[OT] Canadian's finally reward vets of Medak Pocket

It's a little OT, but it makes for some interesting reading to see that the
PPCLI (same regiment we sent to Afghanistan, though with a heavy constituent
of reservists as stiffeners) cleaned up in this fight too. I know we don't
spend what we need to on our army (didn't even when I wore the uniform and
things have only deteriorated), but it looks like the spirit is still willing
if the budget is weak.

http://www.balkanpeace.org/wcs/wct/wctc/wctc003.shtml

And a longer and more detailed view

http://www.cda-cdai.ca/library/medakpocket2.htm

Things came to mind reading these: 1) It's nice to have firepower (Canadian
APCs might have been better off with a chaingun in
the 25-30mm range and a Hellfire or TOW
system) 2) Blue is great for peacekeeping. When the bullets start flying, it'd
be nice to have some camo helmet covers or a phototrophic paintjob
on the old eggshell helmet/target.
3) Bringing the international media to bear is a potent weapon in such
conflicts where evils occur mostly unnoticed....

> --- Thomas Barclay <kaladorn@magma.ca> wrote:

Definitely, although IMHO those weapons systems belong on different vehicles.
Your troop carriers provide
close-range firesupport with autocannon, while your
tank destroyers sit back with ATGMs.

> 2) Blue is great for peacekeeping. When the

Which raises the question--why didn't they have some
regular helmet covers? I know if I had to paint my Kevlar baby blue, I'd take
a standard cover with me.

> 3) Bringing the international media to bear is a

The media got bored with the Balkans.

Of course, Lesson 4: The UN doesn't have the credibility to do these things.
For every PPLI, there's some 'peacekeeper' from the third world or some weenie
Euro nation[1] with no heavy weapons and ROE that doesn't permit holding
firefights. You notice when NATO went in with camoflaged vehicles, tanks, and
air support very visible we didn't have these problems. It's good to have
disciplined and trained troops to defeat the enemy. It's better to scare them
shitless (alternate spelling of 'deter') so you don't have to.