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#181
29-10-06, 02:05
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Canada Newswire..
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This was taken from the Canada Newswire site.. It is the best site I found for stuff like this.. Here is the link... http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../24/c3932.html As for being a "Dull Boy" I supose you are going to blame it on only having a big "Mussel" to play with as a kid growing up in Lunenburg...
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Alex Blair :remember :support :drunk: 
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#182
29-10-06, 12:27
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Hi Alex
Thanks for that (link).  As for growing up in Lunenburg..........................sorry, I'm not one of those Zincks. I was a basebrat and did my growing up on Air Force Bases. Hmmmmmm, that really doesn't make for much of an excuse either, does it!!!  regards Darrell
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#183
29-10-06, 12:57
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Presumptious..
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A very honourable name from an area that any Nova Scotian would recognize.. As for being a base brat...what would have happened with out base brats??...Us mom's and dad's that had "our little base brats" wouldn't have any "little helpers"...my own two daughters being base brats ,know from personal experience that you turn out OK as you fledge from being "One of them" to "Jeez,do they ever grow up fast"...... They were also Air Force base brats... But At least I found out what was causing them.... And they both turned out just fine... And from what I read in your postings,you'll be ok if your head stops fighting with the turret hatch cover...  
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Alex Blair :remember :support :drunk:
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#184
29-10-06, 14:10
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Canadian convoy travels through 'Ambush Alley'
Updated Sat. Oct. 28 2006 11:32 PM ET Paul Workman, CTV News South Asia Bureau Chief -- The ramp comes up and we're locked inside a Canadian Forces "Bison," an armored vehicle that's uncomfortable, dark and as the day moves forward, increasingly warm. Sweatingly warm. There is one tiny window out the back but you really can't see anything. You're wearing a helmet and a heavy flak jacket, and in spite of it all, the ride makes you feel sleepy. Perhaps it's the tension. You're in a Canadian military convoy moving down the highway toward Kandahar City and there's more than a chance of being hit by a roadside bomb, or a suicide attack. It could be a yellow and white Corolla taxi, it could be a truck packed with explosives, or it could be a motorcycle with a bomb hidden under the driver's clothes. The soldiers in the convoy have seen it all, or at least been warned to expect it all. Sergeant Abdoul Guindo is commander of the convoy and he's in the lead vehicle, a heavily armored beetle of a thing called an RG31. He's sitting up high, there's a gunner directly behind, and at least it has windows. Very thick, bullet proof windows. The soldiers with him are constantly scanning the road for strange behavior, certain kinds of vehicles they've been told to watch for. Certain kinds of vehicles with only a driver and no passengers, often the mark of a suicide "martyr." The convoy hogs the middle of the highway, forcing cars on to the shoulder. Nothing is allowed to pass. Often they fire warning shots at vehicles that come too fast or too close. "We don't go outside saying we're going to get hit today," says Sgt Guindo, "but we know it's a very good possibility." And he knows better than most. There have been "incidents" involving 15 of the convoys he's commanded, with nobody killed and only two soldiers wounded. Yes, 15. "We have our own little things that we look for, but the enemy is not by any means stupid. They're technically a chameleon, so he's constantly changing." Some days are more tense than others, when there have been specific warnings, but the truth is, every time these supply trucks and armored vehicles leave the safety of their compounds, they become a target for the Taliban. They travel the same roads, go to the same places, and it's often impossible to avoid the danger and congestion of downtown Kandahar, or the stretch of road father west known as "Ambush Alley." Convoy duty is usually the mundane part of