Canada and the U.S. like each other. As most people on this board do, no matter what country they hail from.
That there are vast differences in culture between the U.S. and Canada often is dismissed. The heritage and history of both are strikingly different
as are the political institutions.
I'm glad the two have differing views.
As to American deserters going to Canada- long history of this. This is nothing new.
Deserters are just voting with their feet. Most realize they have placed a huge mark on their futures but have reasoned the cost is worth the
gain.
As to deserters being cowards- bunk. PROVE IT!
Breach of contract, change of mind. Most enlisted when the 'conditions of employment' were something entirely different from the present. While
they have given up rights to contract dispute they simply took another avenue. The American military is immune from employment contract suits
otherwise there would be thousands of them. The military knowingly lied to some of these people. To others the changes in condition of employment
were so vast that the soldier couldn't tolerate it. Realizations that the Veterans Administration likewise is dismissive probably played a role for
some.*
Remember the
old military ads- 'we train you' These were followed by scenes of medicine, computer science, electronics, forestry, etc.
Very few were 'grunt' related. Things changed. Now weapons use are part of every soldiers life being rotated to Iraq. In a war zone bullets
don't care that someone really wanted to be a computer technician, bullets only care about death.
The military is better off without them then forcing them into a combat situation whereby their state of mind doesn't permit them to fully support
others. Witness all the guardsmen that previously thought they would do one weekend a month, 2 weeks in the summer and get benefits and a retirement.
Now what do these folks look forward to?
The new American draft will come- 2006 is my bet. Iraq will still be occupied as will Afghanistan and South Korea. Enlistments will have dropped
considerably and the guard will be 40% of it's present size.
intrepid didn't Wolfe invade Canada?
*remember the Texas (US) mother that recently was acquited of murdering her three children? Health care- the insurance ran out and the husband
had a low end job and couldn't afford more. In place like Canada this type thing doesn't happen. Americans have a politicized health system. Low
end deserters have to also have known this.