Canada in Afghanistan

[Darrell Zinck]

French Forces of the Interior?? C'mon, that's soooo WW2. And besides, in Afghanistan, everyone knows they're up North where it's safe!!!

Oh, and :

Canadian soldier dies of gunshot wound in Kabul

regards
Darrell

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Well, the first of our new birds has alit in Afstan now. I'm glad to see they're putting her to work right away, rather than farming out those taskings to foreign powers! The next three are to be delivered within the next eight months or so, giving us a long-needed long-haul Air Transport capability!

August 30, 2007
C-17's first landing smooth in Kandahar
By MARTIN OUELLET

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - In the pitch darkness of night, the Canadian military's new C-17 transport plane touched down softly at Kandahar Military Airport on Wednesday in southern Afghanistan.

The pilots landed the giant carrier with its lights extinguished, guided solely by night-vision goggles. "We took a tactical approach with the night-vision goggles, with the airplane lights turned off, with the engines idling," said Maj. Jean Maisonneuve, chief check pilot at 429 Transport Squadron, 8 Wing, in Trenton, Ont.

"In a way, we're sort of pioneers."

The gigantic, 200-tonne bird of steel is sexpected to have an effect on Canadian troop confidence as they continue to battle with Taliban insurgents, Maisonneuve said in a short interview shortly after landing.

"This plane will have a positive impact on the morale of the troops. Speaking with my colleagues, I can tell you that everyone is happy to know that we have modern tools at our disposal and a better (transport) capacity than before," he said.

The C-17, a four-engine military transport plane built by Boeing, is phenomenal.

It is a little more than 52 metres long, seven metres wide and has a 52-metre wingspan. The inside is about 16 metres tall.

The new planes can carry four-times the amount of cargo of the Hercules C-130 transport planes, formerly the largest planes in the Canadian fleet. The C-17s are designed to replace some of the aging Hercules fleet.

The C-17s can also travel twice as fast, reaching up to 80 per cent of the speed of sound, and have a cruising speed of 1,000 kilometres an hour.

In its giant belly, the plane can carry 77,000 kilograms of cargo, including vehicles, and can transport up to 100 soldiers.

"We could say that a C-17 is capable of doing the work of six Hercules," Maisonneuve said.

The planes have not come without their controversy and certainly didn't come cheap.

In total, the four planes purchased by the Canadian government will cost about $3.4 billion, a bill that caused a tremendous political upheaval in the House of Commons.

Former defence minister Gordon O'Connor justified the purchase of the four planes as they would make it easier to transport large quantities of materials for humanitarian missions abroad in the future, as well as help at home.

Last week, the C-17 made its inaugural flight by transporting aid equipment to Jamaica to help in the aftermath of hurricane Dean.

But on Wednesday, the giant grey-blue plane's delivery to Kandahar included 35,000 kilograms of equipment destined for Canadian troops. It was scheduled to depart for Canada just a few hours after landing.

The second C-17 purchased by Canada is slated to arrive in November 2007 and two others in the spring of 2008.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Darrell Zinck
.... C'mon, that's soooo WW2....

Er....... Darrell....... dunno how to tell you this, but that's sort of what we do, around here? Oh never mind, you're just confusing the poor Major anyway... then again, we do THAT a lot around here too, don't we?

Forget I said anything... carry on, there's a good lad, chop-chop!

[John McGillivray]

News Release
Name of Deceased Canadian Soldier Released
CEFCOM NR–07.038 - August 30, 2007
OTTAWA – The name of the Canadian soldier who lost his life on August 29 in Kabul, Afghanistan is as follows:
• Major Raymond Ruckpaul, an armoured officer based at the NATO Allied Land Component Command Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany who was serving in Kabul, Afghanistan with the International Security Assistance Force Headquarters (ISAF HQ).
Major Ruckpaul was found significantly injured within the confines of the ISAF HQ in Kabul and later died of his injuries. The matter is under investigation by ISAF authorities and the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroo..._e.asp?id=2439

[Wayne McGee]

I have been pleasantly surprised at the news coverage both from the reporters and especially from the BG Comd. The CO has been compassionate over his losses, keen to praise his soldiers and their mission, and perhaps most importantly, he is sensitive to the feelings of his Regiments home Province. He has acknowledged that support from Quebec for the mission is poor, but he has said quite clearly that it is a problem, not of politics, but of education.
Hopefully with his help, Quebec will learn.

[John McGillivray]

Canadian troops begin major combat operation
Updated Sat. Sep. 8 2007 12:42 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Canadian troops are carrying out a major operation -- 'Operation Keeping Goodwill' -- in the volatile Zhari district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province.
"This is likely the largest operation that we've seen this summer," CTV's Steve Chao told Newsnet from Afghanistan on Saturday.
"We're told by Canadian commanders that it involves the entire Canadian battle group. It involves tanks, light armoured vehicles, hundreds of infantry soldiers supported by American air power.
"We're also told that at the front of the pack is the Afghan army, who has so far taken the brunt of enemy fire."
Zhari district is located about 20 to 30 kilometres west of Kandahar city.
In September 2006, the Canadian military carried out Operation Medusa in Zhari and Panjwai districts. That operation saw Canadian troops plunged into some of the fiercest combat since the Korean War.
Canada's forces prevailed, but Chao said the Afghan police haven't been able to keep the Taliban from returning.
"What it seems they're trying to do is regain this ground and then teach the Afghan police how to keep the Taliban out," he said.
Afghan police only get about 10 days of training and earn far less than the Taliban. They have poor access to weaponry and no armoured vehicles. "So they've consistently been the target of Taliban attacks in recent months, especially since the Taliban have learned they can't take on NATO forces directly," Chao said.
Canadian commanders are only saying the operation has been going on for about 24 hours and could continue for a few days. Training the police will be a longer-term task, he said.
Since Quebec's Royal 22nd Regiment came to Afghanistan in late July, it has lost three soldiers. All three died in Zhari district, and all three died from roadside blasts.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

Winning and losing the Panjwai
Friday, September 7, 2007 | 03:16 AM ET
By David Common

It was a vicious two weeks. During September 2006, in the place the movement was born, Taliban fighters gathered en masse in the Panjwai Valley, presumably to prepare for an all-out assault on the nearby strategic city of Kandahar.
Almost all of Canada's battle group was sent out. Day after day, there were hours and hours of shooting. Canadian soldiers died. Taliban fighters died (though it's never been clear how many). When it was over, NATO claimed victory and suggested insurgent forces were destroyed. Operation Medusa, as it was known, became legendary.
The problem is, while the Canadians could fight, they couldn't stay. The troops were needed elsewhere.
So the relatively capable, though still small and lightly-armed Afghan National Army took over. But those soldiers also were eventually needed elsewhere in this chaotic land, so they left their corrupt compatriots of the Afghan National Police (ANP) to keep Panjwai and the area stable.
However, the ANP is comprised of the former (and current) fighters of warlords, criminal gangs and, sometimes, the Taliban. The police are poorly equipped and while some mean well, many do not. Their salaries go unpaid for months at a time so they shake down the locals for money, thus alienating themselves more. So, it's little surprise that when Taliban fighters started challenging the ANP, the police left.
All that was gained in Operation Medusa has now been lost, or is at least in doubt.