military life. Not in southern Afghanistan. "I don't know if I'd call it nerve-wracking. It's just something that has to be done," says Guindo. "We fully expect it's not 'if' but 'when' it's going to happen, but you put that in the back of your mind, keep it there in a safe place and do your job." The commander of our Bison is Master Corporal Dave Russell. He stands in the hatch during the entire journey, exposed from the chest up. That's his job. His head is always scanning the street, there's a machine gun mounted to his left, and he telephones his family every time he comes home safely from a convoy. It's a gut-wrenching experience that leaves him mentally exhausted. And then he does it again. "Every time I leave the main base camp," he says, "I get the butterflies. Every time." About half an hour out of the camp we enter the outskirts of Kandahar. That's when the tension really begins to mount and the likelihood of an attack becomes much greater. The streets are crowded, and the convoy is forced to slow down and tighten its formation so that a suicide bomber has little chance of breaking in. But of course they do. Dave Russell has been on four convoys that were hit. "My heart rate goes about triple the speed with all the adrenalin rush," he says. "The first thing that comes to mind, 'was it my vehicle?' because you don't really know, and then 'is everybody alright?' That's what you want to know, and after that, everything falls into place." We make it through Kandahar, then spread out and driver faster, down "Ambush Alley," finally turning in at Patrol Base Wilson, safe behind its concrete blast walls, razor-wire fence and gun towers. The soldiers believe the Eid-al-Fitr holiday at the end of Ramadan has perhaps offered them a break from the constant threat of attack. But they know it will start again. "An uneventful day," says Sergeant Guindo, "is a good day." He's a reserve soldier, and in real life studies economics at the University of Ottawa. In fact, all of the soldiers in his unit come from the reserves. For the next hour or two, they lounge in the shade, grab a bite of rations, waiting to load up for the return journey. "Kandahar is very, very, very congested," says Guindo. "You have to be vigilant at all times." He has friends in the Battle Group, soldiers on the front-line, who wouldn't touch the job he's doing. They call his convoys "invitations" for suicide bombers. "We're not on the front lines," he says, "but we do go to very, very hectic places." That's surely an understatement. "Some of the loads, all of the loads we deliver are vital. It has to be done." So, back they go through "Ambush Alley," over the bridge that's been a favorite spot for roadside bombs and then once again, into the chaos of downtown Kandahar. Past the place where Canadian diplomat Glynn Berry was killed in a suicide attack. They drive back over the bridge that's been a favorite spot for roadside bombs. Past more craters and ruts in the pavement that mark other fatal ambushes. "This is creepy," says Guindo to his driver. They roar through the city, constantly honking the horn, forcing traffic out of their way, followed by thousands of turning Afghan heads. And finally, up ahead are the city's famous double arches and once you're past them, it usually means safety. The convoy passes through. It's been an uneventful day, as Sgt Guindo says. And that's good. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories Note that my son has being in NB for the pass three weeks training for this exact same job, convoy escort. He was the C6 gunner on the top of a G-wagon. The training ended yesterday and they are to return to Valcartier today (29th Oct.) Last edited by John McGillivray; 29-10-06 at 14:20.
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#185
30-10-06, 01:32
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Re: Presumptious..
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He retired home in 1991 and live comfortably with my Mom beside the LaHave river on Family land. As for being a/having brats; my experiences were absolutely great and I've had no complaints from my own young daughters. Now if I can only swing that position in Brussels........... This coming tour; the only thing I'll be banging my head on is a desk!! regards Darrell Way to go, Sgt Chester Tingley, for his MiD. Well done, Dragoon!!!
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#186
30-10-06, 19:13
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More Troops on the way...
Another bunch of our troops off today for the badlands..
