Sorry, forgot to start February thread....Posts for the first couple of days of February can be found at the end of the January thread...
Articles found 4 February, 2007
Canadian soldier’s legacy lives on Afghani babies helped by generosity of Sooke Quilters
By Pirjo Raits Sooke News Mirror Jan 31 2007
Article Link
photo below: A soldier is shown with a tiny Afghani baby wearing one of the “Boomer” hats made by people in Canada and sent to Afghanistan on military planes
When there is a need, it seems one can always count on the people in Sooke. Last fall there was a call for Boomer hats — tiny knitted hats for babies. These hats, along with assorted blankets and other items, were handmade by women in Sooke and sent through the military to Afghanistan to be gratefully received by mothers.
The hats were called Boomer hats because of one young soldier stationed in Afghanistan. His name was Corporal Andrew Eykelenboom (Boomer) and he was killed in August 2006 while on duty saving lives. His letters home spoke of the ongoing need to help.
During one of his phone calls home, he said, “Mom, people in Canada have no idea of what having nothing means, even our street people have more than those in Afghanistan.”
Who was Boomer?
A young man with a big goofy smile, one who was kind and caring. He was just one of the many dedicated men and women in our military who are willing to risk their lives for a bigger cause, who are willing to be there for their comrades and to help those far less fortunate.
Part of an email from Andrew:
“Well, I finally got the picture you have been waiting for. About two weeks ago a little girl brought her infant sister to the UMS while I was on duty. She had second degree burns on her hand from touching a kettle. I bandaged her hand and after gave a doll that your friend made to her. She instantly stopped crying and started sucking on the nose of the doll. A special thanks goes from her older sister to your friend for such a wonderful gift; and a thanks from me for being the one to accept her gratitude. Making the children happy is the most rewarding thing about this tour. Love Andrew”
His last sentence is what this is all about....”The Canadian Military is in the south, and through the work of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams they are making a difference for the women, men and children in the southern Kandahar area, so much more is needed to be done – what can we do – you and I?”
June Wesley of the Sooke Quilters has been keeping her hands busy and her heart full as she and the other quilters knit, crochet, sew and put together small items to send to Afghanistan. The military uses its planes to deliver the hats, blankets and other items.
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Where Defence and Development meet
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Article Link
Apparently, some Canadians think our CF should be digging wells instead of fighting murderous and fanatic misogynists in Afghanistan.
Well, here's a photo for you: Seen at bottom of todays listings
You see what I did there? A pun on the word "well." Oh, come on, it was funny...OK, clever at least...
My point in posting this? Not much of one, except to say the CF can - how to put this delicately? - create insurmountable difficulties for Taliban fighters to take even one more breath, and at the same time dig wells and win hearts and minds. Concurrent activity, folks. Walking and chewing gum.
Not that putting the Taliban thugs into a shallow grave doesn't win hearts and minds, because it does. Imagine: your village has been terrorized by these butchers, your elders threatened, your teachers shot, your neighbours forced to grow opium crops by a bunch of thugs.
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Women weavers in Afghanistan find rugs loom large in future
Houston woman's project helping faraway people
Feb. 2, 2007, 8:29PM By MAGGIE GALEHOUSE Houston Chronicle
Article Link
Life definitely takes strange turns that you can't predict," says Connie Duckworth.
In 2003, not long after retiring from Goldman Sachs in New York, the Houston native flew to Afghanistan as a member of the newly created U.S.- Afghan Women's Council.
The Taliban had fallen in November 2001, and Duckworth was familiar with the abuses suffered by Afghan women under that repressive regime. The atrocities included sexual and physical violence, and women were subjected to rigid rules of dress and behavior.
Duckworth knew that she wanted to use her business experience to employ women in this central Asian country not quite as large as Texas. A Wharton graduate, Duckworth has also chaired the Committee of 200, a professional organization of the country's top women executives and entrepreneurs.
On the airplane home from Afghanistan, she started drafting a business plan that soon became Arzu Inc., a nonprofit company that now employs more than 700 Afghan women. Based mostly in rural villages, the women weave contemporary and traditional rugs. The company's profits provide health care and education to people in remote areas of Afghanistan.
Arzu visits the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft this week, offering rugs for sale along with demonstrations, photographs, and lectures.
"The starting premise is that we pay an above-market rate to the women, so they are generating cash income that can help pull them out of debt," says Duckworth. "We provide materials. The yarn is from Afghanistan, and we ship it to the areas where the women work."
The rugs cost $900-$16,000, depending on size and complexity, with traditional, tribal and modern patterns available. Duckworth says the modern designs, which range from solid colors to freestyle patterns created by individual weavers, sell fast.
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Local troops train for Afghanistan
Alan Hustak Montreal Gazette Friday, February 02, 2007
Article Link
CFB FARNHAM – Air Force Master Cpl. Normand Daigneault struggled to lift the body of Cpl. David Tran-Hu and throw him over his shoulder to carry him 100 metres along the tarmac.
But under the weight of Tran-Hu’s 140 pounds, Daigneault stumbled and both men ended up splayed on the ground.
“I had him, but I didn’t have him properly, he was sitting on my arm instead of on my shoulders, and we fell,” Daigneault said. “It shouldn’t have happened. I had to pick him up again and reposition. Something like that in combat can cost lives.”
Daigneault, who is with the 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (438ETAH), was taking part Friday in a routine physical training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Farnham, 60 kilometres southeast of Montreal.
The drill is ongoing work for the flight (what the air force calls a military squadron), made up of 15 of the so-called primary forces – men and women who could be in combat when they are shipped to Afghanistan in August – and nine others who are being put through the same paces and will serve as backups.
As a helicopter swirled overhead, they set off before dawn Friday in full combat gear on a 13-kilometre march, slogging their way along gravel and dirt roads, up and down hills, with a rifle over their shoulders and a 25-kilogram pack on their backs.
Once they reached their destination, they had to carry each other the final 100 metres, as they would have to do if they were under fire and one of their buddies was wounded.
“The walk itself is not hard, but it is demanding,” Cpl. Jimmy Lagüe said as he high-fived one of his colleagues after completing the exercise. “Anyone who is in good physical shape can do it. You can get a sore back and blisters on your feet, for sure, but that’s about it.”
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Why Canada must muscle up
ANDREW PRESTON
Article Link
Whose War Is It?
How Canada Can Survive in the Post-9/11 World
By J. L. Granatstein - HarperCollins, 246 pages, $34.95
Not too long before 9/11, Henry Kissinger published one of his habitual surveys of the world. Troubled by the apathy of his wealthy, contented fellow Americans in the wake of the Cold War, Kissinger provocatively entitled his book, Does America Need a Foreign Policy? With unprecedented domestic prosperity and the absence of a serious foreign threat, Americans no longer held much interest in their role in the world. Some, such as the conservative populist Pat Buchanan, even questioned the need for one at all. Ever the realist, Kissinger warned that a nation as powerful as the United States could not hide from its international challenges and obligations. Did America need a foreign policy? The answer, naturally, was yes.
J. L. Granatstein, Canada's most prolific writer on national defence and the military, is also a realist. In recent years, he has used his high profile and astonishing productivity to sound alarm bells about our own apathy, namely Canada's declining stature in the world, the deterioration of our armed forces and our decreasing capability to safeguard our own domestic security. Like Kissinger, and for basically the same reasons, Granatstein envisions an active international role for his country.
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Trick your ride: customizing the LAVIII
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Article Link
Earlier this month, I noticed an article online by Captain Nicole Meszaros, an Air Force PAffO, that talked about a sky-blue engineering unit being used to cut steel armour for use on the Army's LAVIII:
More than 100 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV III) had their existing armour improved thanks to the addition of specially cut pieces of steel.
"Based on mission changes, a natural phenomenon, the Army asked us to help manage their changing needs," said Lieutenant-Colonel Frances Allen, Commanding Officer of ATESS [Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron]." Generally, we support Air Force initiatives, but in this case the Army has turned to the Air Force and the Navy to improve their deployed equipment."
This is the first time ATESS has been involved in such a tri-service initiative. "The focus within the Canadian Forces has been adjusted to a CF-first focus so as the CF prioritizes, we could get involved in such future projects away from those that are strictly Air Force," said LCol Allen.
I didn't post about it, because the subject invites misinterpretation. I'll explain how in a moment.
Today, I've received information from the east coast that some journalists have been sniffing around the shipyards on what is either a similar project or an extension of this one. Which means that information on this project is going to be out there in a couple of days. And I'd bet good money that the way that information is presented is going to be wrong.
When I first saw the Air Force piece, I realized that someone wanted to talk about how one branch of the military is helping another. I suspect that's why the folks who wear the deep blue uniform on the east coast granted interviews on this project as well - to remind everyone that no matter which colour of uniform they wear, the Canadian Forces work together.