NATO troops vs. Taliban troops
So, why has this happened?
I've been coming to this country since May, 2002. I've also attended meetings at NATO Headquarters since the alliance took over the mission. On every visit, the same subject has come up: troop numbers.
There are 30,000 soldiers in this country under the banner of the International Security Assistance Force. In Iraq, a country half the size, the U.S. alone has 150,000 troops.
The simple fact is this: NATO can seize land rather effectively. But there aren't enough resources to keep it. Almost every NATO nation has been asked to send more, if it can. Some have, Britain notable among them. Some have refused to send more, such as Italy and France (though this may change with a new President). Others, like Germany, have slightly increased their commitments but don't want their troops in combat. (The dilemma is that reconstruction in this country is often challenged, necessitating a combat response. If one country isn't willing to fight, then another country will have to pick up the slack).
The Taliban, by contrast, has a seemingly endless supply of fighters. Within a couple of weeks of NATO claiming 50 or 100 insurgent deaths (they don't tend to find bodies, apparently assuming the survivors quickly bury their comrades, according to Islamic tradition), the fighters seem to be replaced.

The Taliban’s new tactics
Don't, though, expect any more large-scale battles. The Taliban have shifted tactics away from direct confrontations and towards more use of roadside bombs. While the Canadians have the best armoured vehicles in this country, huge amounts of explosives can shred through almost anything. So, the Taliban are using larger and larger amounts - forcing them to use more of their supplies on a single attack.
Unfortunately, after three decades of war, there are a lot of unexploded bombs and other materials around Afghanistan for them to use. With such huge amounts of explosives, it is somewhat more difficult to plant the bombs just as a convoy is rolling down the road. Instead, the insurgents choose a well-traveled route and wait, hoping a convoy will go by. The Canadians, and NATO and general, can avoid this by, "changing the way they move," as a commander here told me. In short, that means changing routes as often as possible.
And NATO is getting better at finding IED's. While they won't share numbers, the UN does keep a count. More than 500 of them have exploded so far in Afghanistan but nearly 500 have been found before they caused any destruction or death. Sometimes surveillance catches the bomb-planting, and sometimes locals call in with a tip-off. And sometimes, it is the drivers of the convoys themselves who notice something unusual in the road.
That, in short, is where we're at.
This country has known setbacks and NATO is experiencing many of them. But there are small successes too and considering where Afghanistan was five years ago, those small successes seem much larger.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/reportsfromab...e_panjwai.html

[Wayne McGee]

It does'nt cause me any greif to see the Afghan army "bearing the brunt of enemy fire", and being at the "front of the pack". Good for them. Soldiers fighting and dying to bring peace and stability to their own country will earn them a capital "A".

[John McGillivray]

One Afghan killed, 4 hurt in crash with Canadians
Updated Thu. Sep. 20 2007 9:33 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
An Afghan civilian was killed Wednesday and several others were injured in a road traffic accident involving Canadian troops in Kandahar.
Two of the Afghan civilians remained in hospital on Thursday following the accident.
The accident happened Wednesday morning as a Canadian combat logistics patrol convoy was travelling back to Kandahar Air Field.
The civilian vehicle pulled out to pass as it approached the convoy, then lost control as it attempted to pull back into its own lane, colliding with the convoy.
The Canadian vehicle leading the convoy, an armoured RG-31 Nyala, tried to swerve to avoid the civilian vehicle but was unable to avoid a collision, The Canadian Press reports.
"ISAF troops immediately secured the scene of the accident, and requested medical assistance when it became apparent that civilians had been injured," said a statement from NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
"Three of the civilian wounded were taken to a medical facility at Kandahar Air Field where it was later confirmed that one had died."
During the summer, Afghan elders raised safety concerns about military convoys cutting through Kandahar city.
Wing Cmdr. Antony McCord, an ISAF spokesman in the region, said great importance is placed on the safety measures surrounding such convoys.
"ISAF goes to great lengths to ensure that patrols are conducted safely. This incident is deeply regrettable," McCord said in an ISAF statement.
With files from The Canadian Press
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...0920?hub=World

[John McGillivray]

Four Canadian soldiers injured by roadside bomb
Updated Sat. Sep. 22 2007 8:00 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A roadside bomb explosion injured four Canadian soldiers, one seriously, early Saturday in Afghanistan.
The blast, which occurred at 12:30 a.m. local time, struck a supply convoy en route from the international base at Kandahar Air Field to Canadian forward operating bases in Kandahar province.
Two wounded soldiers and an Afghan interpreter were evacuated by helicopter to the hospital in Kandahar after first being taken to the forward operating base at Ma'sum Ghar -- seven kilometres away from the attack site.
Two other injured Canadian soldiers were treated at Ma'sum Ghar and released.
Military officials have confirmed that none of the injuries are life-threatening.
Taliban insurgents are increasingly using improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, as their weapon of choice.
A conservative estimate is that at least one vehicle a week is hit by a roadside bomb, reports The Canadian Press. More often, the IEDs are detected and defused by Canadian troops.
Thirty-eight of the 70 Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2001 have been killed by roadside bombs. Thousands of Afghans have also been killed by roadside bombs.
With files from The Canadian Press
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Sep 25, 2007 07:14 ET
DND: Canadian Soldier Killed in Afghanistan
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 25, 2007) - NOTE TO EDITORS: Photograph of the fallen soldier will be forthcoming shortly on the Combat Camera Website www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca

One Canadian soldier was killed and four others were wounded during Operation SADIQ SARBAAZ on September 24 at about 4:30 p.m. Kandahar time. The incident occurred approximately 47 km west of Kandahar City in the Panjwayi District.

The identity of the Canadian soldier killed is Corporal Nathan Hornburg, a Reserve soldier from the King's Own Calgary Regiment, based out of Calgary, Alberta.

Both helicopters and road ambulances were used to evacuate the casualties to the Multinational Medical Unit at Kandahar Airfield. The wounded soldiers are in stable condition and have contacted their families.

