TALIBAN PROPAGANDA WATCH – Latest Attacks in Kabul, elswhwhere

NOTE:  Do NOT click on a link to the Taliban’s or other terrorist web pages if you don’t want the webmasters to see your computer’s IP number. This material is from web pages and forums carrying statements attributed to the Taliban, Taliban spokespersons or supporters of the Taliban, or analysis thereof. Posting of this material neither confirms nor endorses any of its content – it is shared for information only. When material translated into English is not available, Google Translate is used to translate the original  – this is only a machine translation, NOT an official one.

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Screen capture of both statements below (PDF) downloadable at non-terrorist site here

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Mujahideen attack invaders in Kabul, Logar, Paktia and Nangarhar simultaneously

Zabiahullah Mujahid

Sunday, 23 Jamadil Awal 1433
Sunday, 15 April 2012 11:49

AFGHANISTA, Apr. 15 – Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate launched a simultaneous large-scale attack against the invading forces in Kabul, Paktia, Nangarhar and Logar, Mujahideen said on Sunday, adding the heavy fighting is ongoing in the certain strategic areas of the four provinces. He further said that Mujahideen positioned themselves at the rooftop of tall building in the area Known Charahi Zanbaq in the heart of Kabul city, targeting the US-NATO invaders, whereas there is heavy fighting in the other provinces at the same time. This is the news updates check back soon as soon for further details.

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Latest news: Presidential palace, British Embassy and other strategic points under attack

Zabihullah Mujahid

Sunday, 23 Jamadil Awal 1433
Sunday, 15 April 2012 17:36

Latest news: Presidential palace, British Embassy and other strategic points under attack as heavy fighting ongoing

KABUL, Apr. 15 – The recent reports from Kabul city say that martyrdom-seeking combatants of Islamic Emirate have taken different military and diplomatic points and buildings under attack in Wazir Akbar Khan area of Kabul city, targeting British and German embassies, Afghan parliament, Star and Serena Hotels and ISAF headquarter simultaneously.

Several other important military and diplomatic points including Presidential place, military bases of ISAF and other government buildings are under attack in Dar-ul-Aman, Wazir Akbar Khan and other strategic areas in the heart of Kabul city, Afghan capital. The explosions and gunfire have shaken the city, with Mujahideen keeping conducting bomb attacks, direct shooting and rocket attacks on the targets.

Similarly, Mujahideen have attacked several military posts and bases of the puppets and ISAF near Pol-e-Charki Jail and heavy fighting is under way in the entire Kabul city. There is a state of confusion and the wave of attacks appear to have engulfed the entire city and the panicky people are running about in fear and uncertainty.

More updates on Paktia, Logar and Jalalabad:

There reports that Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate, in ongoing countrywide operation,

staking out positions in high points and tall buildings, have taken US-NATO invaders and their puppets military bases and posts together with, the department of miming and industry, department of NDS,(local spy agency) and Governor house under target, killing more than 6 enemy soldiers and wounding several dozen besides destroying military vehicles in the capital of Logar province.

The reports add that a number of martyrdom-seeking Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate stormed the military Airfield, Police headquarter, and several other government buildings in Gadez city, the capital of Paktia province and flames are rising from several points and a bloody fighting is in progress in both Logar and Paktia provinces at the same time.

Separately, martyrdom-seeking Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate attacked the US-NATO bases and the US PRT base in Jalalabad city. Mujahideen, firstly, conducted car bomb attack on the PRT base, letting a number of Mujahideen combatants in where the Mujahideen fighters opened fire on the invaders inside and conducted yet more martyr attacks which flattened the base facility; the airbase of Jalalabad has come under attack during the fighting.

More updates will be available when more is known.

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MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 2 Mar 12

