US develops new "coffee" bag....Canada sends a whole coffee shoppe

[Bluebear]

NATICK, Mass. - Soldiers thirsting for a cup of coffee on the front lines of World War II could quickly heat up the beverage inside their "steel pot" helmets that served as both head protection and a handy container for campfire cooking.

That isn't an option for modern-day soldiers, whose Kevlar-fiber helmets can defend against bullets but don't work so well for fixing food.

So researchers at the Defense Department's Combat Feeding program in Natick cooked up another way for troops to make a hot cup of joe: A thick, resealable polyethelyene bag that can be used anywhere.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060516/ap_on_re_us/soldier_s_joe
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Tim Hortons officials say they will open a store at the Kandahar military airfield in Afghanistan within the next few months.

Canadian soldiers have reportedly been lobbying for weeks for the move. Their requests were passed on to Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier, who passed the message on to the company.

In a news release issued Wednesday, Tim Hortons says it will convert a trailer and deliver it to the Canadian Forces for use in Afghanistan. Military personnel will be able to purchase selected baked goods and beverages, including coffee.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/03/08/20060308-timmys.html

[Kire]

1. I guess we're going to be in Afghanistan for a long time.

Why don't they find bin Laden, and then open a Coffee Shop where I live?

Horton's is probably better than Starbucks.

[Bluebear]

2. I'm still trying to figure out where this "front line" in Iraq is? nt

[Ian David]

9. The "front line" in the "War on Terror" is everywhere... almost...

The "Front Line" is not along the Canadian border, and it certainly isn't in any of the ports where our freight isn't expected.

Other than that, "The Front Line" is everywhere.

Especially in our shoes.

That's why we have to be ever-vigilant and always x-ray our shoes at the airport.

Tiny little Al Quaeda fighters could be hiding in there.


"American Infidels smuggle me through the airports in their shoes! Allah be praised!"

[elare]

6. It is

waaaaaaaaaay better coffee than Starbucks. We have both there ... absolutely no comparison.

[wakeme2008]

3. IMHO,, Hortons would be better served in Canada for

doing this for free. Canada has a smaller force in Afghanistan, and the cost while probably be a million for the first year with trailer and setup, the ads on TV and good PR IMHO would more than pay for this.

[Bluebear]

4. Truly.

During Vietnam if a soldier breathed the words "I miss a McDonald's hamburger", they would send over tons of burgers. Goodwill, PR, advertising, whatever, it was a good move.

[politicat]

5. Yeah, that's going to see a lot of use...

Instant coffee with an MRE heater. The water's bad enough BEFORE you put instant coffee in it. Not to mention the waste and the IR heat from the flameless heater. Better option would be to send 'em coffee pods (like for automatic coffee makers) and thermal cups. (Which we have done for my BIL's unit.)

Caffeinated gatorade. That's the ticket.

Lucky Canadians.

[Sabriel]

7. Roll up the rim...and go home

Now THAT would be a promotional contest!

[Ian David]

8. Self-heating MREs can also be used to improvise explosives

At least, that's what the guy at the Army-Navy store told me was the reason why he wasn't allowed to sell the MRE-heaters to civilians.

[politicat]

11. erm... they're magnesium and iron filings IIRC.

So yeah. Like handing out sodium chunks and bottles of water.

[orwell]

10. Maybe we could offer Cappuchinos...

...while we kill people...

[Ian David]

12. If we give these delicious treats to our detainees...

then it will be proof that we're not torturing them.

Because you can't be torturing someone while you're feeding them well.

:sarcasm: