Les Perreaux, Canadian Press
Published: Monday, September 18, 2006
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - A bicycle bomber killed four Canadian soldiers and injured several others Monday while the troops were on foot patrol in southern Afghanistan.
The top Canadian soldier in Afghanistan, Brig.-Gen. David Fraser refused to disclose the number of wounded, but he said none of their injuries were life threatening.
Names of the dead and injured were not disclosed, pending notification of their families. The unit under attack was mainly drawn from the Second Batallion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Manitoba.
The deaths raised to 36 the number of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2002.
"The soldiers were walking, they were interacting with the people, they have to do that to reassure the people, to support the police and the Afghan National Army," Fraser said.
The attack also injured 27 civilians according to NATO.
Earlier reports from other NATO officials said the soldiers had been handing out gifts to children at the time of the attack.
An Afghan official said the bomber targeted Canadian troops handing out candy and other gifts to children.
Fraser said only that the Canadians were on patrol at 9:30 a.m. when the attack took place. He did say two children were among the wounded. Soldiers often hand out gifts as goodwill gestures while on patrol.
The attack happened in the village of Kafir Band in the Kandahar province district of Panjwaii, the scene of a two-week anti-Taliban operation led by Canada
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=7756bab8-4f43-4f02-85e8-7d0abc117eb1&k=43289
Here's the type of action they are involved in :
This isn't peacekeeping, it's war.
There is a current political debate about Canada's mission in Afghanistan, and it is an important topic for us as Canadians to discuss. Our nation's history of peacekeeping has been a long and proud one, but in this mission our approach has changed, and there is a reason why.
Well, in this case our traditional peacekeeping model will not work. That requires that both sides have accepted a non-violent solution, for the most part. Then the job of peacekeeping becomes possible. You may have to use force now and again in those situations, but most time it isn't necessary.
Without that agreement, you have to go tactical. Failure to do so means you are a sitting duck, as those that want to force you out target you.
This patrol that was hit was doing something critical to the success of the mission. By acting as they did, by handing out those supplies and candies to those children, they were showing that they were not to be feared. From what I've read, and from what I've heard, we have done many things to win the hearts and minds of the Afghani people during this mission. That involves risk, and this is the price that sometimes must be paid.
Sadly, it cost them their lives. An Afghani police officer stopped the man on the bike, when he saw a box on it. The bomber said they were grapes....and he let him pass. I trust the military will investigate him , to ensure this wasn't an inside job.
Little details here and there, and our peacekeeping background, has helped us a lot there. By understanding the culture, and the people, and speaking a little bit of the language - we have come to be accepted by many in the general population. All the comments I've heard, even from family of troops there, is that we are well respected for our efforts.
Should we be there ? Yes, without any doubt. Afghanistan's history as a failed nation state helped to lead up to the events of 9/11. There were outside reasons for that, but it's too late to address those reasons now.
After 9/11, a message had to be sent. Not responding to that attack with a military reaction would have opened the door to anyone to attack the West. The obvious target was Afghanistan, where those attacks were planned from.
That attack hit our neighbors, and Canadians died in it too, along with many other nationalities. It was an attack against the entire Western world and all it stood for. We had an obligation, and a long standing history, of standing alongside our American friends when duty called.
There was no doubt that this was the case here.
Canadians have stood shoulder to shoulder with the USA many times, in our uniforms and sometimes in theirs. We have fought together, and we have died together.
Right now, unbelievably, our rate of loss (pro rata) is actually higher that that of the US Army in Iraq. Hard to believe, but true.
We have a rather small force overall, and each of those losses is a devastating blow - and not just to their friends and families, but to our military's mission. The enemy knows this, and so do we.
This last offensive was extremely costly for the Taliban. With that exceptional air support, artillery support, and daring strike into heavily held territory - we ( with the other NATO countries involved) wound up causing heavy enemy casualties. They eventually retreated, because they could not take more losses.
It's not surprising that they struck back in other ways, and we have to keep our eyes out for a repeat attack. They have lost face with that latest defeat, and will be out to even the score.
We've got pretty good protective equipment there, and well trained men and women. They have a clearly defined mission, and we have had a series of successful missions. I talked to a man whose son just returned from there, and his father tells me their moral is quite good. There are a few naysayers, as in any group. Most see the value of what they are doing.
As long as they have that morale, and we never forget them (and continue to support them) , there is a possibility of hope there. That's far from one hundred percent, and everyone there knows it. It will be an uphill battle there for a while to come, possibly years. With the proper backing of the government, and proper support from our military leaders and our other partners in NATO, they stand a chance of making this work.
I'll say the same thing I say to Americans, when we talk about their men and women in uniform. When you see a serviceman or woman, please say a word to them. Tell them that you are grateful for their effort, and thank them for it. I don't care if they've been over or not, they still deserve our support for their work.
Buy them a coffee, shake their hand, just do something that says " I care ".
Write some e-mails, or try to get a group together to send some packages over with things like books, DVD's , and other items. It doesn't take much, and it will show these men and women that we are behind them, and that they are not forgotten.
In the meantime, say a prayer for these men - and those that loved them, and who now feel the pain of their loss. That loss is shared by all of us, because they are there FOR us...and they ARE us.
Don't just wait until November 11th every year to remember....
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