Anyone still for the A-400M?

Aviation Week and Space Technology (Sept. 18) update: more reasons why Canada was right not to consider this yet-to-fly plane seriously as a CC-130 replacement or as an alternative to the C-17 (text subscriber only).

Besides the A380, [BAE Systems CEO]Turner harbors concerns over at least one other Airbus development. He identifies the A400M military airlifter as a cause for worry. Senior Airbus officials deny there's any delay on the program. A first flight is scheduled for early 2008, with deliveries to begin in the second half of 2009...

And it is interesting that NATO is considering buying C-17s; note A-400M bit (text subscriber only).

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization hopes to sort out the purchase details for its fleet of 3-4 Boeing C-17s by early November, with the goal of fielding the first of the aircraft next year to help alleviate chronic shortages in strategic lift...

...the C-17s will be owned by the alliance--only the second aircraft after the E-3 AWACS fleet to be acquired in that way. Arrangements call for an initial order of three aircraft, with the fourth carried as an option. How long the option will run is under negotiation with Boeing, and will largely be driven by the looming production line shutdown in 2009. Boeing had already built the NATO order into its plans, so the commitment won't extend the line's life...

Officials for the European Airbus Military A400M consortium say they, too, are in talks with NATO to take some of the aircraft. However, NATO officials note that's still a long way off, given the A400M is years from being fielded [my emphasis - MC].

For Boeing, still pending is the firm commitment from Sweden to take two C-17s the aircraft maker is banking on as part of its provision for building 18 more aircraft beyond the 184 in the basic production plan (180 go to the U.S. and four to the U.K.). Of those 18, four will go to Canada and Australia each, one more to the U.K., three more to the U.S. from a Congressional add-on and four to NATO as the transports. Boeing officials continue to argue for a larger U.S. fleet, holding onto a sliver of hope the line may remain open beyond 2009.

CF applications up 40% in the 'Peg

Encouraging.

Forty per cent more Winnipeggers are applying to the military this year, thanks to increased promotion and Canada's high-profile combat in Afghanistan, says a top recruiting officer in Winnipeg...

Cadick said media coverage of the war in Afghanistan has also boosted numbers. "It's patriotism, wanting to do something for the country," he said...

The rally in T.O.

Well, organizationally speaking, it was a bit of a charlie-foxtrot. But there were a bunch of us in red there.

We cheered, we stood in silence as the names of the fallen were read, we stood in awe as parents of the serving, the wounded, and the fallen spoke to us, and then we sang O Canada and left. Some supposedly notable people showed up, but to be brutally honest with you, they were overshadowed by the presence of the military families and veterans. It wasn't a time for politicians, although few of them proved able to resist the lure of the microphone on stage.



Speaking of the stage, we should all send a big thank-you to Greyhound for ceding their day at Dundas Square to this event. They had planned it and paid for it, and their permit would have taken precedence if they had chosen to push the issue, but to their overwhelming credit, they didn't. Here's where you can drop them a line to say thanks.

As I was travelling back to work on the subway, a friend of mine who spent a good amount of time with the service battalion here in town remarked how great it would be if other Canadian cities did the same thing we have in Ottawa and now Toronto.

Wouldn't it be fantastic to have a different city with a different rally on a different Friday, but with the same type of proud Canadians, decked out in red, belting out the national anthem, and supporting our troops?

Update: A couple of commenters over at SDA weigh in with their own first-hand accounts.

Up-front-date: Taylor got closer than me. And his pic's, as usual, kick butt.

Upping-the-numbers-date: Dr. Roy reports that some were disappointed with the numbers attending. I say that somewhere around 1000 is enough to raise a loud cheer, and given the organizational level, where and when it was held, it was about as successful as could have been expected.

Up-standing-with-the-nun-date: Deborah and Kathy were there too.

Listen live (last para): Toronto Red Friday Rally for troops, Sept. 29

Things are moving ahead.

A sea of support is all we are after.

A massive sea of red is what we want the troops to see.

Friday, at noon, it will happen at Yonge-Dundas Square.

Get on board the bus because it is rolling. Judging from the e-mails and calls there will be more than a few of you wearing red and cheering on our Canadian military personnel.

It turns out we have a stage as part of this -- thanks to Greyhound Canada. "We are in support of the troops," said Brad Shephard, senior v-p of Greyhound.

With that in mind, he decided to give up their permit on the square in favour of this rally. They will hold their promotional event for a new bus at another time...

Meanwhile, the Friday Red Rally at noon at the corner of Yonge and Dundas is growing by the second. Justin Van Dette of Councillor Bill Saundercook's office has been unbelievable in his organizational skills in helping make it happen.

Same goes for Louise Gray of the Toronto Police Association, who is dealing with the media side of this. They have been putting out fire after fire. For example, when we ran into trouble needing to pay a permit fee, the association's board of directors wrote the cheque. Those are your cops, folks. Our troops here.

Special thanks also to Chief Bill Blair, who was the first person who called me when this started and said he was in -- 100%. These are good guys and we are lucky to have them.

MORALE BOOST

The media has also come through huge. They have put aside the competitive aspect of this business and have been pushing the event in a massive way. They just want the soldiers to know that people here are ready to give them a morale boost...

From an editorial in the Toronto Sun:

Radio stations CFRB 1010, AM 640 and Q-107 deserve kudos for getting behind the Red Rally right away...

Update: This post is going to stay at the top of the page until the rally's done tomorrow. I'll see you there, with red on. - Babbling Brooks

Upperdate: More in a message from CFRB--good on them, CFRA played a similar role in Ottawa--to Dr. Roy.

Uppestdate: Front page of Friday's Toronto Sun. Well done. And the rally will be live at noon Eastern on CFRB and AM-640 Radio. Listen up folks.

Afstan: NATO ISAF taking over in east in October

Confirmed. Glad to see reasonable coverage in Canadian media:

NATO agreed yesterday to take command of peacekeeping across all of insurgency-hit Afghanistan next month after the United States pledged to transfer an extra 12,000 troops to its force.

Pentagon officials said the transfer of troops currently in Afghanistan's eastern region would entail the biggest deployment of U.S. troops under foreign command since World War II...

This will be helpful (though there has been little response to the call for more NATO troops):

The ministers also agreed to provide substantial amounts of military equipment for the Afghan army, which has been fighting alongside NATO troops battling with Taliban insurgents in the south of the country...

Rumsfeld said a number of countries had stepped forward in response to appeals from NATO commanders for up to 2,500 extra troops to join the operation, but said more were still needed [Poles are accelerating deployment of their battalion]...

And note:

[The command shift]...would still leave about 10,000 American troops, including Special Operations units, under exclusive American control...

Asked whether the American soldiers might be used to buttress the alliance’s efforts in the south, where British, Canadian and Dutch forces have faced tough fighting while inflicting heavy casualties on Taliban fighters recently, a NATO spokesman, James Appathurai, said he knew of no limits imposed by Washington on where they could go.

But American officials said it was unlikely that American units would be shifted in large numbers to the south because they were needed on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where attacks have also intensified...

Mr. Rumsfeld said that, in addition to supplying more forces and equipment, NATO governments were under pressure to lift so-called national caveats that restrict how and where their forces could be employed in Afghanistan. The biggest hurdle, officials said, are countries [e.g. Germany, Italy, France, Spain - MC] that bar their troops from being moved to the south, where the toughest fighting has been occurring. It is “difficult for the commander when he is not able to move forces around,” Mr. Rumsfeld said, adding that the caveats in the aggregate created a “situation that is not acceptable.”..

