# How Canadians Helped Fight the Fight in the September 2011 Kabul Attacks



## The Bread Guy (20 Feb 2012)

Remember this from September 2011?


> Taliban fighters fired rockets at the U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul on Tuesday and attacked police in three other areas in the biggest assault the insurgent group has mounted on the Afghan capital.
> 
> At least 9 people were killed and 23 wounded in the four attacks, and a gun battle around a half-built high-rise building raged on into the evening as NATO and Afghan attack helicopters circled overhead.
> 
> ...



Matthew Fisher from Postmedia News (the first reporter I can see who's visited the troops in their new role in Afghanistan) shares how at least some Canadians helped on the big day:


> Kandahar combat veteran Master Cpl. Tyler Latta of Edmonton and St. Thomas, Ont., has been praised by senior Canadian commanders for the heroic role he played last September in Kabul in helping to repel the Taliban’s biggest co-ordinated attack since they were ousted from power in 2001. “It was a quintessentially Canadian moment with Latta leading the charge,” said Col. Pete Dawe, who commands more than 900 Canadian trainers tasked since late last spring with advising the Afghan army. “He could have hunkered down in a bunker but he risked rushing to the wall because nobody else was there and when he got there he fired and controlled the orders.” Latta is 28 years old, on his third Afghan tour and “wise beyond his years,” his colonel said. “He seized the moment and shone. Other coalition forces looked to him for classic combat leadership.” Latta was the crew commander of a group of six Canadians who happened by chance to be at NATO headquarters when the insurgents launched an audacious surprise attack on the alliance’s heavily fortified main compound and the U.S. Embassy from a partially built 14-floor office tower. Eleven Afghan civilians including children, and five policemen died during what became a 20-hour firefight. Until Postmedia News asked about it, there had been no public acknowledgment of Canada’s part in the ferocious battle, which garnered global attention at the time. The counter-attack eventually involved Afghan attack helicopters and ended after a ground assault by Afghan forces ....


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## jollyjacktar (20 Feb 2012)

I hope MCpl Latta gets some official recognition beyond a news story.  BZ!


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## cupper (20 Feb 2012)

Why is it so hard for the Government to come to grips with making stories like this public. :facepalm:

Perhaps if there were a more open policy in reporting positive stories about the heroic efforts, of regular soldiers doing the jobs that they were trained to do, there would be less criticism and piling on.

Cudo's to the good MCpl. for doing his job without question.


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## medicineman (20 Feb 2012)

cupper said:
			
		

> Why is it so hard for the Government to come to grips with making stories like this public. :facepalm::



Because when your troops are supposedly being employed in a non-combat role and the public have been led to believe that, doesn't look good to see them doing the exact opposite of what the government have said they're doing.  I liken it a little to Bosnia and Croatia in the 90's - if the public really knew what was going on over there both operation and casualty wise, they'd have thought twice I think about our presence I'm sure.  The government were pretty tight lipped about stuff to give the illusion we were doing the look cool, nobody gets hurt, UN blue helmet thing.

MM


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## The Bread Guy (20 Feb 2012)

medicineman said:
			
		

> Because when your troops are supposedly being employed in a non-combat role and the public have been led to believe that, doesn't look good to see them doing the exact opposite of what the government have said they're doing.  I liken it a little to Bosnia and Croatia in the 90's - if the public really knew what was going on over there both operation and casualty wise, they'd have thought twice I think about our presence I'm sure.  The government were pretty tight lipped about stuff to give the illusion we were doing the look cool, nobody gets hurt, UN blue helmet thing.
> 
> MM


 :goodpost:


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