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Sexsmith proclaims Red Friday in honour of soldier
By DEREK LOGAN Herald Tribune staff
Article Link
When Pte. Farrel Starkey heads over to Afghanistan next week, his only major link back to his family in Sexsmith will be his laptop computer.
Although the Canadian Forces have digital link-ups at the Kandahar base, the wait times on them are long and the allotted time to talk to family is limited. Starkey's superiors suggested he get his own computer.
"He bought himself one with a webcam so he's hoping to be able to contact home more so we can see him because we don't know how good phone calls are from there," said his mother, Donna Starkey.
There is some anxiety in the family as the 24-year-old private heads off for his first overseas tour of duty Feb. 6. For the next seven months, Farrel will be an apprentice of sorts with the explosive ordinance disposal unit for the combat engineer regiment (4-CER) from his home base, CFB Gagetown near Oromocto, N.B.
Although his primary role is to drive one of the armoured Bison vehicles, he will also be assisting the ordinance team in clearing landmines and explosives for the frontline combat units.
For his family, which includes two brothers and 13-year-old twin sisters, there will be a lot of anxiety and concern to deal with over the coming months. The Taliban have been regularly leaking announcements of heightened aggression against the Canadian forces in southern Afghanistan.
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U.S. gives 8 attack helicopters to Pakistan, bolstering counterterror capability
The Associated Press Friday, February 2, 2007 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan
Article Link
The United States gave eight attack helicopters to Pakistan on Friday, bolstering the key U.S. ally's ability to combat Taliban and al-Qaida militants suspected of attacking neighboring Afghanistan from Pakistan's border areas.
The Pakistani army took possession of the Cobra AH1-F helicopters at Qasim air base, near the capital, Islamabad, the U.S. Embassy said. Another 12 Cobras are to be delivered later in a military aid package worth a total of US$50 million (€38.4 million), it said.
The refurbished helicopters, which are specially equipped for nighttime operations, are "important weapons in our common fight," U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said at the hand-over ceremony, according to an embassy statement.
Afghanistan, the United States and the NATO-led coalition fighting Taliban and al-Qaida rebels in Afghanistan are urging Pakistan to do more to stop the insurgents from using Pakistan's remote border areas to launch attacks.
Pakistan insists it is doing all it can, pointing to the loss of hundreds of soldiers in operations against militants near the border with Afghanistan. President Pervez Musharraf said Friday that Pakistan will soon begin erecting fencing to reinforce the long, mountainous frontier.
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Residents respond to soldier’s request for help
By Paula Vogler Thursday, February 01, 2007 - Updated: 11:20 AM EST
Article Link
With boxes stacked to the ceiling in every nook, cranny, and corner in his small room as well as on the bed and under the bed, Captain Benjamin Tupper said he does not have room for any more.
The good news is that children in Afghanistan, where Tupper is stationed, are benefiting from the huge outpouring of aid Easton residents have sent in response to Tupper’s plea for winter clothing and small toys for these children.
“Of all the newspapers and community groups that responded to my appeal, by far Easton stands out as the town that responded the strongest,” said Tupper in an email. “To date I’ve received close to 40 boxes from Easton and I’m expecting another 40 in the coming weeks. I hope those who supported this project can appreciate what a significant impact a pair of shoes or an old floppy winter hat can have on a child without these items. The smiles, and the look of amazement on their faces when they receive them, are beyond explanation.”
Tupper said he and his fellow soldiers were able to distribute clothing on one recent mission to approximately 300-400 children with the items people have sent. They used a school in the village of Zaran Sharanwhich serves more than 400 local children as a distribution center.
“All boys, no girls allowed,” said Tupper, “which is unfortunately common here. However if the school served girls, it would have been burned down already by the Taliban.”
Tupper had to first secure the site and clear any booby traps or IEDs (improvised explosive devices). He said there were already close to 200 children milling around when he first arrived.
“In order to properly secure the site, we (had) to move all these kids about 200 meters away from the school grounds, which I can tell you was harder than herding cats,” Tupper said. “After an hour, the kids were outside the cordon, the area was deemed safe, and the trailers full of your items rolled into the school grounds.”
He said every child left with something; many barefoot children left with their first pair of winter boots. A lot of the items were pre-packaged in large plastic bags to speed up the distribution.