• More on Government Spending:  Veterans Affairs  According to the 2012-13 Main Estimates for VAC (attachment via Army.ca), the department is estimating spending more money overall next year, with some cuts due to programs tapering off as older veterans die off.  Still, the federal budget coming in less than four weeks can still change that – for better or worse.  Or not.  Meanwhile, some veteran’s groups remain worried:  “Many of Canada’s veterans’ stakeholders, including the Canadian Veterans Advocacy, have requested the Harper Government to exclude Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) from looming budget cuts. “Our message is simple – now is not the time for budget cuts at Veterans Affairs Canada,” said Michael Blais, president and founder of the Canadian Veterans Advocacy. “How can the Harper Government, in good conscience, cut the VAC budget by half a billion dollars when the department is clearly having great difficulty providing the standard of care and compensation our wounded warriors deserve?” ….”  We’ll have to wait until March 29 to learn more, one way or another.
• Speaking of how the wounded are treated …. “Jayson Nickol loved his life in the military until a Taliban bullet shattered his right leg. It wasn’t the injury that soured the relationship – he knew the risks when he volunteered to go to Afghanistan. It was the 2-1/2-year battle with Veterans Affairs Canada over disability pay. “I almost got more stressed over that than when I got shot,” Nickol, 27, said from his home in Winnipeg ….”
• Meanwhile, what one non-profit is doing about it:  “Help is coming for hundreds of B.C. reservists who performed combat duties in Afghanistan with the Canadian army. Don Hughson, the B.C. president of a non-profit society called Canada Company, said Thursday $65,000 has been raised to start a soldiers’ wellness program here. “Some B.C. guys have issues because they’re mostly reservists in this province,” Hughson said. “Maybe a bomb has gone off in Afghanistan and a comrade has died a horrible death. “As reservists, they come back to part-time military duties and full-time civilian jobs where they aren’t able to receive help.” Hughson said the funds will be used to set up programs for the 39th Canadian Infantry Brigade in B.C. The program will generate reports, open up channels of communication and identify individuals who are at-risk. “Hopefully, this will make their lives better,” he said ….”
• Afghanistan (1)  One soldier’s story from the CF Info-Machine:  “When you work as a training advisor at the Afghan National Army (ANA) Signals School, you feel like you’re building a plane that’s already airborne and outward bound ….”
• Afghanistan (2)  One soldier’s story from a hometown paper:  “With a reassuring smile, she places the thermometer in the soldier’s mouth and tightens the blood-pressure cuff around his arm. “Most likely, you’ve got the virus that is going around the camp,” she says, “but we’ll check you out.” Medical technician Corporal Christie Borkowski of 150 Mile House is living the twin goals she set for herself in her youth — a medical career in a military context. A member of 1 Field Ambulance in Edmonton, Borkowski is deployed in Afghanistan on Operation ATTENTION, Canada’s participation in the NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan (NTM-A) ….”
• Afghanistan (3a)  Former head of Canada’s aid effort in Afghanistan:  Keeping crappy AFG government = Taliban win  “…. The conclusion of the former high-level Afghan government officials I have met with is that the Taliban is successful in defeating the international community, which is now forced to kneel down to “talk.” Even if any negotiated settlement with the Taliban beyond rhetoric was ever made possible, the Taliban will not respect the agreed terms unless a functioning, credible state and a strengthened Afghan government emerged by 2014 with reforms implemented – justice reforms, governance and legal reforms, rooting out pervasive corruption, electoral reforms, and measures to establish a parliamentary democracy for overcoming the weaknesses of the current presidential system ….’
• Afghanistan (3b)  One commentator’s “glass is half full” guess  “…. Now I admit there’s a very logical argument to be made that the Taliban and Pakistan are only using the Qatar talks to play for time. They’ll simply wait for the Americans to leave in two years and then pounce on the weak Afghan government. So goes that argument and it makes sense. But for the Taliban, and other guerrilla groups, there’s no guarantee that the road to power will be all that smooth after U.S. combat forces leave. The Taliban might well take the Pashtun-dominated south, where Canada’s forces were once based. But if the fighting continues beyond 2014 there is always the possibility that the 300,000-strong Afghan security force, by then better armed and trained, might well merge with a reborn, anti-Taliban northern alliance of Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazara Shias for all-out civil war, a nightmare scenario all too easy to imagine. If this happens the Taliban might not even be able to hold its own fragile alliance with other guerrilla groups together ….”
• Afghanistan (4)  More on some of Canada’s war poet Suzanne Steele’s work being put to music:  “The road to war and back again: Former official Canadian war poet Suzanne Steele saw a lot of action in connection with the country’s military involvement in Afghanistan. So much so, that even though her actual tour of duty overseas ended more than two years ago, she’s still writing about it. Parts of what she’s written – be it a blog, poem or diary entry – is finding its way into the text for Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation, a large-scale choral work commissioned by the Calgary Philharmonic. A work in progress, the Afghanistan Requiem by Vancouver composer Jeffrey Ryan is slated to premiere at Jack Singer Hall on Nov. 10 in a CPO series exploring war and peace. “It’s going to be spectacular. Stunning. I think it’s in-credibly special to be at the forefront of creating some-thing of such relevance,” says CPO director of artistic operations Heather Slater. “We want to pay tribute to our soldiers not just for what they’ve done and how they’ve served for everyone’s benefit, but to acknowledge what this war (in Afghanistan) has meant to this generation of soldiers – and what it will mean to their families, generations after.” …. “
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1)  Latest answers on the F-35 from the Minister of Defence focus on who’s asking the question. “Mr. Speaker, that is more of the daily diatribe against the interests of the Canadian Forces and their families and against the interests of the aerospace industry. I do not know why the New Democratic Party continually demonstrates that it is so out of touch with our country’s defence needs. That member, among all members present, should know that this is the only fifth generation aircraft available to the Royal Canadian Air Force. This is the plane that Canada needs now and into the future …. Canada and the associate minister are showing leadership on this issue. We are meeting with the partners and with the industry. What we do know, and the Minister of Justice has reminded me, is that the New Democratic Party is against efforts to send a strong signal to those who would violate the justice system. That party is against the development of the energy sector, the aerospace sector and definitely against the interests of the Royal Canadian Air Force. It is against development. That party is the no defence, no deterrents, no development party. That is what we see time and time again in the House.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2)  One way to (try to, anyway) “sell” the plane:  make it star in a movie
• F-35 Tug o’ War (3)  Still no sign here of sharing the ATIP’ed documents regarding DND media monitoring of F-35 coverage as of this post – although I’ve asked in the comments section – no way to know what else is in them (and no, I really don’t care if MILNEWS.ca is mentioned or not):  “…. one interesting observation is made several times in the documents, namely that retired military officers were responsible for many positive articles, editorials and letters to the editor written about the F-35 at certain points. For example, “It should be noted that of the three letters to the editor designated as being positive in tone,” reads one report, “all three were written by retired CF general officers — Gen. (ret.) Paul Manson…and former [chief of air staff] LGen. (ret.) Angus Watt.” Of course, they weren’t the only ones writing positive articles about the F-35; Sun Media gets mentioned at a couple of points. But that example also wasn’t the only reference to retired officers talking up the F-35. Take that as you will…” 
• F-35 Tug o’ War (4)  Ceasefire.ca tries buying space in magazines to push its “No F-35″ campaign
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  Remember the sub-calibre bid from MERX I shared with you yesterday morning (bullet #10)?  It must be important – the Government of Canada’s Info-Machine says it’s worth a news release now:  “The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, announced today that the Government of Canada has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to acquire sub-calibre training devices for the Canadian Leopard 2A4 tanks …. The Tank Replacement Project is a part of the Canada First Defence Strategy’s commitment to rebuild the Canadian Forces and ensure they are well-equipped to take on the challenges of the 21st century. The Government of Canada is actively procuring the equipment to replace the Department of National Defence’s current main battle tank fleet. The Leopard 2 played a crucial role in Afghanistan and its heavy armour capability helped to save the lives of Canadian troops in the field. The Leopard 2 sub-calibre training device is inserted into a barrel of the 120mm main gun on the Leopard 2A4 tanks. It is used to train military personnel on the Leopard 2A4 tanks at different locations in Canada. The RFP is for the purchase of up to 11 Leopard 2 sub-calibre training devices. It includes training for its use, manuals, along with two years of life-cycle support including maintenance, upgrades and integrated logistics support ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  +29,000 pairs of “Glove, Cold Wet Weather, Navy”
• What’s Canada Buying? (3)  “Route1 Inc. (TSX-V: ROI), a provider of security and identity management solutions to businesses, government and military, said it has been awarded a Supply Arrangement by the Government of Canada to facilitate the government’s procurement of required software products including but not limited to security, identity management and remote access solutions ….”
• A gay/lesbian news service covering gays in the CF:  the sub-headline says, “Despite years of inclusion, Canadian military still not a friendly space for gays and lesbians”, but a former member says this: “…. Former soldier Carl Bouchard says that while it’s disappointing to hear of homophobic threats being made in the military, he isn’t surprised. Bouchard was in the infantry from 1994 to 2000. He says he didn’t see any overt gaybashing, but his colleagues would use homophobic slurs against weaker soldiers. “In a platoon of 30 to 120 [soldiers], there’s always one or two guys that don’t fit in for some reason,” he says, noting he witnessed harassment based on race and physical weakness, though not sexuality. Bouchard attributes much of the harassment he saw to the hyper-masculine culture of the military. “It’s pretty much a guys’ world,” he says. Most of the soldiers are tough young men, and the first phase of training, basic training and battle school, strives to make you tougher, he says. “That’s where they have these courses to weed out the weak. “If somebody is the weak link in the family or the chain, well, after a while you’re sick of doing pushups with this guy,” he says. “The first thing is you try to help him, then after a while, you turn negative on the guy.” …. “I truly believe it’s not as bad as it was when I was there, and it’s getting better year by year,” Bouchard says. He says soldiers have access to more support now than they did 10 years ago. “There’s more channels than there were if [soldiers] need to speak to somebody,” he says ….”
• CF training with U.S. Coast Guard on West Coast “That big yellow plane circling over Sitka on Thursday morning belongs to the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Canadian airmen are in Sitka this week to engage in joint training exercises with the U.S. Coast Guard ….”
• Again, no sign of sharing ATIP’ed documents as of this post, so no way to know what else is in them.  “The federal government has given Canada’s spy service the go-ahead to provide information to foreign agencies even when there is a “substantial risk” it will lead to torture, a newly released document shows. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews outlines instructions for sharing information in such cases in a four-page directive to Canadian Security Intelligence Service director Dick Fadden. A copy of the July 2011 directive — secret until now — was released to The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. The directive is squarely at odds with Canada’s international commitments against torture — which have no loopholes, said Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada. “There’s no ifs, ands or buts to that — there’s no qualifications,” he said. “This is one of the clearest areas of international law.” ….”

