MILNEWS.ca Focus
15 Fd Amb Medic Killed Under Fire in Pashmul
Corporal Michael Starker, a Reservist with 15 Field Ambulance, was killed 6 May 08, and another soldier was injured, when they came under enemy fire during a patrol in the Pashmul region of the Zharey district. The soldiers were immediately evacuated by helicopter to the Canadian-led multinational hospital at Kandahar Airfield, where one soldier was pronounced dead. The other soldier is in fair condition and stable. The incident occurred at about 1145 Kandahar time. At the time of the incident, the soldiers, their colleagues and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) were conducting a civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) patrol in the area. For more, click to CANinKandahar
"Soldiers' Soldier", CF Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier Leaving Post 1 Jul 08
From 15 Apr 08 CDS Statement: "I have chosen to retire from the Canadian Forces and end my tenure as your Chief of the Defence Staff in July of this year. I accepted the leadership of the Canadian Forces in February 2005. My goal was to set the conditions for our sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen to succeed in our critical and often dangerous tasks in defence of Canada, Canadians, and Canadian interests and values. We have achieved those key objectives, and reached the critical milestones I originally set out for us to reach by the end of my time as CDS ...." - Prime Minister Statement - Defence Minister Statement - 16 Apr 08 Media clippings (.pdf) - 17 Apr 08 Clippings (.pdf) - Army.ca discussion on CDS departure - Army.ca discussion on next incumbent
2 PPCLI Private Killed in Panjwayi IED Strike
Private Terry John Street, from 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry was killed 4 Apr 08 when his armoured vehicle struck a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) during operations at approximately 1815 local time in Panjwaiyi district. For more, click to CANinKandahar
2 PPCLI NCO Killed Stepping on IED
A Canadian soldier was killed 17 Mar 08 by an explosive device while participating in a joint Afghan-Canadian foot patrol in the Zangabad region, in the District of Panjwayi, approximately 35 km South-West of Kandahar City. The soldier, identified as 32-year-old Sergeant Jason Boyes of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, was immediately evacuated by helicopter to the Canadian-led multinational hospital at Kandahar Airfield, where he later succumbed to his wounds. The incident occurred at approximately 8:20 p.m. Kandahar time. At the time of the incident, the soldier’s unit was conducting a dismounted presence patrol in the area with Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). For more, click to CANinKandahar
July 2006 Cormorant Crash Report Released
"The environmental conditions (darkness, distant dim horizon and calm water) were not suitable for continued flight using outside references only. The nose down attitude and descent was not noticed by any of the three pilots in the low visual cueing environment because they did not adequately reference their flight instruments. The investigation also found that prolonged training restrictions imposed due to on-going tail-rotor half-hub cracking had a serious detrimental effect on overall CH149 aircrew proficiency ...." For more details, click here.
LDSH Soldier Killed in Panjawayi IED Blast
At approximately 15:45 Kandahar time on 2 Mar 08, Trooper Michael Yuki Hayakaze, age 25, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), based out of Edmonton, Alberta, was killed when his armoured vehicle hit a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the Mushan region, located in the District of Panjawayi, 45 km West of Kandahar City. For more, click to CANinKandahar
CAN Government Introduces Confidence Motion to Extend AFG Mission
Bloomberg: "Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government is seeking approval from Parliament to extend Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan in a so-called confidence motion that would force an election if defeated. ``Canada does not walk away from its commitments. That is not in the Canadian tradition,'' Peter Van Loan, leader of the Conservative Party government's daily operations in the House of Commons, said at a news conference today in Ottawa. The government wants the mission, now scheduled to end in February 2009, to continue through the end of 2011." For more, click to CANinKandahar
Death of Canadian UN Observer in Lebanon "Preventable"
From Canadian Press: "The decision had been made to evacuate a Canadian military officer and three other United Nations observers shortly before they were killed by an Israeli air strike in South Lebanon nearly two years ago, a Canadian Forces board of inquiry has found. The deaths of Canadian Maj. Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener and three other UN observers were "tragic and preventable" and were the result of errors by the Israeli Defence Force, the board said. The UN observers died when their compound was hit by a 500-kilogram bomb delivered by an Israeli aircraft. The compound was also hit by four 155-mm artillery shells fired by the Israelis during clashes with Hezbollah, the report says." For more, click here.
CF Member Killed, Two Injured, in IED Strike in Panjwai
A Canadian soldier was killed and two others were slightly injured when their light armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan on 23 Jan 08. The soldiers were on a clearance operation in Panjawii district when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. The incident, which occurred about 35 kms southeast of Kandahar City, happened at 1340 local time (0500 Eastern, 1000 UTC). Both of the injured soldiers were later released from hospital. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Manley Panel: Shift Focus of CAN Mission in AFG
Canada’s future role in Afghanistan must place greater emphasis on diplomacy and reconstruction and the Canadian military focus must shift gradually from combat to training Afghan national security forces, an expert panel report today recommended to the federal government. “We are recommending a Canadian commitment to Afghanistan that is neither open-ended nor faint-hearted,” says the report by the Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan. “We owe it to the Afghans, to our allies and to our own future security needs to give this mission every possible chance to succeed,” says John Manley, Chair of the Panel. “What is evident is that the commitment to Afghanistan made by successive Canadian governments has not yet been completed. The ultimate objective is to enable the Afghans to manage their own security.” For more, click to CANinKandahar
One CF Member Killed, Another Injured in IED incident north of Kandahar
At approximately 07:15 Kandhar time on 15 Jan 08 (02:45 UTC, 142145 Jan 08 EST), one Canadian soldier was killed when the armoured vehicle he was in struck a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED). One Canadian soldier was also injured. The identity of the deceased soldier is Trooper Richard Renaud, 26 years old, of the 12e Régiment blindé du Canada based in Valcartier, Québec. The incident occurred during a presence patrol in the Arghandab District, approximately 10 km north of Kandahar city. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Two CF Members Killed in LAV Accident
A pair of Canadian soldiers returning to establish camp for the night part way through an operation in southern Afghanistan were killed in a vehicle roll-over on the evening of 6 Jan 08. Cpl. Eric Labbe, a 31-year-old Van Doo from Rimouski, Que., and an unidentified comrade died when their light armoured vehicle flipped over on rough terrain around 1830 local time (1400 UTC, 0900EST) in the region of Nalgham, about 40 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city. The soldiers were involved in a multiday operation in the volatile Zhari district of Kandahar province at the time. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Quebec Gunner Killed in IED Blast
A Canadian soldier is dead and four others are recovering from injuries suffered when their light armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb 30 Dec 07 in southern Afghanistan. The soldier has been identified as Jonathan Dion, 27, a gunner with the 5th Regiment d'Artillerie legere du Canada from Val-d'Or, Que. The explosion happened shortly after 0900 local (0430UTC, 292330EDec07) about 20 km west of Kandahar city, during a routine patrol. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Two CF Troops, Interpreter Killed in IED Attack
Canadian Forces spokesperson Col. Christian Juneau said Corp. Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp of the 5th Field Ambulance in Valcartier and Pte. Michel Levesque of the Royal 22nd died early on the morning of 17 Nov 07. They were riding in a LAV that hit an IED on a road north of a Canadian Forward Operating Base near Bazar-e Panjwaii. An Afghan interpreter also died in the blast. Three Canadian soldiers were transported to hospital at Kandahar Air Field with non-life threatening injuries. For more, click to CANinKandahar
CAN PM Appoints Panel to Assess Future AFG Mission Options
On 12 Oct 07, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the creation of the Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan. The panel’s role will be to advise Parliament on options for the mission after the current mandate ends in February, 2009. For more, click to CANinKandahar
MILNEWS.ca Exclusive: Who to Kill? Who To Arrest?
