Posts from the edge

Just checked in on an arborist forum where I used to regularly take a beating for my views on the war and the Butch administration. The following three posts are from a former Canadian paratrooper - well, he's still a Canadian - who's working as a civilian in Afghanistan - "for an up to a year long contract with SNC Lavalin/PAE doing Logistics supply chain support to the Canadian military engaged in Op Athena."

- I was in town when all this happened [rockets launched at the camp] so we were a bit late getting back as all the roads were off limits, and all the phone lines were otu of bounds (last time I leave here without a cell phone). First view of Kabul yesterday up close-EEEEYEW. Dunno if the rockets were intended to make a statement while the Minister of National Defence is visiting, but they were live, and on a time. People spent almost four hours in the bunkers until the all clear was given.

- It appears to be a lot worse there [Iraq] than it is here right now. My first trip into town is Wednesday-and I go unarmed albeit with an escort. This place is unbelieveable- little kids running around in rags in the pouring rain/41F temps. Apparently southern Afghanistan is a lot worse, and our AOR is bound to expand. I have had a lot worse jobs however!!! Again all the best.

- The world is indeed an ugly place at times and I see a lot of it here as well. We lost two of Canada's finest not three kilometres from where I write this less than one month ago. Even as a civilian I wear a kevlar Army helmet and flak jacket to work instead of a hardhat and chain saw pants.I do firmly believe that the closer good comes to winning the altercation we find us in, the more desparate the bad gets, resorting to such desparate measures. You should have seen our approach to Kabul in our Ariana Afghan Airlines A300; the pilot threw that huge plane through steep turns and slips to avoid exposure to ground fire until the last minute; no other airline will fly into here. You see the airline represents stability, and that is exactly what the Taliban want to disrupt. The exact same type of attack happened to a busload of German soldiers en route to R&R here, killing 33, which is why I rode from Kabul Airport in an APC wearing the aforementioned kit, hatches closed. Right now we are digging bunkers because there is a high risk of rocket attack on this location.

Here's his picture of the King's palace.

And here's an exchange between a middle-aged former military man (Hal) with a son in the armed services stationed in Afghanistan, who has been in Iraq for six months (just now back in Texas), and a Viet Nam vet. The six months have seen a change in Hal's position on getting into this war, although he has questioned the "leadership" the troops in the field have had from the beginning. He didn't post back after the response.

I've written privately to Hal a few times, and although he was very disturbed by my leftist view of the world and refusal to support the administration's moves, he eventually began to encourage me (perhaps a little begrudgingly) to keep reporting, as he said, people need to know what's really going on.

Post
All,

Hope you will understand but I need to do something.

Today a Chinook helecopter with 33 soldiers about to go on R and R was shot down North of Baghdad. 13 died and 20 are injured.

Why are we trying to assist a people who would do this? Is there a way we can possabily change things here if the people do not want to make a change?

To the wives and husbands, mothers and fathers of the soldiers killed and injured today; Your soldier is in my prayers.


Response
35 years ago, a little farther around the planet than you are now, a lot of young American GIs had to learn the lesson you are learning now, myself among them, and even back then, it wasn't an easy lesson for American GIs.

Never go where you are not wanted without sufficient firepower to get the hell out, and the will to use it. There is something unnatural to Americans about a society that will use a 5 year old to execute an attack with a grenade, but those societys do exist.

The only difference I see today is that entirely too ???? much "media" is looking over your shoulder. War, and the control of geography isn't a PC situation, but all the pukes in the media seem to want it to be PC, again, not much different from 35 years back, other than the instant ability to send pictures around the globe.

The people you are fighting today have the clear impression that they can cause a withdrawl, just as Mogadishu caused Clinton to tuck his tail between his legs and run for cover. That impression needs to change, and will change.
In the meantime, remember your friends, and the only people you can trust wear the same clothes you do. Also remember, when you eat the King's bread, you fight the King's fight.


Here's a link to a site organizing airline tickets for soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq to get home for the holidays.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.