TALIBAN PROPAGANDA WATCH: On killing NATO troops and burning Korans

Usual disclaimer:  I don’t make this stuff up, I only share it, and putting it here =/= endorsing it.  Also, don’t click on a Taliban web site link if you don’t want the Taliban’s webmaster to get your IP number or other info

Statement of Islamic Emirate regarding the demonstrations of the Afghan Mujahid nation in reaction to the desecration of the Holy Quran by the American invaders.

Thursday, 23 February 2012 13:27

Statement of Islamic Emirate regarding the demonstrations of the Afghan Mujahid nation in reaction to the desecration of the Holy Quran by the American invaders

Last Tuesday night, the American invaders continued their barbaric acts and once again raised their hands in blasphemy against the sacred book

of the Muslims (Holy Quran) by disrespectfully throwing hundreds of its blessed copies into the fire in Bagram military base. The zealous and faithful people of Afghanistan, in defense of their sacred book and in response to the savage actions of the American crusaders took to the streets and have held heated protests throughout the country against the American occupiers for the past 2 days during which tens of them have been martyred.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, despite condemning the American perpetrators of this unforgiving crime in an official statement on the initial day, it once again deems the ruthless martyring of the defenseless protestors by the barbaric Americans and their despicable backers as inhumane, unethical and an unjustifiable action, against which it gives its Mujahideen and its honored nation the following guidance:

1.  As the repeated desecration and burning of the Holy Quran of the Muslims at the hands of the Crusaders is the natural and deliberate act of these infidels, then as part of our defense of our sacred book, we should not be satisfied with mere protests and empty slogans but the military bases of the invaders, their military convoys and their troops should become a target of our courageous attacks. Kill them, beat them, take them as prisoners and teach them such a lesson that they never summon the courage to abuse the Holy Quran again.