God Speed.. Media Advisory - Soldiers from Valcartier heading for Afghanistan VALCARTIER GARRISON, QC, Oct. 30 /CNW Telbec/ - About 80 soldiers from Valcartier will be deployed in Afghanistan tonight from the Jean-Lesage International Airport, Quebec City. The Honourable Gordon O'Connor, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of International Cooperation and for la Francophonie and Official Languages, will be present at the Jean-Lesage International Airport to meet with the soldiers on their departure. M. Steven Blaney, Member of Parliament for Lévis-Bellechasse will also attend the departure. << What: Images/Photos Opportunity Where: Main terminal, Jean-Lesage International Airport, Quebec City When: Monday, October, 30 2006 8:00 p.m. - arriving of media representatives 8:10 p.m. - interviews with soldiers 8:20 p.m. - meeting between Members of Parliament and soldiers (images /photos opportunity) 9:30 p.m. end of the event >> The contingent is composed of two groups: one responsible for the protection of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), the other involved in the training and mentoring of the Afghan Army. The PRT is responsible of rebuilding projects in the Kandahar region and helps the population to better its life conditions. The group that trains and mentor's the Afghan Army, contributes to better the capacity of the Afghan Army to manage the security in its own country, an important step towards autonomy. For further information: Captain Eric Chamberland, Public Affairs Officer of 5 CMBG, (418) 844-5000, ext 4688, Canada
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Alex Blair :remember :support :drunk:
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#187
01-11-06, 02:00
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Fraser set to hand over NATO reins to Dutch
Updated Tue. Oct. 31 2006 4:46 PM ET CTV.ca News Staff Canadian Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, is set to hand over command of southern Afghanistan to the Dutch on Wednesday. It's a rotational change-of-guard that will see Dutch Maj.-Gen. Ton Van Loon take over as NATO leader in the south and command six provinces for half a year. Fraser will also hand over authority of the Canadian contingent to Brig.-Gen. Tim Grant. Fraser will be heading home to Edmonton, where he will join his wife Poppie, their two sons, and an Akita dog named Seiko. "The Taliban were not successful this summer, or this fall, in the objectives they stated," Fraser told CTV News. "They said this was going to be their summer -- they failed; they failed miserably. The operations in Panjwaii were a prime example of what they wanted to do, and they failed." Fraser has commanded about 9,500 NATO forces -- mainly British, Canadian and Dutch troops -- in southern Afghanistan since July 31. The past few months have been marked by intense operations against insurgents, who have managed to kill more than a dozen Canadian troops. "You're damn right they killed a lot of Canadians, and they killed a lot of other soldiers, and they killed even more Afghans. Because they have no respect for life," said Fraser. "All they offer is hopelessness, and what the international community and Afghan government offer is hope." Meanwhile, NATO and Afghan troops are pressing ahead with a new joint offensive called Operation Eagle. The countrywide operation is aimed at striking a blow at the Taliban during the coming winter season. The operation is also aimed at paving the way for long-promised development after the harshest fighting since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion that ousted the Taliban. Fraser said Canada has taken a much more aggressive role in Afghanistan, but it was a necessary step towards any future reconstructive efforts. "I see our history - our military history, our Canadian history - as an evolution. Is this peacekeeping? Yes. Is this peacemaking? Yes. Is this war, or fighting? Yes," said Fraser. The 32,000-strong NATO-led force assumed command of security across the whole of Afghanistan last month when it took over from U.S.-led forces in the east of the country. The transfer of power had been expected later in the year, but alliance officials said battles with resurgent guerrillas in the south showed the pressing need to consolidate the troops under NATO. Fraser said that as long as the mission is approved by the Canadian people, troops will be in the war-torn country for as long as it takes to bring peace and stability. "We're talking years. I can't say if it's five, 10 or 15. I don't know, I don't have a crystal ball, but it is measured in years," said Fraser. "We're not going to win this conflict this fall, or this summer. We're going to be here for several years to get this thing done." Canada has about 2,300 soldiers in Afghanistan, with most of them stationed in the south. Forty-two Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have died in Afghanistan since 2002. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories QUEBEC CITY -- An extra contingent of Canadian soliders is en route to Afghanistan. Seventy-six troops left CFB Valcartier last night on a 22-hour flight to Kandahar. Fifty will be on a nine-month assignment to guard reconstruction projects in the area, which has grown increasingly hazardous. Since summer, Taliban insurgents have picked up the pace of suicide bombings and ambushes. The rest of the fresh troops will join a Canadian contingent helping to train the Afghan national army. The poorly equipped force needs foreign support to maintain security in the volatile country. Another 100 soldiers from Valcartier leave for duty in Afghanistan at the end of November. Canada has about 23-hundred soldiers in Afghanistan. Forty-two have been killed since 2002. Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor was on hand to see the latest troops off and said their mission in Afghanistan is a noble one. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew..._name=&no_ads=
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#188
01-11-06, 13:55
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WORTH every Penny...!!!
I'm glad my Canadian taxes are helping the troops in Afghanistan..
