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  #31  
Old 03-03-06, 12:17
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Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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One critical, three serious.
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  #32  
Old 03-03-06, 12:32
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From CBC news:

5 Canadian soldiers injured in suicide attack
Last Updated Fri, 03 Mar 2006 06:14:11 EST
CBC News
A suicide bomber drove his vehicle into a Canadian military convoy outside Kandahar Friday, injuring five Canadian soldiers, said the military.
One of the Canadians received serious injuries to his arm, while the four others are lightly wounded.
The seriously injured soldier will be flown to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. A surgeon at the Kandahar military base said the soldier will likely undergo reconstructive surgery and should be able to keep his arm, said CBC reporter Patrick Brown.
A small Toyota truck rammed into the soldiers' armoured LAV-3 and exploded, causing a loud blast and sending plumes of smoke into the air. The soldiers had been escorting a convoy of investigators looking into a January attack that took the life of Canadian diplomat Glyn Berry.
A spokesperson for the Taliban told Associated Press it sent the bomber, who it said was an Afghan from Kandahar province.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/nation...ide060303.html

To add insult to injury: The day after George Bush’s visit to Afghanistan, an American Maj. General orders all Canadian flags taken down.

Only Afghanistan colours can fly
Soldiers angered by rule

Chris Wattie, with files from Mary Vallis, National Post
Published: Thursday, March 02, 2006
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Canadian soldiers in southern Afghanistan have been ordered, under a directive from a U.S. general, to lower the Maple Leaf from flagpoles at their two bases, from over their tents and even from the aerials atop their vehicles.
The order from Major General Benjamin Freakley states that the only flag to fly over coalition bases, facilities or vehicles will be the red, green and black Afghan flag.
"I specifically asked my commanders to think about our flags," Maj.-Gen. Freakley said this week.
"We had a plethora of flags all over the compounds ... I asked us to think about who we're serving and who we're serving with."
There are troops from dozens of different countries under his southern Afghanistan command, including 2,200 Canadians based in Kandahar Air Field and a smaller provincial reconstruction team camp in the city of Kandahar.
The flag order was applied to almost every non-Afghan flag in the Canadian section of the sprawling air field base, including regimental flags hung or flown from the soldiers' barracks, tents or rest areas.
The order has caused some hard feelings in the ranks.
"Sure, we should show the Afghan flag," said one non-commissioned officer, who had to remove a Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry flag from a makeshift patio set up by his platoon. "But this is bull----. What about soldiers' pride? What about regimental pride? No Afghans would ever have seen this where we had it."
Scott Taylor, editor of Esprit de Corps military magazine in Ottawa, said national pride is an important reason many soldiers join the Canadian Armed Forces.
"It seems a bit almost silly that they are going to see that flag and then somehow feel kindred to us in such a fractious civilian population as it is. They're all under different warlords. How many of them even recognize or respect the national flag, particularly the ones that we're going to be fighting?" Mr. Taylor asked.
"Our guys didn't join up as Afghan mercenaries.... Our guys take their oath of allegiance to the Queen. And the Governor-General is our commander-in-chief, not [Afghan President] Hamid Karzai."
The flag order also applies to U.S. soldiers, who still make up most of the coalition forces in southern Afghanistan.
Maj.-Gen. Freakley said the idea was to make it clear the foreign soldiers are there to help the Afghan government.
"I don't want us to find reasons to pull back from the people of Afghanistan and not be teammates and get behind national barriers or anything," he said.
"We're trying to make subtle, transitional moves to help the people of Afghanistan fend for themselves. In no way is it intended to suppress any national pride."
He said the soldiers of the coalition still wear their national flags on the sleeves of their uniforms and that ought to be enough.
Brigadier-General David Fraser, the Canadian general who took command of a multinational brigade based in Kandahar this week, said he supported the order.
"It goes back to the cultural sensitivity training that we did back in Canada. This is not Canada, this is the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan [and] we've got to respect their cultures and traditions," he said.

http://www.canada.com/national/natio...7-ca9a56410220
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  #33  
Old 03-03-06, 14:04
Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)'s Avatar
Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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According to CTV News:

Quote:
CTV.ca News Staff

Updated: Fri. Mar. 3 2006 7:41 AM ET

Five Canadian soldiers were injured -- one seriously -- in a suicide bomb attack Friday near Kandahar, the Canadian military said.

