# Maritimers in Afghanistan



## GAP (27 Oct 2007)

Maritimers in Afghanistan
Many of the soldiers interviewed were from CFB Gagetown
Published Saturday October 27th, 2007 Appeared on page C2
On Assignment in Afghanistan
by Chris Lambie, photographs by Christian Laforce (Nimbus)
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The book On Assignment in Afghanistan offers insight on the war and the Canadian troops sent there to fight it.

The story is by journalist Chris Lambie and photographs by Christian Laforce. Both are employees with The Chronicle Herald. They spent a month imbedded with the troops at the base surrounding the airport in Khandahar.

Lambie is an award-winning journalist who has worked as a newspaper reporter in Halifax since 1995. Laforce is an award-winning photographer who has been a staff photographer with the Chronicle Herald since 2005.

The book is well written and accompanied with excellent photographs. The focus is on Maritime troops, most of them from CFB Gagetown, but anyone in any part of the country would want to read it.

One of the biggest yet most difficult problems facing those fighting the war is the drug trade. Money from the sale of opium poppies goes to the Taliban and smugglers.

On the other hand, the crops "are being irrigated with canals paid for by Canadian taxpayers." An acre of poppies is worth about $200,000 but "almost none of that goes to the farmer." Attempts to have the Afgans grow other crops have up to this point been unsuccessful.

One of the goals of the mission is to train the Afghan to police themselves. Policing is a very dangerous line of work. They are the target of bombs, their families are harassed. They are also poorly equipped and are considered to be soft targets by the Taliban.

On a more personal level, the book covers the heat, smells, dust, bugs and other elements the troops must face while maintaining a state of alert where situations can change in the blink of an eye. Temperatures of 50C make it very difficult, if not impossible, to drive tanks and other armoured vehicles.

Probably one of the most interesting chapters is of six Canadians who lost their lives when a roadside bomb exploded beside a light armoured vehicle.

Photographs showing the commander Col. Mike Cessford announcing the deaths, Master Cpt. Brian McCallum listening to soldiers talk about their relationship with their six fallen comrades and the ramp ceremony are nothing short of amazing.

One picture that is certain to win awards is of a Canadian soldier injured in the blast, lying in a bed saluting the soldiers at the ramp ceremony.

Why are the troops going to Afghanistan? There are many answers but many of the soldiers are motivated by cash. They will take home $20,000 on top of their normal pay. As one person puts it, "Money is the reason and that's no joke. Twenty grand for the private."

For anyone who has any interest in the war in Afghanistan the book offers a first-hand account of what life is like for the troops and the people living in this war-torn country.
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