Christie Blatchford on her experience in Afghanistan

[evelynjoyce]

Christie is a terrible story teller. I mean I'm sure this is a gripping story but there's something about the way she tells it that makes it as dull as watching paint dry.

[ashburnhouse]

@evelynjoyce Exactly. Her prose is incomprehensible. 

[NinjaBoots23]

@BackBlocks09 Someone has been reading too many "the gov't is out to get us" books. Relax, you're just over analyzing everything without doing enough research. Take a break from worrying about being controlled by the vampire-robot-nazis, get out of your mother's basement and get some sun. Maybe try to get a job, or exercise or something.

[NinjaBoots23]

@BackBlocks09 We are in Afghanistan and not any of those other places (in force; we DO have people on the ground in some of those places), because Afghanistan was the primary training ground for the Taliban and happens to be located in the middle of several countries with nuclear weapons; mainly Pakistan, India, China and maybe Iran in the future. The last thing we needed was terrorism on a grand scale in any of those countries.

[Buzby62]

A very brave Lady !!

[nubbs]

her book is disappointing. it lacks any insight or context to the mission in afghanistan, and even as a character study it's shallow. and the writing itself is rather amateur.

[HaloMonkeys]

I just recieved this book for my birthday, is it like the canadian version of generation kill or like the forever war.

[retiredtqms]

I have received this book for Christmas. Being a former Patricia (1st. Bn.) I see names that I have served with MWO Pete Leger amongst others. Though I am retired, as I watch Patricia's engaged in Battle my heart goes out to my fellow brothers in arms. You all have my respect and I am very proud of all of you. You're doing a damn fine job and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Former TQMS 1 PPCLI "Kap"

[damasgate]

haha...Sigs are NERDS!!!

[shimokita2]

I've heard accounts from CF members who were there with her that she hasn't exactly reported incidents the way they happened. As if she embellished the truth for her book. Curious if there are any CF Members here able to comment on that?

[RoulinBrooks]

Why the Globe employs Christie Blatchford is beyond me. She's a horrendously bad writer. Over the top, overblown saccharine garbage. She's the worst writer on the planet (with Rosie Dimanno a close second). Please, Christie, for the love of God stop writing.

[Pete031]

And BTW, this is one of the tours I was on. So if I take it kind of personal that this waste of oxygen is bashing a woman that was a big part of our tour, then I am going to defend her.

[Pete031]

Hey, I'm on leave. I can spend my time however the hell I want to. Learn to spell wannafanta.

[Pete031]

Yeah, now you sound the the crazy creature you are. You have no real world sense do you. All you are doin g with your comments is showing what an unrealistic POS you are.

But hey, don't worry the Soldiers in Canada will still fight for your freedom. Enjoy your mocca latte and the freedom that is provided. Feel free to trash our policies and soldiers. That is the right that we are all fighting for.

[ThisCanadian]

a NATO ALLY WAS ATTACKED BY SAUDI ARABIAN CITIZENS, dumbass.

I can only pity someone so tragically uninformed & so patently victimized by *someone* who has convinced them that abusive behaviour is a measure of courage or sacrifice.

Its apparent that *peacekeeping* has become synonymous in your mind with *torture*, warcrimes & a love to define your actions with subservience to corporate power & wealth.

that's not patriotism, its being too cowardly to think for yourself. or just retarded.

[croatia90]

both of u are fucking idiots, good idea argue on youtube, I won a youtube fight yay lets put thta on my fucking resume, go join a debate team or sumthing

[ThisCanadian]

My email from Blatchford telling me to FUCK OFF for suggesting she might have been HANDLED by the US military's practised hand at propagandizing journalists & that the US profits from Afghanistan's conflict "considering Christie Blatchford & "John McCain, Iraq, & the Eyewitness Fallacy" tinyurl com/2vz84w good on ya, Christie: sell that book! you're a REAL HERO ~ Spread Love BlueBerry Pick'n ThisCanadian com ~ "We, two, form a Multitude" ~ Ovid. ~ "Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"

[Pete031]

You're an idiot!

[ThisCanadian]

guess you're a fan of bombing the crap out of people.

enjoy. ever thought of enlisting? you could toss grenades into peoples homes & watch their entrails trickle down the walls.

Gee, I wonder why the USA didn't **ACCEPT THE AFGHANISTAN OFFER TO DELIVER BIN LADEN when they offered him??? COULD IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH A PIPELINE ROUTE??** nah... that would be unethical.

incompetent? would have been covering only 3 sides of Tora Bora & letting him escape, right?