2.  The infidel American officials want to cool down the feelings of the Muslims in reaction to this reprehensible act with mere dramatic apology but in reality, give free hand to its barbaric soldiers to continue with their savagery. The Muslim Afghan nation must not be deceived by their superficial apologies and must continue seeking revenge until punishment is dished out with your hands to the perpetrators of this heinous crime for their despicable transgression.

3.  That the protection of the blood and wealth of every Muslim is the duty of all Muslims according to Shariah and transgression against it is absolutely prohibited therefore the target of revenge of the protestors should only be the American occupiers, their facilities and properties and not those of the ordinary people.

4.  The despicable backers of the invaders who have turned a blind eye towards the unforgiving crime of the infidels due to their cowardice and as defense of them, are halting the march of the protestors then they should be prosecuted for their actions before the Americans.

5.  As the Holy Quran is the sacred book of all the entire Ummah therefore the Islamic Emirate calls on all the Muslims of the world, their governments and people, religious officials of the two sacred mosques and the religious centers of Darul Uloom Deoband and Al Azhar, as part of their religious obligation and fervor to take a united stand against the desecration of our common book by the American aggressors. Condemn their unforgivable crime both practically and verbally and back the legitimate struggle of the Muslim Afghans against them.

Wasalam

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Message of Islamic Emirate to the army, police and security apparatus of the Kabul administration

Thursday, 23 February 2012 11:17

It is common knowledge that our country is physically under the occupation of foreign invaders and during this decade of incursion, our countrymen have had to face numerous crimes and horrors. Similarly, our religious sanctums have repeatedly faced violations and blasphemy; our young generation is being pushed towards misguidance and ethical deviations under the slogan of ‘freedom’ and new doors of corruption are being flung open for them everyday; blind imitation of the western infidels is being encouraged in our cities and villages; the veil of modesty and dignity is being uplifted from our women under the slogans of ‘women rights’; our countrymen are being called towards the abrogated religion of Christianity and hundreds of other similar misfortunes have befallen every facet of our lives from the onset of the invasion which pushes us away from our religion and culture.

All of these things are the gifts brought to us by the accursed western invasion which is forcing it upon us under the name of democracy. In order to change this state of affairs, every single individual in our society must carry out their duty as it is an obligation binding on them both religiously and morally. A group from amongst the Afghan society which can play a very effective role in wearing down the foreign enemy is the youth who, under various flawed justifications have joined and are physically present in the ranks of the so called police, army and other security apparatus of the Kabul regime. This group, despite being extremely erroneous in their choice because with great regret, they are right now siding with the opposition against the vanguards of truth (Mujahideen) and have raised their weapons against their own people but there is also no doubt that in their midst, there are also the real sons of this nation who courageously stood up to the foreign invaders and butchered the murderers of thousands of our countrymen by paying the price with their heads. The consciousness, deeds, actions and intentions of these young men are completely worth decorating and the leader of Islamic Emirate and its Mujahideen also praise their valor.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan calls on all the youth present in the security apparatus of the Kabul regime to fulfill their religious and national duty, to repent for their past sins and to record their names with gold in the history books of Islam and Afghanistan by turning their guns on the foreign infidel invaders instead of their own people as part of their Islamic conscious, brotherhood and as part of their national honor in order to take revenge for the decade old oppression of our nation by the infidel occupiers and to record their names in the ranks of warriors of Islam.  These youth must realize that this is there best opportunity of gaining success in both this world and in the hereafter. The Holy Prophet (SAW) says : “لایجتمع کافر وقاتله فی النار”    -Those who kill an infidel shall not be put into hell fire with him meaning that the killing of a warring infidel earns one a place in Paradise. And similarly, such warriors are also honored and remembered as heroes amongst the people in their life time and after their death. Those courageous youth who intend to carry out such heroic strikes will be supported and given a lending hand in every way possible by the Islamic Emirate as part of its religious obligation.

Islamic Emirate gives guidance to all its officials to give all possible assistance to the families of those in the opposition rank who take steps against the invaders, to hold them in high esteem, welcome them as heroes and to introduce them to their leaders so they can be shown extra appreciation.

