Via email from a Canadian Forces member in Kandahar, from a couple of weeks ago;
Hi, it’s Thursday afternoon in sunny Kandahar. Temperatures are pushing +30 again today and it’s pretty quiet now. It’s been a pretty tough week with the rollovers and the suicide bombing last week. Things are much better this week and spirits are improving day by day. I’ve spent a fair amount of time out on the ranges in the last week and got to do a lot of shooting.
In addition, we blew up an IED (Improvised Explosive Deer), it was a 3D archery target that we used for training. It’s a pretty sobering range as we were only 150m away from where the four Canadians were killed in 2002 by the American bomb. A very unsettling place as you can see the base right from that location — it’s only 3 km outside of the wire. There are continual reminders of war in this country with the destroyed houses and ruined villages everywhere you go.
The amount of activity around here is always amazing. I’m still living 150m away from the runway where helicopters, C17 Globemasters, Hercules, Apaches, Chinooks and Ilyushins take off and land all around the clock — can’t say that I even notice it anymore. I’ve moved into new accommodations – (well, a new tent anyway) but there are concrete floors and they’re partitioned off inside so they’re pretty decent. A little bit of privacy from all of your neighbours goes a long way.
It’s been six weeks now since I arrived in country and the time is still going by very quickly. There is generally too much to do during the day so I’ll admit that while the days are long the weeks have flown by. We had a bit of a monsoon yesterday – out of the clear blue sky a great big cloud came by and opened a torrential rainfall.
There was even a bunch of hail coming down so I was able to throw a couple of snowballs at +30. Good for a laugh anyway. The rain lands on the ground and then there isn’t any drainage into the soil as it’s basically blasted clay. Very weird, the water just lays on the ground until the sun evaporates it.
Two days ago we had the biggest sandstorm – it’s definitely out of the bible. If you’ve seen ‘The Mummy’ and you watched the wall of sand coming it is exactly like that. Except there wasn’t any demonic head appearing in the middle of it and the small screen just doesn’t do justice to 1000′ high brown curtain coming towards you. I’ll try to find one of the photos that some of the guys took to give you an appreciation. Visibility dropped to 50m in less than 1 minute. We’re actually only a few kms from a desert that runs almost 1500 kms to Iran so that’s where the wind had picked up all of the crap.
This place is so desolate – very much like the far side of the moon I would imagine.
Although I don’t think anyone shoots at you on the moon.
Fascinating post. Very different from media reports. Prayers and best wishes for the safety and success of everyone in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan makes Saskatchewan look like the Garden of Eden. I am just glad I’m not there as I prefer my sand to come with a beach attached. I hope the Canadians over there come back safe and sound. I hope they also realize that there are a heck of a lot of Canadians back home that appreciate their sacrifices.
per ardua ad astra
a very sobering view of Afghanistan. no “extra words” for emotions… sounds like a praire guy and a welcome respite from the news media. the last line brings it all together.
Kate
A great report. Our troops need to know that there are many back home who are behind them with unwaivering support. While our troops are in harms way, it is not the time to debate their deployment. Morale in a country such as this will be a key to any small or large success our troops achieve.
To those who continue the cry to “cut and run” (Steve in B.C and others) or to those who would “pull them out” over Rahmans trial or execution, you play into the hands of the terrorists who are counting on us not having the courage or the stomach for the mission. I can imagine nothing more demoralizing for a soldier than to hear his or her nation back home “ditherring” about the mission.
It will take an unshakable resolve to continue our obligation and commitment as we suffer further casualties, but resolve we must if we are to bring change, be it ever so small.
I enjoy hearing the reports from the troops. I don’t hear them speaking of leaving or running but rather fighting the battle for hearts and minds in a foreign land.
May God be with our troops and may we come together to offer support and encouragement to them for they stand as Canadas best ambassadors to the world.
Daniel
Nice and Outstanding post
I fully support Canada’s mission in Afghanistan and we need to do more to show our support for the guys fighting for freedom of mankind.
Thnx for posting this
It would be different from news reports because there is no “news” here. Which doesn’t diminish its value, of course. A nice slice of life in the dust/mud/sewage bowl inside the wire at KAF. It’s hard to evoke how boring life must be for the 1500 or so troops who rarely, if ever, leave the two bases.
Great Post!
Exactly what the main stream media should be including in their news coverage, but they won’t.
Kate . . time to bamboozle Mother Corp into giving you national blog space like in the last election.
Since they will never report anything like this by themsleves, they should be shamed into having their network used to tell the truth.
Why,for chrissakes,would a unique perspective like this NEVER appear in the MSM? Sad..sad..sad..
Thanks for posting it Kate.
Let’s hope it stays that quiet and peaceful.
I once took a a local bus from Kabul to Herat, via Kandahar–a long day’s ride. The only comparison in my experience with southern Afstan is the Gobi desert.
Mark
Ottawa
For an excellent report of what our soldiers are doing, see in the Globe, March 25, Christie Blatchford’s: “The bomb and the ‘Belly Button’: ‘What they lack in skill,’ a Canadian says of Afghan soldiers, ‘they make up in heart — balls out all the way'” (full text not online).
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/v4/sub/MarketingPage?user_URL=http://www.theglobeandmail.com%2Fservlet%2Fstory%2FLAC.20060325.COVER25%2FTPStory%2FComment&ord=1143323883515&brand=theglobeandmail&force_login=true
Mark
Ottawa
Appreciate hearing any and all news from or about Afghanistan, as our son is there now.
Appreciate hearing any and all news from or about Afghanistan, as our son is there now.
…after looking at the pictures, I’ll never make fun of Saskabu…err Saskatchewan again. Like a previous poster, Afghan makes Sask look like a garden of Eden.
Egad, how can anyone live there? No wonder their imagination of democracy, clean cities, sense or order in the nation is warped – nothing much to match it against.
Liz, please let him know their are people that appreciate why he’s there, the work they’re doing, and I think of them during coffee time… and more so when I vote.
Write a message to a soldier or read the ones already posted here.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/community/messageboard/index_e.asp
rite a message to a soldier or read the ones already posted here.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/community/messageboard/index_e.asp
Xin chao, Minh den tu HL, minh mong muon duoc lam quen voi tat ca cac ban. Thanks you
internet gambling and free internet games not gambling http://www.sacyouth.org/internet_gambling/gambling_internet_online.html gambling internet online internet gambling guide http://www.sacyouth.org/internet_gambling/gambling_internet_software.html and …. internet gambling enforcement internet gambling sport book http://www.sacyouth.org/internet_gambling/internet_gambling_prohibition_act.html internet gambling credit card for internet gambling http://www.sacyouth.org/internet_gambling/internet_gambling_enforcement.html internet gambling casinos is gambling on the internet legal http://www.sacyouth.org/internet_gambling/bet_safe_internet_gambling.html .Thanks.