One soldier is in critical but stable condition, and underwent surgery for wounds to his arm. He is expected to be airlifted to the U.S. medical facility at Landstuhl in Germany.

The other four soldiers were slightly hurt in the blast, the military said. They are expected to return to duty shortly.

A man driving a white Corolla in the opposite direction turned his vehicle into the convoy that was carrying the Canadian patrol and detonated his explosives, said CTV's Steve Chao, reporting from Kandahar.

The blast left a large crater in the road, and was loud enough that it could be heard by soldiers at the provincial reconstruction team base, kilometres away.

Names of the injured have not yet been released, pending notification of kin.

This is the first time that a suicide bomber has targeted a LAV III vehicle.

The seriously injured soldier was outside of a hatch, in the air sentry position out back, where he has machine guns trained on any potential attackers.

"And this is the position that often where we see the injuries occur," said Chao.

....
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  #34  
Old 03-03-06, 18:45
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Sorry guys, but here it comes. All i can say is what a bunch of F***ing B******T!!!
Once again, Canadians take a backseat to political correctness. Our men and women are fighting as Canadian soldiers under the Canadian flag. Not the Stars and Stripes, or the Afgan rag, but the maple leaf. If I were in the CF right now I'd walk in, resign my tenure and head home, or go to jail if need be. I certainly wouldn't agree to ride in a LAV, G wagen or any other mv adorned with a foreign country's flag on it. The flag of our nation is respected all around the world and to tell our tropps to remove it, cease displaying it etc is an insult. TOTAL BULLSHIT. Lets bring our boys home and let these assholes rot in their shithole country.... same goes for Iraq. To top it off, why should we take orders from some American MGen. I somehow doubt any American would listen to our request to cease from flying the Stars and Stripes...
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  #35  
Old 03-03-06, 19:01
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Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by chris vickery
Sorry guys, but here it comes. All i can say is what a bunch of F***ing B******T!!!
Once again, Canadians take a backseat to political correctness. Our men and women are fighting as Canadian soldiers under the Canadian flag. Not the Stars and Stripes, or the Afgan rag, but the maple leaf. If I were in the CF right now I'd walk in, resign my tenure and head home, or go to jail if need be. I certainly wouldn't agree to ride in a LAV, G wagen or any other mv adorned with a foreign country's flag on it. The flag of our nation is respected all around the world and to tell our tropps to remove it, cease displaying it etc is an insult. TOTAL BULLSHIT. Lets bring our boys home and let these assholes rot in their shithole country.... same goes for Iraq. To top it off, why should we take orders from some American MGen. I somehow doubt any American would listen to our request to cease from flying the Stars and Stripes...
Couldn't agree more. We have a fine history of fighting and dying for other peoples' freedoms... UNDER OUR OWN FLAG. We should tell the yanks to screw off and leave us to do our jobs in the best way we know how.

Just too bad we need their resources in order to do those jobs...
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  #36  
Old 04-03-06, 06:16
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Quote:
Originally posted by John McGillivray
From CBC news:

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Canadian soldiers in southern Afghanistan have been ordered to lower the Maple Leaf from flagpoles at their two bases.....
Geoff, do you have any Red Ensigns you could send?
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  #37  
Old 04-03-06, 06:32
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Quote:
Originally posted by Tony Smith
Geoff, do you have any Red Ensigns you could send?
I think he's all out right now Tony ... but maybe he ordered some
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  #38  
Old 04-03-06, 13:01
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Default Re. Injured Pats.

Quoted from another forum, and attributed to 'The Star' in Calgary: "Master Cpl. Michael Loewen was seriously injured and will need major reconstructive surgery to save his arm, but he will survive, a surgeon says. Loewen was on his way Friday night to the U.S. combat casualty hospital at Landstuhl, Germany ".

Mike is a member of several modellers forums on the internet, and someone that I feel I know, although we've never met in person.
I just hope that he and his comrades get the treatment they need and then a fast flight home.
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  #39  
Old 04-03-06, 14:12
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Default Yet again!