Operation SADIQ SARBAAZ (Honest Soldier) is a joint Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and ISAF operation that will set the conditions for a continuous security presence and the establishment of a new police sub-station in the northern part of Panjwayi.



For more information, please contact

Information: 613-996-2353/54
After hours: 613-792-2973
www.forces.gc.ca

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

September 25, 2007
Cdn soldier killed in Afghanistan
By Dene Moore, THE CANADIAN PRESS

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Before boarding a military flight to Afghanistan last month, Cpl. Nathan Hornburg told a newspaper in his hometown that the danger would not deter him.

"It's more of an argument we should be there - we know it's a mess and that's why we're there," he told the Calgary Sun in July, before deploying in late August.

On Monday, Hornburg became the 71st Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan, killed in a mortar attack during a counter-insurgency operation in one of the most dangerous districts in the country.

The 24-year-old was a mechanic with the King's Own Calgary Regiment.

A member of a tank squadron, he was repairing the track on a Leopard 2 tank when he was killed in a mortar strike at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time, during Operation Sadiq Sarbaaz, or Operation Honest Soldier.

"Cpl. Hornburg had to dismount in order to put back a track on a Leopard tank and it's at this moment that the incident happened, that there was mortar shell attack," Brig-Gen. Guy Laroche, Canada's top soldier in Afghanistan, told reporters at Kandahar Airfield on Tuesday, after Hornburg's next-of-kin had been informed of his death.

One other soldier was wounded in the mortar attack.

A rocket-propelled grenade launched by insurgents in an ensuing firefight wounded three more infantry soldiers. All were evacuated, by air and by ground, to the hospital at Kandahar Airfield.

"The injuries of our wounded are not life threatening," Laroche said.

The Canadian military commander emphasized that the tank was not hit by a roadside bomb and that the track came off on its own.

"It happens, . . ." Laroche said. "The terrain down there is very rough and that's something that we see on a regular basis, unfortunately."

Laroche offered his condolences to the Hornburg family.

"These incidents are extremely difficult and trying times for the families, friends and colleagues of Cpl. Hornburg," Laroche said.

"There is no way to comfort those who are grieving today except to say that Cpl. Hornburg was involved in a mission he believed in."

Last month, Canadian troops began a push into the dangerous Zhari district of Kandahar province, the birthplace of the Taliban movement.

They have now moved back into the Panjwaii district to the south, another hotbed of insurgent activity and one that Canadians fought and died for last fall in Operation Medusa.

Medusa was the largest offensive undertaken since the Taliban were ousted in the U.S.-led invasion of 2001 and the largest combat operation by Canadian troops since the Korean War.

But much of that ground was lost over the summer, during the changeover of Canadian troops when Afghan national security forces were left to fend off insurgents.

Five Canadian soldiers have died since then.

Laroche made no apology for the fact Canadians are fighting for control of the same areas again.

"A counter-insurgency is difficult," he said. "It's difficult by the fact that you will never be able, essentially, to defeat completely the enemy so you have to find ways to reduce the threat - that's what we're doing - and also to give a chance to development and reconstruction - and that's what we've been doing."

Operation Sadiq Sarbaaz was aimed at pushing insurgents out of the Panjwaii region and establishing a police substation for Afghan National Police.

There were a few engagements with insurgents during the day prior to the mortar attack that killed Hornburg.

Military officials said some rebels were killed but, as is customary, they did not release a death toll.

Hornburg said in his July interview that being up against a foe willing to die to kill Canadians was a sobering thought, but also a motivating one.

"It just makes me more dedicated to do my job, so they don't kill you," he said.

Seventy-one Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have now died since Ottawa began its military mission in Afghanistan in 2002.

There have been 24 combat deaths so far this year, the most recent previously coming on Aug. 22.

Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier of the Royal 22nd Regiment and Master Cpl. Christian Duchesne, of the 5th Field Ambulance unit, both based in Valcartier, Que., were killed when their light armoured vehicle was struck by roadside bomb west of Kandahar city.

[Darrell Zinck]

Forwarded to me by one of my KOCR friends:

Kind kid an iconic Canadian

By PABLO FERNANDEZ, CALGARY SUN


Calgary Sun reporter Pablo Fernandez is a serving member of the King's Own Calgary Regiment and was for two years Cpl. Nathan Hornburg's crew commander.

I suppose it was only a matter of time.

After nearly six years of conflict and countless rotations of regimental soldiers into the fray in Afghanistan, members of the King's Own Calgary Regiment were fortunate the only damage they had suffered came in the form of emotional scarring and benign demons.

Being so far into this war, some of us even dared to think that maybe the small but tight family of the King's Own would make it through this chapter unscathed -- at least, that's what we all hoped.

But all that changed yesterday when news that Cpl. Nathan Hornburg had been killed in action sent shockwaves through the unit.

Nathan was the driver of a Leopard 2 Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV), an armoured fighting machine with only one purpose -- to help other tanks when they run into trouble.

Then, on Monday afternoon, as a drawn-out engagement raged all around him, his skill and courage were tested when one of the tanks embroiled in the battle became immobilized.

Nathan didn't disappoint.

He went in to help, which to those of us who served with the kid, is nothing new.

He's come to our assistance countless times.

He was always there to help when vehicles got stuck in the mud, when somebody needed a hand up or when a friend simply needed a sympathetic ear.

He was the kind of soldier crew commanders fought over to have as their driver and no matter where he went, the tall reservist was always surrounded by friends.

Nathan became the 71st Canadian soldier to die in the war in Afghanistan and the first member of the King's Own to be killed in action since the Second World War.

Having served with Nathan for almost seven years, news of his death left me in a chill that permeated down to my bones -- I found myself taking shallow breaths even after the initial shock wore out.

From the very beginning, Nathan was a hard-working individual, with a tempered demeanour and a will of steel.

Shallow bravado was never his province -- he had too much heart for that.

As a member of the King's Own hockey team, his determination was unwavering.

In the field, his passion and professionalism were contagious.

"He represents the very best this unit has to offer," recalled friend and colleague Master Cpl. Jamie Good.

He was more than a great soldier; he was a kind soul and an iconic young Canadian.

And this loss, which has consumed his family and the regiment, is now everyone's loss.

And in the sorrow that men who train for war find themselves in -- and little able to cope with -- tiny bits of love have started to surface.

A large bouquet of flowers now sits at the entrance of the King's Own offices in Mewata Armouries, dropped off by a local business.

A small card attached to the flowers simply states, "you will not be forgotten."

His loss was also felt in Germany, where Nathan spent six weeks training and where he became involved with a girl who later visited him in Calgary prior to his deployment -- a relationship that blossomed but that will never mature.

