Canadian soldiers return to Kandahar

[redleafjumper]

All the best troops, stay alert and keep safe.  Thanks for going and here's to your safe return.

 

[PKR_Chequer]

May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind always be at your back, and may God hold you in the hollow of His hand...

 

[buzgo]

I don't know if this is accurate or not, but I heard that the Americans have Pizza Hut and Burger King at the Khandahar Airport. This is from a guy on the TAT, but he may be referring to the food at the US mess.

Anyone heard anything like this?

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

It's true.   There are other facilities there as well (see the list).   KAF is a bit different than what 3 PPCLI encountered during OP APOLLO.   Gotta love the Americans:

http://www.cfc-a.centcom.mil/Newcomers/Kandahar.asp

Services Available:

PX/BX: Seven days a week 9:30 am to 9:30 pm
Burger King: Seven days a week 9 am to 1 pm
Coffee Shop: 24/7
Pizza Hut: Seven days a week 10:30 am to 10:30 pm
Subway: Seven days a week 10:30 am to 7pm
Main Barber Shop: 9:30 am to 9:30 pm
Lagoon Barber Shop: 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Day Spa: 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Alterations: 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Embroidery Shop: 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Gift Shop: Seven days a week 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Sports Apparel: Seven days a week 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Black Ops Store: Seven days a week 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Gift Shop: Seven days a week 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Sports Apparel: Seven days a week 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
Leather Shop: Seven days a week 7:30 am to 9:30 pm

Note:   the link has been up and down - it may not be working when tried...

 

[Acorn]

Holy crap! "Black Ops Store??!!"  :

Acorn

 

[Britney Spears]

The leather store really caught my eye. Is there such a huge demand for leather goods and accesories to warrant a seperate store?

 

[buzgo]

What about the embroidery store?!

My buddy on the TAT says that they are eating beaucoup Pizza Hut and BK!!

 

[Korus]

"Black Ops Store?" I don't remember seeing that when I was surfing through that list a couple months ago..

I'm on the next flight out... Can't wait.

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

The leather store really caught my eye. Is there such a huge demand for leather goods and accesories to warrant a seperate store?

The Afghans make all sorts of leather things - including a lot of pistol holsters (some custom)...  It's probably run by a (vetted) local.

I shudder to think of the leather store and the "black ops" store being co-located... 

 

[FGH_Recce_DJ]

The Canadian troops were flown on two C-130 Hercules military aircraft to the U.S. military base just outside Kandahar on Thursday.

Over the next couple of days, the remainder of the soldiers will arrive. They will rest for a day or so before going on patrols with U.S. forces already in the area.

The reconstruction team, known as a PRT, is setting up camp closer to Kandahar.

Most of the troops are from 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, mainly members of Edmonton Garrison's 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, 3 Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and 1 Service Battalion. Another 50 from other Canadian bases will provide specialized skills such as satellite communications.

In Kandahar, the southern Afghan region that was once a stronghold of the Taliban, the reconstruction team will assist in defence, diplomacy and development.

The Canadians will take over patrols in and around Kandahar from a U.S. team that lost four soldiers to a suicide bomb attack less than a month ago.

Good luck boys, come home safe.

 

[Edward Campbell]

The highlighted bit is what is really pertinent; a huge amount of the information gathered by most agencies is open source and is merged with other information, from all manner of sources, and, eventually, after massaging in the hands of skilled analysts, become real intelligence.  This is, still, just information.  It is interesting to note that we have provided 21st century information distribution systems for 8th century wanabees.

From today's National Post at: http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=99796e79-94d1-4566-ac40-16f2e8653c09

Taliban get 'heads-up' about Canadians message
'Ominous' online notice warns about new troops

Chris Wattie, with files from Stewart Bell
National Post

Friday, July 29, 2005

Islamic extremists have issued a warning about Canadian troops headed to southern Afghanistan this week in a notice posted on a jihadist Web site that one analyst calls "ominous."

Rita Katz, the director of the Washington-based SITE Institute, said the message on the al-Anbaar site does not include direct threats against the Canadians, on their way to the Kandahar region, but was intended as a "heads-up" to Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in the area.

"It's a notice to their people in Afghanistan -- the mujahedeen on the ground -- so they know what's coming and presumably can prepare," Ms. Katz said.

"It's useful information to their commanders -- information that is very difficult for them to get otherwise."

The message, posted this week, was translated by the SITE Institute, which was formed in 2002 to monitor and disseminate information on Islamic terrorists.