There is a report on CBC this morning of another Canadian wounded in a firefight north of Kandahar. No details yet and nothing on line.
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  #40  
Old 04-03-06, 14:26
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Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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Default Re: Yet again!

Quote:
Originally posted by John McGillivray
There is a report on CBC this morning of another Canadian wounded in a firefight north of Kandahar. No details yet and nothing on line.
It's been on CTV Newsnet on the TV this morning. It was an ambush; the ambush was broken with one BG KIA, but this Canadian was wounded in the head. He was flown to Khandahar airport and is in surgery as we speak. Hopefully it's not serious.

Just an aside... ironic as hell, isn't it, that for all the resentment a lot of our people have for Americans, their flight crews are saving Canadian lives almost daily. At least our soldiers know what the score is... I just wish some of the slavering, anti-American idiots here would "get it".
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  #41  
Old 04-03-06, 19:29
Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)'s Avatar
Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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Default Holy Crap

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

Right out of the dark ages. This last attack was an axe attack as Lt. Trevor Greene of the Seaforth Highlanders was sitting down, uncovered, with tribal elders. Other Canadians on-scene shot the attacker dead and chased away at least one more, but it was too late. Lt. Greene had been earlier lightly wounded in a roadside bomb attack, but had returned to duty at his own insistence. I pray he survives this one, intact.



This war gets stranger and stranger every day.
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  #42  
Old 04-03-06, 20:21
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Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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Default A Brief Bio on Lt. Trevor Greene

http://www.closingbigger.com/page141.htm
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  #43  
Old 04-03-06, 20:48
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Default Re: A Brief Bio on Lt. Trevor Greene

Quote:
Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
http://www.closingbigger.com/page141.htm
He sounds like an amazing guy.

Some of those houseboats at Fishermans Wharf are pretty amazing. I've been inside some of them and the owners tend to put a lot of TLC into making them very homey. They're great and a great way to live if you can "find a parking spot" for your houseboat.

"Bad Date" ... ouch. I haven't heard of his book before. I was aquainted with one of the young girls/women who ended up as DNA in the Willy Pickton case. She was from Nelson ... a really sad story

I'm praying for Mr. Greene ... and praying he recovers witthout permanant brain damage ...
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  #44  
Old 05-03-06, 14:02
Alex Blair (RIP) Alex Blair (RIP) is offline
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Default Tim Wilson...RIP...

Statement by the Minister of National Defence on the passing of Master Corporal Timothy Wilson
OTTAWA, March 4 /CNW Telbec/ - Gordon O'Connor, Minister of National
Defence, issued the following statement today:
"Today, Master Corporal Timothy Wilson died from injuries he sustained in
an accident in Afghanistan on March 2nd.
I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of
Master Corporal Wilson in their hour of pain. Their loss is also Canada's
loss.
As this sad moment illustrates, there are risks to our mission in
Afghanistan. But the men and women of the Canadian Forces understand those
risks. They understand that their presence in Afghanistan is necessary to help
the Afghan people have a better future. And most of all, they understand that
it is necessary to protect Canada from the scourge of terrorism.
I know that Canadians proudly stand behind the Canadian Forces as they
work to ensure our safety and security."



For further information: (613) 996-2353-54; After hours: (613) 792-2973;
www.forces.gc.ca
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  #45  
Old 05-03-06, 16:08
Alex Blair (RIP) Alex Blair (RIP) is offline
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Default Coming home...

Media advisory - Repatriation of the remains of Master-Corporal Timothy Wilson and Corporal Paul Davis
OTTAWA, March 5 /CNW Telbec/ - The remains of Master-Corporal Timothy
Wilson and Corporal Paul Davis, both soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, Princess
Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., are scheduled to
return home to Canada this evening.

Where: 8 Wing Trenton, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.
When: Sunday, March 5 at approximately 5:00 p.m.
What: This will be a photo opportunity. No interviews will be scheduled
or given.

The Minister of National Defence, Gordon O'Connor, Chief of the Defence
Staff, General Rick Hillier, Commander Canadian Expeditionary Force Command,
Major-General Michel Gauthier, and the Commander of Land Force Central Area,
Brigadier-General Guy Thibault, will attend to pay their respects.
Master-Corporal Wilson and Corporal Davis died from injuries sustained
when the light armoured vehicle (LAV III) they were travelling in was involved
in a traffic accident in Kandahar, Afghanistan on March 2, 2006.

