Canadian killed in 'friendly fire' incident (30 injured)

[Spazito]

A Canadian soldier is dead and dozens others were injured Monday when NATO aircraft mistakenly fired on a Canadian platoon taking part in a massive anti-Taliban operation west of Kandahar.

The incident occurred about 5:30 a.m. when an A-10 Warthog was called in to support soldiers trying to take a Taliban stronghold along the Arghandab River.

In a statement, NATO said two International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) aircraft engaged friendly forces during a strafing run, using cannons. There are early reports the planes were American.

snip

Five of the 30 soldiers wounded in the attack will be airlifted to hospitals outside of Afghanistan. Their conditions are not known.


more

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/09/04/afghanfriendly.html

[noneofmybusiness]

1. Shoot first. Ask questions later.

In the 1st gulf war there were more British soldiers killed by American friendly fire than by Iraqis!

[CHIMO]

2. NATO soldier killed by 'friendly fire'

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Two U.S. warplanes accidentally strafed their own forces in southern Afghanistan on Monday, killing one Canadian soldier and seriously wounding five others in southern Afghanistan, NATO and the U.S. military said.

The "friendly fire" incident occurred during a NATO-led anti-Taliban operation in Kandahar province's Panjwayi district after ground troops requested air support, NATO said.

NATO said in a statement that the International Security Assistance Force provided the support but "regrettably engaged friendly forces during a strafing run, using cannons."

It later identified the planes as U.S. A-10 Thunderbolts. American military spokesman Sgt. Chris Miller confirmed that U.S. planes were involved.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4161862.html

[JohnyCanuck]

3. And the A10 Warthog uses depleted uranium tipped ammo.

Good for those Canadians that survived the incident that Canada has public health insurance. They just might need it. The Dept. of Veterans Affairs isn't likely to be jumping to their assistance when they start developing a bunch of weird and "unexplained" symptoms 5 years from now.

Uranium Wars: The Pentagon Steps Up
its Use of Radioactive Munitions

by Marc W. Herold
Intensely bombed hard target zones like Tora Bora and Shah-i-Kot may now be heavily contaminated with DU oxide. During the battle of Shah-i-Kot, A-10s were heavily used, flying up to eight hours every day from an unnamed base outside Afghanistan. The potential health risks to U.S. and Afghan troops being sent to check out bombed cave systems are horrendous unless they are using full nuclear, chemical and biological (NBC) protection. But even more serious are the risks in densely populated target zones like Kabul - where DU oxide is likely to contaminate soil, buildings and water and be suspended in the Kabul "haze" seen in several media reports.

Depleted uranium is the staple in the ammunition used by the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank , and in the 30 mm rapid fire Gatling gun in the A-10 attack aircraft and Apache AH64 helicopter. The Gatling cannon fires 4,000 rounds per minute of 30 mm armor-piercing munition, delivering 1,200 kilograms of depleted uranium per minute!

http://www.cursor.org/stories/uranium.htm

Terry went to the Persian Gulf in December 26, 1990 with honor, dignity and pride - serving his country as Captain J. Terry Riordon of the Canadian Armed Forces. Terry left Canada a very fit man who did cross-country skiing and ran in marathons. On his return only two months later he could barely walk.

He returned to Canada in February 1991 with documented loss of motor control, chronic fatigue, respiratory difficulties, chest pain, difficulty breathing, sleep problems, short-term memory loss, testicle pain, body pains, aching bones, diarrhea, and depression. After his death depleted uranium (DU) contamination was discovered in his lungs and bones.

For eight years he suffered his innumerable ailments and struggled with the military bureaucracy and the system to get proper diagnosis and treatment. His wife, Susan Riordon, speaks most eloquently of the nightmare of physical, mental and emotional hardship endured not just by Terry but his entire family.

He was ultimately unsuccessful it getting the answers or help he needed in his lifetime. His final wish was to donate his body to independent research on DU. That was Terry's gift to all who served in the Persian Gulf. He wanted his body to supply the answers to years of suffering and frustration. Through his gift UMRC was able to have obtain conclusive evidence of internal DU contamination in his lungs and bones. Even after death Terry continues to contribute to his country and his fellow veterans.

http://www.umrc.net/riordon.aspx

[Bragi]

4. Connecting news dots

I respectfully assert that the important thing about this battlefield tragedy is not the uranium tipping angle. That is a problem in itself. The lasting political cultural thing is its paradoxical irony: a US air strike was called in by Canadian troops on the battlefield, and the strike mistakenly hit the Canadian field unit.

Where to begin.

An observation: it looks like neither US or Canadian media have yet developed a vocubulary for understanding/describing the actions and interactions of non-American troops in what is called the war on terror. Could be a mass communications opportunity for antiwar polemicists, but more likely, some well-funded Global PR firm will get the assignment.

It certainly raises the question of just how long Canadian public opinion can withstand the assault on its judgement being inflicted daily by Canadian media on just about anything touching on the subject of the US-lead war on terror.

Right now Canadian media are cheerleading every DND-reported Canadian action abroad, and dutifully and tastefully acknowledging coffins when and as they return. Truly critical opinion against the war is given terse play, way below what this sentiment represents in terms of public opposition to the war.

