Canadian soldier jailed

[Dave Nelson]

2 young reserve soldiers, best friends, are serving in Afganistan. In the recklessness of youth and bravado, they are practicing "quick-draw" in their tent, with a loaded firearm, when it goes off, killing one of the two, a young man in the prime of his life. The other soldier was just found guilty of negligent homicide, and sentenced to 4 years in prison, demotion, and dishonorable discharge. This young man had an exellent record in the military and in civilian life, has suffered beyond words with guilt and remorse, and has faced the consequences of his actions as a man and a soldier. Without minimising the tragic consequences, isn't this a harsh sentence for a young man for a lapse in judgement in a far away land under difficult and stressfull circumstances? Civilians routinely get lighter sentences for far worse crimes than this, committed intentionally.
I'm all for tougher sentences for criminals, but in this case, justice needed to be tempered with mercy.

[wmcdonald]

Whether he "meant it" or not, he killed a man. I do not see this as harsh in any way. The remorse and tremendous suffering he is going through is nothing to the suffering of the dead soldiers family. I think he is getting off light. I have not seen civilians getting a lighter sentence in my area. This is certainly a tragedy, and I wish the young man well, once he has completed his time. He is fortunate.

[opticianbart]

yeah, i'm going to hav to agree with the last poster,in fact my first thought on reading the OP, was - he only got 4 years?

[DragonLensmanWV]

Apparently that's the minimum sentence for that crime. And since they were so highly trained it does seem negligent.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1306698/

[k12311997]

I'm just suprised to find out Canada has an army. (ducks):cheers:

[cocoisland58]

Ask the other young man's family if a four year sentence seems harsh.
I think not. In four years he will still be a young man, get married, have children, grow old. Get it?

[Johns]

I'm just suprised to find out Canada has an army. (ducks):cheers:

They do? Do they ride those horses over in the desert?

Are you sure they were in the Canadian army, or were they Canadians that had joined a real army of another country?:D:D:D

[For-Life]

You guys, I know you are kidding, but I have had friends who died in the Canadian Army and they were fighting your war. So you know, think a little next time

[Johns]

You guys, I know you are kidding, but I have had friends who died in the Canadian Army and they were fighting your war. So you know, think a little next time

I promise I won't joke about any of your friends.

[For-Life]

and that is cool and I know you would not

[Uncle Fester]

I'm all for tougher sentences for criminals, but in this case, justice needed to be tempered with mercy.

It was.

[rbaker]

2 young reserve soldiers, best friends, are serving in Afganistan. In the recklessness of youth and bravado, they are practicing "quick-draw" in their tent, with a loaded firearm . . . . .

Proving again that stupidity knows no national boundary.

[Dave Nelson]

It was a stupid accident, and it was negligent, but it did occur in a far away land under conflict conditions, but, at the end of the day, the soldier could indeed have unloaded the firearm. It appears most of you support the sentence, and consider it appropriate under the circumstances. The young man has appeared during his trial in uniform, and does appear to face his consequences, something so few people do.
I hope the young man can put his life back together after his release.
What a price paid for being young and reckless.

[Diane]

It was a stupid accident...
I hope the young man can put his life back together after his release.
What a price paid for being young and reckless.

The other young man was involved in the poor judgement. He also paid a higher price for the act. Sorry, but they were both trained and there is NO excuse for what happened. A civilian would have had poor judgement, and accidents happen all the time, but these were trained...

Diane

[sharpstick777]

Agreed. The sentance is deserved... This is not just an accident, its gross negligence by two people who should have known better.

It could have been prevented by 2 grams of wisdom.

[gemstone]

You guys, I know you are kidding, but I have had friends who died in the Canadian Army and they were fighting your war. So you know, think a little next time

Hey **** ant! We been saving your asses for fnkin ever. Bout time you showed up! You need to give a bit of thought.

[shanbaum]

Hey **** ant! We been saving your asses for fnkin ever. Bout time you showed up! You need to give a bit of thought.

Could you please cite a single instance in which Canada was directly threatened and the U.S. "saved [its] ***"?

It seems to me that to quite the contrary, Canada has arguably never been directly threatened in any meaningful way by any foreign adversary, and yet has participated as a faithful ally in many of the U.S.'s military activities.

In fact (someone better versed in Canadian history please correct me if I'm wrong), I think the last country to have physically invaded Canada may have been... the (nascient) United States, in 1775.

[gemstone]

could you please cite a single instance in which canada was directly threatened and the u.s. "saved [its] ***"?

It seems to me that to quite the contrary, canada has arguably never been directly threatened in any meaningful way by any foreign adversary, and yet has participated as a faithful ally in many of the u.s.'s military activities.