So much for surgical precision

The new CF policy entitled "GUIDANCE ON BLOGS AND OTHER INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS" directed at uniformed Canadian military personnel is a blunt object:

4. CF MEMBERS ARE TO CONSULT WITH THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND BEFORE PUBLISHING CF-RELATED INFORMATION AND IMAGERY TO THE INTERNET, REGARDLESS OF HOW INNOCUOUS THE INFORMATION MAY SEEM. THE CHAIN OF COMMAND HAS ACCESS TO EXPERT ADVISORS, SUCH AS PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND INTELLIGENCE STAFFS, WHO WILL ENSURE THAT SUCH PUBLISHED INFORMATION IS NOT ULTIMATELY PREJUDICIAL TO CF OPERATIONS AND PERSONNEL

Look, I get the OPSEC and PERSEC issues, here. And they have to remain paramount, no argument from this quarter.

But telling a CF member that they have to clear every single piece of information regarding the CF with their chain of command before posting it anywhere on the internet is practically the same as telling them they can't post about it at all. If a soldier has to go through all the hassle of clearing each post or comment with the brass, and then waiting for the decision-maker to dot all the i's and cross all the t's before putting it up on a website, then he's probably not going to bother. It's just not worth the aggrevation.

Besides, what does this policy say to the individual? It says "We don't trust you. If we trusted you, we'd remind you of the security issues, make clear to you that you'll be disciplined for violations of those security issues, and then let you govern yourself accordingly with limited supervision."

That's what the U.S. armed services do (pdf file), as I indicated in a previous post:

b. Personal web sites and web logs. Personal web sites and web logs produced in a personal capacity and not in connection with official duties need not be cleared in advance. However, it is the responsibility for MNC-I personnel to ensure that any personal webe sites and web logs do not contain prohibited information as defined in this policy....

c. Web Publishing. All information residing on a publicly accessible website is public information, even if it is intended for an internal audience. Information contained on websites is subject to the policies and clearance procedures listed here and in appropriate regulations for the release of information to the public.

The entire policy is only four pages, and concise for a directive from brass at that. The key elements are registration of the blog with the chain of command, accountability for any information going up on it, and periodic monitoring by the command for compliance.

I wonder if the uniformed military participants at a site like this understand that technically, they're not allowed to post anything about the CF on the forums without prior clearance of the material with their superiors?

I wonder if the letter of the law is going to be enforced? If so, how? And just how counterproductive would that be? Conversely, if it's not going to be enforced, or if it's going to be enforced only selectively, what use is the policy as written?

This is a buckshot solution to a paring knife problem, and it's profoundly disappointing to me, since I believe the CF needs to become less insular about soldiers' stories if the Canadian public is ever to support the military as it deserves. Every roadblock NDHQ puts up to communication between ordinary Canadian soldiers and ordinary Canadian civilians pushes us further away from that ideal.

Darfur: Liberal Senator says Canadian military are racist

Senator Peter Stollery strikes a very low blow indeed.

Canada's military is "tapped out" with no more troops to spare for missions in strife and poverty-stricken Africa, the chief of defence staff told a Senate committee yesterday [Sept. 26]...

Liberal Senator Peter Stollery called it a "disgrace" Canada has spread its resources so thin that we have only 65 soldiers posted to Africa in troubled regions like the Congo and Sudan.

"I think that the military does not want to go to Africa. We're dealing with black African peasants. It's not sexy, and they don't want to go," he said after the meeting.

Stollery believes it is CF brass, not the government, that has resisted going to Africa in substantial numbers.

"Maybe it's because their buddies at NATO aren't there -- the other NATO countries aren't there either," he said...

The Senator does not seem to understand reality:

The Security Council has already put Sudan's government on notice. The crucial question is: What happens if Sudan does not "consent?" If it says no, the Security Council has a choice. It can find troops from countries willing to send their young men and women into a hostile environment [my emphasis - MC], or it can do nothing. As difficult as the first option might be, if the UN does not act, the "responsibility to protect" will become an empty phrase, as meaningless in the 21st century as "never again" was in the 20th.

Canada wants to station troops in Pakistan

And the Paks refused. I had not been aware of this.

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor recently asked Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for permission to station Canadian troops inside the Pakistan border to cut off that pipeline, but Canada received its answer Wednesday.

Musharraf told CBC television in an interview that the request has been denied, and that he took the request as a slight to his own forces...

Afstan: NATO ISAF command in east may come much sooner than expected

Interesting.

NATO defense ministers will on Thursday examine a military proposal that will allow the alliance to rapidly complete its plans to take over command of all peacekeepers in Afghanistan, NATO officials said.

The plan to take over U.S.-led peacekeeping operations in east Afghanistan could take effect almost immediately because it would largely involve placing around 10,000 mostly U.S. troops already based in the east under NATO command.

"The military recommendation was that it should happen as soon as possible -- in fact, some time this month," said one official, speaking ahead of a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers in Portoroz, Slovenia starting Thursday.

The official, who requested anonymity, said the resistance faced by NATO troops combating Taliban insurgents in south Afghanistan had strengthened the argument for an early move east because it would increase the pool of troops under NATO command.

NATO has never put a fixed date for the handover. Officials have forecast it happening before year-end at latest...

The handover in the south will allow the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom coalition to focus purely on high-end counter-terrorism missions while NATO provides security for reconstruction and restoring law and order.

While most of the Canadians, British and Dutch (anyone know what the Romanians are up to?) do the plain old, not "high-end", combat.

Update: Looks certain:

NATO defence chiefs were set on Thursday to agree to assume command of peacekeeping across all of insurgency-hit Afghanistan next month despite some allies' concerns over tactics and troop shortfalls.

The move into eastern Afghanistan could take effect quickly because it would largely involve placing under NATO command some 10,000 mostly U.S. forces already in the region, giving NATO commanders a greater pool of troops and equipment.

"The target date is the first half of next month," said one alliance source, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the official endorsement of the decision by defence ministers meeting in the Slovenian coastal resort of Portoroz.

The step was initially expected only some time before the end of the year. But alliance officials said recent battles against resurgent NATO guerrillas in the south showed the need to pool British, Dutch and Canadian troops under NATO with separate U.S. forces.

The case for a new medal

Editorial from today's Windsor Star:

Medal to rally behind

Army veteran and retired Windsor police officer Murray Sinnot is spearheading a campaign to honour wounded Canadian soldiers with medals and rings and this community and country should rally behind him by contacting their MPs.
Sinnot isn’t taking credit for the idea of bestowing an honour similar to the Purple Heart on Canada’s soldiers — it’s been floated before — but he deserves credit for reviving it and promoting it at a time when so many brave soldiers are risking their limbs and lives in the deserts and mud-walled villages of southern Afghanistan.

“Whether you support the mission in Afghanistan or not, everyone should respect our soldiers who put their lives on the line,” said Sinnot, a Royal Canadian Legion member who served with the militia from 1954-57 and the regular army from 1957-65. “If I saw someone with that ring on their finger, I would walk up to them and say ‘thank you.’ "

Thirty-six Canadian soldiers have died in Afghanistan since 2002 and scores more have been wounded, a general term that fails to adequately convey the devastating, life-altering impact of injuries that include the loss of arms and legs.
Sinnot, in today’s Letter of The Day, argues it wasn’t right that wounded soldiers were denied due recognition during his years of service and that it isn’t right today. He is absolutely correct.

Wounded soldiers currently receive a blue and gold braid known as a “wound stripe” to sew on their dress uniforms but they deserve far more than that. They deserve a ring at the very least and we should all support Sinnot’s campaign to provide them such a small token of our appreciation.

Recognize our troops

Award medals to those fighting in Afghanistan

Published: Tuesday, September 26, 2006

I am suggesting an award that has been long overdue. Firstly, this is not an original idea on my part; I have seen articles suggesting this award in various publications over the years but nothing ever gets done. Our troops are being killed and wounded in Afghanistan as I plead for the implementation of this award.

I am requesting that our government implement a decoration (medal) for those wounded in the service of our country. Whether you agree or disagree with our government's decision to be involved in Afghanistan, our troops need to be recognized for their effort and deserve our full support. There is an old army saying that, "if you will not stand behind our troops, please feel free to stand in front of them." The Forces personnel would have the documentation and resources to verify bona fide recipients.

The cost to our nation would be negligible; I believe that all wounded veterans that are still with us be so honoured.

The decoration (medal) should be distinctive, leaving no doubt about what it was awarded for. This medal could be an enamelled crimson maple leaf on an enamelled white background. The carrier ribbon should be of the same colour scheme. The medal could be named the Crimson Maple Leaf. Other nations have awarded war wound medals for centuries.

The question a non-military person might ask is, why is this so important to the wounded person and why is it so important to you? I speak for ex-service and civilian friends of mine who heartily agree that Canada should recognize and honour persons wounded who stood in harm's way on our behalf. To the recipients, it would be a badge of honour for the rest of their lives. This is very little compensation but at least it shows we care. Years later, at ceremonies where medals are worn, the recipients could wear this medal with pride. And rightly so. I further suggest that along with this medal, a ring be awarded. Perhaps a distinctive crimson maple leaf on a white background to identify recipients as, Heroes of Canada.

I was a member of the Essex Scottish Regiment (Militia), 1954-57 and the Canadian Army (regular) 1957-65. Most of my instructors and NCOs were veterans of the Second World War; some of them had visible disabilities and disorders. There was no distinction nor recognition for those who sacrificed limb and sight, as well as a multitude of ailments. The lack of recognition was not right then and it is not right now.

I am a proud member of the Royal Canadian Legion and other national military organizations. I intend to send them a copy of this letter to reprint as they see fit in their publications and e-mail notices. I will be requesting their support for this medal and ring by making MPs aware of this lack of recognition. I am going to send a copy of this letter to Mr. Don Cherry of Coaches Corner who openly supports our troops and my MP Jeff Watson. I will request that he bring this matter forward in the House of Commons. Possibly local newspapers could get behind this appeal and encourage the MPs to formally and publicly recognize our true Canadian heroes.

Murray Gordon Sinnott

LaSalle

I'm still not decided either way on this proposal, but am heartened that discussions of this type about our military are taking place. In the not too distant past, articles such as this would be lucky to grace the bottom half of page 29 of a newspaper let alone the Editorial page.

Article attacks possible Canadian F-35 purchase

David Pugliese of the Ottawa Citizen does a hatchet job.

The headline in the National Post version (link above) is not too bad; this is what the Citizen's headline writers came up with:

Critics doubt value of high-tech jets

More spending expected despite analysts' criticism of proposed fighters

From the story:

Canada is expected to spend more money on a U.S.-led program to build a multi-billion-dollar stealthy aircraft even as some defence analysts are questioning the usefulness of such planes for missions in failed states such as Afghanistan.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Canadian governments for more Canadian participation in the Joint Strike Fighter program are continuing with an agreement expected to be signed sometime in December, according to military and aerospace officials.

Representatives with the plane's manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, were in Ottawa yesterday to meet with industry and government officials concerning Canadian participation of the program...

Canada has not officially committed to purchasing the futuristic plane [note to Mr Pugliese: the experimental version first flew in 2000] but Defence Department planners are setting the stage for that [those sneaky and profligate devils!].

Military officials expect the Joint Strike Fighter to be purchased sometime around 2017 when the current fleet of CF-18 fighter aircraft are retired. Documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen estimate the cost to replace the CF-18s would be $10.5-billion.

But some defence analysts have questioned the worth of high-tech aircraft in the war on terror. They note planes that can fly slower and spend more time over the battlefield are of more value in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Such propeller-driven planes are also inexpensive to buy and operate, with some types costing around $15-million each...

Mr Pugliese is implying that Canada should buy prop COIN aircraft, instead of a new fighter some years down the road to replace our CF-18s. While there may be a case for such dedicated fixed-wing COIN aircraft (I'd love a new A2D Skyshark--more here) if one can afford them, they are not an alternative to fighters as Mr Pugliese suggests.

Just one point: how would a 300-400 mph max plane patrol Canadian airspace with transports flying at 500-600 mph?

I especially wonder about Mr Pugliese's motives in writing this piece since, as he himself writes, we won't be replacing our Hornets until around 2017--over a decade ahead. I somehow doubt that he thinks we should be buying a dedicated COIN aircraft in the meantime, in addition to the attack helicopters that the CF would like to have.

Aviation Week and Space Technology articles on the RAND study are here and here. Note the Stavatti Aerospace Machete in the second piece.

Update: A good discussion of close air support in Afstan and in general at Defense Industry Daily.

Speeches and Photos: Ottawa Red Friday rally, Sept. 22

Speeches:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper;

Chief of Defence Staff, General Rick Hillier.

CFRA, Ottawa, photo gallery available here.

Sept. 29 Red Friday rally in T.O and the useful idiots

Good grief! A comment at Army.ca:

CBC is reporting it, along with information about the counter-demonstrations [my emphasis - MC].

Prepare to move, move now

Deadlines focus the mind, or so I've been told. But it's always nice to actually know about the deadline.

I've written in the past about the Kuwait Medal of Liberation of Kuwait - here, when the government was stonewalling, and here again when they relented.

As it turns out, though, veterans who qualify for this recognition have only until 31DEC06 to apply:

Subject: Medal Update

I just got off the phone with the embassy of Kuwait. The medals are starting to be shipped out this week.

I urge all of you to please pass this on to everyone that you know. With 4097 medals to be handed out and only 200 applications received by the embassy, obviously a lot of people are unaware or are procrastinating. There is a cut-off date by the Embassy of 31 Dec.

Please if you have not applied please do so.

Currently SERVING MILITARY members can apply for the medal through the DHH Defence Information Network (DIN) site (under Honours and Awards).
RETIRED CF members who wish to obtain the medal are to communicate directly with:
Embassy of the State of Kuwait
333 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON, K1N 1J9
Canada
(613) 780-9999
FAX (613) 780-9905
Email : info@embassyofkuwait.ca

Jeff Bentley
National President
Gulf War Veterans Association of Canada
PO Box 5225 Stn Forces
Cold Lake, Ab
T9M-2C3

Here's a link to the application form (pdf file), and another to the good folks at Army.ca, where they have a thread on the topic for all to read.

Of symbols

This symbol will no longer represent the Chaplain Branch of the Canadian Forces:



Instead, these symbols will:





From the press release:

In order to better represent the diversity of Canadian society, and reflect the multi-faith nature of today’s chaplaincy, it was determined that the hat badges worn by CF chaplains should be updated and new designs have been adopted.

As the Chaplain Branch is no longer exclusively Christian, the new hat badges are unified by a common theme, but bear the distinctive faith identifiers of the chaplains who will wear them.

In the center of the hat badge is a different symbol for each faith tradition: for Christian chaplains, the Maltese cross, which has long been associated with Christian chaplaincy. Jewish chaplains will wear the symbol of the tablets of the Law and the Magen David (the star of David) and Muslim chaplains will wear the crescent.

I understand the reasoning behind the change, and I appreciate that in matters of faith, one religious symbol shouldn't trump others. But what of Sikhs? What of Hindus? What of non-Christian Aboriginal Canadians? What of the rest of the religious spectrum?

Moving to three symbols rather than one is intended to be more inclusive. But at least with only one, you could argue that all faiths came under a single umbrella - the Chaplain Branch of the CF. Now that each cap-brass is individualized, but only for the 'big three' religions, there's an argument to be made that choosing three and excluding the rest is more polarizing than having just one for everyone.

Would it not have been better to stay with one symbol for all, but remove exclusively Christian symbolism from it - the Maltese Cross being the most obvious example? It would have meant a 'secular' cap-brass for a branch whose raison-d'etre is religious, I know. But it might have been a better solution than picking the top three and marginalizing everyone else.

In the grand scheme of things, this is a peripheral matter. But I wonder if this is a can of worms that would have better been left unopened.