The motto of the King's Own is Onward.

Understated and even modest -- but as the unit now sets off to say goodbye to one of its own, sets out to continue training and stay focused on its commitment to the war in Afghanistan, the regimental motto, for the first time in more than six decades, has taken on a poignant and overwhelming meaning.

The full weight of that statement is now clear.

Pushing onward seems like an insurmountable task, but is exactly what the regiment, the army and our nation now demands of us.

regards
Darrell

[John McGillivray]

Aussie soldier confirmed dead in Afghanistan

The Australian Defence Force has confirmed that an Australian soldier has been killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
It is the first time an Australian soldier has been killed in combat while serving in either Afghanistan or Iraq.
One other Australian soldier and three children were wounded when an improvised explosive device went off as a NATO convoy passed by in the southern province of Oruzgan.
The Defence Department has issued a statement saying the families of the two Australian soldiers have been informed, but personal details will not be released yet.
Defence says the wounded soldier was given first aid and evacuated to a nearby medical facility by an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopter.
"He is undergoing further treatment. His wounds are serious but are not considered life-threatening," the statement said.
"Defence is providing assistance to the families of the two soldiers and will continue to support them through this very difficult time."
The head of the ADF, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, is expected to provide further details at a media conference at 6:00am.
The last time an Australian soldier died in action in the Middle East was when SAS Sergeant Andrew Russell was killed by an anti-vehicle mine in Afghanistan in 2002.
Attacks on the rise
Taliban attacks on international forces in the region have been increasing, and the Australian Government has been warning about possible casualties.
Last month, two Special Forces soldiers serving in the area were wounded when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb, and three troops were wounded in a fire fight with militants.
Almost 1,000 Australian soldiers are based at Camp Holland in Oruzgan province, near the town of Tarin Kowt.
They are working in partnership with Dutch troops, providing security and helping with reconstruction in communities affected by decades of civil war.
Taliban militias occupy large areas of the province and have been involved in heavy clashes with Australian forces in recent weeks.
The soldier's death takes to 181 the number of international troops to die in Afghanistan this year, most of them in hostile action.
There are 39,500 soldiers with ISAF and about 15,000 with a separate US-led coalition that helped to topple the Taliban from government in late 2001.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...09/2054188.htm

[Wayne McGee]

From this side of the pond, I offer my condolences on the loss of the Australian Soldier today in Afganistan.
I hope the other casualties injuries are not too severe and he has a speedy recovery.
To the families affected, I have only words of sympathy at a time when words are hollow. Sorry.

[John McGillivray]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
2 Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Updated Wed. Aug. 22 2007 11:16 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Two Canadian soldiers and an interpreter were killed when a roadside bomb exploded during a patrol in southern Afghanistan.
Late Wednesday night, the Canadian Forces identified one of the soldiers as Master Cpl. Christian Duchesne, of the 5th Field Ambulance based out of Valcartier, Que.
The soldiers' families have been notified, but the name of the remaining soldier is being temporarily withheld at the family's request.
Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche told a news conference in Kandahar that another soldier and two Canadian journalists were injured in the same incident, which occurred in southern Afghanistan.
Their LAV-III armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device, Laroche said, an insurgent tactic he described as "vicious."
The operation in Zhari district -- about 50 kilometres west of Kandahar city -- was conducted by Bravo Company of the 3rd Battalion, part of the Quebec-based Royal 22nd Regiment popularly known as the Van Doos.
Canadian and Afghan troops exchanged fire with the insurgents in the first major combat operation for the Van Doos since the regiment began arriving in late July. No Canadians were injured in combat, and they took control of a strategic hill.
"The mission was a success. And we have to say the losses that occurred today occurred at the end. They had reached their objectives, they had reached their mission," Laroche said.
The deaths didn't result from a "lack of care. They are a reality of Afghanistan," he said.
After the fighting, Canadian troops discovered a massive IED that created a 20-metre-high fireball when detonated. Another, undiscovered IED caused the deaths.
"This is an extremely difficult and emotional situation for the families' friends and colleagues of those who have lost their lives or been injured the incident," Laroche said.
"There is no way to comfort those who are grieving today except to say these soldiers were involved in something that they believed in."
Harper statement
Reacting to the latest Canadian casualties, Prime Minister Stephen Harper called it "a very sad day."
"These soldiers gave their life helping to bring stability and security to Afghanistan," Harper said in a statement. "We will always remember them."
According to a military news release, the incident occurred at 6:19 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
The release said the soldiers were part of Operation Eagle Eye, "a joint Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) and ISAF operation aimed at further stabilizing" the troubled Zhari district.
The goal was to improve security in the district's western area, where insurgents have been most active, to provide the conditions for meetings with village elders and reconstruction projects, it said.
Public broadcaster Radio Canada said both journalists were its employees.
Cameraman Charles Dubois had suffered a serious leg injury and underwent surgery at a military hospital.
Reporter Patrice Roy is suffering from nervous shock but is otherwise uninjured, Radio Canada said.
At a Wednesday news conference in Montreal, Radio-Canada vice-president Sylvain Lafrance said the men volunteered for the assignment, were well-trained and had been in Afghanistan since early August.
Roy will decide in the next day or two whether he will continue on Afghanistan, he said.
The two soldiers' deaths bring Canada's military total to 69 since 2002. A diplomat has also been killed.
The Van Doos suffered the first death of their deployment on Sunday. Pte. Simon Longtin, 23, of Longueil, Que. died when the vehicle carrying him struck a roadside bomb. His body arrived back in Canada on Wednesday.
With files from CTV's Denelle Balfour and The Canadian Press
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

Here is a link to a video report from CBC.

http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/vide...ary_day_1.html

[John McGillivray]

Is it time to pull out?
The truth about Canada's mission in Afghanistan
By MICHAEL DEN TANDT, SUN MEDIA
KANDAHAR -- The Afghan war is not one conflict but three -- a guerrilla war, a development war, a communications war.
Canada is gaining ground in the first, slowly winning the second and losing the third.
The military and the media deserve some measure of blame for this. Mainly though, responsibility falls to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Even as he struggles to sell the Afghan mission to an increasingly uneasy public, his mania for control is stifling the truth about what's happening here.
On Friday, Harper announced he has tasked a blue-ribbon team to study Canada's future role in Afghanistan. Led by former Liberal deputy prime minister John Manley, the five-member group will begin by meeting with troops and development workers in Kandahar. The panel is expected to report back in February 2008.
The truth of what is happening in Afghanistan is extraordinary: It's a story of courage and grit and idealism that, if more Canadians only knew it, would make them very proud.

