4 July 09
Nicholas Bulger, R.I.P.: Governor-General Statement - Prime Minister Statement - DefMin Statement - Soldier Destined to Receive Goodies from Home Town - Tally: 121 Troops, One Diplomat Dead - CBC.ca - Associated Press - Agence France-Presse - Family, Friends Rush to Support Mom - More - more - CAN TF AFG Boss Missed Blast By Not So Much
"The officer in charge of the United States Central Command is warning against premature optimism as thousands of American troops surge into Afghanistan's Helmand province." - "The Taliban is in for a tough fight as the Americans increase their troops in Afghanistan but the role of the Canadian forces is not going to change, says a top U.S. military commander."
Big USA Push in Helmand: Taliban Shoot at Marked, Unarmed Ambulance Helicopters Evacuating Wounded - More - Helmand Residents Brace - "Marines and Afghan personnel are clearing the region of Taliban and establishing bases among the people" - Taliban Shooting Back - But Not Lots Against the Brits
More on How the Dutch Are Working in Uruzgan - Poppy Cultivation Dropping in Uruzgan
Some Question About Quote Saying Chechens Are Fighting in AFG
3 July 09
Nicholas Bulger, R.I.P.: CF Statement - Canadian Press - National Post - CTV.ca - Army.ca Condolences
"Canadian commanders in Afghanistan received new fighting orders on Thursday which will prevent their troops from shooting at the Taliban if there is any risk of civilian casualties, even if it means allowing the enemy to escape."
CAN Former OMLT-eer: "The current approach to operational mentoring has some inherent flaws, and poses limitations on all our other military operations, that we're having difficulty recognizing for what they are. Partly this may be due to a lack of well-defined historical models."
CAN Combat Badge Royally Approved Before Being Canned
"Le ministre des Affaires étrangères, Lawrence Cannon, ferme la porte à double tour à une prolongation de la mission des quelque 2500 soldats canadiens en Afghanistan après 2011."
Big USA Push in Helmand: USMC Task Force Update - More - USMC Pix - Former CAN Diplomat Asks Where's Canada?" - How the Brits are Helping - Brits Launch Parallel Push - US Forces Facing Tougher-than-planned Public Response? - Reports of First USA Cas - More - more - Reuters Reports Progress - Hard Push, Still - More - More - more - more - Q&A About Offensive - Blogger Asks "What's Up with Parallel Civvy Surge?"
CO of 1st Bn Welsh Guards Killed in IED Explosion - MoD Statement
Taliban Propaganda Watch (links to non-terrorist web page): Taliban Claim 50+ Killed in Latest US Push - Other Alleged Attacks in Zhari, Nad Ali
Support for Changes in US Counterdrug Approach
Opinion: "If the Harper government believes that the mission can be successful, then the additional cost of extending the $11.1 billion mission and the effective cancellation of all UN missions may be a worthwhile endeavour in the pursuit of peace and stability in Afghanistan. But if there is any doubt, then a new strategy for Afghanistan must be adopted to quickly bring an end to the conflict." - "Is it possible we may finally get it right in Afghanistan? Is it possible we can kill the Taliban -- with kindness to the Afghan people."
2 July 09
"Canada Day marked in Afghanistan with tank decor, soldiers' festivities" - "Serving in Afghanistan gives soldiers appreciation for Canada" - "Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance spent most of Canada Day visiting Canadian bases in southern Afghanistan, wishing soldiers the best — and helping stop a Taliban ambush in the process."
More on CAN Buying Reconnaissance Blimps
USA Soldier Reported Captured by Insurgents - AFG Media Says Taliban May Be Seeking Prisoner Exchange - More
ISAF: Two Killed, Six Wounded in IED Blast in South - More - UK MoD Statement
Reaper Helps Out Over Qalat, F-18 Gives a Hand in Gereshk, and Tornado Shows Force Over Lashkar Gah
Big USA Push in Helmand: CENTCOM Statement - A Few Military Photos - New York Times - BBC - AFP - Associated Press - FOX News - Washington Post - CNN - Registan.net Comments on WP, CNN Versions
Brits Hit with Compensation Claims for Killed Civilians - Ghurkas Mentor AFG Cops in Sangin
"7 new development projects started in Urozgan Province"
Taliban Propaganda Watch (links to non-terrorist web page): Taliban Publishes (Alleged) Stats from Their OP Victory - 40+ Troops Allegedly Killed in Zabul - 29 "British invaders and puppet soldiers" Allegedly Killed, Injured in Helmand
US Army/USMC COIN Centre on How to Grow Trust in AFG
PAK Adding Border Guards on Frontier Next to Helmand
1 July 09
Ways to Celebrate Canada Day in K'Har - More
Returning RCMP Officer Happy to be Home
More on CAN's "Key Village" Approach: "The idea is to secure and stabilize the villages near Kandahar City to make them better places to live, and much less accessible to the insurgents who use them as staging areas for operations in Kandahar City." - "The result will be to deny the insurgents the use of their traditional staging, resting and transiting areas, thus ensuring a more secure environment in Kandahar City." (.pdf permalink to both articles here) - Blog: "Defending Kandahar to the Last Resident of Dand?" - More
CAN Foreign Affairs Minister on Extension Rumours: "Let me be perfectly clear: Canada is abiding by the motion that was adopted in our Parliament .... Our position is perfectly clear - we are not going beyond 2011." (.pdf permalink here) - AFG Envoy to CAN Not Seeking Extension - Text of 13 Mar 08 Commons Motion (.pdf permalink here)
Meanwhile, Minister Also Expected to Tell UN to Get Out of Kabul Into the Boonies - UN Sec-Gen 23 Jun 09 Report: "In May, UNAMA opened two new offices, in Tirin Kot and Sari Pul. Additional offices will be opened over the coming months." - More - 30 Jun 09 Debate at Security Council (.pdf permalink here) - CAN Foreign Mininster Calls for UN to do More Regionally (.pdf of UN summary of his speech here)
Shootout @ K'Har: "Police slayings by rogue forces highlight Afghan struggle to adopt rule of law" - "Afghan interior minister seeks end to private ‘militias’"
"Three years after its residents fled, the once bustling town of Now Zad (Helmand Province) is the scene of a stalemate between a company of newly arrived Marines and a band of Taliban fighters."
UK Politician: "We're on our way to losing and our young men are dying out there because politicians won't get their act together" - AUS Opposition Leader Drops By Uruzgan
Talkin' to the Taliban: New Survey Shows Support for AFG Gov't "Making Amends" with Taliban - IRI Releases Survey of Afghanistan Public Opinion
Taliban Propaganda Watch (links to non-terrorist web page): 22 Allegedly Killed Foot Patrol Blast in Zhari
Washington Post: "National security adviser James L. Jones told U.S. military commanders here last week that the Obama administration wants to hold troop levels here flat for now, and focus instead on carrying out the previously approved strategy of increased economic development, improved governance and participation by the Afghan military and civilians in the conflict." - Reuters Q&A on New USA Approach to AFG
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