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Soldiers at home and abroad snapped up 306,522 condoms from January 2005 to March 2006, said the Canadian Press, citing figures obtained under the Access to Information Act.

Canadian Forces members are supplied with free condoms, paid for by the government and handed out through military dispensaries....

In 1999, soldiers used 295,200 military condoms....

While sex between the 2,300 soldiers is forbidden on the Kandahar air base in Afghanistan, the military does supply condoms there. Officials wouldn't speculate what the condoms were being used for, said the report....

CBC article

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Originally posted by siren:
Well, the article specifically states they are not allowed to have sex with one another ... so we know they're not doing that.

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As if.

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Troops do go on leave from here.

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Which raises another interesting question, which I'm sure our intrepid free press will doggedly pursue when not checking out how cool they look in a flak vest; where, how, and with whom?

Do they go on leave to places where underage prostitution is epidemic? I'm betting yes. Do they, like the American military, consider sexual favours from the local occupied population a right of conquest?

I've heard some pretty nasty horror stories from first-hand sources about the CFs conduct in Bosnia with the local women. Soldiers who would think nothing of trading a IMP for a sexual encounter with young women and girls. War is hell. Especially for the ones without the rifles.

But hey, if our brave soldiers want to tear off a piece while they protect our freedom and Stephen Harper's currently capitated head, who am I to complain? We don't want our boys suffering the clap while they call down air strikes onto poppy farmers. It would be rather uncomfortable, no?

Maybe there's a simpler reason: Harper doesn't want the troops to pull out.

[ 13 June 2006: Message edited by: Jingles ]

STDs can bring an army to a halt, its better to provide soldiers condoms that way the army can still function when in the field either here in Canada or overseas.

When I was a cadet, lo these many years ago, they would hand out condoms to anyone who asked at summer camp. This despite the fact that to be caught so much as kissing, nevermind canoodling, was enough to be sent home.

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I thought at the time, and I think now, that condoms should be available to everyone and anyone who wants one, without question or cost.

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Part of the cultural change that is needed in many places is one to accept population control as a necessary fact of life.

That being said, I have no idea whatsoever whether it would be appropriate to hand out birth control in Afghanistan. I also have no idea what any potential unintended consequences might be, so it might not be a good idea.

Hell, I'd be happy if we started handing them out everywhere here in Canada. Make the dispensers in public washrooms provide free condoms, instead of charging a dollar. Give them away at pharmacies. Mail them to every address in the phone book every week. Whatever it takes, make sure that every human being who wants a condom can have one, no matter what.

I'm sure we'd make up the cost in health care savings alone.

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Originally posted by Jerry West:
Part of the cultural change that is needed in many places is one to accept population control as a necessary fact of life.

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I wonder if Afghan males would be offended by condoms being given to them by military or NGO personnel?

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I wonder if Afghan males would be offended by condoms being given to them by military or NGO personnel?

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Originally posted by M. Spector:
No, I think it's quite reasonable to wish for the demoralization of any imperialist invading army. The sooner that happens, the sooner they will leave.

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Do they go on leave to places where underage prostitution is epidemic? I'm betting yes. Do they, like the American military, consider sexual favours from the local occupied population a right of conquest?

I've heard some pretty nasty horror stories from first-hand sources about the CFs conduct in Bosnia with the local women.

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Originally posted by Jerry West:

Probably, but those are the kinds of attitudes that have to be changed if there is to be any real success. Of course changing these attitudes by imposition from the outside is probably not a winning strategy and one reason we should be pursuing a non-military approach in Afghanistan.

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Changing these attitudes will mostly likely have to be done members of the muslin society,....

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For someone who claims 6 years in,you don't know much do you?

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So you have nothing to say? Whatever. You go on believing the fantasy of the noble warrior and ignore thousands of years of human experience of sexual violence in war because gosh darn it, our boys are just super duper good guys. Like Stephen Colbert says, facts aren't important; truthiness is.

The fact is that occupying armies always rape, they always make use of prostitutes, and they inflict horrendous sexual violence with impunity.

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Originally posted by Jerry West:

Exactly, and is one reason why our military involvement there may be counterproductive in the long run.

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I believe the end state of Afghanistan will be a positive one, of course we will make mistakes at times however I believe that the positive actions we will provide or produce will out weight the negative points of the mission.

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Originally posted by TK 421:

You bring photos from Abu-Graib, which is not in Afghanistan, does not involve Canadian soldiers and involves the treatment of prisoners by guards, not the population by soldiers.

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Originally posted by Jingles:

And certain Canadian units with connections to certain Canadian organized crime elements were involved in their own little operation.

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You seem to have a rather simplistic confusion between 'units' and 'individuals'.

Show me a report linking a 'unit' to organized crime. Just one would be fine, but it has to have evidence.

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Originally posted by arborman:


Show me a report linking a 'unit' to organized crime. Just one would be fine, but it has to have evidence.

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Arborman

He was referencing to the Royal 22e Régiment. And I hate to say this but Jingles is correct about the crimes and mafia connections.

Note: No Van Doos Battalion has been deployed overseas for the last 4 years for some unknown reason, which may have something to do with the reasons above.

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You are making some pretty appalling generalizations about Canadian troops. Individuals can do terrible things, and no doubt some individuals in the CF have. Sweeping generalizations just make you look foolish.

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Yes I agree.

[ 13 June 2006: Message edited by: Webgear ]

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Jingles:
The fact is that occupying armies always rape, they always make use of prostitutes, and they inflict horrendous sexual violence with impunity.

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To be fair that statement really needs to be qualified more. Although these characteristics may appear to one degree or another, as they do in a lot of other areas besides military, there are considerable differences between units in what is policy, merely permitted, not permitted but more or less tolerated and not tolerated at all.

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Webgear:
I do not see a lot of Muslim nations trying to solve the problem at this time.

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Capt. Demiray was born in Turkey and immigrated to Canada in 1993. He joined the military a decade later, becoming its first Muslim chaplain. Beyond saying prayers with elders, Capt. Demiray ministers to the 200 Muslims among Canada's 60,000 military personnel. He also advises the forces on cultural issues. He recently tried to persuade the chain of command that soldiers shouldn't give away copies of men's magazines to their Afghan allies, because the photos of scantily clad women could tarnish the Canadians' image among devout Muslims.

Globe & Mail

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Handing out girlie photos seems a tad stuuuupid in a Muslim society. I wonder how the female soldiers feel about it. Or the Afghan women, should they chance upon the photos.

Handing out condoms in Afghanistan would, I propose be a very bad thing as far as improving relations with the populace. And godess help any women who tried to demand their men wear them.

OTOH -- if a soldier is asked for condoms by allied Afghans -- hand them out by the bucket full, by all means.

edited to add link

[ 13 June 2006: Message edited by: siren ]

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OTOH -- if a soldier is asked for condoms by allied Afghans -- hand them out by the bucket full, by all means.

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Originally posted by BetterRed:
That would stop the Afghan population boom, right siren?

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But of course!

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Originally posted by siren:

But of course!

It is a positive on the side of development when women can control their own reproduction. Condoms don't necessarily help with that, but not every woman wants 12 children -- here or anywhere else.

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