PLEASE DON'T GO
But most don't know it, because the people best positioned to tell it have been gagged.
I came back to Afghanistan to find answers to two questions: Is Canada's deployment here still worthwhile, despite the rising toll in lives? And if it is, then why do so many people back home think it isn't?
In the past week I've spoken to dozens of Canadian soldiers, non-governmental aid workers, and Afghans, some who are very critical the U.S.-led international effort here, and of the Karzai regime.
Their message was clear: Please, Canada, don't go.
Our country has an influence and a reputation here that is vastly disproportionate to the number of troops we have on the ground.
That's partly because we are spending money -- a great deal of money, $1.2 billion committed over 10 years -- on rebuilding and redevelopment.
Your tax dollars are helping pay for a vast national de-mining project, led by Canada but in partnership with the United Nations. Every day on a mountain top in Kabul, Afghans mentored by Canadians carry on the painstaking and dangerous work of removing and destroying the thousands of pieces of unexploded ordnance that litter this country. Canada is the single largest donor, contributing $20 million annually.
Your tax dollars are paying for a project that will help 3,000 war widows in Kabul start micro-businesses this year. Often, the aid begins with a single cow or goat.
Your tax dollars are paying for the training of a professional Afghan National Army, which is increasingly imposing order in the volatile south.
Thirty-four thousand troops are already trained. A thousand new troops a month are graduating from the Afghan National Training Centre in Kabul. Canadians are in the forefront of the training effort.
Your tax dollars are paying for 200 small aid projects in Kandahar City, all geared to stimulating local business and trades, and developing a functioning local economy.
These efforts are not being carried out on your behalf at arms' length. They're led, supported and protected by a Canadian military that has learned, through half a century of peacekeeping, how to properly and modestly engage with a foreign culture.
You may have heard that no one can tell Canadians and Americans apart any longer. In Afghanistan, everyone knows the difference.
Canadians are leaders here in the delicate trick of combining military power with aid. Other nations in the 37-member international coalition come to our Provincial Reconstruction Team base in Kandahar City, to study our methods.
The PRT, Camp Nathan Smith, is a model, an experiment in a new kind of military engagement: Soldiers, working hand in hand with RCMP officers, diplomats, lawyers, doctors, specialists in governance and foreign aid workers helping the Afghans manage their own affairs, raise their standard of living and establish a functional state.
You've heard about the 71 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat who've lost their lives in Afghanistan. You've heard about the CBC journalist and cameraman whose armoured vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb.
What you haven't heard, perhaps, is that the vast majority of the casualties and injuries in this civil war are Afghan. Mentored and supported by Canadian officers. The Afghans are in the forefront of every combat operation in the south and 85% of the casualties treated for war injuries at Kandahar Air Field, the main coalition base in the south, are Afghan army or Afghan police.
It follows from this that our deployment here is not an occupation: It's a support mission. But few people back home appreciate this, because nobody's covering the Afghan side of the war. Afghan casualties, even mass casualties, get short shrift.
The leading edge of Canada's humanitarian engagement here is the PRT, Camp Nathan Smith. But for reasons that defy explanation, only the soldiers stationed there are allowed to speak publicly about their work.
The five officials from foreign affairs, the 10 RCMP officers engaged in training Afghan police, the head of the CIDA mission in the province (with a budget of $39-million this year alone), are not allowed to speak to the media. According to multiple sources here, they have been gagged by the Prime Minister's Office.
Figure that one out. The very people who could best spread the word about the good works Canada is carrying out beneath the security umbrella provided by our troops, can't talk about it. This translates into a distorted portrait of the mission at home.
The military can't get off scot-free either. The Canadian army's communications resources in Kandahar province are located at the Kandahar Air Field -- the centre of combat operations. Reporters at the airfield are supported by satellite and media tents with sophisticated communications equipment.
At the PRT, there's a single media tent. It has no reliable, permanent Internet hookups. There's no satellite for television transmissions. As a result, most reporters choose to stay at the airfield -- where they don't hear a lot about development work, because it's all based at the PRT.
The media? We're at fault too. Reporters driven by competition and the demands of editors back home, are hell-bent on covering Canadians in combat. That's a good thing, as far as it goes: Canadians need a public witness to the exercise of lethal force by their representatives abroad. Combat stories are dramatic and gripping and the tales we hear about soldiers at war can inspire and move us the way few other stories can.
But the entire mission stands or falls on whether development can succeed. For media to ignore the tangible evidence of progress simply because these stories aren't as dramatic as combat, is beyond belief.
Here's why all this matters so much: The Taliban are not fighting a conventional guerrilla war. All their efforts are geared towards forcing Western governments to pull their soldiers out of Afghanistan.
DISTORTED VIEW
Every suicide bombing and IED attack is about hurting Western troops, but it's even more about causing fear and uncertainty back home. This is why there's such frustration, among soldiers here, about the posturing and chest-beating in Ottawa each time a Canadian dies in combat. Each cluster of front-page stories is, in effect, a tactical victory for the insurgents.
What happens if we pull out? Some say it would make no difference. The Americans could easily replace us.
But it's not nearly that simple. The Afghans don't trust the Americans. Their approach is different from ours -- much more blunt, less culturally sensitive. Canada has an institutional memory now in Kandahar, won by five years of hard work on the ground.
Canada has the aid projects, just now beginning to bear fruit. Canada has credibility with the Afghans, won by our soldiers' willingness to fight and die on their behalf.
If we pull out, much of that will be lost.
The mission will continue but the setback will be huge and Canada's standing in Afghanistan, and the world, will suffer immeasurably.
http://ottawasun.com/News/Afghan/200...76954-sun.html

[John McGillivray]

New Canadian AFV photos on Combat Camera

http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...e=combatcamera

http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...e=combatcamera

http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...e=combatcamera

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http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...e=combatcamera

http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...e=combatcamera

[John McGillivray]

