understand that every member of the CF swears an oath to defend Caada and obey lawful orders. If that means we have to fight in the streets of Calgary, we will.

I know this is all strange to you. A selfish little boy would have trouble understanding what it means to serve your country.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
Asher: you love talking as if you're an expert, when in fact you know nothing.

I'm not an expert, and I don't pretend to be one, but I do know that you're a journalism major that lives in Asia and have shown a complete ineptitude when it comes to most anything on these forums, but you think you're smarter than everyone else.

I'm no expert, but I know when I see an idiot.

They have more balls then you ever will.

I'd never join the military, because I'd never be able to kill someone if I was asked to. If that means I don't have balls, so be it.

I know you will find this hard to believe, but the members of the Forces are loyal Canadians who will fight to protect Canada.

They're there to protect their homeland. If there's ever a civil war (in your extremely unlikely and laughable scenerio), they sure as hell all won't side with Canada. Especially those units based in Alberta.

You will probably not understand that every member of the CF swears an oath to defend Caada and obey lawful orders. If that means we have to fight in the streets of Calgary, we will.

If the units are from Calgary, they sure as hell won't fight in the streets of Calgary.

You've obviously never actually served in the CF, you're making it up. If you have served in the CF, describe what years you were involved, your rank/position, and what you did.

If there's a civil war, the "Canadian Army" would be split as well, don't be so naive...

I know this is all strange to you. A selfish little boy would have trouble understanding what it means to serve your country.

You sound a bit too nationalistic for my tastes.

There's more to life than your country. Get over it. If my country pisses me off, I'll leave.

I'm waiting for you to try that argument you've tried before, about all the people who've died for our country and that's why we shouldn't leave it. That was one of my favorites, because it doesn't make any sense. Those people died for the idea of the country, the freedom of the people within it. If the people of a province secede and still have as much freedom as before (probably more, actually) in a place that makes them happier, that in no way disgraces the soldiers' memories.

[Tingkai]

Asher, the military expert.

[Asher]

Are you trying to be the next blackice or something?

Let's recap:
Tingkai:

Asher: you love talking as if you're an expert, when in fact you know nothing.

Me:

I'm not an expert, and I don't pretend to be one

Tingkai:

Asher, the military expert.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher

I'm not an expert...

If there's ever a civil war ... they sure as hell all won't side with Canada. Especially those units based in Alberta.

If the units are from Calgary, they sure as hell won't fight in the streets of Calgary.

If there's a civil war, the "Canadian Army" would be split as well, don't be so naive...

Yup, you know the people in the Forces better than anyone. Your crystal ball is amazing.

[Asher]

It doesn't take a military expert to know that if a soldier is from Calgary, he isn't going be shooting at his friends and family in the city because he's in the "Canadian Army". I'm really very surprised that you're being so incredibly stupid about this.

First about the "Canada invading Alberta" bull****, then about the concept of civil war splitting up the army as well as the population...

I would have thought it'd be fairly common sense that in the event of a civil war, some people will desert the army and choose the other side. Particularly when they're being told to invade their home town.

Well Tingkai, as much fun as it's been arguing with you, I've got to go to bed. I've got a terrible headache now, and I don't know if it's from you or from my headcold, but either way, grr!

Let us know when you come back down to Earth.

G'night.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher
I've got a terrible headache now,

Well, it sure ain't from thinking hard.

[Tingkai]

You're the expert Asher.

You say the army would never be sent into a province to fight the separatists and to take control of streets. That would just be bull****. Would never happen, eh? Sure.

That's got to be as unlikely as declaring martial law in Canada. Never would happen, according to the History and Future of Canada by Asher, the expert on everything.

The army would revolt if they were sent into the streets, according to you and you must be right cause you're an expert on the Forces and an expert of Canadian History.

By the way, have you figured out what happened in 1885 and 1837?

[Lancer]

A few questions if you don't mind...

How much oil and gas does Alberta have? Does it compare to Alaska? Kuwait? How long will the reserves hold out?

Just trying to grasp the magnitude of the thing. Alberta should stick w/ Canada if there isn't much oil, yes?