Posted on 07/07/2011 11:52:16 AM PDT by Pan_Yan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) Canada formally ended its combat role in Afghanistan on Thursday, closing a mission that has cost 157 soldiers their lives since 2002 casualties that shocked Canadians unaccustomed to seeing their troops die in battle.
The move adds to the burden of U.S. and Afghan troops who are trying to prevent a Taliban rebound in the militants' southern stronghold where Canadian troops had been fighting in their bloodiest conflict since the Korean War.
Canada is withdrawing its combat units as the sixth largest troop-contributing nation, behind the U.S., Britain, Germany, France and Italy. Like Americans and Europeans, Canadians have grown weary of the war as it nears the 10-year mark.
While 2,850 Canadian soldiers are going home, 950 others have started streaming into Afghanistan to help train Afghan security forces to take the lead role in securing the country by 2014.
Canada passed the responsibility for two districts of Kandahar province to U.S. forces at Kandahar Air Field during a ceremony held in a hall decorated with Canadian maple leaf flags. After remarks, handshakes and the exchange of military paperwork, troops held a moment of silence for their fallen comrades.
Since 2002, 157 Canadian troops, one diplomat, one journalist and two aid workers have been killed in Afghanistan.
... the U.K. will withdraw 500 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2012, a move that will reduce the size of the British contingent to 9,000.
Other top troop-contributing nations are Germany with 4,800, France with 3,900 and Italy with 3,880.
French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet has said that about 1,000 French troops would be out by the summer of 2012.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has said his country aims to start pulling out troops by the end of the year.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
Actually, I’ve never worked at a Mall. Again I apologize to Canada and her military.
Same here.
Due to Canada’s extremely limited budget, they’re often far more creative than American forces.
While the US military was buying loud and expensive motorcycles for “recon” work, I noticed mountain bikes hanging off the bustle of some Canadian APCs.
They’re good allies and they’ve proven it repeatedly.
Thanks, Canada!
This is from last Veterans' Day (I'm not sure what they call it in Canada. Anyone know?), when the Canadian death toll was 152. Remembering the Fallen
The “Rush to the Exits” begins. OTOH, our Canadian friends did a lot of the lifting in Afghanistan.
I wonder how many Canadians died on 911...Checking...24. That was an attack on many countries, not just US. Nevertheless, I do thank ALL the soldiers who’ve aided in ridding the world of Al Qaeda’s safe haven in Afghanistan.
You need to buck up and apologize mate.
This retired USAF Captain, thanks the Canadians for their help
I left in the fall of 2009, I was 2PPCLI, I did 10 years and 3 tours, and lost 13 very good friends over there. This whole thread only brings up memories still fresh and I can’t help but shed a tear for my lost friends.
Apology accepted Mm, thanks for being man enough to do so.
There are many Canadians in this country who openly bash my southern brothers and sisters and I do not tolerate it. The quickest way to get a close look at the ground you’re standing on is to bash my country or my neighbor’s to my direct south, I’m no fool, I know the threat of nuclear war kept us safe during the cold war and Reagan is hero in my books. Many of us in the Patricias think the same way and you all have some highly trained allies here for when it hits the fan.
Thank you for your service. If I didn’t like Canadians I wouldn’t have married a relative of Sir John A. Macdonald.
"Pictures that should shame us all reveal the shabby way Britain treats its fallen heroes," Mail Online (UK), April 13, 2008.
You did and I appreciate it. Next time you hear someone questioning the courage or devotion of the Canadian military, I hope you step up and tell that person they are off base.
And an especial thank you for the link to the Daily Mail article.
They have been fighting and bleeding alongside our warriors in the sandbox. The Canadian Forces deserve respect.
Many heartfelt thanks to the members of the Canadian Forces for their service alongside our warriors. I have had friends and one relative in Afghanistan who are also thankful for your valuable service as friends and allies.
We call it Remembrance Day.
Some of the best snipers in Afghanistan have been Canadians. Show some respect.
One wonders about the personal military service record of a poster such as Mmogamer.
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