[Pete031]

LOL... I am a soldier in the CF. I have been to Afghanistan twice one of my tours being the very one she is talking about. I have seen my fair share of entrails trickling down walls. Can't say I like it too much.

It shames me to see that your user name is TheCanadian. As far as I can see you are an ignorant POS. Why don't you educate yourself on the reason we are fighing in Afghanistan. Coward.

[ThisCanadian]

Actually, I'm from a multi-generational military family & married military

I was accepted for a commission; but, my eyes are bad from a serious glass accident which left me with corneal scarring

No, I'm not military, but I've studied more than you have & it shows. What happened at Tora Bora & why did US say they didn't want Bin Laden when he was offered? Oh, but that would require studying up on issues rather than just nodding when someone tells you 'violence works' & you have to believe it.

[Pete031]

Sure you are.... In my eyes all you are, is a leftist bandwagon hopping chump.

Thats all you have isin't it. Tora Bora. Were you on the ground? Humping the mountains? Have you been to Afghanistan? No. So really, you have no clue what you are talking about. No real world experience.

You accuse me of nodding? You accuse me of being a war monger?

Just because you are too weak to be a soldier, lacking the intestinal fortitude to be one, don't take your misery out on the troops.

[ThisCanadian]

I can only presume you are because hysterically screaming "liar & coward" is your first response to an honest reply

You don't seem to be that bright. *History* is an eye-opening analysis of reports which you didn't experience first hand, but from the honest reports of honest folks-

which is how we know the US wouldn't *take* Bin Laden when he was OFFERED TO THEM as US & CORPORATIONS WANT A PIPELINE like they want Iraq OIL

IT IS REPORTED JOURNALISM, go read it-you shame yours & yours with DUMB

[Pete031]

Oh yeah, you got me.

None of the nausea you are spewing out is an honest reply. All you have are the accusations of this being a conflict for oil. Did you forget that our NATO ally was attacked? That it is our obligation to help out our international friends?

But you don't see it that way.

You can presume all you want. I don't have to prove anything to you, and I don't have to rely on Journalism. I have spent over a year in A-Stan on two seperate tours.

Coward.

[ThisCanadian]

My name is Pete031 & I'm a dumb groundpounder who doesn't know what a UN resolution looks like.

They keep you dumb for a reason & apparently they do it well.

[Pete031]

Yeah, Lady, keep spewing your shit. I have worked on UN Missions before as a PeaceKeeper. I know how the UN works, they are the biggest hypocrites going.

I may be a dumb ground pounder. But I am proud of it, and it is more then you can say (blueberry). On your website you have the words, Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced. How the hell do do you expect these innocent Afghans to become free without an armed force helping them. You are just a leftist band wagon hopping coward.

[ThisCanadian]

"I'm a bully who prefers SHOOTING at people than helping them... I don't approve of international LAW & negotiations...that's for COWARDS... AMERIKA ÜBER ALLES!! let's GET THAT PIPELINE THROUGH!"

good on ya,

Maybe if we actually didn't cowtoe to Amerikans like bootlickers we'd actually be able to help them.

OH RIGHT! the Americans were too happy to load them up with weapons to shoot RUSSIANS, but couldn't be **bothered** to help with infrastructure for their allies

"AMERIKA ÜBER ALLES!!!"

[Pete031]

you are 40 years old and you sound like a 14 year old.

Keep vomitting out your nausea, you ungrateful POS. Enjoy the freedom that is provided, but feel free to question it, all you want.

[ThisCanadian]

"I like violence & hurting people & making them say THANK YOU BIG WHITE MAN... I like it when they cry & bleed & I can feel superior"

you're such a humanitarian... go watch some Van Damme movies & masturbate...

[mcip123]

lolololololol get off ur fucking chair and observe how much you ave accomplished arguing on youtube

[nubbs]

how do you expect afghanistan to be free when the taliban are between us and gaining strength every day? how long is this supposed to take? 50 years? obama has even abandoned any hope of nation building

[Pete031]

Is that why he ordered 17000 troops into the area?

[nubbs]

yes, actually, it was.

i pretty sure you aren't that bright, but even an idiot would realize that 17,000 extra troops could hardly be considered "nation building"

they are there because the security situation, which must be established long before you can talk about nation building or stabile democracy

[Pete031]

Easy buds.... Swab some of the sand out of your ovaries.

In order to commence with nation building, you have to have stability. In order to have stability, you have to have security. But you are a smart guy, you know that.

17000 more troops in RC South will make a huge difference. Will it close the border down? Porbably not, but will it help us maintain the initiative? Most likely. I go back again for the third time in September.... I'll let you know how it goes.