Other than pay increases for serving members in the Big "A" there is probably no better moral booster than Tim Horton's... OTTAWA -- In late June 2006, a pair of Soviet-era Illyushin-76 transport planes left Canada, carrying inside their cargo bellies tonnes of precisely chilled ingredients for making doughnuts and bagels. Along with the precious cargo, six Canadian experts made the 10,000-kilometre journey over the North Pole to a region of the world from which Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs advises its citizens to stay away. That place was Kandahar, Afghanistan, home to roughly 2,300 Canadian soldiers who are there to fight terrorism and rebuild the nation. Their mission was simple: to set up and train a team of Canadians to open the first Tim Hortons franchise outside of North America, at a place where Canadians feel furthest away from home. Although while the Oakville, Ont.-based company initially balked at opening a franchise nine time zones from their main market (Canada and the U.S.), negotiations between Tim Hortons and the Department of National Defence eventually led to what was initially thought to be a private franchise operation on the Kandahar airfield -- the site of Canada's main base of operations in the region. However, through Access to Information requests, Global National has learned that it took a lot more than thirsty soldiers longing for a "double-double" morale boost to open the Afghan coffee shop -- to the tune of nearly $4 million in Canadian taxpayers' dollars. Upon the March announcement of the plans to open the Kandahar branch, Tim Hortons announced in a press release that it would convert a trailer normally used for restaurant renovations and deliver it to the Canadian Forces for use in Afghanistan. Documents obtained now show that in fact, two trailers were purchased and retrofitted at the cost of $378,000. And renting the two Illyushin-76 cargo planes to transport the trailers over? The Canadian government picked up the $425,000 tab for that too. The costs don't stop there: - First delivery of ingredients: $1.4 million - Sustaining the business through the first year: $550,000 - Engineering work to establish the outlet: $350,000 - Operation and maintenance: $150,000 - Salaries: $650,000 - Training: $30,000 The total cost for the first year of operations at Tim Hortons' Kandahar operations was over $3.9 million. And keeping the operation running during the duration of Canada's mission in Afghanistan is estimated to cost as much as $5 million a year. The only major expense Canadians won't be paying is the $450,000 franchise fee, which Global National has learned that Tim Hortons has waived in this particular case. On a positive note, the outlet serves over 1,000 coffees a day, and in its second month of operation, actually ran out of doughnuts and Timbits due to high demand. Yet even here, any profits earned by the outlet -- which despite the enormous startup costs only charges $1.50 US per cup of coffee in order to keep it affordable for the soldiers -- are likely to stay in Afghanistan. "I don't think the Canadian public will see this coming back," said Tyler Chamberlain with Ottawa University's School of Management. "Hopefully that contribution is going to be felt by the troops." And for many soldiers, all of whom have much more pressing issues to think about than the financial circumstances involved in bringing Tim Hortons to Afghanistan, a little taste of home certainly helps pass time in a place that has already claimed the lives of 42 comrades since 2002. "If you've had an interesting day, you can come back here and unwind and decompress," said Master Sgt. Eric Cramer. "It lets you go back, ready for another try." © Global National 2006
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Alex Blair :remember :support :drunk:
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#189
01-11-06, 15:14
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Aha! A REAL Armoured Corps!
