Thicket Tundrabog
07-17-2006, 11:08 AM
I saw little mention of it in American predigested, Pablum-media, but there is a shift in Afghanistan. In the southern Taliban stronghold of Kandahar and surrounding provinces, international military operations will shortly be transferred from the United States to NATO's International Assistance Security Force. Indeed, interim military leadership has been provided by Canada for a number of months.
Some will say "The major fighting is over. The Americans did the brunt of the work and there is minor cleanup left to do."
Others, like myself, will say. "The U.S. militarily conquered and occupied Afghanistan, but other countries are needed to bring peace and stability to the region."
Given the paucity and fickleness of American media, I attach the following.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/07/15/1686621-cp.htm
Note that military success is blended with reconciliation and peacemaking plans.
Now that international peacekeeping expertise will temper American fight/kill/occupy tactics, I have hope for the future of Afghanistan.
A day will come when the U.S. will need similar international support to extricate themselves from the Iraq quagmire.
There are some that say the United States doesn't need the support of other countries. They are fools.
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edit:
Bah... link doesn't work. Here is the article.
Cdns continue Afghan assault
By TERRY PEDWELL
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - Facing ambushes and small pockets of resistance, Canadian soldiers continued fighting Sunday as a major coalition offensive continued in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province.
Nearly 5,000 coalition forces, including about 600 Canadians, were involved in the operation west of Kandahar, along with soldiers from the Afghan National Army and Afghan police.
In two separate battles late Saturday afternoon, the coalition troops suffered no casualties, but killed at least 35 Taliban fighters, wounded more than 20 others and captured more than a dozen insurgents, according to Helmand's provincial police chief.
The battles happened in Sangin, where most of Canada's combat troops stationed in southern Afghanistan had been fighting since early Saturday.
A Canadian reconnaissance platoon and another infantry squad were reportedly ambushed, although none of the soldiers were hurt as they fired back during short, fierce battles.
Canadian coalition officials were unable to confirm the number of dead or whether Canadians were involved in the attacks that also led to the arrests of 14 Taliban.
In the battles for control of Sangin, eight Taliban fighters were killed and four others captured in one late afternoon altercation, the police chief said.
Then, about an hour later, 27 Taliban were killed, 18 wounded and another 10 arrested.
Canadian officials had earlier reported that 10 Taliban were killed during the coalition's first offensive push into Sangin involving Canadian and American ground troops and British paratroopers.
Coalition troops hope to create a "security pocket" in Sangin, where meetings can be held among local elders and military and Afghan government officials to talk about reconstruction efforts.
"This operation, when it wraps up, will be followed by a Shura," said Canadian coalition spokesman Maj. Scott Lundy.
"That's one of the meetings which will occur in which they can discuss the reconstruction that they require, and look toward the future as opposed to what they now face, which is coercion, bullying at the hands of the Taliban."
The coalition offensive is considered the final push of an operation known as Mountain Thrust, which has been underway since mid-June, aimed at cutting off the Taliban's financial centre.
However, there has been speculation that much of the Taliban resistance has already moved into Oruzgan province, north of Kandahar.
That's where Canada is expected to help Dutch soldiers establish a significant presence for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF.
Expatriate Canadian sources say they expect the violence in Oruzgan to only get worse in the months ahead.
In Zabul province east of Kandahar, an American soldier was killed Sunday in a separate firefight involving coalition forces in the Day Chopin district.
ISAF is slated to take over command of international military operations in and around Kandahar by the end of this month.
Canada currently has roughly 2,200 soldiers under the umbrella of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom, based in Kandahar, who will transfer to the ISAF in August.
Some will say "The major fighting is over. The Americans did the brunt of the work and there is minor cleanup left to do."
Others, like myself, will say. "The U.S. militarily conquered and occupied Afghanistan, but other countries are needed to bring peace and stability to the region."
Given the paucity and fickleness of American media, I attach the following.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/07/15/1686621-cp.htm
Note that military success is blended with reconciliation and peacemaking plans.
Now that international peacekeeping expertise will temper American fight/kill/occupy tactics, I have hope for the future of Afghanistan.
A day will come when the U.S. will need similar international support to extricate themselves from the Iraq quagmire.
There are some that say the United States doesn't need the support of other countries. They are fools.
--------------
edit:
Bah... link doesn't work. Here is the article.
Cdns continue Afghan assault
By TERRY PEDWELL
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - Facing ambushes and small pockets of resistance, Canadian soldiers continued fighting Sunday as a major coalition offensive continued in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province.
Nearly 5,000 coalition forces, including about 600 Canadians, were involved in the operation west of Kandahar, along with soldiers from the Afghan National Army and Afghan police.
In two separate battles late Saturday afternoon, the coalition troops suffered no casualties, but killed at least 35 Taliban fighters, wounded more than 20 others and captured more than a dozen insurgents, according to Helmand's provincial police chief.
The battles happened in Sangin, where most of Canada's combat troops stationed in southern Afghanistan had been fighting since early Saturday.
A Canadian reconnaissance platoon and another infantry squad were reportedly ambushed, although none of the soldiers were hurt as they fired back during short, fierce battles.
Canadian coalition officials were unable to confirm the number of dead or whether Canadians were involved in the attacks that also led to the arrests of 14 Taliban.
In the battles for control of Sangin, eight Taliban fighters were killed and four others captured in one late afternoon altercation, the police chief said.
Then, about an hour later, 27 Taliban were killed, 18 wounded and another 10 arrested.
Canadian officials had earlier reported that 10 Taliban were killed during the coalition's first offensive push into Sangin involving Canadian and American ground troops and British paratroopers.
Coalition troops hope to create a "security pocket" in Sangin, where meetings can be held among local elders and military and Afghan government officials to talk about reconstruction efforts.
"This operation, when it wraps up, will be followed by a Shura," said Canadian coalition spokesman Maj. Scott Lundy.
"That's one of the meetings which will occur in which they can discuss the reconstruction that they require, and look toward the future as opposed to what they now face, which is coercion, bullying at the hands of the Taliban."
The coalition offensive is considered the final push of an operation known as Mountain Thrust, which has been underway since mid-June, aimed at cutting off the Taliban's financial centre.
However, there has been speculation that much of the Taliban resistance has already moved into Oruzgan province, north of Kandahar.
That's where Canada is expected to help Dutch soldiers establish a significant presence for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF.
Expatriate Canadian sources say they expect the violence in Oruzgan to only get worse in the months ahead.
In Zabul province east of Kandahar, an American soldier was killed Sunday in a separate firefight involving coalition forces in the Day Chopin district.
ISAF is slated to take over command of international military operations in and around Kandahar by the end of this month.
Canada currently has roughly 2,200 soldiers under the umbrella of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom, based in Kandahar, who will transfer to the ISAF in August.