Wasalam

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 4 Jan 12

• “A software program that could end much angry debate between injured soldiers and Veterans Affairs Canada has been stuck in the federal bureaucracy for over a year. Canada’s veterans watchdog has been pushing for the application to be made available online so former members of the military and RCMP can calculate their individual eligibility and accessibility to the department’s Byzantine series of programs. “We’re very active in trying to get Veterans Affairs Canada to modernize its ways, if you wish,” Guy Parent, the veterans ombudsman, said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press. (….) Having better information at their fingertips could only help those who approach the department, said Parent. “It is a fantastic piece of work that helps identify a veteran — or the family of a veteran — by service, and it can lead you right to the programs, benefits that are accessible to them.” The software program, developed by two officials in ombudsman’s office, was originally intended for agency staff so they could quickly determine whether a complainant had a case and where they fit in to the system. It is similar in complexity to online applications long in use by banks and insurance companies. After going through several revisions and updates through the years, the navigator program was handed over to the department in 2010 in the hope it would be put on the government’s website. But so far, it has been the subject only of a pilot program for the department’s internal use at a regional office in Winnipeg, and was recently made available to call-centre staff. The plan is to roll it out to the entire department early this year, said veterans affairs spokesman Simon Forsyth. Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney is said to be enthusiastic about its potential and wants to see it in the hands of the public, said Parent. Forsyth didn’t specify when that might happen and critics were skeptical whether it’ll ever go that far ….”
• “For another year, pharmacists, doctors, soldiers, pilots and teachers are the most trusted professions in Canada, according to a new poll. The top tier of the poll from Ipsos Reid, conducted exclusively for Postmedia News and Global News, remained unchanged from the previous year. It showed that 78 per cent of poll respondents said they trust pharmacists the most, followed by doctors (75 per cent), Canadian soldiers (74 per cent), airline pilots (73 per cent) and teachers (65 per cent.) Meanwhile, CEOs, municipal politicians, union leaders, national politicians and car salespeople were ranked in the bottom five out of 26 professions. The bottom portion of the list also remains unchanged from last year ….”
• Afghanistan (1)  Taliban says it’s OK with setting up a storefront in Qatar as a prelude to peace negotiations (more from media here) ….
• Afghanistan (2)  …. while still blowing up vehicles and killing people in Kandahar.
• Afghanistan (3)  Where are they now?  “Retired corporal Rob Furlong protected his American brothers by taking out a Taliban fighter from 2,430 metres away. Now the former sniper is protecting the streets of Alberta’s capital as a night beat cop. “I feel that on a much smaller scale, rather than being on the front lines in Afghanistan, I’m back at home, looking after the homefront, still dealing with bad people who bring ill will on innocents,” said the soft spoken Furlong, originally from Fogo Island, N.L. His dad, Cyril, is a marksman himself, and taught Rob how to shoot when he was a wee lad. “I’ve wanted to do this since I was a child, and 14 years with the military and the police, I have always had a job where I look to help others.” Furlong is featured in a newly updated book, Ultimate Sniper, written by retired major John Plaster and published by Paladin Press, and appears in the documentary by the same name. Plaster is an icon in the sniper world, and among retired special forces in the U.S. military. “I carried the original book with me to Afghanistan and got Plaster to sign it,” Furlong said, looking at the book on his shelf ….”
• “The senior Canadian soldier serving in the restive Democratic Republic of Congo says it’s unclear whether the worst of the post-election violence in the country has passed. But Col. Rick Fawcett said it is clear that Canada has a role to play in helping the Central Africa country develop. Fawcett, 51, is head of a contingent of nine Canadian soldiers serving with a decade-old United Nations peacekeeping force. UN troops were instrumental in readying the country for its second-ever presidential and legislative elections in November. But Fawcett, who led the preparations, said the country itself wasn’t logistically prepared for the challenge. The Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world, with few roads, railways or other infrastructure available to move election materials from town to town. “The panic we went through the whole month of November just was unbelievable, what we had to do to make this happen,” Fawcett said in a telephone interview from Kinshasa. “History will determine if it happened good enough.” ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War  From south o’ the border:  “Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is set this week to reveal his strategy that will guide the Pentagon in cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from its budget, and with it the Obama administration’s vision of the military that the United States needs to meet 21st-century threats, according to senior officials …. The chief target for weapons cuts is the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, one of the most expensive weapons program in history. The Pentagon has plans to spend nearly $400 billion to buy 2,500 of the stealth jets through 2035, but reductions are expected. The debate centers on how necessary the advanced stealth fighter really is and whether missions could be carried out with the less expensive F-16s. The main advantage of the F-35 is its ability to evade radar systems, making it difficult to shoot down — an attribute that is important only if the United States anticipates a war with another technologically advanced military ….”
• “A major Canadian Muslim organization wants swift action against people who smashed windows at a mosque in Gatineau, Que., and tried to torch two cars in the parking lot. There were no injuries. The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations says Gatineau must investigate the attack as a hate crime. The organization says it is not the first time the mosque has been the target of vandals. The council says that attacks such as the early morning vandalism in Gatineau divide communities by stigmatizing visible minorities. It added, however, that it does not believe that the criminal action reflects the viewpoints of most Canadians ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 25 Nov 11