Sept. 29 Red Friday rally in Toronto to support troops

Let's hope it goes as well as Ottawa's.

Update: Troops in Afstan encouraged by Ottawa rally; imagine the morale boost of a big one in T.O.

US General nominated to command NATO ISAF

To take over in February 2007 when the term of UK Lt.-Gen. Richards ends. By that time US forces in eastern Afstan are supposed already to be under ISAF; others---special forces, trainers etc. will stay under US command.

The Secretary of Defense announced Sept. 21 that the President has nominated Gen. Dan K. McNeill for reappointment to the grade of general with assignment as Commander, International Security Assistance Force, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Afghanistan...

The Canadian commander of ISAF Regional Command (South), Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, will be replaced by a Dutch officer in November, 2006. Many of the some 200 Canadian Multi-National
Brigade HQ staff will also be returning to Canada.

No medal required

I commute over an hour each way to and from work every weekday. The only radio station that provides decent news beyond local muggings and apartment fires is the CBC. While I have to grit my teeth on a fairly regular basis due to my perception of a none-too-subtle slant in their coverage, for the most part it's decent reporting and interesting material.

Tonight on As It Happens, however, there was a report that was woefully under-researched, and consequently misleading to the Canadian public (go to 16:18 of the recording). A well-intentioned retired policeman and former militia member is trying to have a medal created by the Canadian government to recognize wounded Canadian soldiers. It seems that both he and the CBC are completely unaware of the CF Wound Stripe.

Following is the text of an e-mail I sent to As It Happens, requesting a correction:

I just heard your segment with Murray Synott (sp?) regarding creating a medal for wounded Canadian soldiers.

Such a distinction already exists, and in many ways, it's superior to a medal: the Wound Stripe.

Read this post at The Torch for more detail: http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2006/03/wound-stripe.html

Note that many of the concerns raised by Mr. Synott are addressed by the Wound Stripe, but would not be addressed by a medal. Wearing medals is not optional for a soldier in uniform, but a Wound Stripe is - allowing a soldier to bring attention to his or her status or not, as he or she chooses. This is especially important for those suffering from PTSD, who may or may not want to wear a symbol of their trauma, but who would already qualify for the Wound Stripe under current regulations. Some soldiers may choose to wear the Wound Stripe while they're are recovering, but not once they're fully fit again - and it's their choice. Unlike a medal, the Wound Stripe can also be worn on civilian clothing at the discretion of the wounded soldier. The veteran struggling through the mall, as cited on your show, would not be allowed a medal in civilian clothing, but could wear a Wound Stripe if he wished.

Please correct the record on this issue, as your report was thoroughly, if unintentionally misleading.

The Wound Stripe is a distinct recognition with far more latitude than a medal could ever have. Instead of creating a medal, we should simply publicize and respect the Wound Stripe.

Update: As of noon EST on 25SEP06, a thread at Army.ca is going three to one for the wound stripe over a medal. The comments from those who have received a wound stripe themselves are telling.

Report on Parliament Hill Rally

The rally to support all our troops overseas and their families was quite impressive. I would estimate 3-5,000 people (but I'm hardly an expert). Not bad considering that almost all the advance publicity was done by one media outlet: CFRA, Ottawa.

Photos here and here.

Prime Minister Harper gave one of the most impassioned speeches I have heard from him. He pointedly stressed that our journalists only have their press freedom as a result of the sacrifices of our military--an obvious reference to these famous lines:

The Soldier

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.

By Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

The prime minister also usefully re-empasized the UN mandate for the forces in Afghanistan.

Messrs Graham and Dosjanh from the Liberals were there along with Peter Stoffer from the NDP (good on him).

A sea of red.

And a good comments thread at Army.ca.

Earlier, Afghan President Karzai gave an excellent speech in Parliament. Video of speech is available here, on right.

Update: Some great photos taken at the rally by Bruce Gottfred. (Babbler's update - sorry for jumping into your post, Mark)

Babbling: Thank you. More photos here. I will add that the age mix of the crowd was not skewed towards those of my generation.

Upperdate: Video of rally here via SDA.

Uppestdate: A marvelous column by Earl McRae of the Ottawa Sun on the rally and "Lollipop Jack".

Rally to support our troops on Parliament Hill today

Listen live at noon, Eastern time, on CFRA, Ottawa. PM Harper, National Defence Minister O'Connor, and Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Hillier will speak.

Mark C.

CF-18s to Afstan?

The NDP's national defence critic suggests considering such a deployment is a further "quagmire" indication. In an interview this morning on CFRA, Ottawa, Minister of National Defence O'Connor said that nothing about this had crossed his desk--which does not mean it's not being considered. Note the gratuitious comparison with "development" in the first sentence of the Toronto Star story.

While publicly touting redevelopment efforts in Afghanistan, the federal government has quietly laid the groundwork to deploy CF-18s, its front-line fighter jet [it's our only fighter, Mr Campion-Smith], to support Canadian troops battling insurgents, documents show.

Ottawa has awarded the U.S. government a $1.9 million contract for "deployment support" for the CF-18s, according to a list of contracts from Public Works and Government Services...

Lieut. Adam Thomson, a defence department spokesperson, said the military was simply doing "prudent planning" in considering a possible deployment of the fighter fleet but stressed the final decision rests with the government.

"Yes, it's always something that is being considered but we haven't received any direction," he said yesterday.

New Democrat MP Dawn Black (New Westminster-Coquitlam) obtained details of the military contracts for Afghanistan, including the previously undisclosed proposal that CF-18s could be deployed. She said the swelling cost and scale of Canada's military involvement should worry Canadians.

"The whole thing is escalating. I share the concern that so many other Canadians have that we're getting into a quagmire here that we're not going to be able to get out of," Black, the NDP's defence critic, said yesterday in an interview...

Our Hornets have just finished the first phase of an extensive upgrading program. The new capabilities likely are essential for a possible deployment to Afstan.

Update: Maybe not.

The O'Connor interview was mainly about the rally on Parliament Hill at noon; CDS Gen. Hillier was also interviewed.

Afstan: Prime Minister Harper at the UN

At last the media mention a key fact, of which I am sure 95% of Canadians are unaware since our media has not bothered to inform them of this trifling detail--and until very recently the government has not highlighted it either.

CBC:

"If we fail the Afghan people, we will be failing ourselves," Harper said in defending the UN-sanctioned, NATO-led mission, which includes more than 2,000 Canadian troops.

CTV:

Currently, there are about 20,000 UN-sanctioned troops in Afghanistan, mostly taking part in peacekeeping and rebuilding in the north and west.

Canada's has 2,200 troops who are fighting alongside British, Dutch and U.S. soldiers as they push south through Taliban territory.

Support the troops - and not just with your words

I've been heartened by the number of yellow magnetic car-magnet ribbons I've spotted on trunks and fenders during my daily commutes to and from work in the GTA. They represent a heartfelt expression of respect and gratitude to serving CF members, and are a 'good thing' for that reason alone.

But I know not all of the magnets and other gear come from the CF Personnel Support Agency, which is important. Here's why: all proceeds from the sales of CFPSA “Support Our Troops” items are reinvested directly into morale and welfare programs for CF members and their families. As far as I know, no other organization that sells this type of gear can say the same.

You can read more about how you can personally Support the Troops here. And you can buy stuff, like yellow ribbon magnets and lapel pins, and Red Fridays t-shirts and golf shirts at this site.

Put your money where your mouth is, folks.

You'd think the 'media' would lead the 'multimedia' charge, right?

But no. The most interesting stuff remains exclusively on the internet, and not on press sites either.

Despite being the Luddite-In-Residence around these parts, I'm determined to get in on this multimedia thing, and YouTube offers as good a place to start as any.

As long as you don't mind some strong language, check out CF troops engaged in Afghanistan in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6.

In fact, there's a whole selection available at YouTube with the right search criteria.

