Canadians attacked after taking command

[The Gues-|-]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/02/28/canada-afghan-command.html

Troops attacked after Canada takes command in southern Afghanistan
Last Updated Tue, 28 Feb 2006 17:56:59 EST
CBC News

Canadian soldiers came under fire in Afghanistan, only hours after a Canadian general assumed control of coalition forces in the country's volatile south.

The troops were travelling in a convoy on a highway near Kandahar on Tuesday night when militants detonated a bomb and fired shots.

"The roadside bomb exploded roughly 20 metres in front of the lead vehicle," Capt. Mark Peebles told reporters in Kandahar. "At least one rocket-propelled grenade was launched at the convoy but missed. There are also reports of small-arms fire."

He said the Canadian soldiers fired back with machine guns and assault rifles before racing on to their base at Kandahar Airfield.

"Everybody returned home with no injuries," Peebles said.

The attack happened on the same stretch of road where militants attacked another Canadian convoy on the weekend, injuring a soldier.

Canada takes command in southern Afghanistan


A few hours before Tuesday's attack, a ceremony was held at the Kandahar air base as control over the multinational force responsible for southern Afghanistan passed from U.S. Gen. Karl Eikenberry to Canadian Brig.-Gen. David Fraser.

There are 2,200 Canadians along with British, Dutch and U.S. soldiers in the force, which is part of the U.S.-led operation in Afghanistan.

The force's mission includes supporting reconstruction efforts, but Eikenberry offered a dire warning for his successor: "There will be an increase in violence in the spring, and we can forecast an increase in violence in the summer."

Fraser said he agrees with the assessment.

"That minority that's trying to destabilize and terrorize the Afghans and the legitimate authority are going to keep attacking it," he said.

Eikenberry said the militants could be expected to increase their violence in large part because the multinational forces have them on the run and backed into a corner.

Canada recently greatly boosted its troops in Afghanistan. It assumes control over the regional forces at a time when they are becoming much more active in remote areas.

Afghan mission is 'the right thing to do,' says UN envoy


Canadians have already weathered a number of attacks from militants, including a serious one in January that killed diplomat Glyn Berry and seriously wounded three soldiers.

The UN's deputy special envoy, Chris Alexander, was among those who defended the mission in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

"Yes, there will be violence, there will be attacks, but when you change things after terrorists, and extremists and insurgents have had their way for a while, it's always destabilizing," he said. "But people want us to do it and it's the right thing to do."

Canada has committed to keep troops in Afghanistan for another year.

Recent opinion polls have suggested public support for the mission is low, but Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor has said the mission is vital.

He rejected the idea of a vote in Parliament over whether to continue the mission.

 

[Pte_Martin]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/02/28/canada-afghan-command.html

He said the Canadian soldiers fired back with machine guns and assault rifles before racing on to their base at Kandahar Airfield. "Everybody returned home with no injuries," Peebles said.

i'm just curious on why we don't go look for them or stay and fight? or do we and the media just doesn't report it?

 

[The Gues-|-]

i'm just curious on why we don't go look for them or stay and fight? or do we and the media just doesn't report it?

After I got that from the CBC website I wanted to see if CTV was on it and this is what they reported about the same incident:

Canadian takes command in southern Afghanistan
Updated Tue. Feb. 28 2006 4:21 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

The Canadian general who took charge of coalition troops in southern Afghanistan today said they won't fight unless they have to, but warned the Taliban that "we're going to start kicking them."

Brig.-Gen. David Fraser is now in charge of a new multinational force, including 2,200 Canadians, that will patrol six provinces in the southern part of Afghanistan, which spreads over about 220,000 square kilometres.

Fraser, in an interview with CTV's Lisa LaFlamme, warned that as more troops go into the sanctuaries where the Taliban live, including into the volatile city of Kandahar, "it will look bad."

"But in fact what we're doing is we're going into their yard," he said. "We're going to start kicking them."

However, he said the force, which also includes British, Dutch and U.S. troops, won't fight unless they have to. Fraser said they will instead focus more on helping the Afghan people, continuing the work of the U.S. Task Force Bayonet.

"My soldiers are trained to fight. But they're also trained into the humanitarian assistance and peace support, and that's our focus," he told LaFlamme.

"And we're here to work with the Afghans, to work on those non-fighting aspects, because that's the road to success. That's the road in the future to provide hope and opportunity."

In a sign of respect, Fraser asked coalition troops to take down their national flags and fly only the black-red-and-green of Afghanistan.

"This is not Canada, this is the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," said Fraser.

