Hastily trained Afghan teens to stand guard for Canadians

[Signalman150]

Article in yesterday's Edmonton Journal and Montreal Gazette: Shared here in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the Copyright Act -

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=5787c139-42d3-4082-bbce-d7c24353da42&k=74114

*****

RENATA D'ALIESIO, CanWest News Service
Published: Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Canadian troops building and guarding a road where six soldiers have died in 16 days will soon receive help in policing the treacherous region: local teenagers armed with AK-47s and only 10 days of training.

The new auxiliary force is being thrown together to aid with security in Kandahar province and other troubled spots in southern Afghanistan. NATO had resisted taking this route, preferring to focus on recruiting and training police officers, Canada's Colonel Gary Stafford said.

But poor recruitment and escalating attacks from insurgents have left them with little choice but to try the government's plan, he said.

"The Afghan government requested that we expedite and get individuals into high-risk areas," said Stafford, NATO's regional police adviser for southern Afghanistan.

(See the link for the rest of the article)

*****

Now, here's the problem.  I read this news article and gathered the following:

1.  These teenagers are NOT being recruited by the CF

2.  They are NOT being trained by the CF

3.  They are NOT wanted by the CF or NATO, and are being pushed into the fray by the Afghan government despite NATO misgivings.

Notwithstanding the above, this is how some "true Canadians" are reacting to this article.

http://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2006/10/children-of-war.html

http://uppercanadian.blogspot.com/2006/10/standing-on-guard-for-thee.html

This just makes me mad, and--short of throat-punching the lot of them--I can't think of a reasoned, measured response.  Yet I'm told throat-punching is considered socially unacceptable, whilst vilifying and slandering Canadian soldiers seems to be not only socially acceptable, but encouraged in Canada.

 

[COBRA-6]

I don't like the use of "teens" in the article, it's just trying to stir up controversy and implies the use of child soldiers...

1. The CF employs "teens".
2. In Afghan culture, people are considered "men" and "women" much sooner than in the west. Drawing a comparison to our standards is misleading.

The concerning issue is their training level...

 

[Mike Baker]

I don't like the use of "teens" in the article, it's just trying to stir up controversy and implies the use of child soldiers...

Me neither. The Canadian Forces do in fact recruit teens, but as said people are considered men and women much sooner in that part of the world.

 

[RHFC_piper]

Interesting read.  The only thing I'd be worrying about, after being in that area, is; With the little amount of training, combined with youth, whats the risk of these recruits becoming enemies?  ???

 

[FormerHorseGuard]

the story makes them sound much younger then I think they  really will be.

but i think you have to remember or there some of the older men of today were teenagers fighting the former Russian Army and home country armies and won.

 

[KevinB]

This is VERY common in Afghanistan -- In fact I was very surprised that the CF / Cdn Gov't had not gone this route previously.

I'm not going to say its a good idea -- but its the cheapest method...

 

[Hunter]

1. The CF employs "teens". 

My cousin went down to sign up the day after his 16th birthday, hes a MCpl now.  I would not say the CF employs child soldiers but most recruits certainly seem like kids to me...(sigh)

 

[kratz]

1. The CF employs "teens".

Yes a 16 or 17 year old may join the CF, "with parent's consent" into the PRes. Even with this consent there is policy in place that limits where these members may be employed. I do not have the reference at home here, but I know there is a directive which came into effect around 2002, that members under the age of consent (18 years old) shall not be deployed in operations outside of Canada.

These restrictions appear, in my opinion, that the government is allowing people the choice to join at a reasonably early age and voluntarily receive their training over 1-2 years. This opportunity exposes the member to what is expected of them and hopefully they will chose to CT into the Reg force.

 

[McG]

There are too many holes in this article to discuss.  What ages are they talking about?  13 year olds?  19 year olds?  Both are teenagers, but there is still a big difference.  Additionally, it seems to me that there is no upper age limit on this auxiliary force.  It is possible that very few teenagers will be apart of this.

I believe the title's suggestion, that this force is being created to guard Canadians, is missleading.  I believe that this auxiliary to the ANP is a stop-gap due to under-manning and the time required to train actual police.  This auxiliary police force is being created to do the tasks that the ANP must but cannot do.  However, because ISAF operates with ANP, ISAF will work with these auxiliaries.  Will this force independently conduct ANP security duties, or will it augment ANP (allowing fewer full ANP on any given task but more tasks to be conducted)?

I also assume the training is being provided by the Afghan government (either through ANA or ANP).  Does NATO have any involvment?  It is implied, but not stated or explained.

I've used too much "I assume" and "I believe."  Clearly, better/more detailed reporting is required.

