6 Canadian soldiers killed in roadside bombing in Afghanistan
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Well...indeed. I mean, it's not good news...but it is definitly the reality of war...if people want to engage in war, death is to be expected. I feel for the people of afghanistan who are stuck in the crossfire between two battling idealogies and two violent forces. Hundreds of citizens have been killed, and yet too often they are just numbers. It isn't until a soldier from Canada is killed that a human touch is put on the story.
Funny the Conservatives never mention that more soldiers have died under their leadership because the Prime Minister’s need to be invited to the western White House ranch so he can chew the fat with President Bush Jr.
Canada needs a Prime Minister that cares about all Canadians not the few that will get them the majority.
Canada needs a Prime Minister that cares about all Canadians not the few that will get them the majority.
It's a sad day for people in this province as all were based out of Camp Gagetown.What a waste of life!
It would be appropriate to retain a topic concerned with the death of the military and pay homage to their families without tacking on yet another political rant.
Every message of sorrow eulogizing the slain military has become a political podium rather than using respect for the lives lost.
There is a time and a place for every word concerning this tragic event as well as the tragedy of war.
Sleep the long sleep wounded warriors - God Bless and Gratitude Given.
May they rest in peace. My thoughts are with the families.
May the road rise to meet them.
May the wind always be at their back.
May the sun shine warm upon their faces.
And until they meet their loved ones.
May God hold them in the hollow of His hand.
May the road rise to meet them.
May the wind always be at their back.
May the sun shine warm upon their faces.
And until they meet their loved ones.
May God hold them in the hollow of His hand.
These deaths deserve the article in full
Roadside bomb kills six; worst day for Canadians in Afghanistan
John CotterCanadian Press
Sunday, April 08, 2007
CREDIT: Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan, announced in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Sunday, that six Canadian soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb explosion and two soldiers were wounded, one seriously. (CP/John Cotter)KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - A devastating roadside-bomb explosion killed six Canadian soldiers Sunday in the worst single-day toll for the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.
The explosion west of Kandahar city also caused serious but non-life-threatening injuries to one Canadian soldier and light injuries to another, said Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan.
The soldiers were in a moving vehicle when the blast occurred around 1:30 p.m. The more seriously injured soldier will likely be flown to Germany for treatment at a U.S. military hospital.
"You can appreciate, clearly we are saddened by the loss of six our best soldiers ... but we stay committed to the mission," said Cessford, who was with the troops earlier Sunday.
"This is what we do. We are focused on rebuilding Afghanistan, on doing the right things for those kids who wave at us every day as we drive down the roads here."
Names of the deceased and other details were being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Sunday's toll brings the total number of Canadians killed in Afghanistan since 2002 to 51.
Cessford would not say what type of vehicle the soldiers were in, exactly where the blast occurred or what military unit they were from.
Many of the troops posted west of Kandahar city are with the Gagetown, N.B.-based Royal Canadian Regiment battle group.
In Ottawa, Navy Lt. Morgan Bailey, a spokeswoman for the Defence Department, said this is the worst one-day death toll since Canada's mission in Afghanistan began in 2002. Previously, there had been several different days on which up to four Canadians were killed.
Word of the deaths came as soldiers of the 2,500-member Canadian task force were celebrating Easter throughout Afghanistan. Some attended church services at the NATO base in Kandahar. Out in the field, Canadian Forces' chaplains conducted services as well.
Earlier this week, soldiers in the field were proudly handing around home-made pictures and construction paper cut-outs of Easter bunnies sent by their children, with greetings and endearments scrawled in crayon.
Soldiers also dug into hoarded Easter chocolates sent to them by loved ones.
Some of the troops in the field earlier this week said they were going to save their treats until Sunday.
Word that something terrible had happened quickly rippled through the base at Kandahar. Attempts by the troops to call home were stymied for hours when the military imposed a communications lockdown because of the deaths.
Speaking in France to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said it has been a "difficult day in Afghanistan."
He broke the news of the six deaths at a dinner for veterans and said "our hearts ache for them and their families."
April has been one of the cruelest months for Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
Last April 22, four Canadian soldiers were killed when their armoured G-Wagon drove over an improvised explosive device near Gumbad.
And on April 17, 2002, four Canadians were killed when an American fighter jet accidentally dropped a bomb on them at Tarnak farm near Kandahar.