Canadians waging major battle against Taliban
Updated Wed. Oct. 31 2007 4:32 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Canadian, American, and Afghan troops were engaged in a major battle against the Taliban near Kandahar City on Wednesday.
Unconfirmed numbers from the police chief in the region state that more than 50 Taliban fighters have been killed and 50 others wounded.
There is no word on Canadian or NATO casualties. But the Canadian Press reported that three Afghan police officers and an Afghan soldier have died in the fighting.
The Taliban are believed to have about 300 fighters in the area. The fighting has struck fear in area residents, many of whom are now fleeing to Kandahar City for refuge.
Rumors are swirling that more than 1,000 Taliban have come to the region and are attacking refugee camps.
"There are a lot of wild stories going on here. Some people say there are 250 Taliban and others say it is 1,500 ... People are worried,'' an unidentified aid worker told the Canadian Press.
"The psychological effect on the local population is dramatic,'' she said.
The aid worker added she, too, is worried about her friends in the region.
CTV's Paul Workman reports the Afghans asked for Canadian help to counter a significant attack by the Taliban, which comes in the wake of the death of a local leader who had been protecting the area.
He noted that Canadian military officials say it appears a Taliban offensive, launched earlier in the week, is the most significant in the last month. The latest battle is a troubling development for the international mission in the area, according to Workman.
He reported that the Canadian troops are already stretched thin west of the city, and now they're facing a second front.
"The reason this area is quite vital is because it opens up another front just North of Khandahar City and in some ways leaves Khandahar vulnerable," Workman told Canada AM.
He noted, however, that "the Canadians say that there is no danger of the city itself being overrun."
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

[Darrell Zinck]

A Canadian soldier patrolling an area of Afghanistan that was recently seized from the Taliban has been injured by a roadside bomb.

The unidentified soldier was in a Leopard tank in Arghandab on Friday when an improvised explosive device went off nearby.

The soldier is in fair condition in hospital in Kandahar, but his injuries are not life-threatening.

Arghandab was the site of heavy fighting earlier this week when Canadian and Afghan forces drove off up to 300 insurgents who had taken over the town just north of Kandahar.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/1...r-injured.html

regards
Darrell

Very different to do Remembrance when you've been there ... and grieve recent losses The young will now understand, like they couldn't before, the faces and feelings of our older Vets who have been through other past wars/conflicts ... and how sad is that? But also how proud to know of these men and women who value others and something, enough to risk their lives for it ... and more than that, the good for all by which the sacrifices happen. Good intentions ... and those intentions are the difference between the good guys and the bad guys ... our soldiers .... men and women, are all "good guys/gals" ... and Remembrance day, I know, hurts a lot closer to home and now for many of them and their loved ones, it's real and it's now ... for the fallen ... there are no words that can express it all, what we think and feel, but any gesture that shows we care and remember, and some of us even know ... is good ... lest we forget

November 9, 2007

Canadian soldiers approaching Nov. 11 as participants instead of onlookers

By Bill Graveland, THE CANADIAN PRESS

A memorial at Forward Operating Base Wilson in Afghanistan to mark the loss of two soldiers in a roadside bomb in August is shown in Oct. 22, 2007. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland
SPERWAN GHAR, Afghanistan - They've all worn the poppies, marched in the parades and observed a moment of silence on past Remembrance Days.

But this year, many soldiers are seeing something different about Nov. 11. They are living the experience as participants and not just as observers.

At every small Canadian outpost in the Panjwaii, Zhari and Kandahar districts, the soldiers will mark the day of remembrance this Sunday. The biggest event will be at Kandahar Air Field where a permanent memorial bears the names and likenesses of the 71 Canadians who have lost their lives since this conflict began five years ago.

"This time, it's a lot more poignant. I've got reason for it. I've just been in several actions where I consider myself to be a veteran now," said Sgt. Scott Schall of Medicine Hat, Alta.

"Beforehand, I'd never been in anything remotely dangerous."

"You're sort of one of the people they're remembering now and it sort of has a different meaning to be on the other side of the fence. You can't think or fathom what those other people went through until you go through it yourself," he added speaking from atop his tank at Forward Operating Base Sperwan Ghar.



Five soldiers have died during this rotation. The most recent, Cpl. Nathan Hornburg, 24 of Calgary was killed Sept. 24, by a mortar shell while trying to repair a Leopard Tank in southern Afghanistan.

Roadside bombs took the lives of Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier and Master Cpl. Christian Duchesne on Aug. 22 and of Pte. Simon Longtin on Aug. 19.

It is the deaths that makes the conflict hit home even more.

"Now it is more palpable. We see the effect and the price we have to pay for this operation," said Capt. Patrick Hannan, a staff officer at command headquarters at Kandahar Air Field.

"It's my third tour but in the past I never saw the coffins pass on the airstrip, so there is a price to pay. It's not a given. I still think it's worthwhile."

Hannan's uncle spent time as a prisoner of war in Hong Kong in the Second World War and died a few years after the war ended. His picture and medals were always on display.

Many of the soldiers in this part of the world never met those who have died but feel a kinship nonetheless.

"We lost some friends, if you consider we are part of a big family. I didn't personally know them but it hurts just as bad anyway because you know it's one of your partners in this war," explained Cpl. Stephane Beaulieu, 23, of Valcartier, Que.

"We always do our best to remember it. We always end up doing a parade or commemorating in our own way - remembering those who fell before us and appreciating what they did for us."

Cpl. Jaime Aubuchon of Edmonton, currently serving time as an engineer at Forward Operating Base Masum Ghar said this time of year is a time for remembering and being aware of the dangers.

"We'll have our moments of silence. It will be an important day and we'll get to remember everyone we've lost on this tour and the past. It's like a wake-up call I guess," she said.

Maj. Warren Smith, the battery commander, X Battery - Canadian Battle Group, said he has attended services, marched in parades as a cadet, reservist and regular soldier.

Even he said the emotion and sentiment of this day has changed - perhaps forever - for most of the soldiers serving here and for their friends and families at home.

"It brings it a little closer to home. It's not just memories of a cold November, rainy day, with grey skies and filled with grey-haired veterans around," Maj. Smith reflected.

"There's an awful lot of black-haired veterans around today and some who are no longer with us. So yeah, it does bring it a little closer to home."

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/War_Terr...f-4642270.html

Manitoba Fallen soldiers, Afghanistan service, have water places in Manitoba named after them, near Kississing Lake just above/north of Flin Flon ... my Uncle Ed's lake named for him is on Kississing Lake, as are a number of other of Manitoba's fallen soldiers.

Two previously un-named lakes in northwestern Manitoba were given names today in honour of Manitobans who died serving in Afghanistan.

Morley Lake, named after Cpl. Keith Morley of Winnipeg, and Timothy Wilson Lake, named after Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson of Langruth, Man., are located just north of Kississing Lake, about 60 km northeast of Flin Flon.

The two lakes that now bear the soldiers' names are only about 25 km apart.

"This is a way to commemorate two very brave people who died on our behalf," Premier Gary Doer said during the naming ceremony, which took place at the Manitoba Legislature this morning.

"It was an honour. I'm very proud of my son," said Dale Wilson, Timothy Wilson's father. "It's bittersweet, it really is. I can't tell you how much Timothy's loss devastated us. There's a piece of my heart missing and there always will be."