David Akin, CTV News
Updated: Tue. Oct. 31 2006 11:27 PM ET OTTAWA — Canadian army officers are negotiating the purchase of as many as 100 surplus tanks from the German and Swiss armies, CTV News has learned. The deal may yet fall through but, even if it does, the fact that army officers are contemplating a purchase that could more than double the number of tanks in the Canadian Forces represents a significant strategic shift, military analysts say. As recently as 2003, military planners were proceeding to sell, dismantle and mothball Canada's tanks. The Liberal government of the day approved a $3-billion plan to replace Canada's fleet of 66 Leopard 1 tanks with lighter, faster and more mobile armoured vehicles. At that time, Rick Hillier, then a Lt. Gen but now the Chief of Defence Staff, said tanks were "useless for soldiers in ... Kabul," and he characterized tanks as a "millstone that has hamstrung our thinking for years." But despite available funding, those vehicles have never been purchased and Hillier has become the first Canadian general to send Canadian tanks into combat in five decades. Hillier was travelling Tuesday and unavailable for comment. A Canadian Forces spokesperson said: "There are no plans to purchase any Leopard tanks at this time." Five Leopards are already in Afghanistan with another dozen scheduled to arrive over the next month, much to the delight of the infantry who see the presence of the 42-tonne vehicles as a great morale booster. But that morale boost comes with a hefty price tag. Government sources say it costs $1-million to transport each tank from their base at Wainwright, Alta. to Kandahar. But despite the high cost, army planners are trying to build the business case to set up another battle group. Industry and military observers trace the ascendancy of the tanks within the Canadian Forces to the appointment of Lt. General Andrew Leslie as chief of the Canada's Land Forces. Leslie is believed to an unabashed fan of the tank. He would find an ally in Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor's top policy advisor, Col. (Ret'd) Howie Marsh. Marsh, a former tank commander himself, was a critic of earlier plans to mothball Canada's tanks. Both O'Connor, a former general, and Hillier also started their military careers as tank commanders. None of those individuals were available for interviews on the subject. But industry sources say the Canadians are considering the purchase of either or both the A4 and A5 variant of the Leopard 2 from the Germans and the Swiss. The Leopard 2 is an updated and improved version of the Leopard 1s already in operation in the Canadian Forces. It's not clear if the tanks to be purchased would be put to use in Afghanistan. The asking price for the tanks may be too good to pass up. While a brand new Leopard 2 can cost up to $6 million each, the Canadians may be able to purchase them for as little as $350,000 each. European armies, who once thought they would need thousands of tanks to counter a possible Russian threat now find themselves with too many tanks as that threat has largely evaporated. Consequently, there are many more vendors of tanks than buyers and surplus tanks can be purchased at fire-sale prices. The money for the tank purchase could be diverted from the $3-billion project approved by the Liberals to buy lighter, faster armoured vehicles. CTV News has learned that one of those projects -- the Stryker Mobile Gun System -- has effectively been cancelled after problems were identified with the Stryker's gun turret system. One industry source said the Leopard tanks Canada is looking at from the Germans and the Swiss are nearly new, "only driven by a little old lady on Sunday." But some military analysts say Hillier's 2003 instinct was correct: That Canada ought to spend its money to make its army more mobile by increasing its inventory of lighter, faster vehicles. "We haven't used tanks in the past 50 years. Unless you can clearly define a tank threat, why would you want to have tanks that are expensive to acquire, maintain and deploy?," said Col. (Ret'd) Michel Drapeau. Col. Marsh, though, is already on record defending the tanks. In April, 2005, Marsh, who was working as a consultant at the time, told a House of Commons defence committee that the tank could be assigned a variety of tasks. "The tank is the only vehicle in Canada that can forge through 1.5 metres of water without preparation. So if you had a major flood in a city and you wanted to ferry people through water over 6 feet, the tank is probably one of the best things going," Marsh said. "It also has a 20-tonne drawbar pull, so it can push and pull 20 tonnes of debris. It is an incredibly flexible vehicle that could be used when you get into extreme national emergencies and disasters, and the fact that it only costs $28 million a year to maintain means it's one of those cheap tools that you really don't want to get rid of." Opposition politicians say any purchasing decisions ought to wait until the government presents its overdue Defence Capabilities Plan, a policy document that would serve as a blueprint for military planning, mapping out the kinds of missions the Canadian Forces would be likely be assigned over the next several years. "We know there's need," said Ujjal Dosanjh, the Liberal defence critic. "But how can we judge whether what we're buying is appropriate unless we have the total overall defence capabilities plan." © Copyright 2006 CTV Inc.
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#190
01-11-06, 15:23
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Re: WORTH every Penny...!!!
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I totally agree! One only had to see the line around the block during OP MARCOT at the Stephenville, NFLD. Tim Horton's to understand the boost for morale that this most Canadian of shops delivers. I'm not going to compare being on exercise with deployment in a hot zone like 'Stan. The exercise was a bag drive but no danger and it only lasted a month, still, it was wonderful to grab an Iltis or LSVW and steal away from camp to grab a coffee and a doughnut...a little bit of normalcy. I can only imagine how good it must feel to get a break, if only a small one, from the realities of Afghanistan. Now if we can only get Don Cherry to visit the boys!