This is just one of Tony's Top Ten Highlights from the latest United Nations report on Afghanistan here.
Calgary Reservist Killed in AFG
A Canadian soldier was killed, and four others, wounded while on patrol in southern Afghanistan 24 Sept 07. Twenty-four year old Cpl. Nathan Hornburg of the King's Own Calgary Regiment in Calgary, was killed in a mortar attack after he stepped outside his tank to repair a broken track. For more, click to CANinKandahar
UN Renews Mandate for AFG Mission
United Nations Security Council extended the NATO mission in Afghanistan for another year on 19 Sept 07, with Moscow abstaining and fourteen other countries voting in favour. For more, click to CANinKandahar
MILNEWS.ca Exclusive: Tony's "Top Ten"
from NATO Parliamentary Assembly Visit & Report, 2-7 Sept 07
A delegation from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's Defence and Security Committee visited Afghanistan, as well as neighbouring Tajikistan, on September 2-7, 2007. The group spent time speaking to NATO, ISAF and Operation Enduring Freedom commanders, visited Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT's) in Panjsher (US) and Lashkar Gah (UK), and spoke to Afghan politicians and officials. Read some of the highlights here.
MILNEWS.ca Exclusive: Updated Media Summary Report, Pte. Robert Costall fratricide
This Media Summary Report has been updated as of 15 Sept 07 (.pdf).
CF Member Found Shot in Secure Compound in Kabul
A member of the Canadian Forces has died from a gunshot wound inflicted inside a secure compound in Kabul, the Afghan capital. A military statement said the soldier, serving at the headquarters of NATO's International Security Assistance Force, died shortly after 0730 local time on 29 Aug 07 (282300EDT Aug 07). The victim had been found seriously injured in his room an hour earlier and doctors were unable to save him. Military officials have ruled out enemy action, saying the shooting occurred within the NATO compound in Kabul. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Two Vandoos, AFG Interpreter Killed in Suspected Mine Strike
Two Canadian soldiers, and one Afghan interpreter were killed at approximately 1819 Kandahar time 22 Aug 07 (220949EDT Aug 07) when their LAV III struck a suspected mine approximately 50 kms West of Kandahar City. One Canadian soldier and two Canadian journalists were also injured at the time of the explosion and have been evacuated by helicopter to the Multinational Hospital at Kandahar Airfield. The incident occurred during Operation EAGLE EYE, a joint Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) and ISAF operation aimed at further stabilizing the District of Zharey. The fallen have been identified as Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier, 2e Bn, Royal 22e Régiment, and Master Corporal Christian Duchesne, 5e Ambulance de campagne. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Canadian Soldier Killed in IED Attack on LAV
A Canadian soldier was killed 19 Aug 07 after the vehicle he was traveling in, a LAV III, struck an IED. The incident occurred roughly 0141 Kandahar time (1700 18 Aug 07 Eastern), approximately 20 km West of Kandahar City. Private Simon Longtin of the 3e Bn, Royal 22e Regiment,died of his injuries after his LAV III struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) roughly 1:41 am Kandahar time, approximately 20 kms West of Kandahar City. At the time of the incident, the Canadian convoy was returning from a Forward Operating Base following a re-supply mission from Kandahar Airfield. The soldier was immediately evacuated from the scene by helicopter for urgent medical attention, but later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead upon his arrival at the Multinational hospital located at Kandahar Airfield. For more, click to CANinKandahar
No Charges in Costall Fratricide
After conducting a thorough investigation into the death of Private Robert Costall, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) has concluded that they will not be laying charges in relation to this matter. Pte Costall was killed on March 28, 2006 at the Forward Operating Base Robinson during an attack of Taliban insurgents. Based on all evidence collected, ballistic and forensic analysis completed by both the CFNIS and the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (USACID), it was concluded that Pte. Costall was killed by gun fire originating from a weapon manned by a US Army soldier. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Taliban Using SAMs?