I find it astounding that none of this is showing up on CTV, CBC, or CanWest newscasts, despite the recent completion of Op Medusa, the most sustained combat involving Canadian troops since the Korean War. It's not like there's a shortage of actual pointy-end soldiering to film and air.

Here's my question: are the embedded reporters and their camera crews not following the troops off the base in Kandahar when they go into the field to fight, are the producers at the various television networks keeping the film in the can because they don't think it will sell advertising, or is there some editorializing going on to present an intentionally incomplete picture of what's happening in Afghanistan to the Canadian people?

I don't know the answer to that question. I suspect it's a combination of the first two options: the journalists don't get out in the field with the troops often enough, and when they do, all their producers will air are short clips and soundbites. I hope we haven't sunk so low that this is all about brazen manipulation of the imagery.

All I know is that we sure see a lot of the ramp ceremonies for the fallen, and not much else from the network news.

From Dieppe to a London train station

"Keep your head down out there," said the veteran to the young NCdt.

While Simon's response was gracious and heartfelt, my own would have differed a bit: "And you, sir, keep your head up. You've certainly earned it." *popping a keen salute*

Afstan combat: Watch the video

Here. Thanks to Celestial Junk.

Second rate crusaders?

Ayman al-Zawahri, the al-Qaida No. 2 man, suddenly is Mr. Glib. He sneered at U.S. forces for turning over duties in Afghanistan to "second rate crusaders" from NATO.

Ouch. I guess that would be us, along with the Brits and the Dutch. I think us second rate crusaders have just graduated into the ranks of first rate infidels.

Update: More of that second rate crusader stuff right here: "Canadian-led offensive may have killed 1,500 Taliban fighters".

Cross-posted to The Monarchist

It works just like newspaper

Skippy has ripped the stuffing out of this report, like any dog with a keen nose would:

This paper is junk.

I don't mean to suggest that Canada's casualty rate is insignificant or that the conclusion that we are bearing the brunt of the Afghan insurgency is untrue. However, the paper makes a clear effort to exaggerate its case. It's dishonest work, and no one possessing a shred of self-respect should cite it.

Of course, he backs that assertion up with specifics, but since the Wonderdog has yet to be fully blog-trained - that is, to consistently cross-post his really good stuff - you'll just have to click on over to his site to read the rest.

Oh, geez, Skippy...on the report, do it on the report! Bad dog.

Well, duh

Graeme Smith has written what is arguably the dopiest, most inane article I've seen come out of Kandahar so far. It's entitled "Canadian forces regroup, review tactics after bombing", and the article's opening paragraphs echo the lack of understanding evident in that title:

One day after a suicide bomb killed four Canadians, the troops in southern Afghanistan were reviewing the details and asking themselves hard questions: How could they have guessed the Taliban would employ an elderly man as a bomber? How can they defend against an explosive so powerful that it killed a cow 70 metres away?

The most difficult question, however, was how to continue the softer side of their operations, mingling with civilians and helping with reconstruction, after the risks of letting their guard down had been so violently illustrated.

Newsflash for Mr. Smith: this isn't news.

Ever heard of an After Action Report? A debrief? Soldiers are constantly reviewing their tactics and performance - it's part of being a professional. If they weren't engaging in that process, that would be news.

Continuing with his theme of treating normal procedure like groundbreaking events, Smith notes the 'quick' return of troops to the field:

Lt.-Gen. Richards also hinted that more NATO troops may be pledged to the mission in the coming days. Despite losing so many friends, the soldiers of Alpha Company were given only 24 hours in the comfort of Kandahar Air Field before returning to duty.

"The soldiers are upset, angered, but we know that time is critical," Regimental Sergeant-Major Robert Girouard said.

"They have to get back into operations and ready to support their brothers."

Can I take a moment aside to ask that journalists covering the Canadian Forces bother to educate themselves and use proper abbreviations for military ranks, and that they refrain from confusing a position with a rank? So that would be LGen (no period! EVER!) Richards, and unless RSM appointments have changed radically since I was in, CWO Robert Girouard - who also happens to hold the position of Regimental Sergeant-Major. Thanks for your indulgence with that relatively minor irritant.

It absolutely astounds me that an inquisitive, intelligent individual - as journalists should be in the ideal - could spend as much time as Graeme Smith has with soldiers engaged in an important and dangerous combat mission, and not come up with a meatier report than this.

There are real stories all around him, should he decide to look.

Afstan: UK Defence Secretary surprised by "Tenacity of Taleban"/Taliban took beating

Not what one expected when the Regional Command (South) mission started:

BRITISH troops in southern Afghanistan are fighting in conditions that sometimes go “beyond the bounds of stamina and endurance”, Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, admitted yesterday.

With so much of the British operation taken up with fighting the Taleban in Helmand province in the south, there had also been little time for reconstruction efforts, Mr Browne said.

“We do have to accept that it has been even harder than we expected: the Taleban’s tenacity has been a surprise, absorbing more of our effort than we predicted it would and consequently slowing progress on reconstruction,” Mr Browne said in a speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London...

Mr Browne said there were signs that the Taleban were tiring. “Local leaders in some areas are showing signs of wanting to reach an accommodation to limit or indeed to stop the fighting,” he said...

NATO's top general (no, it's not Gen. Ray Henault) says that by fighting so hard the Taliban took a beating (pity the story does not mention Canada, the UK, or the Netherlands).

International forces defeated Taliban militiamen when the group made its first attempt to stand and fight earlier this month, NATO’s top general said today. But the general warned that military progress was being undermined by the unchecked spread of the drug trade across Afghanistan.

Gen. James L. Jones of the Marines, who commands all NATO forces, said that between one-third and one-half of the Taliban’s 3,000 hard-core fighters — as opposed to what he called a larger number of “weekend warriors’’ — were killed during several weeks of heavy fighting in the southern province of Kandahar before the insurgents retreated...

Asked about whether lasting damage had been inflicted on the Taliban in the fighting, which led to high casualty rates among NATO troops as well, General Jones said, “What we don’t know is their ability to regenerate themselves.’’

But he said the offensive in Kandahar should yield two long-term benefits: the end of the region as a safe haven for the insurgents, and a demonstration to the Taliban that it cannot defeat NATO forces in open combat...

This story does mention the Canadians, British and Dutch.

BZ to Blatchford

Christie Blatchford of the Globe & Mail is this year's recipient of the Ross Munro Media Award for defence reporting, awarded by Conference of Defence Associations and the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute (ht:Army.ca). From their press release (with no specific permalink, ahem):

The Ross Munro Media Award was initiated in 2002 to recognize Canadian journalists who have made a significant and extraordinary contribution to increasing public understanding of Canadian defence and security issues. Recipients of the award have produced outstanding work regarding the efforts of the Canadian Forces in preserving Canadian democratic values (for more details see www.cda-cdai.ca). The award consists of a replica of the Ross Munro statue and a cheque for $2,500. Previous recipients of the Award are Stephen Thorne, Garth Pritchard, Sharon Hobson, and Bruce Campion-Smith.

***

The Ross Munro Media Award Selection Committee singled Ms. Blatchford out from the other candidates based on her compelling work on the Canadian Forces, particularly in Afghanistan: “Christie Blatchford brings to the theatre of hostilities her keen eye and curiosity. She writes superb prose that conveys the experience of the Canadians’ war in Afghanistan. She obviously understands the soldiers and she has grasped the comradeship that binds them together. She not only informs Canadians of today’s military realities, but champions values such as honour and sacrifice. She is exceptionally evocative, superbly descriptive, and develops a compelling storyline.”

Ms. Blatchford's work merits recognition, not due to her technical expertise on military matters - although she stands head and shoulders above most of her peers in that regard - but due to her uncanny ability to distill the human stories of the soldiers themselves into compelling pieces of journalism.

She is a storyteller, in the finest tradition, and in a country that needs to hear more soldiers' stories, her work is most appreciated.