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US Military Kills 7 Insurgents in Southern Afghanistan
By VOA News 02 February 2007
Article Link
The U.S. military in Afghanistan says coalition forces have killed up to seven militants preparing to launch a rocket attack in Paktika province, near the Pakistani border.
A military statement says coalition forces fired mortars and carried out airstrikes after spotting a group of militants setting up rockets in Bermel district of the eastern province Friday.
The military says a ground patrol went to the site and confirmed that two militants died on the spot and another five were presumed dead.
On Thursday, the United States gave thousands of weapons and hundreds of armored vehicles to Afghanistan's army as it braces for renewed fighting with Taleban insurgents in the coming warmer months.
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Editorial: Now’s not time to forget about Afghanistan
02/04/2007
Article Link
The war in Iraq has been very costly to America. According to the Associated Press, 3,083 American troops have been killed in Iraq as of Jan. 31, and 23,279 have been wounded in fighting since the war began in March of 2003. In January alone, at least 82 U.S. personnel were killed.
Let’s not forget the Iraqi civilian deaths, which are estimated at more than 54,000. The U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq reports 34,452 Iraqis were killed in 2006 alone.
The price of the war has been just as frightening, with more than $350 billion having been spent in Iraq. Combine that with the conflict in Afghanistan and operations against terrorism elsewhere and the cost has topped at least $500 billion.
While the war in Iraq continues to haunt Americans, it seems many people have forgotten about the U.S. service members who have been killed fighting in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S. invasion in late 2001.
As of Friday, close to 300 U.S. military members have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, according to the Defense Department. Of the nearly 300 service members killed, the military has reported 192 were killed by hostile action.
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US takes over NATO in Afghanistan
(Reuters) 4 February 2007
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KABUL - The United States, which has just doubled its combat troops in Afghanistan, took over command of the 33,000-strong NATO force in the country on Sunday amid warnings of a bloody spring offensive by the Taleban.
The Taleban leader in a key southern district was also killed on Sunday as part of a NATO offensive to recapture the town of Musa Qala from the rebels, the alliance and residents said.
U.S. General Dan McNeill now heads NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) after taking over from British General David Richards, who saw the force grow from just 9,000 as it expanded into the Taleban’s southern heartland during his nine-month command.
Last year was the bloodiest since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taleban government in 2001, and U.S. and NATO leaders warn of a bloody spring offensive in what analysts say will be the decisive year in the battle for Afghanistan.
More than 4,000 people died last year and the Taleban warned this weekend they have 2,000 suicide bombers ready for what they say will be the bloodiest year yet for foreign troops.
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Caring for Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan Will Cost $662 Billion Over 40 Years
02/04/2007
Article Link
According to Linda J. Bilmes, a former chief financial officer and assistant secretary of the US Commerce Department, it will cost $662 billion over the next 40 years to care for returned veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bilmes, who now lectures on public policy at the John F Kennedy School of Government, accuses the Bush administration of being unprepared for what disability benefits and medical care will cost for veterans.
The costs are increased by the fact that more soldiers are surviving their injuries. In Vietnam the wounds per death ratio was 2.6:1, now it is 16:1. In addition there is a large number of soldiers who have disabilities as mental health conditions.
end
Successes and Setbacks in the "Long War"
By David Huntwork on Feb 02, 07
Article Link
A year ago the Pentagon released its Quadrennial Defense Review. It was essentially a strategy for a 20-year “long war” and a generational battle plan designed to prepare the military for a Cold War type struggle against the forces of militant Islam.
According to the official unveiling:
Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, our nation has fought a global war against violent extremists who use terrorism as their weapon of choice, and who seek to destroy our free way of life. Our enemies seek weapons of mass destruction and, if they are successful, will likely attempt to use them in their conflict with free people everywhere. Currently, the struggle is centered in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we will need to be prepared and arranged to successfully defend our nation and its interests around the globe for years to come.
It is apparent that the United States and its assorted allies are still seeking to adequately define its enemy, reach a consensus on tactics, and achieve some sort of victory in (or graceful exit from) Iraq. In this age of round the clock news and information it is easy to get caught up in the crisis of the moment. But it is also important that we examine the big picture in the War on Terror and take the time to look back at some of the successes and setbacks experienced since 9-11.
Successes
* The United States exposed and virtually eliminated the Pakistani Khan Nuclear Proliferation Network which peddled nuclear weapons designs and related technology, as well as delivery systems, throughout the world. Client states included Iran, Syria, North Korea and Libya as well as attempted sales to Saddam’s Iraq.