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Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
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#191
01-11-06, 15:27
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Worth a look and worth our positive support...
Referendum - www.timeoutcanada.org - For or against the withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan - Pan-Canadian Referendum - See Website
MONTREAL, Nov. 1 /CNW Telbec/ - Since midnight November 1, 2006, an independent Website has been running a pan-Canadian referendum for Canadians on whether Canadian troops should remain in Afghanistan or be withdrawn. Vote here http://www.timeoutcanada.org/ Probably Taliban Jack has his finger in this one... Can't even spell Armed Forces" and the music tells the story... From the web site... Are you for or against the immediate withdrawal of our Canadian Arned Forces from Afghanistan ? ARNED Forces...???
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Alex Blair :remember :support :drunk:
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#192
01-11-06, 22:53
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Re: Worth a look and worth our positive support...
Quote:
 (And don't forget to vote on both the English AND French questions... )
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#193
02-11-06, 04:51
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Re: Re: Worth a look and worth our positive support...
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RHC Why is it that when you have the $$, you don't have the time, and when you have the time you don't have the $$?
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#194
07-11-06, 02:27
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Here are some tribute videos to the Canadian troops in Afghanistan from youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wEEeazX0zo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbefr...elated&search= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-TqW...elated&search= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYtN5...elated&search=
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#195
07-11-06, 14:27
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It looks like we may have lost another soldier in Afstan. It was a roadside bomb in the Panjwaii district in Kandahar province. There were two wounded.
Will advise when more known.
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#196
07-11-06, 20:30
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Update
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#197
08-11-06, 04:43
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More pictures of Canadian Leopards C2s from 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 http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...e=combatcamera http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...e=combatcamera http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...e=combatcamera 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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#198
08-11-06, 21:37
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#199
11-11-06, 14:07
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Canadian soldier receives Star of Military Valour
Updated Fri. Nov. 10 2006 11:00 PM ET CTV.ca News Staff Sgt. Patrick Tower has become the first ever Canadian to receive the Star of Military Valour. The courageous soldier saved at least four comrades in a brutal Afghanistan firefight. Although Tower survived to continue fighting, his best friend Sgt. Vaughn Ingram died in the violence. "I asked him what were the ranks of the soldiers that were killed and he told me," said Tower's father, retired captain Bob Tower, who spoke with his son shortly after the attack. "I said, 'Who was the sergeant?' and he said Ingram. I said, 'Oh Pat, I'm sorry.'" The honour is one of the highest military decorations for valour in Canada, second only to the Victoria Cross. Both of those awards, along with the Medal of Military Valour, were created for the Canadian Forces in 1993. Tower received the honour for his valiant act on Aug. 3, in which he risked his life to save troops pinned down by rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire. The platoon was trying to secure a school in the volatile Pashmul region. Along with Ingram, two other Canadian soldiers were killed in the attack: Pte. Kevin Dallaire and Cpl. Bryce Jeffrey Keller. Another soldier, Cpl. Christopher Reid, died earlier in the day from a roadside bomb. All four soldiers were from the Edmonton-based Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. It was one of the worst days of casualties suffered by the military since the Afghanistan mission began in 2002. "Not a day goes by when I don't think about Sgt. Ingram, or the 3rd of August, or what happened that day," Tower told CTV News. Tower, born in Victoria, B.C., gathered together another soldier and the platoon medic, and took them through 150 metres of open terrain -- without any place to hide or find cover -- while grenades and bullets rained down on the small group. "I just told Tom (the other soldier) and the medic, we've got to go up there," Tower recalled. "I thought there was a lot of fire before, but as soon as we started running, they really picked it up." When they reached the troops at the school, Tower discovered the acting platoon commander was dead. He took command and led the surviving members to safety. During Friday's ceremony, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier described Tower as "a true Canadian hero." But Tower said his courage depended on the soldiers around him, and that he was only one part of a team. "I'm just proud of my whole platoon and how they all performed that day. Like I said, that award belongs to all us," said Tower. Hillier said Tower, and others fighting for peace and stability in Afghanistan, remind Canadians of the importance of Remembrance Day and the sacrifices soldiers make. "Canadians have woken up and realized this is not our grandfathers at war, these are our young, our sons and daughters," he said. With a report from CTV's National Affairs Correspondent Lisa LaFlamme http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories
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#200
12-11-06, 14:46