Update: Am I the only one who finds it odd that the only major media outlet to carry this news so far is the Sun chain and not her own employer, the Globe and Mail?

Upperdate: Well, at least Blatchford's bosses aren't completely out of it: there's a small blurb just inside the front page of the G&M's dead tree edition, but I still can't find anything online.

Afstan: The truth will out

Letter today in the Edmonton Journal:

U.S. not in control

The Edmonton Journal
Published: Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Re: "Fighting won't provide solution to morass in Afghanistan," Opinion, Sept. 17.

The column states that "the U.S. is still running the Afghan campaign." That is not accurate. Canadian troops are serving under NATO's International Security Assistance Force. The U.S. is not running ISAF.

ISAF's mission is mandated by the UN Security Council. On Sept. 12 the council voted unanimously to extend ISAF's mandate, and specifically called "upon member states to contribute personnel, equipment and other resources to ISAF."

Mark Collins, Ottawa

ADVERSUS MALUM PUGNAMUS

"We are fighting evil"

Cpl Brian Sanders was just recently awarded the South-West Asia Service Medal, with bar for service in-theatre. His story at CBC.ca is a darn good read:

The actual medal itself, however, looks pretty cool. It’s silver, with the Queen on the front and something called a Hydra on the back. The Hydra, a many-headed serpent, represents evil in various forms. A Canadian sword transfixes the Hydra, and over the design is the Latin phrase "ADVERSUS MALUM PUGNAMUS" (We are fighting evil).

Each colour of the ribbon represents something as well. Sand colour on the outside represents the challenges in the theatre of operation, while the red represents the blood spilled on Sept. 11, and the ensuing campaign that followed. Black represents the mourning of victims of the terrorist attack, while the white represents the peace that we are all fighting for over here.

Cpl Sanders' account of some of the events he'll remember each time he looks at his medal are worth reading as well - hair-raising, tragic, and sometimes darkly funny in way that's peculiar to the military:

Two more casualties were radioed in, and again we drove to pick up two injured soldiers. "Doc!" one of them screamed, "Are they all right?" Puzzled, we loaded him on a stretcher. "Are they still there?" he yelled again.

"What are you talking about?" Toezer asked, and then the casualty exposed his crotch, where he had a small shrapnel wound, but one that missed his children-maker by millimetres. Toezer ensured him everything was intact.

The laughter from our much-relieved casualty was broken by the deafening crack of a 2,000-pound bomb destroying the enemy bunker. Soldiers cleared the area and found a reinforced tunnel inside the building. We took off to the landing site and transferred our casualties.

The battle finally subsided after 34 hours of fighting. We pulled into a wheat field and set up a small medical station to deal with minor ailments. The companies rolled through our resupply point before they headed off to a staging area to replenish supplies and eat. We saw about 20 patients, most of them just dehydrated or with minor shrapnel wounds requiring a bandage — and a straw. When I asked Creelman what the straw was for, he laughed.

"Suck it up and carry on."

As Brian Sanders says, each medal is unique, since it represents a different story for each soldier who wears it. We need to hear those stories from the soldiers themselves.

So congratulations and well done to the CBC - a phrase you won't often see me type - for allowing soldiers like Cpl Sanders and Sgt Storring to tell their stories directly to the Canadian public, unfiltered and true.

Support our troops: Rally on Parliament Hill, Friday, Sept. 22

God bless CFRA, Ottawa.

News Talk Radio 580 CFRA is proud to support the grassroots effort brought to Petawawa by the wives of two men serving in the Canadian Forces. The concept of wearing something red - whether a red shirt, jacket, cap, bandana or whatever - every Friday is meant to let the soldiers and their spouses and children know they are not alone.

We appreciate the sacrifices they are making on our behalf. We thank them for their service to our country and their fight for peace and justice wherever in the world they are sent.

With that in mind, CFRA invites you to attend a massive "Red Friday" public rally. This is a non-partisan, non-political rally in support of Canadian troops and their families:

* Friday Sept 22, 2006
* Parliament Hill, Ottawa
* 12:00 Noon - 1:00 pm

Police officers, firefighters, city staff, politicians of all stripes, OC Transpo staff, paramedics, united way workers, private businesspeople and the general public will join a
colourful parade of veterans as they show respect and thanks in a very public way.

PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE WITH EVERYONE ON YOUR CONTACT LIST. HELP SPREAD THE WORD, AND WEAR RED THIS FRIDAY!

For more information on supporting our troops, visit http://www.marriedtothecanadianforces.com

To order support our troops merchandise, visit: http://www.cfpsa.com

HMCS Fredericton

I was pleased to attend the Naval Officers Association of Canada (NOAC) - Toronto Branch reception on the flight deck of HMCS Fredericton this past Saturday evening, especially since it gave me the opportunity to spend some time with Chris Taylor and his better half. Funds raised at the reception will be put towards a scholarship fund, and so it was a worthwhile event from another standpoint as well.

Many thanks to Lt(N) Paul Hong for the invitation, to SLt Michel Lebouthillier (apologies if I didn't spell that correctly from memory) for providing a surprisingly extensive and detailed tour of the ship, and to LCdr Al Fry, formerly of Margaritaville and currenly XO of the ship, and the kind fellow who tasked the diligent SLt to take us on the tour. It pays to have old dirt on folks with clout.

We couldn't have had a more beautiful night to stroll around on deck, and the Fredericton was...yes, I have to say it...in ship-shape form. Hopefully, lit up like she was at night, or flags flying like she was during the day, she attracted a lot of potential recruits - which is the real intent of driving around the Great Lakes anyhow.

One of the many things that set us apart

In a rare display of emotion, Fraser challenged the Taliban to come out and fight.

"I would say the Taliban are a bunch of cowards," he said. "They're not strong. They attacked children today. That's not strong, it's desperate. This is not an honourable fight at all." - BGen David Fraser

Well, yes, I'll bet he was emotional. Killing children and men under his command will do that to a Canadian soldier.

I saw LGen Andrew Leslie speak at the Albany Club earlier this year, and the only time he got emotional in his entire presentation about his time commanding troops in Afghanistan was when he recalled one night when a misogynistic Taliban sub-human got through security to a school that happened to educate girls, and the scene his soldiers found the next morning. That emotion subsequently changed to a deep and vengeful satisfaction in his voice when he related how those butchers were tracked down, and the fact that they will not hurt anyone ever again.

Those who deliberately kill children are vermin, and they need to be exterminated. They do not negotiate, they dictate. They do not compromise, they enforce. The only thing standing between them and their dictatorial, enforcer-mentality thuggery and barbarism in Kandahar are dedicated, professional, and compassionate Canadian troops.

But that compassion is not wasted upon the Taliban. Only a fool attempts to negotiate or compromise with a rabid animal. The correct action is to put it down.

It's in you to give

Reading one small subsection of this post over at Castle Argghhh! I got to thinking about blood:

Worst E-Mail Message - "The Walking Blood Bank is Activated. We need blood type A+ stat." I always head down to the surgical unit as soon as I get these messages, but I never give blood - there's always about 80 Marines in line, night or day.

Many people, in the same situation as those U.S. Marines, wouldn't be standing in line to give their blood away - they'd be hoarding it for the all-too-likely circumstance that every drop in their veins would count towards saving their own life, as opposed to someone else's. But those people wouldn't be part of the military fraternity (and let there be no doubt that I include the gals in this 'fraternity').

Soldiers - and by that, I mean those serving in a military uniform, no matter which service they belong to - give blood. Period.

