If you liked Christie Blatchford's Fifteen Days*, but wondered about the X's and O's of Task Force Orion's groundbreaking work in southern Afghanistan, you need to read Chris Wattie's new book Contact Charlie: the Canadian Army, the Taliban, and the Battle that Saved Afghanistan.
Which isn't to say the book is all X's and O's, because it's not. The stories of individual soldiers, taken from hours upon hours of interviews, are told in the uniquely intense, funny, and profane style so typical of soldiers. Wattie puts you right into the turret of the LAV with them.
With Chris' permission, I've excerpted a portion of Chapter 10 at The Torch, where some of the communications challenges inherent in coalition warfare come to light, and have provided a brief review.
Short version of that review: buy it, read it, and encourage others to do the same.
* And if you haven't read Fifteen Days, I can't recommend it highly enough - go buy that one as well.
Posted by Damian at September 30, 2008 10:21 AM
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/story/2008/09/29/f-cv-barwick.html
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/009655.html#comments
communication in war is very important:
BUT HOW OR WITH WHO TO START WITH is key issues
What I worry before communication in war started and people sign to know who you seat with
and know more detail and big picture of what or how you signing
in Pakstian and Afganstan corrution as the result of years of poor economic bad politican bad treat unfair from west fear of freedom of speech
gain anything for money and power and undertable broker fees
caused countries in htat area never grow and under going under water more and those poltician are bring their other innocnet muslim along witht hem and all Muslim today are lable as result of few but dange and powerfull men in that region
like if you give power to Taleban and they back ansd kill Shia and play power game and drugs and not let women go to school or kill for sealing rubbye in road then we can not shake hand with them simple
but you can start with condition with them
not all of them
if you negotitate with Taleban:
you need to bring more on the table since Talen destroy all security in the region now:
if you start talk with Taleban and let them go back with Saudi againa nd kill Shai Muslim again and kill peopl for druge and steal money that is ot going to let happend
Who should commmuniter here:
PM of Afganstan spoksperson stay with one more shia from Afganstne
do not let Wahabi play sunni and shia over there for power of saudi Arabin ever again that is game!
in Afganten need to have team of
Shia Afgani and
Shia Pakstaini and
Shia Iranina and Azerbaigan
shia from Iraq and ( exception Only shia from Saudi Arabi and shia from Dubai, Palsteni ad Lebanan, Turkey ) and
shia from India from West of Muslim in middle East countrye
cmmuniate with and deal with west muslim countries such WITH other sides Sunni from Kewit and Sunni from Quater and Sunni from Sunni from Jordne and sunni from Egypt, Syria and suni from African countries such as Libia )
JOIN togetehr
WHy because the if you let sunnifrom Saud and Duabi and sunni from Afgan and Paksten and Indain seat with all htey are corrupted peopel unfortuanly you can find 3 out of 10 sunni in those coutry I recommanded only go with shia that all are corrupted and so far Wahabi who are extremiste muslim are feed by those group stil
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/story/2008/09/29/f-cv-barwick.html
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/009655.html#comments
Posted by: mos at September 30, 2008 12:57 PMI am halfway thru Christie Blatchford's Fifteen Days and it is very good. Will look forward to reading this one
Posted by: Merle Underwood at September 30, 2008 1:41 PMThe National Post is also excerpting sections. (I don't know if they're online.)
Posted by: andycanuck at September 30, 2008 9:28 PMI have just read two days worth of the NPs bits from the book and this stuff rings as true as the multiple WWI WWII and Korean books I have read from the PBI's perceptive. Definetly picking this one up next week.
Chapters (I know) has the release date as 8 Oct
Posted by: AtlanticJim at October 1, 2008 7:43 AMFor those who don't know, Wattie's a reporter with CanWest.
Posted by: Damian at October 1, 2008 8:44 AMThis book was fantastic. Highly recommended. By the end you will feel pride swell in you for our Canadian Forces.
Posted by: Geoff at October 3, 2008 7:47 PM