I can't believe this. The bad thing is this story broke today here as the bodies of the 4 boys we just lost returned home for their journey down the Highway of Heroes and then onto their families



Fox News host apologizes

TheStar.com - Canada - Fox News host apologizes

March 23, 2009
Allan Woods
Ottawa Bureau

OTTAWA – The host of a Fox News show has apologized for bashing the contribution of Canadian troops in Afghanistan, saying his “satirical take” on daily news events has been misunderstood.

Greg Gutfeld, host of “Red Eye” was responding to outrage north of the border about a March 17 segment that aired in the early morning hours but sparked a diplomatic flap when it surfaced on YouTube over the weekend, following the death of four Canadian soldiers in Kandahar.

The show’s panelists took a number of shots at Canada and the military, with one saying he didn’t know the country had even deployed troops in Afghanistan.

Another said the only reason the military could pull its soldiers out of the NATO-led mission was because it relies heavily for security on the United States.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay launched the counterattack on Fox’s Gutfeld, saying the comments were in poor taste and requesting an apology.

“I think it is a very limited, uninformed view. It is crass. It is insensitive and it is in fact disgusting given the timing, where Canada is just receiving back four fallen heroes … at CFB Trenton,” MacKay told CTV Newsnet shortly before travelling to the military base where the latest four soldiers to be killed in Afghanistan arrived today.

MacKay said that the views expressed on the show do not reflect those of the U.S. government, which has been effusive in its praise of Canada, nor the “vast majority of Americans.”

Fox offered up an apology a few hours later saying comments on the show were “in no way an attempt to make light of troop efforts.”

“I realize that my words may have been misunderstood. It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize. Red Eye is a satirical take on the news, in which all topics are addressed in a lighthearted, humorous and ridiculous manner,” Gutfeld’s statement read.

The late-night show, "Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld," featured a panel that took turns bashing Canada. One panelist said he didn't even know Canada had troops in Afghanistan and another said the only reason the military could pull its troops out of the NATO-led mission was because it relies heavily for security on the United States.

A clip of the segment, which aired last week in the early morning hours, surfaced on YouTube over the weekend and kicked off the diplomatic flap.

Dan Dugas, a spokesperson for MacKay, said earlier today that "no one is laughing and they owe Canada — and, more importantly, the families of each one of our fallen heroes — an apology for their ill-informed mistakes."

Canadian soldiers have been fighting in Afghanistan since 2001 and have spent the last four years in the country's most violent region.

Canada has lost 116 soldiers in Afghanistan.

The country has said it will pull out most of its 2,500 troops in Kandahar when its current combat mission expires in 2011.

News of that impending withdrawal, and the army chief's comments that the military would need a year's hiatus to regroup and refurbish, served as the launching pad for members of the Fox panel to mock Canada.

The segment was posted online under the title, "How to Lose Friends and Alienate Countries."

So far, more than 3,000 people have posted responses to the clip, which also makes fun of RCMP officers and their traditional red uniforms.