For the past month Canadian troops have been supporting Operation Achilles, a NATO-led offensive designed to drive the Taliban out of the northern part of Helmand.
Canadians have also been patrolling the Zhari and Panjwaii districts just west of Kandahar city.
The Taliban have been threatening for months to unleash a spring offensive of their own in southern Afghanistan.
Rather than battle the superior firepower and training of NATO forces in the open, the insurgents have stepped up the use of roadside bombs, suicide bombers, ambushes and other guerrilla tactics.
Hours before Sunday's explosion, Lt.-Col. Rob Walker, the battle group commander, said his troops were making progress cracking down on Taliban roadside bomb activity in some parts of Kandahar province.
He said his troops recently eliminated an insurgent "cell".
"We have killed or captured a number of individuals, and we have had no mines or anything for at least a week now," Walker said.
On Wednesday, four Afghan National Police were injured by a roadside bomb in Maywand district along the border with Helmand province.
There have been reports that Taliban leaders pay cash bounties to insurgents for killing NATO troops and Afghan security force members with roadside bombs.
Bronzed, sunburnt and dirty after more than a month of living out of their vehicles in the hot desert sun, Canadian troops in the field were in high spirits earlier in the week.
On Thursday, some soldiers stripped off their sweaty body armour after a day of patrolling in the desert and played hacki-sack in a rough circle while listening to hip-hop tunes. There was lots of laughter and joking.
Another soldier serenaded the sleepy crew of his light armoured vehicle in the pre-dawn darkness by singing "Good morning, good morning, to you" over the vehicle's intercom system, to catcalls and curses from his comrades.
Hours before the deaths were officially announced, a subdued hush fell over Canadian troops at the base in Kandahar as they tucked into their evening meal at the dining hall, which was decorated with blue-painted Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies wrapped in gold foil.
"It has been a bad day," said one officer, his face twisted in pain.
Roadside bomb kills six; worst day for Canadians in Afghanistan
John CotterCanadian Press
Sunday, April 08, 2007
The explosion west of Kandahar city also caused serious but non-life-threatening injuries to one Canadian soldier and light injuries to another, said Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan.
The soldiers were in a moving vehicle when the blast occurred around 1:30 p.m. The more seriously injured soldier will likely be flown to Germany for treatment at a U.S. military hospital.
"You can appreciate, clearly we are saddened by the loss of six our best soldiers ... but we stay committed to the mission," said Cessford, who was with the troops earlier Sunday.
"This is what we do. We are focused on rebuilding Afghanistan, on doing the right things for those kids who wave at us every day as we drive down the roads here."
Names of the deceased and other details were being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Sunday's toll brings the total number of Canadians killed in Afghanistan since 2002 to 51.
Cessford would not say what type of vehicle the soldiers were in, exactly where the blast occurred or what military unit they were from.
Many of the troops posted west of Kandahar city are with the Gagetown, N.B.-based Royal Canadian Regiment battle group.
In Ottawa, Navy Lt. Morgan Bailey, a spokeswoman for the Defence Department, said this is the worst one-day death toll since Canada's mission in Afghanistan began in 2002. Previously, there had been several different days on which up to four Canadians were killed.
Word of the deaths came as soldiers of the 2,500-member Canadian task force were celebrating Easter throughout Afghanistan. Some attended church services at the NATO base in Kandahar. Out in the field, Canadian Forces' chaplains conducted services as well.
Earlier this week, soldiers in the field were proudly handing around home-made pictures and construction paper cut-outs of Easter bunnies sent by their children, with greetings and endearments scrawled in crayon.
Soldiers also dug into hoarded Easter chocolates sent to them by loved ones.
Some of the troops in the field earlier this week said they were going to save their treats until Sunday.
Word that something terrible had happened quickly rippled through the base at Kandahar. Attempts by the troops to call home were stymied for hours when the military imposed a communications lockdown because of the deaths.
Speaking in France to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said it has been a "difficult day in Afghanistan."
He broke the news of the six deaths at a dinner for veterans and said "our hearts ache for them and their families."
April has been one of the cruelest months for Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
Last April 22, four Canadian soldiers were killed when their armoured G-Wagon drove over an improvised explosive device near Gumbad.
And on April 17, 2002, four Canadians were killed when an American fighter jet accidentally dropped a bomb on them at Tarnak farm near Kandahar.