The Daily Telegraph (UK) reports that Taliban attempted to bring down an American C-130 Hercules aircraft flying over the south-western province of Nimroz 22 Jul 07. The crew reported that a missile system locked on to their aircraft and that a missile was fired. It closed in on the large C-130 aircraft, pursuing it as the pilots launched a series of violent evasive manoeuvres and jettisoned flares to confuse the heat sensors in the nose of the missile. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Close Call for CAN General in AFG During Homicide Bomb Attack
According to the Canadian Press, the commander of Canada's current mission in war-torn Afghanistan escaped unharmed Thursday when a convoy he was travelling in was attacked by a suicide bomber 26 Jul 07. Brig.-Gen. Tim Grant was riding in one of three vehicles in the convoy when a suicide bomber detonated a car nearby, military officials said. There were no reports of injuries in the attack southeast of Kandahar City. Maj. Chip Madic said the explosion happened at 5:30 p.m. when a convoy of three Canadian military vehicles - two RG-31 Nayala vehicles and one LAV-3 light armoured vehicle - was returning to Kandahar City from the town of Shur Andan, about 18 kilometres southeast of the Canadian base. For more, click to CANinKandahar
CF Board of Inquiry Issues Report on 4 Sept 06 Friendly Fire Death
"The A-10A friendly fire incident that occurred on 4 September 2006 was a result of the A-10A pilot losing his situational awareness in the changing light conditions in the transition between night and day and his failure to check his targeting pod and heads-up display to verify target location." For more, click to CANinKandahar
Six CF Members Killed 4 Jul 07 in Panjwai Blast
Six more Canadian lives have been lost to the blast of a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan which happened just before 1100 local time 4 Jul 07. The soldiers were killed when their RG-31 vehicle struck a suspected improvised explosive device approximately 20 km southwest of Kandahar City. An Afghan interpreter was also killed in the blast. The incident occurred while the soldiers were returning from conducting joint patrol operations with the Afghan National Army. The soldiers were due to end their tour of duty in Afghanistan at the end of this month. For more, click to CANinKandahar
US Military Reports: Pte. Robert Costall Killed via Fratricide
Special thanks to Associated Press for sharing the reports
Canadian Pte. Robert Costall and an American soldier were shot from behind by bursts from a machine-gun fired from a compound manned by U.S. special forces last year in Afghanistan during an insurgent attack, a U.S. army report says. One account in the report released 2 Jul 07 says the gunner shot at two friendly positions in quick succession during the fierce battle early on 29 Mar 06. The friendly fire killed Pte. Costall and US Sgt. John Stone, and wounded a number of others at Forward Operating Base Robinson in Afghanistan's Helmand province. For more, click to CANinKandahar
PPCLI Troops Killed on ATV by IED
A roadside bomb killed three Canadian soldiers in southern Afghanistan on 20 Jun 07, bringing the death toll for the Canadian military in the country to 60. Military officials say the blast hit the all-terrain vehicle carrying the soldiers on a resupply operation between two check points near a forward base. They say it's an open-top, unamoured vehicle. Two of the fallen have been identified as Corporal Stephen Frederick Bouzane and Private Joel Vincent Wiebe, both with 3 PPCLI. For more, click to CANinKandahar
RCD Trooper Killed by IED
A Canadian soldier was killed 11 Jun 07 when a roadside bomb detonated near the vehicle he was travelling in, about 40 km north of Kandahar City. The incident occurred at approximately 6:25 p.m. Kandahar time (10:05 a.m. EST). Two Canadian soldiers suffered non-life threatening injuries from the blast. Killed was Trooper Darryl Caswell of The Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD), based at Petawawa, Ont. Trooper Caswell was deployed in the south of Afghanistan with the RCD Reconnaissance Squadron as part of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR) Battle Group. For more, click to CANinKandahar
CF Army News Videographer Killed in Chinook Crash in South AFG
Master Corporal Darrell Jason Priede, a military Imagery Technician serving with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Regional Command (South) Headquarters at Kandahar Airfield, was killed when the helicopter in which he was a passenger went down at approximately 2100 Kandahar time on 30 May 07, near the town of Kajaki, Helmand Province, about 95 kms northwest of Kandahar City. MCPL Priede was a member of the Army News Team from 3 Area Support Group, based at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick. Initial reports suggested the helicopter was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade, said a U.S. official, who insisted on speaking anonymously because the crash was still under investigation. Along with MCPL Priede, five Americans, and one soldier from Britain who had been passengers were also killed. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Cdn Killed in IED Blast
A Canadian soldier was killed 25 May 07 when an improvised explosive device detonated in Afghanistan's volatile Zhari district. One other soldier has suffered non-life-threatening injuries and an Afghan interpreter has also been wounded, said Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Afghanistan. The wounded soldier has injuries describe by Cessford as non-life threatening. The interpreter remained in the field. The dead soldier, identified as Cpl. Matthew McCully, based at CFB Petawawa, is the 55th Canadian serviceman to die in Afghanistan. For more, click to CANinKandahar
OP Hoover: New CAN-AFG Push Against Taliban
A towering column of Leopard tanks and armoured vehicles rumbled into position in the volatile Zhari district of Afghanistan early 25 May 07 as Canadian soldiers prepared for their largest offensive against the Taliban in nearly two months. Operation Hoover began under cover of darkness, amid the thunder of Canada's mighty guns, as illumination rounds cast an eerie orange glow over the rocky barrens beneath a star-studded Afghan night. As the sun peeked over distant foothills, a squadron from the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) tank regiment barrelled past grape huts and mud-walled compounds before marshalling in a dusty tract of land near the edge of the Registan desert. Behind them, Afghan National Army soldiers - trained and mentored by their Canadian counterparts - flashed confident grins and thumbs-up signs from the backs of their vulnerable pickup trucks as they prepared to lead the attack. For more, click to CANinKandahar
Snowbird Pilot Killed in Montana Crash
A Canadian Forces Snowbird pilot from Quebec was killed Friday afternoon when his jet crashed while doing practice manoeuvres near Great Falls, Montana on 18 May 07. The pilot was identified by the air force as Captain Shawn McCaughey, 30, of Candiac, Que., south of Montreal. Capt. McCaughey was in his second year with the Snowbirds, according to his biography on the group's website. Eyewitnesses said the aerial team was flying in formation before one jet left the group and fell to the earth around 4 p.m. Central Time.
USAF Promotion of Event - Initial CF Statement - Great Falls Tribune (Mont.) - CanWest News - Canadian Press/Associated Press - CBC News - Clippings, 19 May 07 (.pdf) - Official Bio of Fallen Pilot - Army.ca Condolences - CF Investigation Underway - Fiancee Learns of Death Before Birthday, Bridal Shower - Clippings, 20 May 07 (.pdf) - CF Investigation to take a Year
Commander in Chief Statement - PM Statement - Def Min Statement
CAN National Nabbed in Waziristan Terr Training Camp?
An Alberta man arrested in Kabul and under investigation for possible ties to terrorism could face trial in Afghanistan depending on the outcome of a police probe, Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada said 11 May 07. Sohail Qureshi, 24, who graduated with a degree in computer science from the University of Calgary last year, was taken into custody in the Afghan capital this week because of suspicions he had attended militant training camps in Pakistan. A Canadian citizen of Pakistani heritage, Qureshi reportedly left the country three months ago and did not return as planned in April. Omar Samad, Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada, cautioned that his government was still trying to confirm the identity of the man arrested by Afghan police. For more, check CANinKandahar
CDN Peacekeeper Confirmed Dead in Military Plane Crash in Egypt
An official with a multi-national peacekeeping force have confirmed a Canadian was among nine peacekeepers who were killed when a French military plane crashed in Egypt 6 May 07. An official at the peacekeeping force's headquarters in Cairo, Normand St. Pierre, says the other eight killed were French. Corporal Benoit Chevalier, an Aerospace Control Operator from 3 Wing Bagotville (Quebec) assigned to Task Force El Gorah (TFEG) was killed in the crash. The plane, a Canadian-made DeHavilland Twin Otter, crashed in a remote area of the Sinai desert. The peacekeeping force, officially called the Multinational Force and Observers, is an independent international organization created by Egypt and Israel to monitor their border in the Sinai after a 1979 peace deal.
