Afghan update

[bossi]

My, my ... I‘m surprised Art grasped the significance of this briefing ... (chuckle - but notice how he says "full three company battalion", instead of four companies ... sigh ...)

Friday, March 1st, 2002

Canada sending more troops

OTTAWA (CP) -- Canada will send another company of 130 soldiers to Afghanistan, Defence Minister Art Eggleton said Friday.

The soldiers, members of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia‘s Canadian Light Infantry from Winnipeg, will join other Canadians at a base in Kandahar in the south of the country.

The reinforcements, who are to leave in mid-March, will bring the Canadian ground contingent to 880.

"These additional troops illustrate our continuing commitment to Operation Apollo," said Gen. Ray Henault, the chief of the defence staff.

Defence Minister Art Eggleton said the extra troops will bring the contingent up to its original planned strength.

"We had always planned on sending a full, three-company battalion, but we held back the third company until we were stationed on the ground until we were ready absorb them."

He said the new troops won‘t be bringing any armoured vehicles with them.

"What is needed there is light infantry."

Eggleton said the original six-month commitment to Afghanistan still stands.

"We‘re not planning on being there for a long period of time."

This latest commitment means that Canada will have about 2,500 soldiers, sailors and air personnel in the region.

In addition to the battle group on the ground in Kandahar, Canada has six warships in the Arabian Sea. Three Hercules transports and a Polaris Airbus are flying supply mission in the area, while two Aurora patrol planes are conducting surveillance flights.

 

[Robert Bickle]

It sure would be nice to hear how all our service personnel are doing. In this day and age with satalite TV etc. there should be at least a weekly update to keep the Canadian taxpayers informed about non secret happenings.
CNN keep the Americans updated about three times a day.....Oh well I will just keep hoping...

 

[Spr Earl]

This is another view and make‘s one think is this history repeating it‘s self?

READ this link!

http://www.rense.com/general20/whatwaswon.htm

 

[portcullisguy]

All the major wire services on the web are reporting today that seven U.S. soliders were killed, six in a helicopter crash, and one from ground fire into a helicopter, today during fighting in eastern Afghanistan.

This is in addition to one U.S. Special Forces soldier killed in action over the weekend, according to CNN.

Radio Canada and Reuters Canada reported that Canadian soldiers were among the 1,000+ troops involved in the "heaviest fighting yet" and that there were Canadians amongst the several dozen wounded, but none were reported killed.

Canadian officials are saying that the Canadian troops are from 3PPCLI. They didn‘t confirm if any JTF-2 were involved, citing security reasons.

Apparently, this latest offensive involves troops (CNN said "Special Forces") from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany and Norway, in addition to the Americans.

Here‘s another prayer for the Patricia‘s, and the others... God Speed...