"We've got to respect their cultures and traditions and be respectful that they invited us here. I think it's only fitting we fly their flag.''

A dangerous mission

Just hours after Fraser took over the coalition force, a roadside bomb went off a short distance from a Canadian convoy. No one was injured, military officials say.

The improvised explosive device, or IED, went off around 8 p.m. local time Tuesday, about 20 metres from the road along a notorious stretch of highway known as "IED Alley" to Canadian soldiers.

The Canadians returned fire with machine-guns and assault rifles.

"They put the pedal to the metal to pass the attack site," said army spokesman Maj. Marc Theriault.

The convoy had been travelling from a Canadian camp in downtown Kandahar to the larger U.S.-run military base at Kandahar airfield.

It was the latest in a string of incidents targeting Canadian troops. On Saturday, a soldier was lightly injured when rocket-propelled grenades were fired at a Canadian convoy.

U.S. commanders still in charge of the overall operations in Afghanistan have warned troops in the multinational force to expect a spike in violence in the spring and summer, especially with the build-up of troops.

"In the coming months we expect an increasingly desperate enemy will attempt to disrupt the steady progress which has been made with the Afghan people in the last four years," said Maj.-Gen. Benjamin Freakley, the head of coalition combat operations.

Fraser acknowledged that 17 American soldiers and 1,600 Afghans have died during this mission, but said the operation is a necessary one.

"But it's a worthy cause. It's an expensive cause, but to give hope and opportunity, what you and I take for granted back home, it's worth it," he said.

"I mean, this is important for Canada. This I what we believe in."
Changing insurgency

Col. Steve Noonan, head of Canada's Task Force Afghanistan, said the insurgency has changed its tactic in the southern portion of Afghanistan.

"They've changed their tactics a little bit, and what I'm saying in that regard is the use of suicide bombers," he told Canada AM Tuesday.

Suicide bombings were once rare in Afghanistan, but they are increasingly becoming the weapons of choice.

At least seven soldiers have been injured in various attacks and one Canadian diplomat died in a January bombing. Three Edmonton-based soldiers were also injured in the blast.

Despite the change in tactic, Noonan is optimistic.

"We're going to have some significant challenges to overcome over the next couple of months as the insurgency tries to take on the new guy on the block.

"But overall, the central government's ability to project its governance in the provincial regions is getting better."

As for Fraser, he said he is "imminently prepared" and "tactically astute."

"David Fraser is my man," he said. "He's got good charisma and the troops like him."

Canadian troops are already on the ground, but most of the international force is taking over from the U.S.-dominated security effort over several weeks and months.

The objective is to have NATO's International Security Assistance Force eventually take command of the region.

Canada is expected to lead the coalition operation from late February until October 2006.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060226/afghan_canada_060228/20060228?hub=TopStories

 

[Pte_Martin]

Right on, thanks that explains more

 

[Pencil Tech]

That was very nicely put by Gen Fraser in the CTV story. You know, I'm beginning to think we might want to start using the word "peacekeeping" again, and educate people about the reality of that endeavour.

 

[Franko]

:

They aren't trying to hit only Canadian vehicles and patrols.

The Taliban sees any solidier or military vehicle as "Westerners / invaders".....they don't distiguish us from any other country when we go out on patrol.

They were trying to hit a patrol...period. The fact that is was one of our is meerly coincidence.

Thankfully they made it home in one piece.

Regards

 

[KevinB]

You mean they are not specifically targeting Canadians 

I'm shocked  ;D

My tolerance of some of these news bozo's gets strained daily.

I'm really tempted to hire a few locals to stone some of them to make the rest of the vultures leave.

 

[Franko]

You mean they are not specifically targeting Canadians 

I'm shocked  ;D

My tolerance of some of these news bozo's gets strained daily.

You and me both.

Regards

 

[deh]

Light at the end of the tunnel maybe?
And from a globe and mail Q&A session with one of their reporters recently back from Afghanistan no less.

Brent Bush, Kimberley, B.C.: Since July 2005, Chief of the Defense Staff Rick Hillier and other senior military leaders have stated that Canadian forces in Afghanistan will be adopting a much more aggressive role to hunt and destroy remnants of the Taliban and al-Qaeda . . . Canadians need to know if Canada is operating under NATO rules of engagement in Afghanistan or the more aggressive rules of engagement contained in Operation Enduring Freedom?