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Fighting The Old-Fashioned Way
by David J. Bercuson The first contingent of Canadian soldiers assigned to duty in the Kandahar region of Afghanistan is now back and a second rotation to that battle-scarred area is under way. Last spring the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper secured a parliamentary mandate to extend the Kandahar mission to at least 2009. The Kandahar mission has turned out to be every bit as dangerous as Chief of the Defence Staff General Rick Hillier and former minister of National Defence Bill Graham warned Canadians it would be when they toured Canada in the spring and summer of 2005, just after the deployment announcement. As of mid-September, more than 30 Canadian soldiers have been killed since the deployment of the battle group led by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Eight of those casualties were in August alone. It is not too early to begin to arrive at some conclusions about the nature of this war that Canada has chosen to fight alongside its North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners in the southern regions of Afghanistan. First, and most important, this war resembles almost every other insurgency that soldiers have fought since the beginning of time. Put simply, the old lessons about how to fight an insurgency are still the best. This realization probably comes as a sobering reminder to those defence analysts, military experts and soldiers who had become enamoured by concepts such as the revolution in military affairs, much touted in the late 1990s, and transformation--a more recent sobriquet--that war is still pretty much the same, regardless of the marvels of 21st century technology. It is still basically soldiers killing soldiers at relatively short ranges. In Afghanistan, Canadians have been killed by roadside bombs, suicide bombers, ambushes and plain old fire fights between themselves and Taliban armed with assault rifles, machine-guns, rocket-propelled grenades (a World War II development) and improvised explosive devices. A shockingly large proportion of them have been killed while travelling in convoys. How much of our road movement is really necessary? In these sorts of fights, digital data uplinks, network-centric communications, remotely piloted vehicles, etc., may well help on occasion, and certainly no modern army should do without them. But Canadian infantry battalions would probably be better off if they had their scout platoons and mortars back so that they could resort, when necessary, to their own mortars and their own explosives when digging out insurgents. Second, a war such as this one is inherently a struggle of set-piece battles. Each attack on a Taliban stronghold, whether it be a house or a small village, is another set-piece attack. Thus good old fashioned artillery--which the Canadian army was on the verge of dropping not too long ago--has come back into its own. So has close air support, although it seems to be a lot less available to the Canadian infantry than it ought to be. Third, this war is showing once again that infantry must have sufficient direct fire support to allow them to dominate by fire, rather than by manpower or manoeuvre. The cannon on the LAV has proven invaluable, but even better would be a heavy-calibre gun such as the one on the Leopard tank or some other such armoured vehicle. Canadian experience in Afghanistan, American and British experience in Iraq, and Israeli experience in Lebanon are proving over and over that tanks, properly supported and protected by infantry, are vital in dealing with well-dug-in insurgents. True, Israel lost about 30 tanks to Hezbollah fighters armed with up-to-date Russian-made anti-tank rockets, but that was mainly because the Israel Defence Forces seemed to have forgotten how to properly co-ordinate infantry and armour. Fourth, all of the discussion that has been going on since Somalia about how Canada must prepare its military leaders for the 21st century with advanced education, military ethics, etc., is true enough, but will go for naught if these new leaders do not understand that leadership at all levels must begin with compassion. Not a compassion that leads to casualty avoidance, but a compassion that is based on an empathetic understanding of what the lower ranks must endure in order to fulfil a commander's intent. And one based on willingness to demonstrate compassion in ways that are usually little more than symbolic, but nevertheless crucial. Fifth, at any given moment when Canadian troops are actually in contact with the enemy in Afghanistan, killing and taking casualties, the great majority of Canadians back home are living normally without any limit whatever on their ability to work, to play, to entertain, to attend school, to do anything that is part of normal life. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, except that every time Canada takes another casualty, the Canadian media restarts its chorus of "Why are we in Afghanistan?" At the same time new polls are published that show that support for the war is up a half a point this week or down a half a point the next. Two governments, one Liberal, one Conservative, decided on this mission as a matter of vital Canadian national interest. If the current government doesn't do a better job of selling this war--yes, war-to Canadians, it had better learn to ignore the polls. Or do the best job it can to reassure the troops out there that their presence and sacrifice has great meaning. There, too, this war resembles thousands of others that date back to the dawn of recorded time, and probably even earlier. http://www.legionmagazine.ca/feature...asp?id=print#2
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#201
21-11-06, 05:01
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Thanks
I was just wandering cyber-space tonight and happened upon this site. I read a lot of the posts and I want to thank you all. I just returned from Afghanistan in August, and it isn't easy there but it feels that much harder if the country your fighting for "Publicly" doesn't appear to support you. We thought it over there and I believe it back here that the biggest culprit is the press, selling the bad and forgetting the good. After reading all your posts I see that we aren't alone in this fight and it is for a true and righteous cause, thanks again.
