Fox news mocks canadian army

[illa]

Fox News host says mockery of Canada's Afghan mission 'satire,' and 'words may have been misunderstood'
Posted: March 23, 2009, 10:09 AM by Shane Dingman

Fox News is known for its ranting anchor-heads, and while it may be playing right into the hands of a business plan that trades on outrage Canadians have risen to the bait dangled in the clip attached below, to wit: Is it time to invade Canada?


“We want an apology from this so-called comedian and his panel. These are despicable, hurtful and ignorant comments. No one is laughing and they owe Canada, and more importantly the families of each one of our fallen heroes, an apology for their ill-informed mistakes,” Dan Dugas, the spokesman for Defence Minister Peter MacKay, told Canwest News Service on Monday.

MacKay, along with Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean, was to attend the repatriation ceremony Monday at CFB Trenton, Ont., where the families of Canada’s four latest Afghanistan fatalities were to meet the flag-draped coffins of their fallen loved ones.

The panelists in the "Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld" show riffed about the by Lieutenant-General Andrew Leslie, chief of the land staff, that "Beginning in July of 2011, we will have to explore the possibility of taking a short operational break, that is well organized and synchronized, of at least one year." Gen. Leslie cited shifting demographics, attrition and competition from civilian industry that are draining away a talented pool of soldiers, the general also said damaged equipment will need to be refurbished from the rigours of combat in Afghanistan.

Host Gutfeld mockingly claimed "The Canadian military wants to take a breather to do some yoga, paint landscapes, run on the beach in gorgeous white capri pants." Co-panelist Doug Benson dug the show in deeper by saying: "I didn't even know they were in the war," he said. "I thought that's where you go if you don't want to fight — you go chill in Canada."
UPDATE 2:45 p.m.: The Fox News television host who mocked Canadian troops in Afghanistan has apologized for what he says was a satire.

"The March 17th episode of Red Eye included a segment discussing Canada's plan for a 'synchronized break,' which was in no way an attempt to make light of troop efforts," Greg Gutfeld, host of the segment, told the Canwest News Service on Monday in an e-mailed statement.
"However, I realize that my words may have been misunderstood. It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize. Red Eye is a satirical take on the news, in which all topics are addressed in a lighthearted, humourous and ridiculous manner."

The video was popularized after in the Kandahari hinterlands on Friday. Those deaths brought to 116 the number of Canadian soldiers who have died in Afghanistan since the mission began almost seven years ago. There are about 3,000 Canadian troops in Afghanistan, of which about one-third are members of the fighting force. Canada has suffered the largest number of deaths on a per capita basis among the 40 nations contributing forces in the conflict.

And as Canwest News reported today, "despite questions about Canada's Afghan mission growing at home and elsewhere, fed by public comments by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and others, as well as ominous international reports on the deteriorating security situation, . In fact, it is almost impossible to find a soldier who speaks against the mission and even rarer among the infantrymen and armoured types who have done the bulk of the fighting."

Among other shockingly ignorant comments on the show, one panelist derided the Royal Canadian Mounted Police : "We ride heavily armoured cars, they have horses! ... This is not a smart culture."
That's probably not meant as irony, but that's how it usually works.
Read more from Full Comment (the voice of the National Post's editorial board):
from the usual sources:

Steve Staples, director of the Ottawa-based Rideau Institute, called it a "shameful display" to laugh it up at the expense of families who have lost loved ones.

"The dismissal of Canadian efforts in Afghanistan simply rubs salt in the wounds of Canadian families whose sons and daughters have been injured or killed in the war."

Liberal MP and defence critic Denis Coderre urged Canadians to write to Fox News to protest the panel and said Canada should raise the issue with U.S. President Barack Obama.

"What's a disgrace is that a lot of people are watching this and it is promoting stereotypes," he said.

source:

[ohhoneyy]

Ridiculous country?
That's just rude.

A little bit is fine but that's just crossing the line...=/

[festealth]

I really don't think any of this is a big deal.

I love Canada and am even joining the Army reserves.... but you have to look at the grand scheme of things.

Basically all Canadian television shows is about mocking the United States..... "They're all just ignorant gun-totting cowboys, shooting and blowing stuff up around the world."

I just think "Canadians" need to be less sensitive about things. If this was a "family"... it's basically: little brother (Canada) talking smack about older brother (USA), and now finally the elder brother (USA) make up some rumour about his younger sibling (Canada), and now that brother (Canada) is running around crying and demand that the older one (USA) to apologize.:ermm:

[neonscent]

it was taken a bit too far...
i saw part of the clip, there's a part where they refer to sarah palin. she said she's in alaska..and how canada and russia is in between. then they're like, russia is gonna invade alaksa and canada's not going to do anytihng about it (i think, something like that). and then they said the us is too scared to invade other countries...althought that is quite false with the iraq war -_-"