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Articles found 4 February, 2007
Canadian soldier’s legacy lives on Afghani babies helped by generosity of Sooke Quilters
By Pirjo Raits Sooke News Mirror Jan 31 2007
Article Link
photo below: A soldier is shown with a tiny Afghani baby wearing one of the “Boomer” hats made by people in Canada and sent to Afghanistan on military planes
When there is a need, it seems one can always count on the people in Sooke. Last fall there was a call for Boomer hats — tiny knitted hats for babies. These hats, along with assorted blankets and other items, were handmade by women in Sooke and sent through the military to Afghanistan to be gratefully received by mothers.
The hats were called Boomer hats because of one young soldier stationed in Afghanistan. His name was Corporal Andrew Eykelenboom (Boomer) and he was killed in August 2006 while on duty saving lives. His letters home spoke of the ongoing need to help.
During one of his phone calls home, he said, “Mom, people in Canada have no idea of what having nothing means, even our street people have more than those in Afghanistan.”
Who was Boomer?
A young man with a big goofy smile, one who was kind and caring. He was just one of the many dedicated men and women in our military who are willing to risk their lives for a bigger cause, who are willing to be there for their comrades and to help those far less fortunate.
Part of an email from Andrew:
“Well, I finally got the picture you have been waiting for. About two weeks ago a little girl brought her infant sister to the UMS while I was on duty. She had second degree burns on her hand from touching a kettle. I bandaged her hand and after gave a doll that your friend made to her. She instantly stopped crying and started sucking on the nose of the doll. A special thanks goes from her older sister to your friend for such a wonderful gift; and a thanks from me for being the one to accept her gratitude. Making the children happy is the most rewarding thing about this tour. Love Andrew”
His last sentence is what this is all about....”The Canadian Military is in the south, and through the work of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams they are making a difference for the women, men and children in the southern Kandahar area, so much more is needed to be done – what can we do – you and I?”
June Wesley of the Sooke Quilters has been keeping her hands busy and her heart full as she and the other quilters knit, crochet, sew and put together small items to send to Afghanistan. The military uses its planes to deliver the hats, blankets and other items.
More on link
Where Defence and Development meet
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Article Link
Apparently, some Canadians think our CF should be digging wells instead of fighting murderous and fanatic misogynists in Afghanistan.
Well, here's a photo for you: Seen at bottom of todays listings
You see what I did there? A pun on the word "well." Oh, come on, it was funny...OK, clever at least...
My point in posting this? Not much of one, except to say the CF can - how to put this delicately? - create insurmountable difficulties for Taliban fighters to take even one more breath, and at the same time dig wells and win hearts and minds. Concurrent activity, folks. Walking and chewing gum.
Not that putting the Taliban thugs into a shallow grave doesn't win hearts and minds, because it does. Imagine: your village has been terrorized by these butchers, your elders threatened, your teachers shot, your neighbours forced to grow opium crops by a bunch of thugs.
More on link
Women weavers in Afghanistan find rugs loom large in future
Houston woman's project helping faraway people
Feb. 2, 2007, 8:29PM By MAGGIE GALEHOUSE Houston Chronicle
Article Link
Life definitely takes strange turns that you can't predict," says Connie Duckworth.
In 2003, not long after retiring from Goldman Sachs in New York, the Houston native flew to Afghanistan as a member of the newly created U.S.- Afghan Women's Council.
The Taliban had fallen in November 2001, and Duckworth was familiar with the abuses suffered by Afghan women under that repressive regime. The atrocities included sexual and physical violence, and women were subjected to rigid rules of dress and behavior.
Duckworth knew that she wanted to use her business experience to employ women in this central Asian country not quite as large as Texas. A Wharton graduate, Duckworth has also chaired the Committee of 200, a professional organization of the country's top women executives and entrepreneurs.
On the airplane home from Afghanistan, she started drafting a business plan that soon became Arzu Inc., a nonprofit company that now employs more than 700 Afghan women. Based mostly in rural villages, the women weave contemporary and traditional rugs. The company's profits provide health care and education to people in remote areas of Afghanistan.
Arzu visits the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft this week, offering rugs for sale along with demonstrations, photographs, and lectures.
"The starting premise is that we pay an above-market rate to the women, so they are generating cash income that can help pull them out of debt," says Duckworth. "We provide materials. The yarn is from Afghanistan, and we ship it to the areas where the women work."