NOTE TO THE EDITOR:

Interested media must contact Captain Nicole Meszaros, 8 Wing Public
Affairs Officer. Capt Meszaros can be reached at the following phone numbers:
(613) 392-2811 ext 2041 or mobile at (613) 391-5233.
For more information on Canadian Forces activities in Afghanistan, please
visit our Online Newsroom. For more information on the Government of Canada's
efforts to help rebuild Afghanistan, please visit the Rebuilding Afghanistan
site.
For flight information on Service Flight 3527, contact the Air Passenger
Terminal at 1-800-487-1186.



For further information: Interested media must contact Captain Nicole
Meszaros, 8 Wing Public Affairs Officer. Capt Meszaros can be reached at the
following phone numbers: (613) 392-2811 ext 2041 or mobile at (613) 391-5233
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  #46  
Old 05-03-06, 19:13
Garry Shipton (RIP) Garry Shipton (RIP) is offline
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Default The latest casualty

As reported in this Sunday's paper,the officer,a reservist who got axed by an Afghani insurgent was from Smokey Smith's unit,the Seaforth Highlanders,on detachment to the PPCLI,while in service to the civilian rebuilding team.
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  #47  
Old 10-03-06, 02:14
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Today’s news.

http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/A...taliban_060309
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  #48  
Old 10-03-06, 12:40
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More Info

Hillier flown from Afghan village after bomb blast
Last Updated Fri, 10 Mar 2006 06:05:31 EST
CBC News
Canada's top soldier was whisked away from an Afghan village Friday after a nearby Canadian convoy triggered a roadside bomb, which blew a wheel off the armoured vehicle.
Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier had been in southern Afghanistan to take part in a large Canadian mission in the area. Troops are fanning out north of the Kandahar city, visiting villages and tribal elders to establish a Canadian presence in the region, a former Taliban stronghold.
Hillier had been meeting with a village elder when the Canadian supply convoy, travelling about 800 metres away, triggered a roadside bomb.
No one was injured in the blast, but the wheel of the armoured Bison was damaged.
Hillier was first taken by armoured convoy to a Canadian operating base in Gumbad, about 70 kilometres north of Kandahar city, and then flown by U.S. Black Hawk helicopter. It's not clear where he was taken.
The Canadian mission, which involves several hundred soldiers, armoured vehicles, artillery and helicopters, is expected to last through March. It comes after a deadly week in the war-ravaged country that saw two Canadian soldiers killed and eleven injured in a road accident and two attacks.
Troops are pushing out from Kandahar city in southern Afghanistan into areas where the Taliban has returned after being defeated by U.S.-led coalition forces in 2001, the CBC's Kas Roussy said from the Kandahar base.
They intend to pacify the area, a necessary first step to improve local governance and people's lives.
Part of the forces' work involves opening a road from Kandahar city to the north.
"It is a dangerous mission," Roussy said. She added that the area the Canadians are moving into "is still very insecure."
U.S. officers who know the area said there are dozens of militants operating in several bands. Six U.S. soldiers and 18 Afghans, including civilians, were killed on duty in the area in 2005.
Few details are available for security reasons, but Roussy described seeing vehicles and soldiers preparing to leave the base over the previous 24 hours.
There are 2,200 Canadians in southern Afghanistan, part of a multinational force led by Canadian Brig.-Gen. David Fraser.
A battle group from Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry took over front-line duties in Kandahar from a U.S. task force in late February.
Since then, two Canadians have been killed in an accident, and five have been hurt. Five more were wounded in a suicide attack, and a sixth received a severe axe wound to the head from a Taliban militant, who was shot dead by other Canadians.
That was believed to be the first engagement between Canadians and the Taliban.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/nation...ion060310.html
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  #49  
Old 01-05-06, 02:47
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Default Canada in Afghanistan

Canadians kill up to 20 Taliban
Last Updated Sun, 30 Apr 2006 18:11:19 EDT
CBC News

Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan fought two battles with insurgents over the weekend.
No Canadians were hurt, but Maj. Todd Strickland, the deputy commander of Canada's battle group, said the Taliban suffered heavily in one engagement.
"I think there are dead. Our own assessment is between 15 and 20."
Strickland led the Canadian Forces in a second fight, a 72-hour battle in the Punjiwai district 45 kilometres southwest of Kandahar.
It started as at least 150 Canadians with Afghan soldiers and police swept the area for militants.
Several dozen were cornered against the Arghandab River.
The Canadians blocked the escape routes, used the heavy guns on their LAV III vehicles to pin down the Taliban and then called in attack helicopters.
"Throughout the night, artillery was used firing illumination rounds to keep the Taliban's heads down," Strickland told reporters. "They don't like our guns. When our guns are firing, they're not moving."
Afghan authorities said seven insurgents were killed, nine were wounded and a dozen men captured by Canadians were being interrogated.
He showed reporters marks on his LAV. The Taliban bullets just bounced off, an encouraging sign for the soldiers.
Strickland was not involved in the other battle, in Helmand province early Saturday, but briefed reporters about it.
A supply convoy consisting of two LAVs, a jeep and a large truck was headed for Forward Operating Base Robinson in the mountains when three Taliban vehicles were spotted setting up an ambush.
After confirming none of the coalition's Afghan allies was in the area, the LAVs fired at the vehicles with their 25-mm guns.
Strickland believes the fire destroyed the vehicles and probably killed the 15 to 20 occupants.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/nation...tan060430.html

Troops endure weekend fighting in Afghanistan
Updated Sun. Apr. 30 2006 5:27 PM ET
CTV.ca News
Canadian troops engaged Taliban militants in two separate firefights over the weekend in southern Afghanistan.
Although there were no Canadian casualties, the amoured vehicle the troops were driving in bears bullet marks from the machine-gun firefight.
Maj. Todd Strickland, the deputy commander of Canada's battle group in southern Afghanistan, said Sunday the soldiers were very lucky.
"A soldier's luck is a funny thing -- sometimes you got it, sometimes you don't," Strickland said. "Yesterday we were lucky."
One of the battles, which lasted more than 72 hours, took place in the Punjiwai district, 25 kilometres southwest of Kandahar. This is the same barren stretch that was the scene of a vicious firefight that killed Afghan police officers two weeks ago.
In the second engagement, Canadian soldiers opened fire on was what thought to be a planned Taliban ambush. On Saturday, in nearby Helmand province, two Canadian LAVs fired on three trucks that had been shadowing them and their logistics convoy.
The insurgents "are opportunistic, but we continue to evolve with new skills that are better than what the Taliban can throw at us," Brig.-Gen. David Fraser told CP.
These two violent battles come after a week of relative calm following the roadside bomb attack that killed four Canadian soldiers in the Gumbad region on April 22.
The protracted Punjiwai area battle, complete with artillery and air cover, began on Thursday when the governor of the Kandahar province asked the Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry regiment to raid villages in the region.
The troops worked alongside the Afghan army and police units to corner suspected Taliban militants in the villages through as series of roadblocks.
"We had a major contact, if I can put it that way," said Strickland, who described a pitched battle with Canadian and Afghan forces trading fire with militants
American Apache attack helicopters provided air support, peppering the compounds with 30-millimetre automatic machine-gun fire.
"What can be taken as a sign of lessons learned from our previous efforts, we co-ordinated extensively with the (Afghan army) and the (police) to ensure there was no possibility of friendly fire," said Strickland, to the four Afghan officers who may have died from an American helicopter's friendly fire on Good Friday.
Although there were no casualties, three Afghan police officers were wounded, one seriously.
The following day, Canadian soldiers swept through the villages. They cleared the way for Afghan police who conducted searches of each house, urging residents to flee.
Women and children were separated from able-bodied male civilians.
Canadians held up to as many as 12 suspected Taliban fighters until Afghan police could do a more thorough interrogation.
Local authorities reported on Sunday that seven insurgents were killed and nine wounded.
It is not clear how many suspected militants died when the Canadian LAVs fired on the trucks that were following them because the armoured vehicles were forced to retreat to a defensive position.
Although an early Sunday patrol found only broken glass and tire tracks at the potential ambush site, Strickland is sure that insurgents were killed.
"Despite the absence of bodies, I think it's quite safe to assume there are dead (insurgents)," Strickland said.
"Our own estimate is between 15 and 20. There is no doubt in our mind these were Taliban. They were armed. They were manoeuvring against us, and when the platoon commander on the ground says it looks like these guys are setting up an ambush, it's a pretty safe assumption."