For the past month Canadian troops have been supporting Operation Achilles, a NATO-led offensive designed to drive the Taliban out of the northern part of Helmand.
Canadians have also been patrolling the Zhari and Panjwaii districts just west of Kandahar city.
The Taliban have been threatening for months to unleash a spring offensive of their own in southern Afghanistan.
Rather than battle the superior firepower and training of NATO forces in the open, the insurgents have stepped up the use of roadside bombs, suicide bombers, ambushes and other guerrilla tactics.
Hours before Sunday's explosion, Lt.-Col. Rob Walker, the battle group commander, said his troops were making progress cracking down on Taliban roadside bomb activity in some parts of Kandahar province.
He said his troops recently eliminated an insurgent "cell".
"We have killed or captured a number of individuals, and we have had no mines or anything for at least a week now," Walker said.
On Wednesday, four Afghan National Police were injured by a roadside bomb in Maywand district along the border with Helmand province.
There have been reports that Taliban leaders pay cash bounties to insurgents for killing NATO troops and Afghan security force members with roadside bombs.
Bronzed, sunburnt and dirty after more than a month of living out of their vehicles in the hot desert sun, Canadian troops in the field were in high spirits earlier in the week.
On Thursday, some soldiers stripped off their sweaty body armour after a day of patrolling in the desert and played hacki-sack in a rough circle while listening to hip-hop tunes. There was lots of laughter and joking.
Another soldier serenaded the sleepy crew of his light armoured vehicle in the pre-dawn darkness by singing "Good morning, good morning, to you" over the vehicle's intercom system, to catcalls and curses from his comrades.
Hours before the deaths were officially announced, a subdued hush fell over Canadian troops at the base in Kandahar as they tucked into their evening meal at the dining hall, which was decorated with blue-painted Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies wrapped in gold foil.
"It has been a bad day," said one officer, his face twisted in pain.
Just think of the families back home who received the news of the loved ones deaths on Easter..and we think we have black days! The effects this has on the troops who served with these men must be very hard to deal with,too.
This is a tragedy and our government has abandoned our fallen and I give homage to the fallen and tell their families that they gave their life for this great country of ours.
I will never say anything bad of our men and women of our Armed Forces because they are doing what they are trained to do, to protect us.
I thought this is a NATO operation yet most of the other countries soldiers are in the north doing what we were supposed to do, rebuild the country.
It was this Prime Minister that decided to put them in harms way and more Canadian soldiers have been killed.
My friend died under this Prime Minister in a land so far away.
How many more friends, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles and grandsons and granddaughters have to die before this Prime Minister finally says enough is enough.
How many Vimy Ridge’s does this Prime Minister want?
This is no Vimy Ridge but it is a tragedy. Our nephew was with this unit that was affected. Soldiers have limited net access during their mission there but they do have it. Thank goodness he wasn't harmed but he noted it was the most sombre day he's witnessed yet in his assignment.
Oh goody...thanks again for telling us all what we should be saying and when. Just what we need.
Anyway...back to the conversation. It's war. People will die. Again, it isn't the soldiers that I feel for as much as the people of afghanistan who have suffered through war for generations now, who are dying in large numbers every month, who are caught between two ideologies and the idea that the only way to resolve an issue is through the taking up of arms. But, unfortunatly, we don't hear enough about these folks. Yet, newcasts go on for days and days everytime a Canadian soldier is even grazed by a bullet. It's sickening. The life of a canadian soldier is no more valuable than the life of an afghan civilian.
Then maybe the solution is to bring more attention to the deaths of afghan civilians rather than begrudge the dead soldiers and their families any honours, sympathy or well wishes they may receive.
Frankly though, I do think their deaths are more tragic. They willingly went there to try to help a people they didn't even know and paid for it with their lives. They knew this could happen and did it anyways. That's more tragic to me than being killed there because you just weren't able to get anywhere else.
I hope so...
In Flanders’ Fields
In Flanders’ Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders’ Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders’ Fields.
In Flanders’ Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders’ Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders’ Fields.
So sad. It takes a special calling to serve your country this way. I know someone on their way there...
The quizzling media won't shutup about thier deaths, they're milking the loss as fast and furious as they can. I find that in poor taste. It disgusts me that they are used while they're alive and used again when they die.