"A Canadian force of 300 soldiers left Trenton base in Canada, heading to Afghanistan to help the coalition of the occupying forces there," the message reads.

"Canadian radio said today that it was decided that these additional forces will be stationed south of the city of Kandahar, which had an increased number of attacks from Taliban fighters with the [Afghan] Parliament election day approaching ... in the coming September."

The message exaggerates the size of the force: Nearly 250 Canadian soldiers are on their way to Kandahar this month to form a provincial reconstruction team, a humanitarian and development aid team protected by the military. On Wednesday, 110 troops left Edmonton on their way to the region and another 100 soldiers are to leave for Afghanistan next week.

Dr. Wesley Wark, of the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies, said the message indicates Kandahar will be much more perilous than an earlier, two-year commitment in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

"The message is that Canadians are coming and they're going to be part of the so-called 'occupying forces,' " he said. "That tags them clearly as the enemy."

"It's very rare to see this sort of thing, particularly about Canadians," Ms. Katz said. "They are clearly taking an interest in the Canadian troops ... It's an ominous sign, I think."

The Web site is a regular source of messages from purported al-Qaeda members, some military discussions and "how to" postings for terrorist attacks. "For instance," Ms. Katz said, "we are currently translating a message from that site titled, 'What is a good way to explode oil refiners?' "

There are more than 9,000 members of the al-Anbaar site, but because no password is required to read or join the online discussion, she said, there could be thousands of others with access.

Some of the site's users may be in North America, acting as lookouts for fighters in Afghanistan.

"This is intelligence collected by the supporters of these jihadists -- someone in Canada or the U.S. listening to the radio or reading the newspapers," she said. "This tells the [Taliban or al-Qaeda] commanders what to expect."

General Rick Hillier, the chief of defence staff, has bluntly predicted that the Kandahar mission will be a dangerous one. He expects Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists to engage coalition forces, including Canadian troops, and that casualties are a distinct possibility.
"Kandahar and southern Afghanistan is a risky and dangerous region," he said this week, while seeing off the Canadian troops flying out of Edmonton. "[The Taliban] has been much more active in the past month than it has in the past year."

The Kandahar team will be joined by a battle group of more than 1,500 soldiers early next year.

© National Post 2005​

 

[scm77]

A letter from a reader of the Toronto Star

The focus has been lost
Canada should have quit when the U.S. refused to negotiate for the rendition of Osama bin Laden

Elite commandos off on `high-risk' mission

July 26.

We have no business supporting the Americans in Afghanistan. We are there ready to conduct "surgical strikes," to do combat, to take prisoners, to kill people who are in their own backyard doing their thing to rid their land of foreign invaders.

Why are we doing this? Why are we aiding and abetting the American criminal elites who are plundering and murdering like mad men in a giant swath across the Middle East?

We supported the Americans insofar as their initial attention toward Afghanistan was supposed to be a so-called police effort to capture the alleged perpetrators of 9/11. But the Americans refused to negotiate with the Taliban and quickly turned the police effort into an all-out shock and awe bombing campaign and military takeover of the country.

Now the "enemy" is the Taliban or anyone who opposes the American-installed rulers. What happened to our focus in bringing the alleged perpetrators of 9/11 â ” Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden â ” to justice with due process, according to the laws and practices of a civilized nation?

Now Canadians (at least our elites) define the "enemy" as the Taliban, just like the Americans, and are ready to go out in (rented) helicopters and hunt and kill them with inevitable "collateral damage." What gives here?

When the Americans refused to negotiate with the Taliban for the rendition of bin Laden and cohorts, we should have ended our involvement on the spot right then and there.

Subsequent to these moves by the U.S., any further involvement by Canada amounts to tacit support for the Americans and their criminal objectives and methods.

We will be held responsible. There will be blowback, especially as we up the ante through our actions as junior acolytes of the Pentagon savages. Do you think those who are defending their land, their homes, their women, their children and their way of life will defer revenge because of our admirable peacekeeping record?

Have we too lost our marbles?

Peter Cousins, Kingston
----------------------
:boring:

 

[Edward Campbell]

Have we too lost our marbles?

Not all of us, just Mr. Cousins, Ms. Barlow, Ms. Parrish and a few others.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Ok someone more eloquent then I must respond to clowny.

 

[Armymedic]

"Black Ops Store?" I don't remember seeing that when I was surfing through that list a couple months ago..

I'm on the next flight out... Can't wait.

Good luck to you...