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories
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  #50  
Old 18-05-06, 01:43
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Default Canada in Afghanistan

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery lost one of its own today.

Captain Nichola Kathleen Sara Goddard was killed in action while carrying out her duties as a Forward Observation Officer at approx 1800 hrs local time near Kandahar.

Capt Goddard joined the CF under the ROTP in June 98. She read English at RMC and graduated on the Dean's List. On completion of artillery officer training in Gagetown she was posted to the First Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery at Shilo, Manitoba as the Gun Position Officer of A Battery. She quickly gained the respect of her superiors, peers and her soldiers with her positive attitude and outstanding interest in the welfare of her Gunners.

On promotion to Capt in Apr 05 she attended the Forward Observation Officers' course and returned to A Bty as a FOO. She deployed to Afghanistan in Jan 06 and would have rotated home in June.

Capt Goddard was supporting C Coy, 1 PPCLI as part of Task Force ORION when she was killed in a heavy firefight involving Canadian and Afghan National Army ground troops supported by USAF ground attack aircraft all attacking Taliban forces some 20km from Kandahar.

Capt Goddard was 26 at the time of her death and is survived by her husband Jason Beam (a retired officer), her father Tim, her mother, Sally and her two younger sisters, Victoria and Kate.

End of Mission, Stand Easy!


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  #51  
Old 18-05-06, 02:33
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Cdn. captain killed in Afghanistan firefight
Updated Wed. May. 17 2006 7:06 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Canada lost its first female soldier in Afghanistan during a firefight with Taliban insurgents on Wednesday, military officials said.
Capt. Nichola Goddard, of 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery based in Shilo, Man., also became the seventeenth Canadian to die in that country since 2002, and the first female combat death since the Second World War.
Goddard was serving with Task Force Afghanistan and was attached to the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI) Battle Group.
Her age and hometown were not immediately available.
Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, commander of the multinational brigade based in Kandahar, said Goddard was killed in action at 6:55 p.m. local time (10:25 a.m. ET) about 24 kilometres west of Kandahar city in the Panjwai region.
"Our hearts, our prayers and our sympathies go out to the family of Nichola Goddard," said Fraser as he stood in front of a Canadian flag at half-mast.
Members of the Canadian Forces were sent in to reinforce combined operations of the Afghan National Army and the Afghan police, who were involved in a firefight against a group of Taliban fighters.
Fraser said the soldiers had formed a ring around the "outer cordons" of the battle area, while the "inner work was being done by the Afghan security forces.''
Coalition air support was also involved.
Fraser said details surrounding Goddard's death were still sketchy.
"There was a firefight out there and sometime during the firefight she was killed."
There has been intermittent fighting in the region since Monday between Afghan forces and Taliban insurgents. Fighting had stopped Wednesday night, but Fraser said the operation was expected to continue Thursday.
"It's a hard day but it's also a day of achievement,'' added Fraser, saying there were "significant" Taliban casualties in the battle and a number of Taliban members were captured.
CTV's Janis Mackey Frayer, reporting from Kandahar, said the military is providing few details about the incident. Unconfirmed reports indicate Afghan soldiers had killed one suspected insurgent and had captured six more in Wednesday's fighting.
The incident occurred as troops prepared for a concert at Kandahar airfield that was designed to entertain the troops and boost spirits, Mackey Frayer said.
Canadian singer Michelle Wright was scheduled to perform in the Wednesday and Thursday night concert, along with The Wilkinsons and Julian Austin.
Officials had even relaxed a strict no-alcohol policy at the base to allow beer consumption during the party.
There is no word on whether the festivities will continue in light of the death.
Initial reports suggested Goddard was Canada's first female combat death. But later information revealed she is the first since the Second World War, in which five women were killed in action.
Goddard has become the 17th Canadian since 2002 to be killed in Afghanistan. One diplomat and 16 soldiers, including four who died in the friendly-fire bombing by a U.S. warplane, were the other casualties.
Statement from the prime minister
Prime Minister Stephen Harper released a statement Wednesday afternoon on the death of Capt. Goddard.
"On behalf of all Canadians, I wish to express our profound regret and sadness at news of the death of Captain Nichola Goddard.
"Captain Goddard died while helping to bring peace, stability and democracy to a troubled region of the world. She, and the other men and women who serve in Afghanistan, are involved in a difficult and dangerous mission. They are serving our country and its people with distinction. Our nation will not forget their sacrifice.
"I wish to extend our deepest condolences to Captain Goddard's family, friends, and co-workers - particularly those at her home base of 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1 RCHA) in Shilo, Manitoba. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and with the families and loved ones of all those serving in Afghanistan."
Manitoba Premier Gary Doer also expressed regret.
"On behalf of the people of Manitoba, we respect her life of bravery and honour on behalf of Canada, and we offer our condolences to the family and to the community of Shilo," Doer told CJOB radio in Winnipeg.
Canada's latest fatality comes as MPs prepare are debating and set to vote in the House of Commons Wednesday night on a Conservative motion to extend Canada's commitment in Afghanistan by two years.