This Canadian Forces Challenge "Operation Roll Up Your Sleeves" for 2005-06 was the most successful campaign to date for the Canadian Blood Services. With a national target set at 2,700 units, an impressive 4,449 donors, representing members of the Canadian Forces, their friends and family, donated between November 1, 2005 and January 13, 2006. (Babbler's highlight)

And as indicated in this article, not everyone in the CF is allowed to donate their blood - but those who can do, big time:

Due to deployments in certain regions with high health risks, and to the vaccines they receive, a large number of CF members cannot give blood. Despite these restrictions, some 3 800 of them have given blood since the launch of the joint CBS/CF initiative to collect blood in 2002. (Babbler: article from Oct 2004)

In fact, they give blood in amounts that put the rest of us to shame. Note Raymonde Gaumont and CWO Hugh Morris, respectively:

In response to this, Raymonde Gaumont, a Canadian whose 738 donations ranks highest among females in the country, speaks passionately about blood donation on the Canadian Blood Services website, which she calls a social responsibly.

“I first gave blood at the age of 18 when I enlisted in the Canadian Forces. The military life and blood donation system are united by a strong historical connection. Health is a privilege and, as human beings, we have a responsibility to share it,” Gaumont is quoted as saying on the site.

***

Canadian Blood Services presented Chief Warrant Officer Hugh Morris of Combat Training Centre headquarters with a certificate marking his 100th donation, during a blood donor clinic on October 7. The presentation was made shortly after CWO Morris completed his 103rd donation.

"I received a mid-morning call from the Red Cross requesting an emergency donation on December 21, 1969," says Morris. "I was able to save the life of a motorist who had been in an accident—after that I just continued to give."

Kit Emms, Blood Services Coordinator, Central New Brunswick, says that CWO Morris' donations assisted over 300 individuals in need.

When I was at RMC fifteen years ago or so, the Red Cross informed us that the Cadet Wing gave ten percent of Kingston's blood. That is to say, eight hundred of us gave one tenth of the blood collected in a city of over 100,000 souls. And yes, you're damned right I'm proud of that.

Recently, with the help of Canadian Blood Services, the CF has set up a "Walking Blood Bank" similar to the U.S. model. What a fantastic idea:

For the first time since the Second World War, Canada's military is testing soon-to-be-deployed troops so they can act as "walking blood donors" in the event of mass casualties or special transfusion needs for their wounded comrades in Afghanistan.

Almost 500 soldiers from Ontario's CFB Petawawa who are preparing to leave for Afghanistan this summer volunteered to have blood drawn late this week under an agreement with the Canadian Blood Services, which will type and test the samples for donor eligibility, the agency told The Canadian Press on Friday.

***

Currently, Canadian medical personnel in Afghanistan have only 80 units of frozen blood on hand. Depending on the severity of injury and the type of blood required -- for instance AB or O-negative -- even one wounded soldier could put a serious dent in that supply.

More information on that same program here:

When a Canadian soldier was seriously injured on deployment last year he was in need of a significant amount of blood. Before he was on his way to recovery he had required 26 units of blood, an amount that was beyond what was readily available to Canadians on site.

Thus American soldiers who had been prescreened as blood donors before they deployed rolled up their sleeves and donated to help their Canadian comrade in arms.

"That incident was a wake-up call for us," says Colonel Maureen Haberstock, DCOS Medical Operations for the Canadian Forces Health Services Group. "We recognized that we needed to try and get in place a similar program for our members so if the need were to arise they could give blood in theatre."

BZ to everyone who gives blood. If you want to join the ranks of civic-minded donors and receive nothing in exchange for your lifeblood other than your own satisfaction, Canadian Blood Services would love to hear from you.

Fighting the Odds

Though normally I hestitate to quote them, an especially hard truth from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives on which NATO soldier is bearing the brunt of the load in Afstan. Proportionate to the number of forces on the ground from each NATO contributor, a Canadian soldier is three times more likely to be killed than a British soldier in Afstan, four times more likely than a US soldier in Afstan and six times more likely than a US soldier serving in Iraq.

Four more Canadian deaths today would appear to more than validate the study.

Ontario Veterans' Memorial

For anybody interested in the unveiling of the Ontario Veterans' Memorial, event pictures are here.

Afstan: A couple of rather pessimistic pieces

Worth reading as food for thought:

"The Death Of an Afghan Optimist"

"Rise of the Warlords: Freed from Mullah Omar's yoke, Afghanistan slid into corruption and violence".

"On the front line in Afghanistan"

The BBC deigns to notice the Canadians. Note the Dutch Apaches as well as the UK Harriers. I wonder how typical this bit is, or whether it is purposefully written.

Soldiers' doubts

The losses are gnawing away at Canadian confidence.

What struck me was just how many doubts the Canadian soldiers seemed plagued by.

What are they in Afghanistan for? I was asked a number of times. Is it worth the lives of friends and colleagues?

Crouching in a gulley, Corporal Brad Kilcup confided, "All the guys out here, the only thing they think about is getting home safe."

A small man, his face caked with dirt, he fidgeted nervously with his gun.

Sitting beside him was Private Ryan Hunt, a sandy-haired, boyish-looking 21-year-old.

"All we want to do is help these dudes reconstruct their country," he added hopefully...

Celestial Junk has a post in rebuttal.

Afstan: The media and government need to do better

Christie Blatchford of the Globe, who is about as gung-ho as Canadian journalists get, thinks the media has not covered the war well enough. She also thinks the government is doing a piss-poor job (words I'm sure she would happily use) in building public support for the war (full text not officially online).

The situation:

Public opinion polls repeatedly show that Canadians are confused about why we are in Afghanistan, that they fear young soldiers are dying in vain, and that they have difficulty distinguishing between Afghanistan and Iraq and, more generally, among Afghanistan, Iraq and the countries of the larger Middle East...

The media:

...for the most part, I think, we in my business are fairly faithfully painting the picture as it is in southern Afghanistan.

Yet we are failing miserably, somehow, in getting the message across...

...many of our fellow citizens do not appear to know that Afghanistan is a mission approved by the wider international community, with about three dozen NATO and non-NATO countries contributing to the effort (including the likes of plucky Romania, whose troops fearlessly muck about in Cold War-era vehicles) and specifically sanctioned by the United Nations [our media did not report the recent unanimous extension of NATO ISAF's combat mandate by the UN Security Council - MC]...

The government:

...the real culprit is Ottawa, that is, the elected leaders.

It was the Liberal government that first sent the troops to Afghanistan, a decision reaffirmed, the mission extended, by the Stephen Harper government.

There was little debate, even in the House of Commons, but then the House of Commons rarely hosts what could be properly called debate; instead, there is grandstanding, sniping and posing.

And since then, the Harper government has done a simply dreadful job of explaining the mission....when Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor recently deigned to utter a few words about it, he was in Australia. And when Mr. Harper spoke this week on the Sept. 11 anniversary, he made the correct link -- Canada is in Afghanistan because the 9/11 terrorists trained there -- but failed to deliver anything resembling a statesmanlike or ringing explanation of the good we are doing by being there...

Just one example of the Conservatives' economy with the truth. They have consistently tried to down-play the combat aspect of the mission (when has anyone in Ottawa, government or military, been on television live explaining in any detail any of the combat operations?), to the point that Canadians were surprised when the fatalities seriously started coming.

Why has no-one from the government been on television explaining in detail both the UN Security Council's consistent support for NATO ISAF and the extent of the involvement by other NATO members? From our media coverage one might think that Canada, the US and the UK were the only countries involved (with cameo appearances by the Dutch). The media are first to blame but where is the government effort to present clearly the bigger picture?

The people may have the will to see things through; but "Canada's New Government" needs to do a much better, and more forthright, job than it has so far.

In this connection see this Ruxted Group editorial, "The Afghanistan Debate", at Army.ca.

Update: Can anyone imagine anything like this coming from a Canadian politician--whether you agree with it or not--in terms of the strength of argument and marshalling of evidence?

Corrections requested: Military facts/Globe's Sept. 16 edition

A message sent to Globe editors and these reporters (with apologies to Cameron Campbell--see fourth comment):

Dear Editors,

Corrections should be made regarding the articles by Bill Curry and Paul Koring, Sept. 16.