Associated Press (USA) - Agence France Presse (FRA) - Reuters (UK) - CF Statement
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JTF-2 Member Killed in Non-Combat Accident in AFG
A Canadian soldier working with Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan died in a non-combat related incident 18 Apr 07. The soldier was working on a communications tower when the accident occurred. An investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of the accident. For more, check CANinKandahar
Two More CAN Troops Killed, Three Injured in AFG
Two Canadians have been killed and three injured in Afghanistan in two separate attacks, a military official says in Kandahar. Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of the Canadian contingent in Afghanistan, says the two roadside bomb explosions happened 11 Apr 07 west of Kandahar City. The names of the two Canadian soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan are as follows: Master Corporal Allan Stewart, The Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in Petawawa, Ont.; and Trooper Patrick James Pentland, The Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in Petawawa, Ont. For more, check CANinKandahar
Six CAN Troops Killed, Two Injured, in IED Strike
A devastating roadside-bomb explosion killed six Canadian soldiers 8 Apr 07 in the worst single-day toll for the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, military officials said. 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 the Canadian contingent in Kandahar. Two other soldiers were examined in hospital and released, he told reporters at Kandahar Airfield. The soldiers were in a moving vehicle when the blast occurred around 1 p.m., Cessford said. For more, check CANinKandahar
US Close to Releasing Report on Possible 2006 AFG Friendly Fire Deaths
The U.S. Army has completed a probe into whether a Vermont National Guardsman and a Canadian soldier were killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan during a fierce night-time battle just over a year ago, a Guard official said 6 Apr 07. But the results of the investigation into the 29 Mar 06 death of Master Sgt. Tom Stone and Canadian soldier Pte. Robert Costall won't be released until Stone's family has been briefed about the findings.
CANinKandahar - MILNEWS.ca Media Summary Report on Pte. Costall's Death
Royal Navy, Marine Hostages Freed by IRN
News and analysis highlights here.
CF Reservist Killed in Shooting at K'Har Air Base
A young Canadian soldier has been killed in a shooting at the Canadian base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, a family member said 6 Mar 07. Cpl. Kevin Megeney was apparently in his tent when he was shot, his sister Lisa told The Canadian Press from the family home in Stellarton, in the eastern province of Nova Scotia. For more, check CANinKandahar
OP Achilles Under Way in S. AFG
At the request of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) launched Operation Achilles earlier today (6 Mar 07), an effort concentrated on the northern region of Helmand Province. “Our first manoeuvre elements reached their positions at approximately 05h00 this morning and at it’s peek, Operation Achilles will eventually involve over 4500 NATO troops and close to 1000 ANSF personnel,” said Major-General Ton van Loon, Commander of Regional Command (South). “This is the largest multi-national combined ANSF and ISAF operation launched to date and it signifies the beginning of a planned offensive to bring security to northern Helmand and set the conditions for meaningful development that will fundamentally improve the quality of life for Afghans in the area,” he added. For more, check CANinKandahar
CAN Anti-Terr Measures Not Extended
"Opposition parties joined forces (27 Feb 07) to vote down the extension of two controversial anti-terrorism measures, ending an acrimonious political battle rife with accusations of dirty politics. But the debate over national security vs. civil liberties is sure to continue into the next election campaign. A Conservative government motion seeking to extend the security measures for three years was defeated by a vote of 159 to 124. Most Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs voted against extending the provisions, which expire automatically (1 Mar 07) without parliamentary approval to renew them."
More on Canada Terror Page
Think Tank: Taliban Can Take On CF Leopards
'The Department of National Defence was wrong to deploy Leopard 1 C2 tanks to the battlefield in Afghanistan, says a study released 26 Feb 07 by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The study was written by Michael D. Wallace, Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia and Senior Advisor to the newly established Rideau Institute on International Affairs.'
More on CANinKandahar page
CAN Supreme Court Says Security Certificates Unconstitutional
The Supreme Court of Canada has struck down the security certificate system used by the federal government to detain and deport foreign-born terrorist suspects. In a 9-0 judgment delivered on 23 Feb 07, the court found that the system, described by government officials as a key tool for safeguarding national security, violates the Charter of Rights. But the court suspended the judgment from taking legal effect for a year, giving Parliament time to write a new law complying with constitutional principles.
More on Canada Terror Page
Could Military, Interrogators Get "24" to Lighten Up?
What happens when the Dean of West Point and a couple of senior interrogators try to convince the producers of "24" that torture doesn't work in the long run to get useful information? One quote from Tony Lagouranis, a former Army interrogator in the war in Iraq: “People watch the shows, and then walk into the interrogation booths and do the same things they’ve just seen.”
CAN to Lease Leopard 2's from Germany for AFG?
Keen spotter on Army.ca found German media reporting that Canada is ready to lease Leopard 2's for use in Afghanistan, with the possibility of buying another 80.
More on CANinKandahar Page
Military, CF MP Watchdog Looking into Prisoner Handling in AFG
Three investigations are under way looking into prisoner handling by Canadian troops in Afghanistan. The Canadian military has announced an investigation, as well as a Board of Inquiry, while Canada's Military Police Complaints Commission is conducting a parallel, independent investigation. Media reports indicate aat least one, and perhaps three, Afghan detainees “taken captive by the Canadian Forces appears to have been beaten while detained and interrogated by them,” according to Amir Attaran, a University of Ottawa law professor, in a letter sent to the commission. The allegations are based on documents obtained by Mr. Attaran under the Access to Information Act outlining injuries in the cases.
Rescue Ops (2): Evacuating Non-Military Nationals
Another manual, courtesy of the Federation of American Scientists Secrecy News, this time about military run evacuations of civilians (think Lebanon last summer). Another big .pdf file, but again with interesting content.
'Noncombatant Evacuation Operations', Joint Publication 3-68 (USA), 22 Jan 07 (169 pg, 1.75MB .pdf)
Rescue Ops (1): Saving the Captured: Two Manuals
Two manuals on doctrine behind rescuing captured troops. Thanks to the Federation of American Scientists Secrecy News for the American pam, and "Good2Golf", directing staff with Army.ca. Both pretty big .pdf files, but interesting content and level of detail.
'Joint Personnel Recovery', Joint Warfare Publication 3-66 (UK), April 2003 - 'Personnel Recovery', Joint Publication 3-50 (USA), January 5, 2007
USA SF Accuse CAN Troops of Not Patrolling Dismounted in AFG?
