My wife found this and sent it to me in my email. Thought I would pass it along..
TO OUR CANADIAN SOLDIERS

>A SALUTE TO OUR CANADIAN SOLDIERS

>

> I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for

>everyone to hurry and stow their carry-ons and grab a

>seat so we could start what I was sure to be a long,

>uneventful flight home.

> With the huge capacity and slow moving people

>taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the

>overhead and never paying much attention to holding up

>the growing line behind them, I simply shook my head

>knowing that this flight was not starting out very

>well.

> I was anxious to get home to see my loved ones so I

>was focused on "my" issues and just felt like standing

>up and yelling for some of these clowns to get their

>act together. I knew I couldn't say a word so I just

>thumbed through the magazine from the seat pocket in

>front of me. You know it's really getting rough when

>you resort to the over priced, useless sky mall crap

>to break the monotony.

> With everyone finally seated, we just sat there

>with the cabin door open and no one in any hurry to

>get us going although we were well past the scheduled

>take off time. No wonder the airline industry is in

>trouble I told myself. Just then, the attendant came

>on the intercom to inform us all that we were being

>delayed. The entire plane let out a collective groan.

> She resumed speaking to say "We are holding the

>aircraft for some very special people who are on their

>way to the plane and the delay shouldn't be more than

>5 minutes. The word came after waiting six times as

>long as we were promised that "I" was finally going to

>be on my way home. Why the hoopla over "these" folks?

>I was expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be

>the reason for the hold up.

> Just get their butts in a seat and lets hit the gas

>I thought. The attendant came back on the speaker to

>announce in a loud and excited voice that we were

>being joined by several Canadian Soldiers returning

>home from Afghanistan!!!

> Just as they walked on board, the entire plane

>erupted into applause. The men were a bit taken by

>surprise by the 340 people cheering for them as they

>searched for their seats. They were having their hands

>shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an

>arm's distance of them as they passed down the aisle.

> One elderly woman kissed the hand of one of the

>Soldiers as he passed by her. The applause, whistles

>and cheering didn't stop for a long time. When we were

>finally airborne, "I" was not the only civilian

>checking his conscience as to the delays in "me"

>getting home, finding my easy chair, a cold beverage

>and the remote in my hand.

> These men had done for all of us and I had been

>complaining silently about "me" and "my" issues. I

>took for granted the everyday freedoms I enjoy and the

>conveniences of the Canadian way of life I took for

>granted others paid the price for my ability to moan

>and complain about a few minutes delay to "me" those

>Heroes going home to their loved ones.

> I attempted to get my selfish outlook back in

>order and minutes before we landed I suggested to the

>attendant that she announce over the speaker a request

>for everyone to remain in their seats until our hero's

>were allowed to gather their things and be first off

>the plane.

> The cheers and applause continued until the last

>Soldier stepped off and we all rose to go about our

>too often taken for granted everyday freedoms.........

>I felt proud of them. I felt it an honour and a

>privilege to be among the first to welcome them home

>and say Thank You for a job well done.

> I vowed that I will never forget that flight nor

>the lesson learned. I can't say it enough, THANK YOU

>to those Veterans and active servicemen and women who

>may read this and a prayer for those who cannot

>because they are no longer with us. GOD BLESS!!

>WELCOME HOME! AND THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE !!!!!

>

   

My thanks as well.

Truely a "thankless job" (despite what I just said). I certainly wouldn't want to do it.

I saw a video the other day of a Russian soldier who had been captured by chechen rebels. It was quite disgusting and very graphic. They cut off his head with a buck knife. Fighting muslim extremists is a very dangerous job and nobody should think it is like patrolling a national park.

   

That video has been making the rounds for a while and has had more than one interpitastionas to who the victem was and for what reasons.. seen it as a dope dealer getting justice too...

   

If it's the one I'm thinking of the guy looks pretty white - and the guy with the knife looks like he's wearing a turban.

   

There's another one too that shows another soldier getting beaten half to death before they saw his head off. I didn't even bother to look at that one.