1) Mr Curry: "Canada beefs up Afghan war commitment". Mr Curry writes that "The original mission in Kabul saw the Iltis jeeps replaced by LAV III light armoured vehicles when it became clear the jeeps did not provide enough protection for the troops."

Absolutely incorrect. The Iltis were not replaced by the LAVII but by a better jeep-type vehicle, the Mercedes Geländewagen ("G-Wagon").

2) Mr Koring: "U.S. pilot targeted Canadians' trash fire". Mr Koring writes that "A single second's worth of fire from the aircraft's [A-10] gun is able to spew 50 thumb-sized, high-explosive bullets, each of which is powerful enough to rip through armour plate."

The A-10's gun is the AN/GAU-8 30mm Avenger seven-barrel gatling gun.

Far from firing "thumb-sized, high-explosive bullets", it fires "milk-bottle-size rounds". Rather a large difference, one would think.

It is this sort of wildly inaccurate reporting by Canadian journalists on basic military facts that calls into question their ability to report accurately on military matters at all.

The relevant links were typed-out in the message.

RMC today

Major article in today's Globe. While most of it seems good reporting to me, I think this is rather tendentious, to say the least:

Many of the cadets are similarly frank about that financial issue -- and it can be discomfiting. RMC offers a lot of opportunity: direction for the aimless, a sense of belonging and solid job prospects. But it also offers a tuition waiver, a $15,000 annual paycheque and cheap room and board. Is a certain sector of Canadians willing to pay for those amenities by risking their lives?

Hillier plans long distance communication with Taliban

Ma Bell would be proud.

Cross posted from BBS

Afstan: Canadian reinforcements announced

Tanks included, as requested by, amongst others, the UN Security Council--take thatMr Layton:

The enhancements will help secure the region around Kandahar, thereby enabling reconstruction efforts. The new assets will give the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) an integral security capability to achieve its objectives and allow for greater mobility on the ground while improving security for troops.

"We have reached the stage where, with a small increase in personnel and equipment, we can dramatically multiply our opportunities to secure and stabilize the region," said General Rick Hillier, Chief of the Defence Staff. “The sooner we can provide the security and stability, the sooner we can help the Afghan people develop a positive and independent future for themselves and their children."

The additional capabilities will be sent to Task Force Afghanistan immediately including:

* An infantry company from Valcartier, Quebec, to protect and escort the PRT, to provide a quick reaction force for Kandahar city, and to undertake defence and security tasks;
* A Leopard tank squadron from Edmonton, Alberta, to better protect and enable the Canadian Forces to fight in those areas where Taliban forces have established well-coordinated and determined defences;
* Military project managers (military engineers) to enhance the PRT’s capability to manage quick impact reconstruction and development projects; and,
* A counter-mortar capability to locate Taliban forces that are targeting Canadian Forces installations with indirect mortar fire.

These enhancements and associated resources will raise the number of deployed CF troops in Afghanistan to approximately 2,500.

Deploying new or additional capabilities during a mission is a normal practice as the situation in the region dictates. Under the United Nations mandate NATO and its allies, including Canada, are constantly assessing the needs and requirements of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan...

Odd using the word "enhancements" instead of "reinforcements". Thank goodness the UN mandate is mentioned--although not in the CTV story on the announcement. Bets on whether other Canadian media mention the UN mandate?

First four tanks to go by air ASAP.

Update: A superb post by Celestial Junk, "The Vietnam-ization of Afghanistan".

More on the Canadian medias' quagmiritis:

Canada and Afstan

"Quagmire"update

Afstan: How the media cover the Canadian Forces

Afstan: The Globe's agenda secret no more--it's a "quagmire"

Afstan: Globe reporter declares quagmire

Afstan: Only the Anglosphere doing the heavy lifting

Plus the Dutch, who are effectively part of the 'sphere anyway. The Washington Post lays it out in an editorial.

IN AFGHANISTAN, the NATO alliance is engaged in the bloodiest and most important land battle in its 57-year history. Some 6,000 British and Canadian troops have been fighting near-daily engagements with the resurgent Taliban militia in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand, killing more than 500 of the enemy in the past month while suffering three dozen deaths of their own soldiers. The campaign is fateful in several respects: It could prove a turning point both for Afghanistan and for NATO, which hopes to demonstrate that an alliance forged for the Cold War in Europe can tackle the West's 21st-century challenges.

For that reason, it's been encouraging to see the courage and apparent effectiveness of the British and Canadian troops, who are supported by U.S. and Afghan forces; it's been equally disheartening to witness the response of other NATO governments to an urgent request for more soldiers and aircraft to ensure the Taliban's defeat. At a special pledging conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, the alliance's 26 governments failed to make any new commitments of troops...

...The NATO force, which totals 8,000, including Dutch troops in a third province [Uruzgan], is barely adequate for its principal planned mission, which was to help extend the authority of the Afghan government to southern Afghanistan and support aid and development projects...

...The unexpected intensity of the combat has raised domestic pressure on the Canadian and British governments, though both are so far standing firm. But other NATO governments are failing to commit their own soldiers as reinforcements; even worse, governments that already have troops in Afghanistan, such as Germany, are refusing to consider transferring some of them to the south from the relatively peaceful bases they occupy...

The Post neglects to mention another member of the 'sphere, the Aussies, who are stepping up to help the Dutch.

First contingent of 400 Australian soldiers have arrived in Afghanistan to set up their base in the southern Uruzgan Province.

A press statement issued here on Thursday said the Australian commitment was in partnership with the Netherlands and forms part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)s mission expansion into Southern Afghanistan...

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) - RTF Element is made up of approximately 400 personnel and a number of IMV Bushmaster Vehicles, in addition to several Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs) based on cavalry regiment core elements...

Note that this commitment is taken on while the Aussies are also heavily involved in East Timor, Iraq, and the Solomons. No wonder the Australian Army is being significantly strengthened. One awaits such a specific plan for the Canadian Army from the Conservative government. One also hopes that the Conservatives will quietly abandon their silly campaign promises to put new regular Army battalions in Goose Bay, Bagotville, Trenton and Comox (though there may be a case for Comox).

Telling friend from foe

A torrent of dime-novel bunk from Lawrence of Liberal-abia today, particularly this revealing passage:

Iraq? Where do our leaders stand? We're in Afghanistan losing lives, largely because of Iraq. If Mr. Bush had not got disastrously sidetracked, moving his arsenal to Baghdad while leaving Afghanistan exposed, would there be any need for Canadians to be there in a warrior role?

Translation: Only the bad ugly militaristic Americans are supposed to be doing the dirty fighting in this war. Us nice gentle boys of Canada don't do that. We shouldn't have to lift a finger in this struggle because such warrior sacrifice demeans us, goes against our peacekeeping values. The Americans have failed in their duty to protect us from the Taliban warlords and Al Qaeda terrorists in Afstan because they are consumed in Iraq. Americans are the reason why our soldiers are losing their lives.

Those who sympathize with Lawrence Martin and his twisted pent-up frustration need to stop embarrassing us and causing anguish to our Allies-in-Arms. Americans are not the reason why our soldiers are losing their lives in Afstan, and anyone who suggests such a thing can't tell friend from foe. Unless I'm reading too much into this, it is breathlessly ungrateful and foolish to take such a stance; breathlessly hypocritical to infer moral superiority about our presumed role; breathlessly irresponsible to agree that the dirty work needs to done, but that we shouldn't do it; breathlessly irrational to blame our main ally for the actions of our main enemy; and breathlessly dishonourable to assume others should do the dying and not us. If those are Canadian values, do we ever have the wrong set of soldiers representing our country in Afstan today.

Stand easy

Lt (N) Ret'd Philip Cowie, RMC Class of '85, RIP. He was an inspiration not only to me, but to so many others whose life he touched for all too brief a time.