In fact (someone better versed in canadian history please correct me if i'm wrong), i think the last country to have physically invaded canada may have been... The (nascient) united states, in 1775.

wwii

[Spexvet]

wwii

BZZZZZZZZZ

I'm sorry, but that's incorrect! Jay, tell him what he could have won.

[DragonLensmanWV]

BZZZZZZZZZ

I'm sorry, but that's incorrect! Jay, tell him what he could have won.

Actually, early in the war, there were German U-boats in the St. Lawrence, but they only sank a few ships and did not set foot on land in Canada.
Sooooooo, they weren't invaded by anyone.
Unless you count John Candy in Canadian Bacon.:bbg::bbg:

[For-Life]

there was also the 1812 attempt attack on Canada (British) by Americans during the War of 1812. The war just extended to our territory.

Truth is, Canada got involved in WWI and WWII due to our allegiance to Britain. We were never really threatened (though I think we can conclude that in the long run, during WWII we could have been threatened. Depends on Hitler's and Japan's thirst. We got involved in Korea because we wanted to support our friends, the US. We got involved in the first Iraq war because we were helping our friend, the US. We got involved in Afghanistan, because we wanted to help our friends capture those who did what they did on 9/11.

But what do I know, I am only a pissant

[Dave Nelson]

Tell me this. Any American. Be honest.
Did you know 40,000, thats FOURTY THOUSAND Canadians volunteered and joined the US army and served in Vietnam?
No, I didn't say 4, 400 or 4000, I said Fourty frikkin thousand Candians put their lives on the line, in support of their American brothers.
I don't give a rats *** about who thinks they're saving who, when the chips are down, 40,000 men stood up and went to war in a faraway country for no other reason than they wanted to stand and fight shoulder to shoulder with our closest ally.
I have never met an American who knew this fact.
I admire Americans greatly, but your perceptions of our military history need some real work. We did our share in both global conflicts, and far to many Canadian dead are buried throughout the world to have anyone suggest we did'nt.

"We are preparing for a battle tomorrow against devil-soldiers. We are going against the Canadians."

excerpt from a German battlefield diary, circa 1944

[DragonLensmanWV]

Tell me this. Any American. Be honest.
Did you know 40,000, thats FOURTY THOUSAND Canadians volunteered and joined the US army and served in Vietnam?
No, I didn't say 4, 400 or 4000, I said Fourty frikkin thousand Candians put their lives on the line, in support of their American brothers.
I don't give a rats *** about who thinks they're saving who, when the chips are down, 40,000 men stood up and went to war in a faraway country for no other reason than they wanted to stand and fight shoulder to shoulder with our closest ally.
I have never met an American who knew this fact.
I admire Americans greatly, but your perceptions of our military history need some real work. We did our share in both global conflicts, and far to many Canadian dead are buried throughout the world to have anyone suggest we did'nt.

"We are preparing for a battle tomorrow against devil-soldiers. We are going against the Canadians."

excerpt from a German battlefield diary, circa 1944

Oh, I agree with you, and I did know that, just not the exact number in Nam.
Gemstone is another matter, don't bother trying to educate him.

[gemstone]

there was also the 1812 attempt attack on Canada (British) by Americans during the War of 1812. The war just extended to our territory.

Truth is, Canada got involved in WWI and WWII due to our allegiance to Britain. We were never really threatened (though I think we can conclude that in the long run, during WWII we could have been threatened. Depends on Hitler's and Japan's thirst. We got involved in Korea because we wanted to support our friends, the US. We got involved in the first Iraq war because we were helping our friend, the US. We got involved in Afghanistan, because we wanted to help our friends capture those who did what they did on 9/11.

But what do I know, I am only a pissant

I suppose the Brits and Canadians could have won that on their own. My apologise to my Canadian friends.

The Canadians got involved in OUR war for some reason. Either they felt they had something to gain or actually felt a threat of their own. Some of my fellow Americans believe whatever the US does is wrong. My old Army reserve unit lost two soldiers just last week. Being a now activated civil affairs reserve unit means all soldiers are more or less local.

The US is willing to take the lead in the fights with the talaban and the likes of Sadom Huesein. Perhaps you will see first hand what happens when the us does not, if they chose to allow Iran to actually develop a nuclear bomb.

Just the way you said "your war" offended me. It always will. You can kiss my red, white and blue foot, along with any of my countrymen that feel the same!:angry::angry::angry::angry::angry:

[braheem24]

The US is willing to take the lead in the fights with the talaban and the likes of Sadom Huesein.

I for one feel much safer that we're no longer giving them weapons.