To those going, good luck and stay safe.
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#202
21-11-06, 05:30
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Clark, first of all, welcome to MLU.
This is not a political site, and we discourage debates of that sort... BUT ... to a man (and woman), we stand together in support of our troops overseas, regardless of our individual political persuasions. This will never change, and I want you and your comrades to know this, absolutely. As long as we have men and women under arms and under fire, I shall wear my poppy with pride, and I do. I only wish my age and health would permit me to support you as I should, in the field. I take pride in my commission, but it pales in the face of what you and your comrades have endured and accomplished. I salute you all. 
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#203
21-11-06, 06:08
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Re: Thanks
Quote:
I want to say a huge WELCOME HOME!!!! and I'm glad you found MLU. A lot of really great people in here, and great learning, but it sounds like you've already noticed that. It's an amazing place for learning all sorts of things  Pro Soldier, I am. Karmen (one of the few women in here, definately the Yappiest )
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#204
21-11-06, 16:51
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CTV News
An interesting article today... I can't see this working, but those of you on the inside might have a better handle on things.
On a related note, how is our recruiting going, and what percentage of militiamen are taking call-outs? Quote:
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#205
21-11-06, 17:37
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Strathconas
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#206
21-11-06, 18:18
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Two Wounded
Quote:
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#207
26-11-06, 04:51
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There was a neat little clip [/humour] on tonight's CTV News, on 'The Barber of Khandahar', a 60 year-old from northern Ontario who's gone over there to cut hair. He travels to some of the outlying posts, and caught a good firefight and airstrike on his digicam. Apparently the lads think pretty highly of him.
They also showed a few seconds of some of the civvies working at Tim's at the airfield. It's nice to see stuff on the regular folk who are doing their bit over there in support of the troops. 
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#208
27-11-06, 12:34
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Two more Canucks KIA outside Kandahar this AM via suicide bomber. Damn.
RIP, laddies.
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#209
27-11-06, 18:58
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Both reported to be RCR; names are being withheld for the time being at the request of the families.
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SUNRAY SENDS AND ENDS :remember :support
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#210
27-11-06, 19:54
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Re: CTV News
Quote:
The outsourcing of mil occupational taskings is a further terrible indictment of yet to be surmounted 30+ years suppression and demeaning of the military's role under Canadian Liberal "rule". We're ramping up, but there's still a long way to go. Defence spending is no-where near a percentage of the GDP as it was, for example, in the '50s. Outsourcing is a stop-gap measure...replacing servicemen with civilians to do the same job, but at a higher, contracted, rate. (More Defence funds down the tubes). Recruits are being engaged and processed through the system, yet are held in "Holding Platoons", not gainfully employed, because there are no NCO instructors to teach them the required millitary skills. Where are the instructors, you might ask? Well...they're mostly all overseas on deployment!!! Doh! (Bonus points for recognizing the fact that physical prowess is not now required for a recruit to sign up...no more "Gimme 20") So now it is proposed to outsource such things as driver training, map using and navigation, further logistical shortcuts such as ASD (Alternate Service Delivery)...a buzz word for outsourcing. I've been a victim of outsourcing, and it ain't pretty, from a military ethos point of view. Why do I rant like this?...well, apply the term outsourcing to any civilian establishment and check out the net results. 'Nuff said. Thanks for your time.
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PRONTO SENDS
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