• Libya Mission (1)  Ceremonial “well done” on Parliament Hill – more here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
• Libya Mission (2)  The GG/Commander in Chief made a speech.  The PM made a speech.  The Defence Minister may have made a speech, but the text isn’t available yet – he did issue a statement, though.
• Libya Mission (3a)  CBC.ca analysis:  “the spectacle left little doubt that Harper is putting increased emphasis on the role of Canada’s military in international affairs”
• Libya Mission (3b)  National Post column:  “…. While the job in Libya may be done, Mr. Harper’s comments during the ceremony suggested there may be other missions that will soon require Canada’s attention. “Those who talk the talk of human rights must from time to time be prepared to walk the walk …. Heaven forbid that we should fail to do that of which we are capable when the path of duty is clear. Our government is not that kind of government. Canada is not that kind of nation,” he said ….”
• Afghanistan (1)  The media doesn’t seem to understand that the Afghanistan mission is NOT over yet (more here and here) …..
• Afghanistan (2)  …. but they sure understand that the Tim Hortons Kandahar outlet is closing at the end of work 29 Nov 11 (link to company news release – PDF also downloadable here if link doesn’t work) - more here, here, here, here and here.
• Afghanistan (3)  Toronto Star keeps pushing on interpreter story.  “Blocked by Canada’s immigration minister and abandoned by the Canadian military he bravely served, a former battlefield interpreter now hopes our courts will rescue him from a Taliban vendetta. Lorne Waldman, a Toronto immigration and refugee lawyer who has successfully argued cases all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, is one of three lawyers who offered to take on Afghan Sayed Shah Sharifi’s case free of charge. Reluctantly, Sharifi is taking Waldman up on his offer. “If it can be solved without the court, it’s better, sir,” Sharifi told me Thursday from Kandahar city. “But if it isn’t, we can go to court.” Waldman plans to ask the Federal Court of Canada for a judicial review of the government’s decision to reject Sharifi’s visa application. “I think it’s outrageous that the Canadian government is — having employed someone as in interpreter in a situation that any objective observer would know would put him at risk — is now denying him the protection that he deserves,” Waldman said ….”  On the one hand, bully for the Toronto Star to fight for one guy.  On the other hand, if the Taliban is already reportedly threatening the guy, and we know the Taliban read the papers, is full court press coverage the best idea?  Doesn’t have to be zero, but does it have to be daily – maybe sometimes less is more?  Especially since it’s been done in other cases.  We’ll see….
• Afghanistan (3)  How some of the medals and awards got to the recipients (via the CEFCOM Info-Machine)
• Stéphane Legendre, R.I.P. (1)  “An army mother whose son committed suicide after his third tour in Afghanistan said her son did not get the help he needed in time. A coroner’s report (PDF) found 35-year-old Stéphane Legendre killed himself by overdosing on acetaminophen, a month after complaining that he had not been able to see a psychologist or psychiatrist. Legendre returned early from Afghanistan in 2009 because his father was dying. He was diagnosed with depression a month later. Legendre’s mother, Camille Martel, said staff at the Valcartier Health Centre should have known her son was in trouble. The centre classified Legendre as a “priority” three weeks after he complained that he had not yet received help ….”  (Hobby horse alert:  see how easy it is to share documents when you can find them or have them, media?)
• Stéphane Legendre, R.I.P. (2)  “The Canadian Forces said Thursday it will review wait times for soldiers seeking psychological help at the Valcartier, Que., military base after a coroner’s report into the suicide of a depressed Quebec soldier suggested the delays seem “quite long.” …. Commodore Hans Jung, surgeon-general for the Canadian Forces, said Thursday that he doesn’t know what the wait time was like when Legendre took his own life in 2009. But he acknowledged that the Valcartier centre has been facing a spike in demands for mental health services notably because of the mission in Afghanistan. Soldiers are requested to undergo a post-deployment screening process within six months of returning from a mission. “We are in discussion to see whether or not more resources are required and to what extent,” Jung said in an interview. “If they need more resources, then they’ll be getting it.” ….”
• DRDC paper (46 pg PDF):  Same effect on some injuries with less IV fluid?  One-page executive summary downloadable here (via Army.ca)
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Norway to Canada:  C’mon, you know you want it.  “While expressing concerns about the U.S. government’s commitment to the F-35 program, a senior Norwegian official told a parliamentary committee Thursday his government is committed to purchasing the stealth fighters, and he encouraged Canada to do follow suit. “Do I not see problems? Yes I see a lot of problems,” Norwegian Secretary of State for Defence Roger Ingebrigtsen told the Commons defence committee. “But believe me, we are going to procure these F-35s and I really hope that your nation doing the same.” Norway is one of nine nations with Canada involved in the controversial jet fighter program. Ingebrigtsen, who was in Ottawa after touring F-35 producer Lockheed Martin’s operations in Texas, said his government has already ordered four F-35s for training purposes, the first of which will be delivered in 2018. Norway plans to buy about 52 ….”
• London, Ontario armoured vehicle makers proud of their work.  “Behind the shrouded gate of General Dynamic Land Systems-Canada there is a constant reminder that its vehicles must withstand the rigours of war. “Carrying the soldiers we depend on to fight for the freedoms we cherish,” says the message on a giant poster in the midst of a sprawling plant that has been producing custom made light armoured vehicles for Canada, the U.S. and other friendly countries since 1977. While manufacturing in Ontario has been devastated, the London division is working non-stop to fill new orders and retrofit existing vehicles, including a $1 billion contract with the Canadian government to upgrade the country’s fleet of light armoured vehicles to make them even more resistant to landmines and IEDs (improvised explosive devices), which have taken many Canadian soldiers’ lives in Afghanistan. General Dynamics builds the LAV II and the larger LAV III, which have been in constant use by the Canadian Armed Forces since 2001 in Afghanistan where they have been battle tested in some of the harshest conditions. Canada has 1,058 LAV IIIs and 491 six-wheeled LAV IIs. “Here, firstly we think of the soldiers who are going to be in these units in the field and their safety. Quality is a big thing around here,” Craig McLarty, the plant chair for the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), told the Toronto Star this week ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 6 Sept 11

