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Given the sentimentality towards all creatures four-legged around here, I figured you might appreciate this story from Kandahar:
Canadian soldiers can't always count on the civilian population for support in this battle-ravaged province, but local dogs and cats are jumping into Canada's war effort with all four paws.
At major military bases and remote combat-zone outposts, animals are helping keep Canadian soldiers healthy, happy -- and safe.
You should read more about Mushe, who patrols with the troops, and Ghost, who takes night sentry duty pretty seriously, not to mention the cats who keep the viper population down. Here's where you can do that. - Damian
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Two stories that are oddly linked... I said odd. -the Armorer
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Something CAPT H sent along a while ago that got sidetracked due to other pressures.
William Haslam Dickson was born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1873 to Canadian parents. When the Spanish-American war broke out in 1898 he volunteered with the 14th Minnesota Volunteers. The Dickson family moved back to Canada sometime after 1900. William died in Victoria, British Columbia in 1922. The collection consists of eighteen letters written during 1898.
Interesting bit of Ameri-Canadiana, from the Canadian Letters and Images Project.. The photograph is especially interesting. A Civil War veteran (many of whom served in the 1898 war) would have felt very comfortable in the accompanying photograph. -the Armorer
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A little tank pr0n for Mikey and CAPT H. And Phil, if he's lurking.
A Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Challenger II Main Battle Tank, fires its main gun on a target during a training exercise, on Nov. 17, 2008, in Basra, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gustavo Olgiati/Released) -the Armorer
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The "International Community" needs to find a pair of brass ones somewhere and start dealing with the pirates. And that doesn't mean gently, either. Good on the Indian Navy for scoring an unambiguous kill. More please. -the Armorer
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(and ooh she IS a lovely beastie!)
And I KNOW I am not the only one here who had that thought pop into your heads.