Canadians in Afghanistan face greater death threat than Americans in Iraq

[ECH1969]

A Canadian soldier in Kandahar is nearly six times more likely to die in hostilities than a U.S. soldier serving in Iraq, according to a new report to be released today.

The study of fatalities in Afghanistan details the sacrifice made by Canadian soldiers, confirming what military leaders have already hinted at: that the Canadian Forces is shouldering a substantial amount of the combat burden in the southern Asia country.

Robinson said he was surprised by the figures since Iraq is generally viewed as the more serious conflict. ''It's pretty clear the Taliban's capabilities have expanded significantly over the last year,'' he said. ''So very clearly (Afghanistan) is a serious war.''

The report echoes a British study released earlier this month by Sheila Bird, vice-president of the Royal Statistical Society. Her report found that the level of fighting in Afghanistan is much greater than during the period of major combat in Iraq in 2003.

http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=136a0596-562e-4e50-a56b-df0aeba844d2&p=1

[WildClarySage]

1. Oh, but surely things there are going swimmingly...

Right Ann?

[agio]

2. in all fairness

she meant things were going "swimmingly" for the Taliban. :eyes:

[Acadia Blue]

7. Ann the he lady Coulter used "swimmingly" to describe Iraq recently.

[BrotherBuzz]

11. She said Afghanistan, unless my ears are deceiving me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy72C8WusEw

[SKKY]

10. Of course they are. They're going swimmingly for us...

...It's the Canuks that are sucking right about now. I propose we ban quoting the "Connecticut Screech" once and for all. Seconds?

[Iceburg]

3. Add 4 more Canadians killed to the data...

Four Canadian Nato troops have been killed after a suicide attack on a patrol near Kandahar, Afghanistan, officials have confirmed.

Ten other Nato soldiers and 25 civilians were injured in the attack, which occurred at about 09:30 local time (06:00 BST).

Media reports suggest that the attack happened after a suicide bomber targeted soldiers who were giving gifts out to young children.

The identities of the four dead soldiers are yet to be confirmed by Nato.

"The Isaf soldiers were evacuated to military medical facilities for treatment," a statement added.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/news/defence/four-dead-after-taliban-suicide-attack-$450659.htm

[whirlygigspin]

4. new style, new results

Well, you can thank Canada's new Leadership for that mess.

Prime Minister Stephen Harpo won't abide no liberal pansy ass policies, like his hero the Texacutioner.

You reap what you sow, congratulations Harpo, you've managed to make targets out of the most respected peacekeeping force in the world, but hey, at least everyone knows your a 'real man'.

[Benhurst]

5. Wake up, Canada, and get rid of the Bush-enabling right-wing

creeps. It's time to :hurts: flush the bastards.

[INDIA]

8. CNN just reported the soldiers were handing out gifts to children...

when a suicide bomber rode up and detonated himself. Disgusting. The worst slime on earth.

[daleo]

9. The Taliban shouldn't target children

But western troops shouldn't endanger children by attracting groups of them with gifts.

[INDIA]

12. Shouldn't the Canadians be trying to win hearts and minds?

That's like saying to a woman, "you shouldn't dress scantily when you go out because you will get raped."

[daleo]

13. This is a reckless strategy

It has happened with U.S. forces in Iraq as well. Foreign occupation troops shouldn't try to influence people through their children, especially by giving them candy and other gifts (early reports said they were giving candy to children, as well as pens and notebooks). It is dangerous for the children and it interferes with normal family dynamics.

No doubt the Taliban will say Canadian troops were using the children as human shields. I doubt that is the case myself, but it may well be a persuasive argument to local citizens.

I don't see any comparison to women being sexually assaulted.

[Spazito]

14. The way Canadians can "win hearts and minds" is to go back to

peacekeeping and reconstruction instead of being used as fodder replacements for the US troops who are fodder in Iraq.

Canadian soldiers were not targets when they were doing peacekeeping and reconstruction prior to the move to a combat mission.

Handing out gifts to children in dangerous terrain is foolhardy and endangers both the children and the troops.

[INDIA]

16. Your quote:

"Canadian soldiers were not targets when they were doing peacekeeping and reconstruction prior to the move to a combat mission"

Do you really think the Taliban differentiates between different western troops performing different tasks? You're giving those assholes WAY too much credit. They don't care who they kill.

I don't really feel like looking it up to prove you wrong, but I guarantee that foreign troops without an offensive mission have been attacked and killed since 2002. Not even wort Googling.

[Spazito]

17. The only Canadian deaths that occurred when the mission was

peacekeeping and reconstruction in 2002 in Afghanistan were the death of 4 soldiers due to friendly fire not enemy fire. There were 2 killed in 2003 due to a roadside bomb, there was one in 2004.

The mission was changed in 2005 and since then 30 Canadians, at least, have died.

Seeing as you choose not to "google", let me do it for you:

The names of the 33 Canadians who have died in Afghanistan since 2002
(article dated September 6, 2006 so it does not include the latest deaths)

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=40296052-df3a-4b3f-bd17-767ad8ac04ed&k=58978

In 2002 - 4 deaths - due to US "friendly fire"

In 2003 - 2 deaths

In 2004 - 1 death

In 2005 - 1 death

In 2006 - 29 deaths (including those reported today)

[CHIMO]

18. No

I don't think that they differentate between foreigners.

But see my post below about why we have such a high number of deaths.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

6. have any of the dems spoken up about this?

not like they'd get media coverage anyway.

[CHIMO]

15. The Simpletons Answer

Canadian troops have higher death rate due to dangerous mission, Harper says

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper says there's no mystery why Canadian troops are at greater risk in Afghanistan than other NATO soldiers — they're in the most dangerous area of the country.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060918.wharper18/BNStory/Front

And the snide reference to left leaning in the neo-con source. Well..


Canadians killed at much higher rate than NATO allies: report

The Canadian study echoes some of the findings of a similar British report that came out earlier in the month.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/09/18/report-soldiers.html