From the Baltimore Sun: 'A senior U.S. Special Forces officer said the Canadians, even though they have tanks and light armored vehicles, refuse to dismount on foot patrols, which are considered more risky but more productive in establishing relationships with the local population .... One Special Forces officer, an adviser with the Afghan army, told of asking the Canadians for help in regaining the initiative in battle. "They refused to cross the river" to help, the officer said in a cold fury. "It is disturbing." .... John Morris, a spokesman for Canada's Expeditionary Forces Command in Ottawa, said it is "absolutely not true" that Canadians do not patrol on foot. He could not comment on any specific cases but insisted that Canadian forces operating in Afghanistan "are not subject to any geographic or movement restrictions." ....'
More on "Twenty Eight Articles: Fundamentals of Company-level Counterinsurgency"
An Aussie officer, former platoon commander in E. Timor and currently on secodment to the U.S. State Department, lays out 28 rules for company level counterinsurgency ops, based on input from company grade commanders working in Iraq here. Well, it took a platoon commander who'd been to IRQ recently to flesh things out here.
AFG Fight Canadian Press-Broadcast News Story of 2006
Canadians made a spectacular switch from Liberal to Conservative governing regimes in 2006, but a gritty little war half a world away was the overwhelming choice as the top Canadian news story of the year. The war in Afghanistan started in 2001 and steadily faded from the world's headlines as the focus shifted to Iraq, but five years later Canada's small part in the fight to calm the country hit home with bloody clarity. Newspaper editors and broadcasters left no doubt that Canada's mission in Afghanistan was the top news story of the year. In the annual poll by The Canadian Press and Broadcast News, the war in Afghanistan easily outranked the Conservatives' electoral victory by a margin of 91-44.
Saddam Dead
Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has been executed by hanging at a secure facility in northern Baghdad for crimes against humanity. Iraqi TV said the execution took place 29 Dec 06 just before 0600 local time (0300GMT, 2200EST). A representative of the prime minister and a Sunni Muslim cleric were present. Footage of him being led to the gallows was later shown on Iraqi state TV.
BBC News - Google News 'Saddam'
CF Soldier Canadian Press/Broadcast News Newsmaker of the Year
'The men and women of the Canadian Forces have dominated news coverage in 2006 and as such, editors and broadcasters across the country have chosen the Canadian Soldier as Canada's Newsmaker of the Year in the annual poll by The Canadian Press and Broadcast News. "The issue of Canada's involvement in Afghanistan has been on the lips, and in the hearts, of Canadians all year," said Gary Mac Dougall, managing editor of the Charlottetown Guardian, in explaining his newsmaker choice.'
'Thanks Jack' T-Shirt
Don't like how 'Taliban Jack' Layton wants us to talk to the Taliban? Buy a t-shirt, and upset a NDP member. Check the MILNEWS.ca Swag Shop here.
CF Soldier Macleans Newsmaker of the Year
'Every day for the past year, Canadian soldiers have been on the front lines of Afghanistan, bearing the brunt of Canada's war on terror, with courage and anonymity, no less. Right now, dozens of allied countries have troops operating in the former Taliban stronghold, but in 2006, none did more heavy lifting - or endured heavier losses - than Canada .... Every person in uniform, from sniper to recruiter to medic, will tell you the same thing: I can't walk into a Tim Hortons without somebody saying thanks. Indeed, 2006 belonged to the Canadian soldier.'
News Release - News of CAN in K'Har
MILNEWS Exclusive: UN Security Council Team Says ISAF Needed, Wanted in Afghanistan
A report from a United Nations Security Council team says there is "overwhelming support for the presence of international security forces inside Afghanistan."
RCMP Commish Resigns Over Testimony on Arar Case
Two Canadians Killed in Suicide Bomb Attack on Convoy
Two Canadian soldiers were killed on November 27 at approximately 8:35 am local time when their Bison Light Armoured Vehicle was attacked by a suicide bomber driving a car laden with explosives. The incident occurred on Highway 4 between Kandahar Airfield and Kandahar City. There were no other Canadian casualties.
CF Edmonton Garrison Collecting Direct Aid Money for Kandahar PRT
Eliminate the middleman - you can send donations that will be sent straight to the PRT commander in Kandahar, allowing him to spend on priorities determined by area residents.
CAN Hostage in IRQ, Rescued by SAS, Won't Wear Poppy
'Despite his gratitude to elite British troops for rescuing him from his captors in Iraq, James Loney says he can't wear a poppy on Remembrance Day. "They (military forces) believe in what they're doing, and more than that, they're risking their lives. . . . That is an amazing gift," he told a University
of Guelph audience (November 10). "And that's what we are trying to remember and think about on Nov. 11. "But having said that, I still can't wear a poppy." '
Guelph Mercury - MILNEWS Media Summary Report (113KB .pdf)
(updated 10 Dec 06)
Remembrance Day Messages 2006
Governor General - Prime Minister - Defence Minister - Chief of Defence Staff
'From Vimy Ridge to Kandahar'
'For more than half a century following the Korean war, Canada was blessed not to be involved in major armed conflict. In recent years the face of Remembrance Day was, typically, that of an older man clad in navy blazer and beret, marching stiffly but proudly in the annual parade of veterans.'
Remembrance Day, or Veteran's Day?
Do we commemorate the dead, or do we think of the vets?
Army Times Editorial: 'Rumsfeld Must Go'
'Rumsfeld has lost credibility with the uniformed leadership, with the troops, with Congress and with the public at large. His strategy has failed, and his ability to lead is compromised. And although the blame for our failures in Iraq rests with the secretary, it will be the troops who bear its brunt.'
Hang' Em High: Saddam, Two Others Sentenced to Death
Deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and his half-brother Barzan al-Tikriti were sentenced to death by hanging Sunday after being convicted by the Iraqi criminal court of crimes against humanity. Saddam and six of his former top government aides were found guilty of ordering the killing of 148 Shias in the town of Dujail in 1982 in retaliation to an attempt on Saddam's life.
Included in 5 Nov 06 Edition of MILNEWS
'What to say to a veteran'
As Remembrance Day approaches, with Canadian troops fighting and working to help Afghanistan, you may be wondering what to say to any veteran who has been through so much, as well as to men and women who continue to serve.
Column - Chronicle-Journal Letter (371KB .pdf)
CAN CDS on CF Re-Roling, Deployment Lengths
General Rick Hillier explains, in one column, all about how sailors aren't going to be trained as infanteers, and what will happen to deployment lengths to deal with the AFG campaign.