Wilson was born in Grande Prairie, Alta., but moved to Langruth, Man., at a young age.

He died in a U.S. military hospital in Germany in March 2006, after an armoured vehicle he was in ran off the road in Kandahar province.

The 30-year-old, who lived on an acreage near Wawanesa, Man., was married with children.

Morley, a native Winnipegger, was killed in September 2006, during a suicide bicycle bomb attack while he was on foot patrol in the Panjwaii district.

His mother Della Morley said this morning that she would love to visit the lake named after her son and hopes to do that sometime soon.

"I do know he's a hero for Manitoba and Canada," she said.

Naming the lakes in honour of fallen soldiers is a long-standing tradition in Manitoba. The province has more than 4,000 lakes, rivers, bays and peninsulas named after World War II and Korean War casualties, as well as one soldier who died during a United Nations peacekeeping mission.

The honour will also be extended, likely next year, to Pte. Lane Watkins of Clearwater, Man., who was killed in Afghanistan in July when a roadside bomb destroyed his armoured vehicle.



http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Mani...9/4643369.html

[John McGillivray]

Roadside bomb kills two Canadian soldiers
Updated Sat. Nov. 17 2007 9:38 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Two Canadian soldiers and their Afghan interpreter are dead after a roadside bomb detonated.
Three other Canadian soldiers were wounded in Saturday's incident and were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The dead have been identified as Cpl. Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp of the 5th Field Ambulance in Valcartier and Pte. Michel Levesque of the Royal 22nd Regiment, popularly known as the Van Doos.
Their ages and home towns have not yet been released by the military.
The incident occurred in Zhari District, about 40 kilometres west of Kandahar City.
The soldiers were north of a Canadian forward operating base near the village of Bhazar-e Panjawaii when the blast occurred shortly after midnight.
They were inside a LAV-III armoured vehicle.
Today's deaths bring Canada's toll to 73 military personnel and one diplomat since 2002.
Canadian troops haven't suffered any fatalities since Sept. 24, when Cpl. Nathan Hornburg died. A mortar shell killed him as he was out on patrol.
Retired brigadier general Lew MacKenzie told Newsnet the incident took place more than 12 hours ago.
While information is sketchy, MacKenzie said roadside bombs -- more formally known as improvised explosive devices, or IEDs -- work in two main ways: The IED is fired at the vehicle, or is detonated as the vehicle drives over the device.
"I must give the forces a lot of credit, because they intercept the vast majority of these things -- some while they're being built, some while they're being set up, and some before they explode," he said.
"But regrettably, in a volatile situation, one or two of them every once in a while actually work, and tragedy in this case is it actually did."
Zhari has been an active area of operations in recent days, MacKenzie said.
That was echoed by Col. Christian Juneau at the Kandahar Air Field.
He told reporters that the Taliban were desperate to end their fall combat season on a high note.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories


Coroner probing suicide of Quebec soldier wounded in Afghanistan
Last Updated: Friday, November 16, 2007 | 10:45 PM ET
CBC News

A Canadian soldier who lost part of his leg after being wounded in Afghanistan has taken his own life in his Quebec apartment.
The Quebec coroner's office is investigating the death of Frederic Couture, who shot himself earlier this week at home in Roxton Pond, Que.
Couture was 21 when he stepped on a landmine while on patrol in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar in December 2006.
He was the first soldier from CFB Valcartier to be wounded there. Couture's left leg had to be amputated below the knee.
But he drew media attention for his positive attitude and determination to move forward despite his injury.
In an interview with CBC News in January, Couture appeared optimistic about his future.
A Canadian soldier who lost part of his leg after being wounded in Afghanistan has taken his own life in his Quebec apartment.
The Quebec coroner's office is investigating the death of Frederic Couture, who shot himself earlier this week at home in Roxton Pond, Que.
Couture was 21 when he stepped on a landmine while on patrol in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar in December 2006.
He was the first soldier from CFB Valcartier to be wounded there. Couture's left leg had to be amputated below the knee.
But he drew media attention for his positive attitude and determination to move forward despite his injury.
In an interview with CBC News in January, Couture appeared optimistic about his future.
“My life is not finished. I'm going to have a prosthesis," he said. "And all the things that I was doing, I'm going to do it in the future. It's not because I lost a foot that I can't do anything."
In his home town of Roxton Pond, neighbors said they were shocked to hear about Couture's death, although some said he appeared to be having a hard time and hadn't left his home in a while.
Retired Brigadier General Gaston Cote of the Canadian Forces said Couture seemed to be recovering well both mentally and physically and that help was available.
"From what I know about the system, everything was probably done," Cote said. But he said you can't make a person talk about their problems if they don't want to.
"So it's difficult to make sure the mental health of our soldiers is up to par."
A recent military survey of returned soldiers found that nearly 400 of the 2,700 who had served in Kandahar may have come home with mental health problems.
The survey found problems ranged from post-traumatic stress disorder to suicidal tendencies, although high-risk drinking was the predominant problem.
Rob Tyler, a former infantry captain and psychotherapist, said soldiers often mask their true feelings.
"A lot of these people are having night terrors, wake up sweating as they went back to whatever it was and relived it again," he said. "Flashbacks during the day. A car backfires and to them it sounds like small arms fire."
George Dumont, a former soldier recovering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, said many soldiers try to deny their psychological suffering.
"We are supposed to be somewhat invulnerable, invincible. And when you come to terms with yourself, realizing you're just a human being like everybody else, it's pretty hard to swallow knowing that all your friends will shun you and put you aside because you are sick."
Dumont also said there is little the military could have done to help Couture if he didn't ask for help.
Speaking in Quebec City on Friday, Heritage Minister Josée Verner offered her condolences to Couture's family and said the Canadian military offers all possible support to soldiers returning from Afghanistan.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/st...ure-death.html

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

November 17, 2007
Two Canadian soldiers die after LAV hits landmine

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The Canadian death toll in Afghanistan has risen by two.

Col. Christian Juneau said Corp. Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp of the 5th Field Ambulance in Valcartier and Pte. Michel Levesque of the Royal 22nd died early this morning.

They were riding in a Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) that hit an IED (improvised explosive device) on a road north of a Canadian forward operating base near Bazar-e Panjwaii.

An Afghan interpreter also died in the blast.

Three Canadian soldiers were transported to hospital at Kandahar Air Field with non-life threatening injuries.

RIP.