If I'm not mistaken, roughly six in ten Canadians presently think we should never have taken on the mission in southern Afghanistan. This majority view is way well under-represented in the media, and when such views are presented, they are often cast as either wooly-headedness by people who haven't yet found the best right-wing blogs, or dangerous imaginings of far-left wingnuts who are giving support and succour to the enemy.

Despite the media assault on what Canadians know and how they know it, the populace has maintained an admirable level-headedness on the whole subject so far, but you have to wonder how long this can last when there isn't even an unambiguously antiwar party currently in the House of Commons that runs candidates in English Canada.

- B

[CHIMO]

5. Who The Hell Is Running The Show?

Friendly fire kills Canadian
Sep. 4, 2006. 04:19 PM
LES PERREAUX
CANADIAN PRESS

PANJWAII, Afghanistan — Canadian soldiers were barely roused from sleep Monday morning when U.S. warplanes mistakenly strafed them, killing one soldier and wounding more than 30 others.

The troops were camped near their armoured vehicles in an open area on the south bank of the Arghandab River and had not launched operations at the time of the incident, according to a senior officer.

The sun was up and skies were clear with the normal dusty haze of the Afghan desert at 5:30 a.m., when two A-10 Thunderbolts opened fire.

“I’m not sure who brought them in and for what reason,” said Maj. Geoff Abthorpe, one of two company commanders running the ground operation in Panjwaii, west of Kandahar. “It wasn’t us, of course. We were getting prepped to go out but our first air mission wasn’t scheduled until 30 minutes later.”

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1157368685914&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154

And the inquiry will probably be done like the last one involving unfriendly fire.

[daleo]

6. It seems inexcusable

One would think the U.S. pilots would have easily recognized the Canadian armored vehicles - after all, the Taliban don't have anything like that.

[IntravenousDemilo]

7. You're forgetting...

...The USAF seems to have a little difficulty recognizing Canadians on the ground. Remember our first four casualties in Afghanistan? They weren't killed by Taliban. It's déjà vu all over again.

[daleo]

8. It's very true, this is a repeat of our first deaths.

That one was inexcusable too. As I recall, that one was at night, though, and this was in daylight, so that excuse won't wash.

I suspect that the ultimate conclusion will be something about "incorrect coordinates", but the U.S. pilots should have been able to make a visual determination from the reports I have read so far. Harper will say the pilots were only using a "measured response", so it will be ok with him.

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. Murikkan Military winning our Canuk hearts and minds . . .

.
.
.

Do we REALLY look like Talibans?

2002 revisited . . .


"April 17: Sgt. Marc Léger, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, Pte. Richard Green and Pte. Nathan Smith killed when U.S. F-16 fighter mistakenly bombed Canadians."

Canadians killed in Afghanistan
Since 2002, 31 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan Here is a list of the deaths>

so,

16% of Canuck casualties were at the hands of our neighbor!

Imagine the uproar if us Canuks were responsible for even ONE percent of the American casualties.

Time to come home boys - The US started that fight -

let them finish it.

[MrPrax]

10. Pay Back...

Wouldn't surprise me...when the Amerikans killed our troops before, I took the opportunity to troll 'RW' forums in the States...there was an undercurrent of payback. The Canadian troops were wimps -- the whole prosecution of US airmen was illegal and other 'UN uber alles' like tin foil. The US government was being traitors mollifying Canuckistan for Canadian domestic political purposes ("...no law higher"). The upshot was that it WOULD happen again as payback.

Maybe...you notice the US has killed any Brits or Aussies lately...and this story changed. First it was Canada's fault for NOT having their own air support (wonder what the solution is? --oh more military spending) and then the story came out that no one is exactly sure who called in an air strike and will investigate.

You know you hit upon a great point...the Americans are the second leading cause of death among Canadians in Afghanistan...add in the other 'non-combat' injuries and the 'sketchy' death of Nicola Goddard and you don't have too many 'hero deaths'.

You could go farther and add the 1 our allies, Isreal, has killed and you would think that Canada has a target on it's back with it's military leaders being really no different than their historical counterparts in the First World War that had no problem grinding up poor Prairie boys and Newfies if they thought they could snatch a canteen favour from their British masters...now we kill off Canadians for our Amerikan masters.

A Nation of Peacekeepers... :eyes:

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. "it was Canada's fault for NOT having their own air support" - really -

.
.
.

WE went in there to ASSIST - we did not initiate this misadventure

USA asked for OUR help, we did not ask for theirs.

USA PROMISED air support if we went in so we did -

We didn't expect them to be killing US . .

We should just get the feck out and let the USA drown in the shit of their own making . . .

And the USA is drowning - they's just too 'toopid to realize it

If they think if they can just keep killing people that don't do their bidding -

They got a whole lot new "thinkin'" acomin' - - -

Russia is seriously balking at letting American Military on their soil for a previously planned "war games" exercise . . .

And China is ominously silent

USA is in for a big surprise from Russia and China -

Russia and China know that the USA has a whole lot of Nukes, and a Pretzeldent that is more than anxious to use them -

So ya can figure out where Russia's and China's nukes are all aimed at - -

and it ain't each other . .

PNACers been messing around in China and Russia's back yard for too long lately - -

Methinks they ain't gonna put up with much more . . .

"Bush the Uniter"

Indeed he is . .