Halifax Chronicle-Herald - Permalink
First CF Valour Medals in AFG Campaign Awarded
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, announced 27 Oct 06 the awarding of the first four Military Valour Decorations to members of the Canadian Forces who have displayed gallantry and devotion to duty in combat. The recipients will be invited to receive their decoration from the Governor General at a presentation ceremony to be held at a later date. This marks the first time that these decorations, which were created in 1993, have been awarded.
Free Parcels to Overseas Troops
Canada Post will provide free regular parcel service to families and friends of deployed Canadian Forces members for the holiday season. From October 26, 2006 to January 15, 2007, parcels will be delivered free of charge from any Canada Post retail outlet to designated Canadian Forces Bases, where they will be forwarded through the CF postal system to members overseas and aboard deployed Canadian ships.
One Injured Soldier's Story
One of Canada's soldiers injured in Afghanistan shares his pain, his frustration, and his desire to be back with his comrades.
'Dealing with being home from Kandahar' - CANinKandahar
Two Canadians Killed in AFG RPG, Small Arms Ambush
At approximately 1510 local (0615 EDT) on 14 Oct 06, two Canadians soldiers were killed when their unit was ambushed near the new Panjwayi development road. Two other soldiers were wounded. Other Canadian units quickly responded to the attack and became involved in a three-hour battle with insurgents. The dead are identified as Sgt. Darcy Tedford and Pte. Blake Williamson, both of Charles Company, 1 RCR, based in Petawawa.
UN Security Council Agrees to Sanctions Against North Korea
Following intensive negotiations triggered earlier this month when the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) claimed to have conducted a nuclear test, the United Nations Security Council on 14 Oct 06 imposed sanctions against the country as well as individuals supporting its military programme and demanded that Pyongyang cease its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.
North Korea Reports Nuclear Test
North Korea faced global condemnation and calls for harsh sanctions 9 Oct 06 after it announced that it had set off an atomic explosion underground, a test that thrusts the secretive communist state into the elite club of nuclear-armed countries. The United States, Japan, China and Britain led a united chorus of criticism, with U.S. President George W. Bush saying the reported test poses a threat to global peace and security, and "deserves an immediate response" by the UN Security Council, which met to discuss the crisis.
One Thunder Bay Soldier Dies, Another Thunder Bay Soldier Attends His Funeral, Then He Dies Too
RCD Trooper Killed in Explosion
A 40th Canadian soldier has died in Afghanistan. Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson of the Royal Canadian Dragoons of CFB Petawawa was on a pre-dawn patrol 7 Oct 06 when either a roadside bomb or a landmine detonated. The explosion penetrated the vehicle and the soldier later died from his injuries.
2 RCD's Killed in Action in AFG
Two Canadian soldiers were killed 3 Oct 06 when ISAF forces operating in the Panjwayi area were attacked by mortars, rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire. The attack occurred at approximately 1650 Kandahar time (0820EDT), about 20 km west of Kandahar City as ISAF forces worked to clear a route of mines and improvised explosive devices for a future road construction project. The Canadian soldiers killed in today's attack in Afghanistan are Sergeant Craig Paul Gillam and Corporal Robert Thomas James Mitchell, both members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in Petawawa, Ontario.
CAN Soldier Killed in Explosion in S. AFG
Pte. Josh Klukie, 1 RCR, was killed 29 Sept 06 by an improvised explosive device, while he was conducting a foot patrol in the Panjwayi district, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. The incident occurred at approximately 1300 Kandahar time (0430 EDT) about 25 km west of Kandahar City. A second soldier suffered minor hearing loss as a result of the blast.
Some Answers, More Questions in Killing of CAN Peacekeeper in LBN
A United Nations board of inquiry into an Israeli attack in Lebanon that killed four United Nations military observers in July had no access to the commanders involved and was therefore unable to determine why the attacks were not halted despite repeated appeals from UN personnel, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s spokesman annonced 29 Sept 06.
Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182
A public inquiry into the 1985 bombing of an Air India plane off the coast of Ireland started hearing testimony 25 Sept 06 in Ottawa. The bombing of Flight 182, which left from Montreal, was carried out by Sikh extremists campaigning for a homeland in northern India. The 329 dead included 280 Canadians, many of them of Indian descent. Only one person has ever been convicted of the plot, and the trial of two main suspects ended in 2005 with acquittals.
CAN Troops Meeting Kids Killed by Suicide Bomber
Four Canadian soldiers were killed and a number of others injured when a suicide bomber, travelling on a bicycle, detonated himself near Canadian troops conducting a foot patrol in the Panjwayi district, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. The attack occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. Kandahar time, 28 Sept 06, about 30 km west of Kandahar City. An unknown number of civilians, including children, were also injured in the explosion.
Arar Commission Report Coming Out Monday
Justice Dennis O'Connor should conclude that Canada ran its own "extraordinary rendition" program or willingly participated in the CIA scheme that shipped terror suspects to countries that practise torture, say intervenors in the Maher Arar inquiry. The government is expected to announce today that O'Connor's commission of inquiry report will be tabled 18 Sept 06.
Tanks, Vandoos, More Headed to Beef Up CAN Presence in AFG
Canada will send between 200 and 500 additional soldiers and a squadron of Leopard tanks to Afghanistan to battle resurgent Taliban fighters, the Canadian government said 15 Sept 06. The extra soldiers and equipment are "a necessary response to the Taliban," the Department of National Defence said in a release. The department said it will add an infantry company from Quebec's Royal 22nd Regiment, the Van Doos, 15 Leopard tanks based in Edmonton and armoured engineering vehicles called Badgers to help with rebuilding projects.
IDF: Bad Maps Led to Strike Killing CAN Officer in LBN
On 14 Sept 06, Israel released details of its report on the killing of four UN peacekeepers in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon, saying their position, close to a Hezbollah rocket launch-site, was erroneously targeted because of flawed Israeli military maps. Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener of Kingston, Ont., a 20-year veteran, was one of the peacekeepers killed in the attack. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the findings were handed to diplomats from Canada, China, Finland and Austria, which each had a peacekeeper killed in the July 25 strike on the UN post at Khiam, southern Lebanon, about 180 metres from a position manned by Hezbollah, which at the time was firing salvos of rockets into Israel, where they killed 39 civilians.
Cormorant crash investigation focuses on human error
Military investigators focused Monday on human error as the possible cause of the crash of a Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter that killed three airmen off eastern Nova Scotia in July. An interim flight safety report, which formally ruled out mechanical trouble, said “several human factors” will need further investigation, including the fact that one of the pilots at the controls was being trained when the helicopter plunged into the ocean off Canso, N.S. during a night exercise.
Will New CF Recuiting Ads Highlight Fighting Terror?