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

Ubique
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  #52  
Old 18-05-06, 02:41
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Darrell Zinck Darrell Zinck is offline
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R.I.P

A good soldier doing a soldier's job.

I imagine this will be more ammo for our withdrawl from Afghanistan. The NDP, PQ, and most Libs say they won't support a continuation of our Mission there.

Many Canadians feel that war-fighting is bad for Canada's perceived image as "Peacekeepers".

I wonder aloud what our "image" will be if we pull out.

Please note I am not publicly stating any personal opinion so the DND watchdogs can p*ss off. Lord help you when I retire tho'.

regards
Darrell
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  #53  
Old 18-05-06, 04:57
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Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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Yet another FOO joins the ranks of the White Battalion.

RIP, Capt Goddard. We salute you.
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  #54  
Old 18-05-06, 05:01
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Quote:
Originally posted by Darrell Zinck
R.I.P

I wonder aloud what our "image" will be if we pull out.

Please note I am not publicly stating any personal opinion so the DND watchdogs can p*ss off. Lord help you when I retire tho'.

regards
Darrell
The motion in the house to extend the mission passed by four votes. Notable was MP John MaCallum (former Defence Minister)voting against the extension...and MP Bill Graham and Mike Ignataff (sp?) voting for the extension.

Supposedly, these deaths (Cdn and Afghanistanis) won't be in vain. Thankfully, we now have real leadership at the federal level of government.

I do hope though that this recent death will be treated with the dignity due and not turn into a media circus.

Stand easy Capt Goddard.
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Last edited by RHClarke; 18-05-06 at 11:17.
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  #55  
Old 18-05-06, 05:39
rob love rob love is offline
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The media circus has already begun. Today the media contacted the surviving spouse of one of the guys who was killed in Afghanistan a few months back. (They wanted her opinion on this death; She had nothing to tell them). What won't these parasites do to get a story.
When this same spouse requested that the funeral service for her husband be private, and without the media, the vampires were waiting at the gate to film the funeral procession.

I was with A battery until my retirement a couple of years ago, and remember 2lt Goddard's innocent, yet smiling attitude. Being the new guy on the block meant that she was constantly given many of the battery's mundane assignments, all of which she cheerfully accepted. The grin shown in her photograph was the grin one would always see on her.
It was with great regret that I lowered my Canadian flag to half mast this afternoon.
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Old 18-05-06, 18:59
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Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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Just found out at lunch today... the sister-in-law of one of my drinking buddies is a 1st cousin of Capt. Goddard. The family is totally confused about the whole thing; I was able to brief him on the duties, responsibilities and risks of being a FOO, but they'd like to know how she died. If you have any information on this, please email or PM me so I can pass along the information. It will remain confidential otherwise.

The damned thing is, for decades we've been covering up the cause of death of many of our troops who died on peacekeeping duty. I don't want to see that happening here. The family wants and needs to know, and has asked me to ask you.
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  #57  
Old 18-05-06, 23:24
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This is on the CTV News site.