Michael Den Tandt: There is no difference between the rules of engagement being used by NATO, and those being used under Enduring Freedom. They're the same. Canadians have developed a comforting mythology over the years that says the American military are warlike and aggressive, whereas our soldiers are peacekeepers. This is nonsense. American soldiers in Afghanistan are deeply involved in institution-building and humanitarian work, just as Canadians are. By the same token, Canadian troops are deployed in an offensive role, not just defensive. Their job is to support the Afghan police and Afghan government, which means helping them defeat the insurgency. To defeat an insurgency requires a certain amount of aggression — soldiers can't just sit back in camp and wait to be shot at. They use intelligence, and they aggressively try to disrupt what the insurgents are doing. That means shooting and killing. That's part of what soldiers — all soldiers, including Canada's — do.


from
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060228.wliveafghan0301/BNStory/Afghanistan/home/?pageRequested=3

 

[regulator12]

They aren't trying to hit only Canadian vehicles and patrols.

The Taliban sees any solidier or military vehicle as "Westerners / invaders".....they don't distiguish us from any other country when we go out on patrol.

They were trying to hit a patrol...period. The fact that is was one of our is meerly coincidence.

Thankfully they made it home in one piece.

Regards

Franko, I am not trying to stray off topic but from other articles and discussions the taliban is not accurate of the enemy they face. Its more like hired guns and reminents of taliban and drug runners etc. I would bet good money that a lot of these enemy themselves are hired locals or from else where looking to make a buck or two and take there pop shots and take off. I bring this up because my point is that these insurgents target any western convoy most likely because they will get paid to attack western vehicles, i dont think Canadians are speciafically targeted. Heres that article i read.....http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060224.wfoccover25/BNStory/Front/home/?pageRequested=all

The insurgents are invisible. Their numbers are uncertain. Coalition estimates put them at 2 to 5 per cent of the local population. To call them "Taliban" is inaccurate: According to military sources in Kandahar, they are an agglomeration of fighters from the former Taliban government along with bandits, opium gangs and al-Qaeda infiltrators from across the border in Pakistan.

I just wanted to point that out.....I think that it makes the whole situation more dangerous because there is no defined enemy. A lot of poor people are in Afganistan and desperate people offer them money or food and they become dangerous to you. Makes the enemy harder eliminate.

Glad that they all made it back in one piece...

 

[Franko]

Franko, I am not trying to stray off topic but from other articles and discussions the taliban is not accurate of the enemy they face. Its more like hired guns and reminents of taliban and drug runners etc. I would bet good money that a lot of these enemy themselves are hired locals or from else where looking to make a buck or two and take there pop shots and take off.

Most people outside the theater are in the dark as to that fact....good to see some media is reporting somewhat accurately.

The layperson out there only understands the title "Taliban" and nothing more....hence my usage in it.

Kinda like the PRT is the only "fighting" force in Afghanistan for the past 7 months. Thanks CBC  :

Regards

 

[The_Falcon]

i'm just curious on why we don't go look for them or stay and fight? or do we and the media just doesn't report it?

Back in December during the 32 CBG DRU exercise, we had a lecture by WO from Gagetown (I don't recall his exact job, but it was something to do with urban ops), on IEDs and VBIEDS.  Basically it was alot of lessons learned (with video examples) from the Brits and Americans in Iraq and their experience with those devices.  The point he was getting across was, many brits and americans have died because they would stop and investigate when the IEDs would go off, because they initially treated them like mine attacks.  They soon learned that they would have a better chance at survival if they just broke contact, and high-tailed it out of their (the videos were very enlightening).  The WO told us this was the tactic he and his colleagues were pushing for as we started taking control in Kandahar.  It would appear that this tactic has been adopted and is now in use.

 

[Sh0rtbUs]

Back in December during the 32 CBG DRU exercise, we had a lecture by WO from Gagetown (I don't recall his exact job, but it was something to do with urban ops), on IEDs and VBIEDS.  Basically it was alot of lessons learned (with video examples) from the Brits and Americans in Iraq and their experience with those devices.  The point he was getting across was, many brits and americans have died because they would stop and investigate when the IEDs would go off, because they initially treated them like mine attacks.  They soon learned that they would have a better chance at survival if they just broke contact, and high-tailed it out of their (the videos were very enlightening).  The WO told us this was the tactic he and his colleagues were pushing for as we started taking control in Kandahar.  It would appear that this tactic has been adopted and is now in use.

He was a CER working on the Urban Operations course. That was a really good exercise, Sgt. George (PPCLI) gave an incredible lecture on Cordon and Searches, and FIBUA exercises that'll stick with me for life. You're correct on fleeing the area of an IED and ambush, if you're hit, it means you're where they want you. Better to press on through, and live to fight another day.