[nubbs]

did you watch the peter mansbridge interview with obama last tuesday? in it, obama said that afghanistan is now only winnable in the sense of minimizing the presence of al qaeda and the influence of the taliban. hopes of "nation building", which is NOT why we first went there, is now over.

american commanders in afghanistgan have been calling for a minimum of 40,000 more troops. 17,000 is insufficient.

every expert on the ground has says no military solution is possible, only a political one

[nubbs]

i invite you to read previous articles by graeme smith of the globe and mail.

the fact is support for our presence in afghanistan has dropped precipitously in the last year. we may be more popular than the taliban, but not enough to for them to want us to stay.

your courage is wasted on this country. the taliban are like a plague that can't be cured. i wish it wasn't so. i wish we could kill them all if first unable to win their hearts and minds. but they are only getting larger and stronger

[nubbs]

in any case, best of luck in afghanistan and stay safe (which pretty much means stay off the roads). but after reading "fifteen days" i am unable to see how any of our heroic troops have not died but in vain.

i know you all want to be there, and your enemy is about as evil as it gets. but what have our 108 deaths in afghanistan accomplished in these last 7 years?

what a waste of life and talent

[CanadianInfantryman1]

Damn you're stupid get you're info right before talking. US Troops are pulling out of Iraq to redirect them into Afghanistan to tackle the taliban. An offensive is the complete oposite of abandoning the building of a nation

[nubbs]

no, you fucking moron. us troops are pulling out of iraq because the democratically elected government of iraq TOLD the US to leave, and because obama campaigned on immediate withdrawl

you think an extra 20,000 troops is going to make a lick if difference, because if you do you disagree with every significant military mind

ps moron. they are not "tackling the taliban". they are negotiating with about 95% of the taliban. they arent tackling anyone, in case you havnt been paying attention

[Pete031]

Say Hi to Taliban Jack.

[nubbs]

why are we there, exactly, because blanchford certainly doesn't tell us why in her book.

apparently this war is nothing but an excuse for male bonding among high school drop outs

[TheIronArmy93]

I find that somewhat offensive, I'm in the army reserves and next year I'll be heading to university paid in full by the military, then I'll most likely be going on tour. Not everyone in the military is a high school drop out.

[nubbs]

i never implied, or at least never meant to imply, that people in the military are high school drop outs

good luck with your tour. stay safe. i believe the mission in afghanistan is just

[LedKenji666]

@Pete031 i dont know who you are and who you are talking too but i just want to point out that i hope you understand that we fight here for economic reasons... not to fight terrorism or help the ppl out there. as sad as this sound. and yes the soldiers there are heroes. they didnt choose to fight this war. this war is not for an honourable reasons but it removes nothing to the heroism of the troops there.

[Pete031]

@LedKenji666 What economical reasons would those be? I mean I just came back from there 4 days ago... For the 3rd time and I have no idea what revenue the Canadian Government is seeing from this.

[LedKenji666]

@Pete031 theres no revenue for canada there its just that were americas bitch and you must understand that afghanistan is the largest opium productor in the world and believe it or not the government makes money out of it

[wannafanta777]

ur the one wasting ur time fighting on youtube, go on a fucking bike ride or sumthing

[mcip123]

you are soo ugly

i feel bad for your parents

you must've been one ugly kid

[silent0saint]

she has more balls than you

[mcip123]

i knew she was a guy

[silent0saint]

lol

[nubbs]

she literally shit herself in afghanistan, in front of the troops.

[twinetickler]

i just finished reading the costco connection and i have 5 words to describe it

you are soooo fucking hot

like fuck me

[gforceforever]

Out of curiosity, was this video cleared for public viewing from your Public Affairs office? Americans are not the only ones watching, you know.

[jsdptenis]

Very very good book, congratulations Christie!

I'm now 17 and joining the reserves.

I am in the middle of the book right now and I have learned so much from it, especially all those military terms and acronims, haha. It is because if this book that I have finally made my decision to join and support our troops.

Thank you.

[jtmoney80]

I have just finished the book and I will never forget the story of the white school and the acts of Sgt. Ingram and his mates. All the stories touched me and makes me wish I could go back into the army. I have told my friends who also have a military background to get this book. Well done Christie. I wish I could be back in and over there, however your stories have helped me vision it.

Thanks and Godspeed CF

[lambo104]

Thank you Christie.

[survivorhfx]

I was there for Roto3. It's a wicked book thus far and dead on. Great job Christie.