Black Ops is a little store that makes holsters and pouches (as you'd expect) in Pakastan. They have a shop in the Phoenix Px as well...

As opposed to our "professional" army...the US Army has indeed learned any fool can be uncomfortable and makes every effort to ensure that thier soldiers have access to the things they are used to at home, as best they can...

Thier DFACs (kitchens), Gyms, and most of thier barracks are air conditioned (unlike our CJ facilites), they need to get more morale phones and computers in but they are working on it, but thier Sat TV and radio kicks butt. Iraq is a big drain on their resourse, but its getting better.

 

[SeanPaul_031]

Does anyone know of any sites which document the progress of the PPCLI soldiers who jus recently went to kandahar, because the news doesnt give it too much coverage...

 

[SHELLDRAKE!!]

Word of advice for you. Typically only a small percentage of a tours progress/information is actually released and its almost always innacurate. The PPCLI's home website will post some updates sent back by troops on the ground and the din will post info under current operations but unfortunately you will have to wait till end tour to get any valid information that isnt twisted by the media mongers.

 

[SeanPaul_031]

alright, thanks

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Besides which, you may want to give them a chance to get settled in first.

 

[Island Ryhno]

TERRY PEDWELL
1 hour, 44 minutes ago



KANDAHAR,    Afghanistan (CP) - Venturing out of their new home in hostile territory, members of Canada's provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan took the lead for the first time Wednesday on a foot patrol through the streets of Kandahar.

The patrol wasn't about rooting out suspected Taliban or al-Qaida supporters. Rather, the soldiers wanted to feel out the neighbourhood surrounding their compound, located on the outskirts of the city.

"I don't really think it's too dangerous," Pte. Jon Drew said as he took position at the head of the patrol. "Knock on wood."

Still, Drew, a rookie member of Edmonton's Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry who comes from a family with a long military history, kept a sharp eye out for anything suspicious.

There had been gunfire reported within the patrol area the night before, but the greatest concern for the soldiers was improvised explosive devices, or IEDs - mortar bombs or grenades that are fashioned into hidden killers.

At least three of the devices have been found by U.S. forces in the Kandahar region and in eastern Afghanistan since last week. There was also a failed suicide attack reported Friday in front of a U.S. base.

As he walked a narrow alleyway, Drew recalled some words of advice given by his father before deploying to Afghanistan.

"Just follow your training and you'll be fine," he said his father told him.

"We trained for a few months before we came over here," Drew said.

"We know what to do, how to react properly."

Canada has 250 soldiers in Kandahar, part of what's dubbed a PRT that will also involve member of the RCMP, Foreign Affairs and the Canadian International Development Agency. Over the next month, a main part of their task will be providing security in the area surrounding their compound for national elections to be held Sept. 18.

As the soldiers made their way along the dusty streets under the sun's intense heat, some stopped and spoke with local residents.

"We're here to get situational awareness, to get an idea of how many people are here, what they're doing," said Master Warrant Officer Rick Hassan, a member of Canada's civil-military co-operation unit.

"Also, there are a number of kids about. We'll ask them questions about whether they're going to school and such."

At one point, Hassan approached an elder standing beneath a tree, asking him if he was looking forward to the elections.

"I'm not sure about any elections," the man replied through an interpreter, appearing to have other things on his mind.

"I'm sick, and my wife is not working," the man continued.

"I cannot work, I cannot speak."

There was a moment of levity as the soldiers inspected a courtyard where a rusting Soviet-era armoured vehicle was a centrepiece, and a mule began braying loudly.

"It was more or less a familiarization patrol, and presence patrol," said Sgt. John Goodman, a member of the U.S. military who tagged along with the Canadians.

Canada is taking over the PRT and responsibility for the area surrounding it from an American team that has been in the region for almost two years.

"It kind of gives them a good sense of what's out there beyond the compound walls," said Goodman, who made note of the uncontrolled traffic along one roadway.

"The traffic laws are kind of weird around here. There really isn't any, so you gotta keep your eyes open for the trucks and the vehicles," he said.

"There are more and more motorcycles. You've got to watch them the most."

By the end of the patrol, the soldiers couldn't help but notice that they were soaked in sweat under their heavy body armour and laden backpacks.

"It's a different experience because you don't realize how bad the heat is until you get out there," said Sgt. Mike Rude of Edmonton who took charge of the section.

"You really feel the effects of the heat more."

Stay safe, let's hope it doesn't turn into another Iraq.