Canadian troops attacked for third straight day - 4 Oct

[211RadOp]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061004/afghanistan_attack_061004/20061004?hub=TopStories

Canadian troops attacked for third straight day
Updated Wed. Oct. 4 2006 11:06 AM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Canadian troops came under attack in southern Afghanistan Wednesday for the third straight day.

This time several rocket propelled grenades were launched at a Canadian camp and a roadside bomb hit an armoured vehicle in Panjwaii district.

Two Canadians were slightly injured in the bomb attack, but remain at a forward base and are set to return to duty soon, military officials say.

CTV's Paul Workman, reporting from Kandahar, said he was not surprised by the latest attack.

"The insurgency is far from broken in that area," he told CTV's Canada AM Wednesday.

"There's still a lot of Taliban around and they are trying to show that they can infiltrate and move back into the Panjwaii, which is a very, very tough terrain for the Canadian military to maneuver in."

The attacks come just one day after Sgt. Craig Paul Gillam and Cpl. Robert Thomas James Mitchell were killed and five soldiers injured near the town of Sperwan, in Panjwaii district.

The soldiers were manning an observation post near an area earmarked for a road construction project when they were attacked at around 4:50 p.m. local time.

"They were members of the surveillance troops," said Col. Fred Lewis, deputy commander of Task force Afghanistan. "They were conducting vehicle checkpoints and observation posts at the time."

The patrol managed to return fire after coming under sustained fire from mortars and possibly rocket propelled grenades. The attack involved between two and five insurgents.

The injured soldiers were evacuated to an alliance medical facility at Kandahar airfield.

Panjwaii district, around 20 kilometres west of Kandahar City, is a hotbed of Taliban activity and was the target of a major NATO and Canadian offensive last month that killed hundreds of insurgents.

In a statement Tuesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered his condolences to the families of the soldiers.

"Canada is forever grateful to these brave men who put their lives on the line and made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of promoting peace, stability and security in Afghanistan," he said.

Gillam, who was from South Branch, N.L., and Mitchell, who grew up in Owen Sound, Ont., were both with the Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in Petawawa, Ont.

N.L. Premier Danny Williams said Gillam dedicated his life to an admirable cause and "is a true representation of our willingness to help those in the international community who do not have the same opportunities and privileges that we enjoy."

They are the 38th and 39th Canadian soldiers to die in Afghanistan since 2002.

 

[Rifleman62]

Do you think that the TFA is being deliberately targeted due to the political situation in Canada? It would be a good tactic, and they are not stupid. Kill, wound as many Canadians as possible, and the Canadians will cut and run or negotiate. Our politicans, less the elected government, are causing casualties. It is pathetic, that these politicians are using serving,soldiers as pawns for their own political agenda. Just wait till we have an MIA, presumed captured.

 

[McG]

Do you think that the TFA is being deliberately targeted due to the political situation in Canada?

No.  Panjwai was bad even when the Americans had it.  We are just seeing more because they know the screws are tightening.

 

[dglad]

Not to mention that simply inflicting casualties is perceived by the relatively weak, non-democratic insurgencies to be a good strategy to prosecute against the militarily much stronger, media-addicted democracies, be they Canada, the US, the UK, Spain, Japan or wherever.  It's the only real weapon they have, since any attempt at a toe-to-toe conventional slugfest with the combat power NATO can muster is going to have exactly one possible outcome.  And don't forget that the insurgents on the clock, too.  If the overall socio-economic situation improves because of NATO's efforts, even slightly, they run the risk of losing their only real advantage--the support of the local people.

 

[Nomadfl]

I dislike the word used by many in the press and TV...that word is "injured"...to properly use the word injured would be like, he fell and injured his hand. If someone gets wounded in a battle situation, the press and TV  people should use the word "Wounded" The same goes for ranks...some of those people don't know the abbreviations for military ranks, they are really out of touch.....just my thoughts for the day.

 

[043]

I wii go out on a limb and say that this is no big news. It is only big news because it is in the news. There is so much going on over there all the time that it would be a rareity if the news was: Canadians not targeted for 3 consecutive day.

 

[Bigmac]

    Our soldiers are under attack because we are rebuilding roads and thus allowing the government to branch out it's infrastructure. As we progress and open up trade and business further into the country it will take the focus away from the Taliban. We will allow businesses and schools to reopen and new ones built. Only if we educate the Afghan children can we win this war. You can not rebuild a civilization in a short period of time, it will take decades. If we win the hearts and minds of the people and give them a more viable future we will defeat the Taliban. To do this we need to push the Taliban into their holes and protect the people as progress continues on infrastucture. It will take boots on the ground to do this and our troops are the best at this. We need to stay as long as it takes. If we leave now it will destroy the Afghans hopes and dreams.

    To those soldiers wounded get well quickly and to those still in the fight stay safe and see you home soon. We are all rooting for you!

    To those who have lost their lives they have not done so in vain and we will honor them now and every rememberance day their names will be called out. Lest we forget.    

 

[Boxkicker]

Why is it that the media only ever reports that ou rguys are being attacked never that they are on the attack!! I can see IED and enemy ambushes but they make it seem like everyone is a sitting duck and that the Taliban has the ininiative.