In a bid to attract new recruits, the Canadian Forces are developing an aggressive new advertising campaign that characterizes a military career as an exciting chance to "fight terror."
One Cdn Killed, Five Seriously Wounded in AFG Fratricide
A NATO A-10 Warthog accidentally strafed Canadian troops on 4 Sept 06, killing one soldier and wounding dozens others during Operation Medusa. The identity of the soldier killed in the friendly fire incident has not been released yet.
Four Cdns Killed, nine injured, in OP Medusa
Four Canadian soldiers were killed during a major NATO offensive involving air strikes and artillery barrages against insurgents in the Panjwaii district of southern Afghanistan, Canadian military officials said 3 Sept 06. Canadian Brig.-Gen. David Fraser announced the deaths during a briefing with reporters. In addition, up to nine Canadians were reported wounded. Injuries to two of them apparently were light enough for them to stay on in the combat area.
Operation Medusa Under Way in Southern AFG
Hundreds of Canadian soldiers backed by coalition troops and their Afghan allies launched a major offensive 2 Sept 06 to drive Taliban insurgents from a stronghold west Kandahar. Operation Medusa, a month in the planning, seeks to drive insurgents away from the volatile Taliban hotbeds of Zhari, Panjwaii and Pashmul near the lush fields lining the dry Arghandab River so that civilians who have fled their homes over the past four months can return.
IRN Refuses to Stop Processing Uranium
On 31 Aug 06, Iran's hard-line President claimed that the Islamic country was "united" behind its nuclear programme, on the day that the United Nations' deadline arrived for it to be halted or for Iran to face possible sanctions.
MILNEWS Focus: Tamil Terrs Working, Fundraising in Canada
A look at recent developments, as well as some background and history, of Tamil separatists fundraising in Canada for fighting back in the old country.
Fifth Canadian Terror Suspect Released on Bail
A 19-year old Toronto-area man charged in connection with an alleged bomb plot targeting several locations in Ontario was granted bail Friday, the fifth of 18 accused in the case to be released from custody.
Canadian Killed in Suicide Bomber Attack on K'Har Convoy
Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan are preparing for a potential backlash after shooting dead a 10-year-old Afghan boy and injuring a teenager 22 Aug 06. The shooting took place after a Canadian soldier was killed and three others injured in a suicide attack in Kandahar City. Cpl. David Braun, based at CFB Shilo, Man., died when a Canadian resupply convoy was struck by a vehicle packed with explosives. At approximately 1515 local time, a Canadian re-supply convoy traveling in Kandahar City was struck by a suicide bomber, killing one soldier and wounding three others. ISAF air assets evacuated the injured soldiers to the Canadian-led multinational hospital at the Kandahar Airfield. All three are in good condition with non-life threatening injuries. A fire that resulted from the suicide bombing destroyed two Canadian vehicles in the convoy.
IRN: Let's Talk (But We Still Wanna Keep Processing Nuclear Material)
On 22 Aug 06, Iran formally delivered its much-anticipated reply to a six-nation proposal to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis, rejecting a demand to suspend its uranium enrichment activities before resuming any negotiations.
Lebanon Cease Fire Takes Effect
Guns fell silent across south Lebanon 14 Aug 06 shortly after a United Nations-brokered truce to end more than a month of fighting went into effect at 8 a.m. local time (0100 EDT). As the deadline passed, reports say Israeli planes disappeared from the sky, and Hizballah was holding fire.
Fiery suicide attack kills Canadian soldier as convoy returns to Kandahar
A horrific suicide attack 11 Aug 06 claimed the life of another Canadian soldier in Afghanistan. The soldier died when the suicide bomber plowed his explosives-laden vehicle into a NATO convoy in southern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. Witnesses said there was a giant blast from the bomb, followed by a huge fire. It took several hours to extract the dead soldier's body from the burned vehicle. "The soldier was travelling in an armoured G-Wagon light utility vehicle as part of a resupply convoy heading north from Spin Boldak to Kandahar Air Field," said Col. Tom Putt, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan.
One Cdn Killed, Three Injured in Accident Enroute to Spin Boldak Area
An accident on 5 Aug 06 claimed the life of another Canadian soldier, just as the bodies of four others killed this week in Afghanistan were being flown home. Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, died after a large truck collided head-on with a Canadian G-Wagon, about 35 kilometres southeast of Kandahar. Arndt's age and home town were not immediately available. Three other soldiers in the vehicle were injured in the accident, two of them being flown to a hospital in Germany for further treatment.
Four More Cdns Killed in IED, RPG Attacks in K'Har
Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid was killed 3 Aug 06 in an area where Canadian soldiers have been advancing on Taliban insurgents, said Col. Tom Putt, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan. Reid was the 20th soldier to be killed since Canadians moved into Afghanistan in 2002, and the 12th to die in the last six months. Meanwhile, Three NATO soldiers killed 3 Aug 06 in a barrage of rocket-propelled grenades in southern Afghanistan have been identified as Canadian. Six other NATO soldiers were injured in the attack, but there was no immediate confirmation that Canadians were among them.
Canadian UN Observer Killed: Deliberate, Accident or Hezbollah Using UN as Screen?
A range of debate on how ISR nailed a UN observer post in LBN on 25 Jul 06, as well as the latest on what's happening in the area.
Two Cdns Killed in K'Har IED Attack
Two Canadian soldiers were killed and eight others were wounded Saturday in two suicide bombing attacks in Afghanistan near the coalition base in Kandahar on 22 Jul 06. Cpl. Francisco Gomez of the Lord Strathcona's Horse of Edmonton and Cpl. Jason Patrick Warren of Montreal's Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment were killed, CBC News reports. Gomez and Warren were injured early Saturday in the bombings, which also killed six Afghan civilians in downtown Kandahar, it was reported. Eight soldiers were wounded when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into a coalition vehicle, Maj. Scott Lundy, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition forces, said earlier.
IDF Into Lebanon
Some of the latest on the campaign, and the evacuation.
IDF Discusses Deja Vu Rules of Engagement with CAN Lawyer
Interesting summary of an exchange regarding ROE in a situation pretty similar to what we're seeing now.
"Two years ago, over lunch, I debated self-defence with the lawyer who advises the Israeli Defence Force. The lawyer in question is a colonel with a Harvard doctorate; the invitation came while I was a visiting professor at the University of Tel Aviv."
Toronto Star - MILNEWS IDF into LBN Page
(Updated 16 Jul 06)
US Government Watchdogs Sneak Enough Radioactive Material into America for Two Dirty Bombs
I guess this one slid in under the radar - apparently, the bad stuff was snuck in through the Canadian and Mexican borders ino the Unites States.