[John McGillivray]

Suicide bomber targets Canadian convoy in Panjwaii
Updated Tue. Dec. 11 2007 10:52 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A suicide car bomber attacked a Canadian convoy in southern Afghanistan today.
No Canadians were injured but a teenager and a child were evacuated to a Kandahar hospital, CTV's Murray Oliver reported from Kandahar.
The attack occurred around 3 p.m. local time as the convoy was returning to Kandahar Air Field after re-supplying Canadian troops in the field, said Oliver.
A man in a grey van parked on the side of the road detonated his explosives as the lead vehicle in the convoy pulled up beside him.
"The Canadian vehicle was a Nyala -- which is one of the newest and most impressive Canadian armoured vehicles -- it didn't sustain any damage at all," said Oliver.
Normally, Taliban activity quiets down in the winter because it's harder for the Taliban to import explosives via mountain passes from Pakistan, said Oliver.
"It's possible that there's going to be a burst of activity just prior to the winter passes being full," said Oliver. "But it's also possible that this is some kind of retaliation for the attacks the Taliban are encountering really throughout southern Afghanistan."
Provincial Police Chief Sayed Agha Saqib said the bomber died in the attack.
Saqib told The Associated Press that the Taliban also ambushed another convoy of NATO supply trucks on the main highway connecting Kandahar and Herat.
The attack provoked a two-hour battle that left five policemen and eight insurgents dead. No NATO casualties have been reported.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...1211?hub=World

Remembering our troops this Christmas ... Merry Christmas to all of you so far from home and loved ones!!!

Christmas packages for troops flood Kandahar
Updated Tue. Dec. 18 2007 10:11 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Canadians by the thousands are sending Christmas cheer to the 2,500 troops from this country serving in Afghanistan.

More than 6,000 kilograms of letters and parcels arrived at the Kandahar Air Field on Tuesday alone.

The two-week total is 43,000 kg. That represents about one-third of the mail received since August, when the current battle group arrived.

For the second consecutive year, Canada Post has shipped parcels to the troops from friends and family for free during the holiday period.

While all soldiers appreciate something from home, a bit of holiday cheer is especially welcome at the forward operating bases out in Kandahar province.

"Mail time is the best time of the day," one soldier told CTV News.

In those places where there's no hot water and only rarely hot meals, treats like cookies, candies and chocolate bars are very welcome.

But the soldiers also treasure the thousands of letters they get from schoolchildren.

In one letter, a child wrote: "I would like to know if you are scared to be in Afghanistan."

Another student told the troops: "I hope that our soldiers will be safe while you're in Afghanistan and come back to your families soon."

Warrant Officer Teresa Holmes said the letters make soldiers feel closer to their own children.

"Our kids can't be with us unfortunately, but this is the next best thing," she said.

Canada Post will be delivering for free to troops in Afghanistan until Jan. 11.

People should drop the items off in person at postal outlets.

The Department of National Defence will forward the mail to troops overseas but parcels should be addressed to a specific soldier. Senders should include the soldier's rank and mission information.

With a report from CTV's Murray Oliver in Kandahar

... just watching BRAVO COMPANY KANDAHAR on History Channel ... watching and listening to some of what our troops are doing and dealing with over there. (The main guy talking sure says EFF/EFFEN a LOT throughout though )

Can only imagine the Christmas over there.

[John McGillivray]

More sad news from Kandahar,...RIP.

Canadian soldier killed on patrol in Afghanistan
Updated Sun. Dec. 30 2007 11:05 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
An explosion has killed a Canadian soldier out on routine patrol in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province.
Four others were wounded in the blast, which occurred about 9:10 a.m. local time on Sunday.
The dead soldier has been identified as Gunner Jonathan Dion of the 5th Regiment d'Artillerie legere du Canada, which is based in Valcartier, Que.
"The soldiers were carrying out a routine vehicle mounted patrol when the vehicle they were travelling in was hit by an explosion," said an ISAF news release issued Sunday.
"They were immediately evacuated for medical care, sadly, one died of wounds inflicted by the explosion."
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the soldier who was killed and those who were injured," Wing Commander Antony McCord, Regional Command South spokesperson, said in the news release.

Canada has 2,500 soldiers operating in southern Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission.
Dion's is the 74th Canadian soldier to die since 2002. A Canadian diplomat has also been killed.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Jan 07, 2008 00:37 ET
DND: Two Canadian Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

Cpl Eric Labbe was killed January 6, 2008, when his Light Armoured Vehicle rolled over, during a tactical move across difficult terrain. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. Kandahar time in Nalgham, in the Zhari District, 40 km South-West of Kandahar City. Cpl Labbé was 31 years old and a member of the 2e Bataillon, Royal 22e Régiment, based out of Valcartier, Quebec. (MARKETWIRE PHOTO/Department of National Defence)



OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 7, 2008) - Two Canadian soldiers were killed at approximately 6:30 p.m. Kandahar time on January 6, when their Light Armoured Vehicle rolled over, during a tactical move across difficult terrain.

The incident occurred in Nalgham, in the Zhari District, 40 km South-West of Kandahar City during Operation TENG AZEM (Steadfast Decision), a joint ISAF and Afghan National Security Forces operation, aimed at disrupting insurgent activities in the region and establishing a permanent coalition presence in the area. This incident was not the result of enemy activity.

The identity of one of the fallen is:

- Cpl Eric Labbe, age 31, 2e Bataillon, Royal 22e Regiment, based out of Valcartier, Quebec.

At the request of the family of the second fallen soldier, the name will be withheld until tomorrow morning.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photograph of Cpl Labbe is available upon request at the Media Liaison Office and will be available on the Combat Camera Website (search under last name) at: http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca/ in the morning of 7 Jan 08.

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:
http://www.ccnmatthews.com/em/2856

[Wayne McGee]

Stand Easy

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Jan 15, 2008 12:46 ET
Canadian Soldier Killed-One Other Wounded in Afghanistan

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 15, 2008) - At approximately 7:15 a.m. local time (in Kandahar) on January 15th, one Canadian soldier was killed when the armoured vehicle he was in struck a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED). One Canadian soldier was also injured.

The identity of the deceased soldier is Trooper Richard Renaud, 26 years old, of the 12e Regiment blinde du Canada based in Valcartier, Quebec.

The incident occurred during a presence patrol in the Arghandab District, approximately 10 km North of Kandahar city. The injured soldier was evacuated to the Multinational Medical Unit at Kandahar Airfield. The injured soldier is in good condition, has notified his family and is expected to be released from the hospital shortly.

The thoughts and prayers of the men and women of the Canadian Forces go out to the family and friends of Trooper Renaud.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Photograph of the fallen soldier will be forthcoming shortly at: www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca

As per normal procedure the identity of the injured soldier will not be released.