Posted on 05/25/2006 5:58:32 PM PDT by NorthOf45
Five Canadian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan
CTV.ca News
May 25, 2006
Five Canadian soldiers are in stable condition after being wounded in a roadside bombing. An Afghan translator was also injured in the attack.
"All five are in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries," said Lieut. Mark McIntyre, a spokesman for the Canadian Forces at the main coalition base at Kandahar Airfield on the outskirts of the city.
"I can tell you that of the five soldiers that were wounded, four were able to call home immediately after the attack to let their next of kin know they were OK," he said.
The wounded have been airlifted to the coalition base at the Kandahar airfield for treatment.
The attack occurred while the soldiers were on a routine patrol near the platoon house in Gumbad, about 75 kilometres north of Kandahar city.
Their light armoured vehicle, or LAV III, took the brunt of the explosion and likely shielded them from more serious injuries, said McIntyre.
McIntyre said it's not clear whether Canadians were the intended target of the explosion Thursday, but an investigation was underway.
McIntyre said the targeting mechanisms on roadside bombs, which can be detonated on contact or by remote control, are somewhat crude.
"I can tell you that for every coalition soldier that's been killed by these, several dozen Afghans have died," he said. "These devices are fairly indiscriminate."
The explosion happened not far from where another roadside bomb killed four Canadians and destroyed their lightly armoured G-Wagon patrol vehicle on April 22.
Another two Canadians were injured May 15 when a bomb exploded near their Nyala armoured patrol vehicle in the vicinity.
Department of National Defence officials told CTV that the soldiers and translator managed to escape when the LAV III caught on fire.
"As the six people were leaving the vehicle, some of the ammunition in the LAV began to detonate on its own," CTV's Rosemary Thompson said.
Canada has about 2,300 troops in Afghanistan, with most stationed at Kandahar Airfield.
I thank these Canadian troops for being there and doing what is necessary. Their great grandchildren and mine may still be speaking in our familiar languages and worshipping God the right way, and our countries may still be free, because people like these and like our American and British guys have stepped up and looked this muslim extremist threat right square in the eye without blinking.
Canadian Military Ping



TRAITOROUS MSM BIAS ALERT !!!
check out the vile Globe & Mail's
front page headline for the same story:
Canadian troops scuttle costly vehicle
* no mention of our five brave wounded troops!
* nor the military & civilian safety issues later cited!
IMPLIED IRRESPONSIBILITY & UNDUE COST ... that's the focus !!!
The big story is that the LAV protected the lives of the soldiers. Actually another triumph, but the Mop & Pail wouldn't recognize that.
No surprise GMMAC on the Mop & Pail's emphasis on money vs lives, after all: every dollar spent on the CF and Canada's mission in Afghanistan is one less dollar that might be spent at a future date for projects like swimming pools, golf courses, etc., for friends of the "Simple Man From Shenanigan" and other LIEberal cronies, you know? ;)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.