This just makes me mad, and--short of throat-punching the lot of them--I can't think of a reasoned, measured response. 

Maybe try posting something intelligent that points to the weakness of the arguments on the blog?  It would not have made much effort to point out that the children pictured at LE REVUE GAUCHE are Palestinian and most certainly not guarding Canadians in Afghanistan.

 

[medaid]

I agree... a much more indepth article with reagards to this topic is needed. Certainly...I took a double take at my paper the morning when I got them. On the front page was the BIG HUGE LETTERS saying that CF is employing teen soliders or words to that effect. I was very reluctant to take anything they said in the paper as concrete, as I'm sure many of us now have also done.

I agree with Piper...what are the chances that these new 'allies' may defect and join the other side?

 

[COBRA-6]

Yes a 16 or 17 year old may join the CF, "with parent's consent" into the PRes. Even with this consent there is policy in place that limits where these members may be employed. I do not have the reference at home here, but I know there is a directive which came into effect around 2002, that members under the age of consent (18 years old) shall not be deployed in operations outside of Canada.

These restrictions appear, in my opinion, that the government is allowing people the choice to join at a reasonably early age and voluntarily receive their training over 1-2 years. This opportunity exposes the member to what is expected of them and hopefully they will chose to CT into the Reg force.

I am well aware of that, but an 18 or 19 year old Canadian soldier on operations is still a "teen". My point was that the term "teen" is vague and misleading, as MCG pointed out are we talking 13 year olds or 19 year olds?

 

[Kirkhill]

I agree with Piper...what are the chances that these new 'allies' may defect and join the other side?

Contrariwise ..... what are the chances that these new 'allies' have already defected - from the Taliban payrolls?

From what I gather from the CDS's comments the other day the Taliban recruited/coerced locals just like these guys for the Op Medusa "defence".  Part of the reason that they were recruitable is a lack of ready cash.  One way to get them under control is to pay them more than the Taliban, give them all a rifle (I am guessing they have one already) and 30 rounds and tell them to go stand in a field and look useful.  A gun and a bit of money gives them a bit of self-respect, an opportunity to build the local economy by putting money in the family's hands and if you treat them nice they might just stay bought by the time next spring rolls around.  If not - then they only have 30 rounds in any case.

 

[Armymedic]

this story is BS...

they are not our police, but Afghan...and in Afghanistan a child is considered a man at 16. They are not soldiers, but police auxillary.

Nice anti war spin on this story.
Crap.

 

[Cloud Cover]

I am well aware of that, but an 18 or 19 year old Canadian soldier on operations is still a "teen". My point was that the term "teen" is vague and misleading, as MCG pointed out are we talking 13 year olds or 19 year olds?

Either way a still a target on the 2 way range, no matter what side they are on. What really bothers me is our teenagers are killing their teenagers and vice versa, and I am quite certain our teenagers know exactly why he/she is over there doing what they are doing,(very well, I might add) while the kid with the flip flops is still trying to figure out why God put him where he is. In any event, they are all to young to die. I'm starting to think wars should be fought by 50-70 year old presidents and prime ministers who really can't figure out why they have started some of this shit before retiring and/or being turfed by their electorate.

 

[midget-boyd91]

This is only my opinion.. but I think that the way to go about training the ANA should be to send them to Canada or any willing NATO nation that is willing to train them to the fullest extent before sending them into the middle of it in Afghanistan.. I guess it would be similar to the BCATP during WWII

 

[Armymedic]

This is only my opinion.. but I think that the way to go about training the ANA should be to send them to Canada or any willing NATO nation that is willing to train them to the fullest extent before sending them into the middle of it in Afghanistan

Nice try...

Take a group of undereducated illiterate men who never before stepping thru the gates of the Kabul Military training center even seen the 21st century, and bring them to a western G7 country to train before returning them to thier lives.....

Rrrrrrright!?!

Do you want them to ever go back?

I spent 6 months over there helping train the ANA...and dispite thier problems, the Afghans make proud and competant soldiers.

 

[McG]

Note to those visiting the linked blogs: Feel free to make intelligent comments but do not troll those sites.  

 

[boondocksaint]

Medical Team is right,

Most of the ANA we fought beside were reasonably well trained. Their American ETT were very proffessional and patient. They ( ANA) are very fast learners, eager, and the longer we worked with certain sections the more they tried to emulate us.  The French ETT were also very good at their jobs.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Speaking of the French
I hear they are pulling their SF guys out, is it because of the deaths or our they just overstretched and need a break like most SF units?

 

[McG]

Colin P,
Do a search.  There is a thread on that topic.