"The Taliban Don't Wave" - Robert Semrau

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As a medic with a few operational tours I have worked on taliban that were wounded by my section. I gave them the same standard of care I gave my guys. This is what makes us Canadian. This is what separates us from the Taliban brutality and keeps our actions honourable.

Exactly. We wear the white stetson...we are the good guys and conduct ourselves with honour.
 
That is what we call ETHICS and MORALS. You live your life by them. In the profession of arms, we have an ETHOS, which underlines our ETHICS and MORALs. You can believe whatever you want before you joing the military, but once in the profession of arms, you must adapt the ETHOS of the military. No option. If you can't you leave or get booted. What is acceptable or tolerated to civilians can be completely unacceptable to the military. Canadian troops performed outstanding service in Afghanistan but this service's foundation was the military ethos and the obedience to orders. That is how we roll...

Well said!!
 
That is what we call ETHICS and MORALS. You live your life by them. In the profession of arms, we have an ETHOS, which underlines our ETHICS and MORALs. You can believe whatever you want before you joing the military, but once in the profession of arms, you must adapt the ETHOS of the military. No option. If you can't you leave or get booted. What is acceptable or tolerated to civilians can be completely unacceptable to the military. Canadian troops performed outstanding service in Afghanistan but this service's foundation was the military ethos and the obedience to orders. That is how we roll...

This is why wars against ISIS and the Taliban et al are not winnable by conventional armies.
 
This is why wars against ISIS and the Taliban et al are not winnable by conventional armies.

That's not the reason. Our actions over there are something I will have to live with for the rest of my life. I acted how I wanted to be treated. I have comfort in that. When it comes down to someone dying in front of you , despite being the enemy , he is still a human being. I don't know what type of person can simply ignore that. You don't know if he was forced into fighting, many were. Many so poor that they simply fought to be able to provide for their family.... It's not black and white.
 
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That is what we call ETHICS and MORALS. You live your life by them. In the profession of arms, we have an ETHOS, which underlines our ETHICS and MORALs. You can believe whatever you want before you joing the military, but once in the profession of arms, you must adapt the ETHOS of the military. No option. If you can't you leave or get booted. What is acceptable or tolerated to civilians can be completely unacceptable to the military. Canadian troops performed outstanding service in Afghanistan but this service's foundation was the military ethos and the obedience to orders. That is how we roll...

i think that we would get along but have very good discussions about ethics and morals, should we ever have met and were posted to the same unit. you are absolutely right in all that you have said re this post.

as for JeffromCanada, i do not want to live in your anarchistic world.
 
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There are two sides in this argument - the trained and the opinionated. I'm glad that the trained soldiers have the high ground and are in fact educating the public on some of the reasons why we do the job we do. I for one, sleep well at nights knowing that my decisions and work put the hurt on bad people.
 
That's not the reason. Our actions over there are something I will have to live with for the rest of my life. I acted how I wanted to be treated. I have comfort in that. When it comes down to someone dying in front of you , despite being the enemy , he is still a human being. I don't know what type of person can simply ignore that. You don't know if he was forced into fighting, many were. Many so poor that they simply fought to be able to provide for their family.... It's not black and white.

Your exactly right. We have to live with ourselves afterwards. In the era of internet, movies and TV, everyone is a Navy SEAL and talks tough. As you and I both know, the people who were the most boastful, loud, bully type tough guy, folded up in combat when the pressure came on. My experience was the quiet, unassuming soldier became the lion under fire.
 
i think that we would get along but have very good discussions about ethics and morals, should we ever have met and were posted to the same unit. you are absolutely right in all that you have said re this post.

as for JeffromCanada, i do not want to live in your anarchistic world.

Thanks. I appreciate it.

I am hoping that jefffromcanada is just being sarcastic...
 
There are two sides in this argument - the trained and the opinionated. I'm glad that the trained soldiers have the high ground and are in fact educating the public on some of the reasons why we do the job we do. I for one, sleep well at nights knowing that my decisions and work put the hurt on bad people.

Well said. As we use to joke on my last tour, "Nothing says Frack you like a JDAM".
 
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