The rugs cost $900-$16,000, depending on size and complexity, with traditional, tribal and modern patterns available. Duckworth says the modern designs, which range from solid colors to freestyle patterns created by individual weavers, sell fast.
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Local troops train for Afghanistan
Alan Hustak Montreal Gazette Friday, February 02, 2007
Article Link
CFB FARNHAM – Air Force Master Cpl. Normand Daigneault struggled to lift the body of Cpl. David Tran-Hu and throw him over his shoulder to carry him 100 metres along the tarmac.
But under the weight of Tran-Hu’s 140 pounds, Daigneault stumbled and both men ended up splayed on the ground.
“I had him, but I didn’t have him properly, he was sitting on my arm instead of on my shoulders, and we fell,” Daigneault said. “It shouldn’t have happened. I had to pick him up again and reposition. Something like that in combat can cost lives.”
Daigneault, who is with the 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (438ETAH), was taking part Friday in a routine physical training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Farnham, 60 kilometres southeast of Montreal.
The drill is ongoing work for the flight (what the air force calls a military squadron), made up of 15 of the so-called primary forces – men and women who could be in combat when they are shipped to Afghanistan in August – and nine others who are being put through the same paces and will serve as backups.
As a helicopter swirled overhead, they set off before dawn Friday in full combat gear on a 13-kilometre march, slogging their way along gravel and dirt roads, up and down hills, with a rifle over their shoulders and a 25-kilogram pack on their backs.
Once they reached their destination, they had to carry each other the final 100 metres, as they would have to do if they were under fire and one of their buddies was wounded.
“The walk itself is not hard, but it is demanding,” Cpl. Jimmy Lagüe said as he high-fived one of his colleagues after completing the exercise. “Anyone who is in good physical shape can do it. You can get a sore back and blisters on your feet, for sure, but that’s about it.”
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Why Canada must muscle up
ANDREW PRESTON
Article Link
Whose War Is It?
How Canada Can Survive in the Post-9/11 World
By J. L. Granatstein - HarperCollins, 246 pages, $34.95
Not too long before 9/11, Henry Kissinger published one of his habitual surveys of the world. Troubled by the apathy of his wealthy, contented fellow Americans in the wake of the Cold War, Kissinger provocatively entitled his book, Does America Need a Foreign Policy? With unprecedented domestic prosperity and the absence of a serious foreign threat, Americans no longer held much interest in their role in the world. Some, such as the conservative populist Pat Buchanan, even questioned the need for one at all. Ever the realist, Kissinger warned that a nation as powerful as the United States could not hide from its international challenges and obligations. Did America need a foreign policy? The answer, naturally, was yes.
J. L. Granatstein, Canada's most prolific writer on national defence and the military, is also a realist. In recent years, he has used his high profile and astonishing productivity to sound alarm bells about our own apathy, namely Canada's declining stature in the world, the deterioration of our armed forces and our decreasing capability to safeguard our own domestic security. Like Kissinger, and for basically the same reasons, Granatstein envisions an active international role for his country.
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Trick your ride: customizing the LAVIII
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Article Link
Earlier this month, I noticed an article online by Captain Nicole Meszaros, an Air Force PAffO, that talked about a sky-blue engineering unit being used to cut steel armour for use on the Army's LAVIII:
More than 100 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV III) had their existing armour improved thanks to the addition of specially cut pieces of steel.
"Based on mission changes, a natural phenomenon, the Army asked us to help manage their changing needs," said Lieutenant-Colonel Frances Allen, Commanding Officer of ATESS [Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron]." Generally, we support Air Force initiatives, but in this case the Army has turned to the Air Force and the Navy to improve their deployed equipment."
This is the first time ATESS has been involved in such a tri-service initiative. "The focus within the Canadian Forces has been adjusted to a CF-first focus so as the CF prioritizes, we could get involved in such future projects away from those that are strictly Air Force," said LCol Allen.
I didn't post about it, because the subject invites misinterpretation. I'll explain how in a moment.
Today, I've received information from the east coast that some journalists have been sniffing around the shipyards on what is either a similar project or an extension of this one. Which means that information on this project is going to be out there in a couple of days. And I'd bet good money that the way that information is presented is going to be wrong.
When I first saw the Air Force piece, I realized that someone wanted to talk about how one branch of the military is helping another. I suspect that's why the folks who wear the deep blue uniform on the east coast granted interviews on this project as well - to remind everyone that no matter which colour of uniform they wear, the Canadian Forces work together.