• Afghanistan  Finally, a bit of info (from a visiting Canadian academic) from Herat, one of the spots where Canadian troops are helping train Afghan security forces during Operation Attention.  “…. Our participation in this training process, while likely the best course of action in a very challenging situation, simply adds to both the moral responsibility we owe Afghanistan and the strategic corner we have backed ourselves into. If we build this army, we had better be willing to fund it and support it long into the future. This will be added to the long-term development and humanitarian engagement we also have rightly committed to and have the obligation to maintain. Afghans, of course, have been taught to shoot RPGs before.”
• Taliban Propaganda Watch  New statement (link to non-terrorist web site):  child suicide bombers?  What child suicide bombers?  We have rules against that kinda stuff, ya know….  Meanwhile, here’s what Human Rights Watch has to say about using kids to blow themselves up:  “The Taliban’s use of children as suicide bombers is not only sickening, but it makes a mockery of Mullah Omar’s claim to protect children and civilians. Any political movement or army that manipulates or coerces children into becoming human bombs has lost touch with basic humanity.”
• Libya Mission  Sun Media columnist says time to go home, not extend mission.  “…. Do Canadians really need to be mixed up in another protracted foreign military effort with an uncertain outcome? We may be headed into another recession. The federal government should keep its powder dry and focus now on the home front.”
• 9/11 Plus Ten (1)  “Canada is better positioned today to thwart a terrorist attack than before 9-11, but remains vulnerable to ever-evolving threats to national security — especially those targeted from within the country, says Public Safety Minister Vic Toews. Billions invested in beefed-up security measures, more information-sharing with allies and tighter controls on the movement of passengers, cargo and vehicles since Sept. 11, 2001, have all helped detect threats before they become too far advanced. But Canada must keep “alert” to new sources of danger — including home-grown terrorists and cyber-attackers. “Relatively speaking, we’re in a better position. I think back in 2001 we had no idea about the possibilities and types of threats,” Toews told iPolitics. “I think we’ve become much more sophisticated in recognizing potential threats than we were able to 10 years ago, so in that sense we’re in better shape. We’re also in better shape because we share information with our allies on a more regular and consistent basis.” ….”
• 9/11 Plus Ten (2)  “…. The consequences of 9/11 are a bit like the tip of an iceberg.  What you see is less important than what lies below the surface.  The most visible reminder of 9/11 is the inconvenience travellers face crossing the border …. The other major legacy of 9/11 is the resuscitation of hard power in Canada’s foreign policy …. That horrible day 10 years ago is a lasting reminder that Canada needs both hard and soft power to advance its interests in the world.”
• 9/11 Plus Ten (3)  EU, NATO:  World is safer post-9/11.  “…. A decade after Al-Qaeda traumatised the United States, the terror network has lost its leader, Osama bin Laden, and proved irrelevant in the revolutions sweeping the Arab world, said EU counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove. “The main finding is the real failure of the Al-Qaeda project,” he said. The once mighty group has been worn down by the NATO-led war in Afghanistan, which served as its safe haven prior to 9/11, and reinforced international cooperation, de Kerchove said. “Today an attack of the scale and sophistication of 9/11 is no longer possible,” he told a news conference. “Does it mean that we’re completely out of the threat? Probably not.” He added: “Are we safer today than before? I can say yes.” ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  Wanted:  someone to plan and develop the next CF recruiting media campaign.  This from the bid document’s Statement of Work (PDF available here):  “…. the focus of advertising messaging will shift with the evolving focus of Canada’s military. Ongoing recruitment continues to be the priority and the emphasis will change to accurately reflect the reality of life in the CF. As Fight portrays the CF with a combat focus, and Priority Occupations promotes specific careers, future advertisement campaigns propose to showcase the CF’s readiness and proficiency in humanitarian efforts and domestic defence and support.  The readiness message should demonstrate that CF personnel are trained and the right equipment and necessary infrastructure are available when and where it is needed ….”  Check out the Statement of Work for suggested key messages and target audiences.
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  Jobs for east coast folks from one of the wanna-be TAPV competitors?  “A Dieppe company could be adding at least 120 new jobs to its roster if the Canadian government picks the Timberwolf as the newest tactical armoured patrol vehicle for the Canadian Forces. A prototype of the Timberwolf, a tactical armoured patrol vehicle designed specifically for the Canadian Forces, is seen in action. Dieppe’s Malley Industries Inc. will be the vehicle’s manufacturer if the design is selected. Specialty vehicle manufacturer Malley Industries Inc. will announce Tuesday that it has penned a deal with Force Protection Industries Inc., a leading United States designer and developer of military tactical vehicles. Malley Industries now joins a team of companies to potentially manufacture the Timberwolf – a tactical armoured patrol vehicle designed specifically for the Canadian Forces. There are at least three other teams vying for their vehicles to be picked. The government has until next July to choose a design. Up to 600 vehicles could be purchased ….”
• What’s Canada Buying (3)  Wanted:  someone to build Joint Personnel Support Unit (JPSU) building in Petawawa.
• What’s Canada Selling?  “CAE today announced that it has been awarded a series of military contracts valued at more than C$100 million, including a subcontract to design and manufacture four additional C-130J simulators for the United States Air Force (USAF) as well as contracts in Germany to provide support services for the German Air Force’s Eurofighter simulators and to upgrade Tornado flight simulators …. Under terms of a subcontract from the prime contractor, CAE will design and manufacture four C-130J weapon systems trainers (WSTs) to support the USAF’s Air Mobility Command (AMC), Air Combat Command (ACC), and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Three of the simulators will be HC/MC-130J WSTs for ACC and AFSOC, and one will be a C-130J simulator for AMC ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 27 Jul 11