"The radiation portal monitors properly signaled the presence of radioactive material when our two teams of investigators conducted simultaneous border crossings. Our investigators’ vehicles were inspected in accordance with most of the (Customs and Border Protection) policy at both the northern and southern borders. However, GAO’s investigators, using counterfeit documents, were able to enter the United States with enough radioactive sources in the trunks of their vehicles to make two dirty bombs."
General Accounting Office Report # GAO-06-939T, July 5, 2006 - July 7, 2006 Report (both .pdf)
(Updated 15 Jul 06)
CF Cormorant Crashes, Killing Three
Three Canadian military personnel were killed and four others injured on Thursday after an early morning helicopter crash during a Canadian Forces training exercise off the coast of Nova Scotia. The Canadian Forces said the CH149 Cormorant helicopter from the 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Canso, Nova Scotia.
(Updated 16 Jul 06)
Thunder Bay Reservist Anthony Joseph Boneca Killed in AFG Firefight
A Canadian soldier was killed today during an engagement with Taliban insurgents approximately 25 kilometres west of Kandahar. The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. Kandahar time (12:00 a.m. EDT). Killed was Corporal Anthony Joseph Boneca who was serving with Task Force Afghanistan as part of the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI) Battle Group. Cpl. Boneca was a member of the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment, which is based in Thunder Bay, Ontario; his next-of-kin have been notified. Cpl. Boneca was evacuated by helicopter to the coalition medical facility at Kandahar Airfield where he was pronounced dead.
(Updated 16 Jul 06)
Paq of Iraq Reports
Almost back-to-back release of three interesting US Congressional Research Service reports on Iraq: One on the recent elections and government, another on the security situation and a third on Iran's influence in Iraq. Detailed, good background and as balanced as you'll ever see in any government publication.
IRN in IRQ.pdf - IRQ Elections-Govt.pdf - IRQ Security.pdf
(Updated 27 Jun 06)
Canada - Terror Target
"Police say they've foiled a series of terrorist attacks against targets in southern Ontario. The RCMP have arrested and charged 12 male adults while five youths face a host of terrorism-related charges including training and recruitment, firearms and explosives offences and providing property for terrorist purposes. The announcement came at a news conference following a series of arrests Friday night on a group the Mounties say posed a "real and serious threat." In addition to the arrests, police recovered three tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a commonly used fertilizer used in the making of explosives. The RCMP says this is three time the amount used in the Oklahoma City bombing in the 1990s. "
Time to Change Who Provides Air Support in AFG?
MILNEWS family member Lorne Warawa
An Afghan vet says a recent U.S. air strike could be hurting Canadian efforts in Afghanistan more than it's helping.
Time to change the Piper - Army.ca Debate of Article
(Updated 29 May 06)
CF Forward Observation Officer Killed in AFG
Various news services
A Canadian soldier was killed during a firefight with insurgents that occurred approximately 24 kilometres west of Kandahar. The incident occurred at approximately 6:55 p.m. Kandahar time (10: 25 a.m. EDT) on 17 May. Killed was Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard who was serving with Task Force Afghanistan as part of the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI) Battle Group. Captain Goddard was stationed with the 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in Shilo, Manitoba.
(Updated 19 May 06)
Four Cdns Killed in IED Attack in AFG
Various news services
Four Canadian soldiers have been killed in an attack in the Gumbad region of Afghanistan. The men were travelling in a G-wagon about 75 kilometres north of Kandahar when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.
Killed in the incident were:
- Corporal Matthew Dinning, born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, stationed at 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters, Petawawa, Ontario;
- Bombardier Myles Mansell, born in Victoria, British Columbia, of 5th (British Columbia) Field Regiment, stationed at Victoria, B.C.;
- Lieutenant William Turner, born in Toronto, of Land Force Western Area Headquarters, stationed at Edmonton;
- The identity of the fourth soldier is being withheld at the request of the next-of-kin.
(Updated 22 Apr 06)
Counterinsurgency: A Six Paragraph Primer
William Christie, Defense and the National Interest, 31 Jan 06
Short, sweet, to the point....
(Updated 20 Apr 06)
UPDATE: Brit Critique of USA Planning for IRQ Refuted
"OIF Phase IV: A Planner's Reply to Brigadier Aylwin-Foster"
Colonel Kevin C.M. Benson, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Combined Arms Centre Military Review, Mar-Apr 2006
Remember this (MILNEWS copy of .pdf) from last year?:
"In spite of COIN and S&R operations having occupied the majority of the Army's operational time since the Cold War, and their being an inevitable consequence of the (Global War on Terror), these roles have not been considered core Army activities... the Army has consistently seen itself more or less exclusively as a conventional warfighting organization, and prepared for operations accordingly."
Well, an American officer gives his side of the story here:
"Aylwin-Foster, among others, asserts that the U.S. Army paid inadequate attention to planning for Phase IV of the campaign in Iraq. He also asserts that our Army is at a pivotal moment in its history and has been too slow to recognize the type of war we are fighting and what we need to do to set conditions for victory. I disagree with both assertions and offer a two-part counterpoint."
(Updated 18 Apr 06)
"Twenty Eight Articles: Fundamentals of Company-level Counterinsurgency"
located on various web sites, dated 29 Mar 06
An Aussie officer, former platoon commander in E. Timor and currently on secodment to the U.S. State Department, lays out 28 rules for company level counterinsurgency ops, based on input from company grade commanders working in Iraq. Good read, interesting advice - for example:
"#7. Train the squad leaders - then trust them. Counterinsurgency is a squad and platoon leader's war, and often a private soldier's war. Battles are won or lost in moments: whoever can bring combat power to bear in seconds, on a street corner, will win. The commander on the spot controls the fight. You must train the squad leaders to act intelligently and independently without orders. If your squad leaders are competent, you can get away with average company or platoon staffs. The reverse is not the case. Training should focus on basic skills: marksmanship, patrolling, security on the move and at the halt, basic drills. When in doubt, spend less time on company and platoon training, and more time on squads."
File (.pdf) - Permalink thru MILNEWS
(Updated 17 Apr 06)
Iran - Military Options?
16 Apr 06
A summary of the latest news regarding Iran, it's nuclear program, and possible plans for a military strike - includes open source information on the facilities highlighted in media coverage of the issue.
(Updated 17 Apr 06)
Friendly Fire?: Patricia Killed in Taliban Firefight
29 Mar 06
"One Canadian soldier was killed, and three others injured when insurgents attacked them with mortars, rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire in northern Helmand