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Sexsmith proclaims Red Friday in honour of soldier
By DEREK LOGAN Herald Tribune staff
Article Link
When Pte. Farrel Starkey heads over to Afghanistan next week, his only major link back to his family in Sexsmith will be his laptop computer.
Although the Canadian Forces have digital link-ups at the Kandahar base, the wait times on them are long and the allotted time to talk to family is limited. Starkey's superiors suggested he get his own computer.
"He bought himself one with a webcam so he's hoping to be able to contact home more so we can see him because we don't know how good phone calls are from there," said his mother, Donna Starkey.
There is some anxiety in the family as the 24-year-old private heads off for his first overseas tour of duty Feb. 6. For the next seven months, Farrel will be an apprentice of sorts with the explosive ordinance disposal unit for the combat engineer regiment (4-CER) from his home base, CFB Gagetown near Oromocto, N.B.
Although his primary role is to drive one of the armoured Bison vehicles, he will also be assisting the ordinance team in clearing landmines and explosives for the frontline combat units.
For his family, which includes two brothers and 13-year-old twin sisters, there will be a lot of anxiety and concern to deal with over the coming months. The Taliban have been regularly leaking announcements of heightened aggression against the Canadian forces in southern Afghanistan.
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U.S. gives 8 attack helicopters to Pakistan, bolstering counterterror capability
The Associated Press Friday, February 2, 2007 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan
Article Link
The United States gave eight attack helicopters to Pakistan on Friday, bolstering the key U.S. ally's ability to combat Taliban and al-Qaida militants suspected of attacking neighboring Afghanistan from Pakistan's border areas.
The Pakistani army took possession of the Cobra AH1-F helicopters at Qasim air base, near the capital, Islamabad, the U.S. Embassy said. Another 12 Cobras are to be delivered later in a military aid package worth a total of US$50 million (€38.4 million), it said.
The refurbished helicopters, which are specially equipped for nighttime operations, are "important weapons in our common fight," U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said at the hand-over ceremony, according to an embassy statement.
Afghanistan, the United States and the NATO-led coalition fighting Taliban and al-Qaida rebels in Afghanistan are urging Pakistan to do more to stop the insurgents from using Pakistan's remote border areas to launch attacks.
Pakistan insists it is doing all it can, pointing to the loss of hundreds of soldiers in operations against militants near the border with Afghanistan. President Pervez Musharraf said Friday that Pakistan will soon begin erecting fencing to reinforce the long, mountainous frontier.
More on link
Residents respond to soldier’s request for help
By Paula Vogler Thursday, February 01, 2007 - Updated: 11:20 AM EST
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With boxes stacked to the ceiling in every nook, cranny, and corner in his small room as well as on the bed and under the bed, Captain Benjamin Tupper said he does not have room for any more.
The good news is that children in Afghanistan, where Tupper is stationed, are benefiting from the huge outpouring of aid Easton residents have sent in response to Tupper’s plea for winter clothing and small toys for these children.
“Of all the newspapers and community groups that responded to my appeal, by far Easton stands out as the town that responded the strongest,” said Tupper in an email. “To date I’ve received close to 40 boxes from Easton and I’m expecting another 40 in the coming weeks. I hope those who supported this project can appreciate what a significant impact a pair of shoes or an old floppy winter hat can have on a child without these items. The smiles, and the look of amazement on their faces when they receive them, are beyond explanation.”
Tupper said he and his fellow soldiers were able to distribute clothing on one recent mission to approximately 300-400 children with the items people have sent. They used a school in the village of Zaran Sharanwhich serves more than 400 local children as a distribution center.
“All boys, no girls allowed,” said Tupper, “which is unfortunately common here. However if the school served girls, it would have been burned down already by the Taliban.”
Tupper had to first secure the site and clear any booby traps or IEDs (improvised explosive devices). He said there were already close to 200 children milling around when he first arrived.
“In order to properly secure the site, we (had) to move all these kids about 200 meters away from the school grounds, which I can tell you was harder than herding cats,” Tupper said. “After an hour, the kids were outside the cordon, the area was deemed safe, and the trailers full of your items rolled into the school grounds.”
He said every child left with something; many barefoot children left with their first pair of winter boots. A lot of the items were pre-packaged in large plastic bags to speed up the distribution.