Goddard, 26, was killed Wednesday during an intense firefight with Taliban insurgents near Panjwai -- 24 kilometres west of Kandahar city.
She was serving as a forward artillery observer -- helping direct fire at enemy positions from near the front lines -- when the LAV III she was riding in was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories
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Old 19-05-06, 00:03
wayne c. petrie wayne c. petrie is offline
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To those who only think Canada should be "peace keepers"
only.
What effect are we to" peace keeping", if we do not show our resolve and ability as an effecent fighting machine?
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  #59  
Old 19-05-06, 01:21
Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)'s Avatar
Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) is offline
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I heard that earlier... but if it was that kind of penetrating hit, why was none of the other crew hit as well?

In any case, I hope it was quick for her.
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Old 19-05-06, 03:42
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Afghan toll: Karzai lays blames
Canadian officer becomes country's first female combat death
Thursday, May 18, 2006 Posted: 2243 GMT (0643 HKT)
CNN) -- Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has blamed religious schools in neighboring Pakistan for inciting violence in his country, as heavy fighting and a suicide bombing in Afghanistan leaves more than 100 people reported killed.
The dead included a Canadian woman army officer and a U.S. anti-narcotics agent, officials said.
The latest violence in Afghanistan comes as NATO prepares to take over security operations from the U.S.-led coalition, which has been hunting for militants in the region since the 2001 ouster of the al Qaeda-linked Taliban regime.
Karzai said the violence emanated from the border tribal regions of neighboring Pakistan, The Associated Press reported.
These areas are populated by ethnic Pashtuns, who make up the majority of the Taliban militants and are believed to be hiding al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
"We have credible reports that inside Pakistan, in the madrassas, the mullahs and teachers are saying to their students: 'Go to Afghanistan for jihad. Burn the schools and clinics,"' Karzai said, according to AP.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Tasnim Aslam, called the allegations "baseless," AP reported.
"We have denied them repeatedly," she said.
Canadian Captain Nichola Goddard, 26, was killed as fighting raged overnight Wednesday and early Thursday between Taliban militants and Afghan and coalition forces in the country's troubled southwestern provinces.
Goddard is the 16th Canadian killed in Afghanistan and the first Canadian female soldier to die in combat since World War II. She is also the country's first female combat soldier killed in front-line action.
A U.S. military statement said she died in an "intelligence-based combat operation," in the Panjway district of Kandahar province -- which borders Pakistan. The fighting also left 18 Taliban extremists dead.
The statement said three Afghan soldiers were also injured in the fighting.
In a separate operation near Kandahar, another seven Taliban were killed early Thursday, the military said, adding that up to 20 more may have died in air strikes. One coalition soldier was hurt.
Reports of more fighting in neighboring Helmand province claimed heavy casualties. The Associated Press put estimates of the total dead among Afghan and coaltion soldiers, Taliban fighters and suicide bombers at up to 104.
Also Thursday, a suicide car bomber rammed into two vehicles in the country's main western city of Herat, killing an American working on a counter-narcotics project and injuring two other people.
U.S. embassy spokesman Chris Harris said the contractor, whose name was not released, was working on a police training program to combat the country's booming trade in deadly drugs.
Eight-hour battle
Meanwhile on Wednesday night, Canada narrowly voted to extend its combat mission in the country for two years, saying the fight against terrorism still had a long way to go.
In Helmand attacks, according to AP, several hundred Taliban militants assaulted a police and government headquarters at Musa Qala, a district in Helmand, 150 kilometers (95 miles) north of Kandahar.
The eight-hour battle killed nine police and wounded five, while the bodies of 14 militants were left behind, AP quoted deputy governor Amir Mohammed Akhunzaba saying.
An Interior Ministry spokesman put the casualty figure at 13 police and 40 militants, AP said.
Goddard, one of 2,300 Canadian troops in Afghanistan, died in a separate clash as coalition troops hunted for rebels about 50 kilometers west of Kandahar, a former Taliban stronghold where attacks have been increasing in recent months.
"During the sweeps, Afghan and Canadian troops came into contact with insurgents, those who daily threaten the lives and the livelihood of the local Afghan people," Canadian Brigadier General David Fraser said in a statement.
"Captain Goddard's death was the price today of ensuring that tens of thousands of men, women and children of Afghanistan can have hope that their future will be brighter," he added.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/as...ban/index.html
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