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US Military Kills 7 Insurgents in Southern Afghanistan
By VOA News 02 February 2007
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The U.S. military in Afghanistan says coalition forces have killed up to seven militants preparing to launch a rocket attack in Paktika province, near the Pakistani border.
A military statement says coalition forces fired mortars and carried out airstrikes after spotting a group of militants setting up rockets in Bermel district of the eastern province Friday.
The military says a ground patrol went to the site and confirmed that two militants died on the spot and another five were presumed dead.
On Thursday, the United States gave thousands of weapons and hundreds of armored vehicles to Afghanistan's army as it braces for renewed fighting with Taleban insurgents in the coming warmer months.
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Editorial: Now’s not time to forget about Afghanistan
02/04/2007
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The war in Iraq has been very costly to America. According to the Associated Press, 3,083 American troops have been killed in Iraq as of Jan. 31, and 23,279 have been wounded in fighting since the war began in March of 2003. In January alone, at least 82 U.S. personnel were killed.
Let’s not forget the Iraqi civilian deaths, which are estimated at more than 54,000. The U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq reports 34,452 Iraqis were killed in 2006 alone.
The price of the war has been just as frightening, with more than $350 billion having been spent in Iraq. Combine that with the conflict in Afghanistan and operations against terrorism elsewhere and the cost has topped at least $500 billion.
While the war in Iraq continues to haunt Americans, it seems many people have forgotten about the U.S. service members who have been killed fighting in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S. invasion in late 2001.
As of Friday, close to 300 U.S. military members have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, according to the Defense Department. Of the nearly 300 service members killed, the military has reported 192 were killed by hostile action.
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US takes over NATO in Afghanistan
(Reuters) 4 February 2007
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KABUL - The United States, which has just doubled its combat troops in Afghanistan, took over command of the 33,000-strong NATO force in the country on Sunday amid warnings of a bloody spring offensive by the Taleban.
The Taleban leader in a key southern district was also killed on Sunday as part of a NATO offensive to recapture the town of Musa Qala from the rebels, the alliance and residents said.
U.S. General Dan McNeill now heads NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) after taking over from British General David Richards, who saw the force grow from just 9,000 as it expanded into the Taleban’s southern heartland during his nine-month command.
Last year was the bloodiest since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taleban government in 2001, and U.S. and NATO leaders warn of a bloody spring offensive in what analysts say will be the decisive year in the battle for Afghanistan.
More than 4,000 people died last year and the Taleban warned this weekend they have 2,000 suicide bombers ready for what they say will be the bloodiest year yet for foreign troops.
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Caring for Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan Will Cost $662 Billion Over 40 Years
02/04/2007
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According to Linda J. Bilmes, a former chief financial officer and assistant secretary of the US Commerce Department, it will cost $662 billion over the next 40 years to care for returned veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bilmes, who now lectures on public policy at the John F Kennedy School of Government, accuses the Bush administration of being unprepared for what disability benefits and medical care will cost for veterans.
The costs are increased by the fact that more soldiers are surviving their injuries. In Vietnam the wounds per death ratio was 2.6:1, now it is 16:1. In addition there is a large number of soldiers who have disabilities as mental health conditions.
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Successes and Setbacks in the "Long War"
By David Huntwork on Feb 02, 07
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A year ago the Pentagon released its Quadrennial Defense Review. It was essentially a strategy for a 20-year “long war” and a generational battle plan designed to prepare the military for a Cold War type struggle against the forces of militant Islam.
According to the official unveiling:
Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, our nation has fought a global war against violent extremists who use terrorism as their weapon of choice, and who seek to destroy our free way of life. Our enemies seek weapons of mass destruction and, if they are successful, will likely attempt to use them in their conflict with free people everywhere. Currently, the struggle is centered in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we will need to be prepared and arranged to successfully defend our nation and its interests around the globe for years to come.
It is apparent that the United States and its assorted allies are still seeking to adequately define its enemy, reach a consensus on tactics, and achieve some sort of victory in (or graceful exit from) Iraq. In this age of round the clock news and information it is easy to get caught up in the crisis of the moment. But it is also important that we examine the big picture in the War on Terror and take the time to look back at some of the successes and setbacks experienced since 9-11.
Successes
* The United States exposed and virtually eliminated the Pakistani Khan Nuclear Proliferation Network which peddled nuclear weapons designs and related technology, as well as delivery systems, throughout the world. Client states included Iran, Syria, North Korea and Libya as well as attempted sales to Saddam’s Iraq.
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