• Defence Minister announces big money ($3.9 million) for work on health facilities at 17 Wing Winnipeg – more details in Backgrounder, and more from the Winnipeg Free Press here.
• Condolences to family, colleagues and friends.  “On July 25, 2011 shortly before 10 pm, a member of the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI), based at Canadian Forces Base Shilo was killed in a single vehicle collision in Boissevain, MB. 31 year old, Warrant Officer Bryce Leonard Piukkula (PEW-kil –a), originally from Guelph, Ontario was killed when his motorcycle struck a parked bulldozer. WO Piukkula was a 13 year veteran of the Canadian Forces and has served 3 tours of duty overseas, 2 to Bosnia and once to Afghanistan ….”  More at CBC.ca here.
• Want to see photos of Vandoos (in this case, 3rd Battalion) preparing to jump out of Ukrainian helicopters after being trained by Ukrainian paratroopers on Exercise Rapid Trident 2011?  Check them out here (via Army.ca)
• What’s Canada Buying?  Loads of super-antibiotic, someone to make the load-bearing bits of the Integrated Soldier System Suite, and logistics expert for Medium to Heavy Lift Helicopter program.
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Aussies getting cold feet over Joint Strike Fighter?  “Australia may reconsider a A$16 billion ($17.5 billion) plan to buy 100 of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighters because of delivery delays and cost overruns, the government said on Wednesday. Repeated delays and ballooning costs in the F-35 program are now starting to rub against already generous delivery and cost limits set by the government and military planners, Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith said. “We are running close up to those schedules, particularly on delivery. So I’ve made the point very clear that we are now monitoring very closely the delivery timetable and we are also monitoring very closely the cost,” Smith told Australian radio after meeting defence officials in Washington ….”
• Libya Mission  One man’s opinion. “…. Libya, like Kosovo, Somalia, Haiti and, by some accounts, Iraq and Afghanistan, has become a humanitarian war. The main point of such wars is to stop governments or factions that aim to become governments (such as the transitional council) from committing mass murder. They are not peacekeeping missions, though, like peacekeeping, they are optional – wars of choice they are often called. This means that Canada, NATO and the “international community” was in no way compelled to act. By insisting on the opposite, Baird and other advocates of humanitarian war involve themselves in paradoxes, dilemmas and incoherencies ….”
• Afghanistan  Human rights group finally bashes Karzai for not complaining about Taliban civilian killings – well done.
• New Winnipeg Jets Logo (1)  Defence Minister Peter MacKay seems to like it.  “The new Winnipeg Jets logo, while not yet out on an actual jersey, continues to sell well in t-shirts, hats and other merchandise and in Winnipeg on July 26, 2011, the military themed logo got approval from a big player in Canada’s defence ministry. Peter MacKay, the country’s Minister of Defence, endorsed the logo while speaking to media after having announced some funding unrelated to the Jets. “I personally love it,” said MacKay who was at 17 Wing Winnipeg, an airforce base outside the city that has been part of Winnipeg in some way since 1922. “It very much associates with the history of the Canadian air force and the roots the air force have in the city of Winnipeg.””
• New Winnipeg Jets Logo (2)  Some sports commentary web sites, not so much.  “…. This logo seems to be too safe and out-of-date when compared to other team logos. And even their presentation of the logo lacks any showmanship. I didn’t love the old logo, but I think its simple design fit that era and was a solid crest to support. This logo looks like some kid created it in Paint as a grade nine art project ….”
• New Winnipeg Jets Logo (3a)  Peaceniks, even less.  “…. there can be no mistaking the inspiration for the new Jets logo. If the CF-18 fighter draped in a red maple leaf wasn’t obvious enough, the team’s new owner made no secret of the fact that the logo was designed in consultation with the Department of National Defence. In fact, Mark Chipman’s comments in the unveiling of the new logo had more to do with the air force than the hockey team. He noted in the press conference that he only felt comfortable with the “Jets” name when he determined that he could re-brand the team around the RCAF. In other words, my beloved Winnipeg Jets are being twisted into another cheap marketing ploy for the new Canadian militarism ….”
• New Winnipeg Jets Logo (3b)  “…. The fighter jet over the maple leaf is a fitting symbol for the Stephen Harper era. Not only did he manage to win a majority government while promising to spend untold billions on a new generation of F-35 bombers, but he has also presided over a steadily creeping militarism throughout Canadian society ….”
• Some whining about Calgary’s decision to allow “Support the Troops” stickers on municipal vehicles.  “…. “We oppose the decals because oppose using public resources for a political message,” said Dylan Penner, spokesperson for the (Council of Canadians).  “This is not about support for our troops, it is about explicit endorsement of the war. In our view, it is impossible to separate the message of support for war from support for troops, despite the fact the Canadian troops are coming home now …. Canadians care about peace, and many of us recognize this as promoting war.” ….”  Uh, the stickers say “Support Our Troops”, not “Support The War” – I guess that’s not clear enough.
• Another alleged war criminal nabbed in Toronto.
• “…. The town of Gander, in eastern Newfoundland, will soon host a steel beam from New York’s World Trade Center, which collapsed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The beam is a gift from the Bethpage Fire Department in Long Island, New York, to commemorate Gander’s role in welcoming stranded air passengers whose flights were rerouted to Canada just after the Twin Towers were hit. “It’s an honour for us,” mayor Claude Elliott told Postmedia News. A memorial will be built at the North Atlantic Aviation Museum, he said ….”
• More on the war poet John MacRae allegedly having been gay.  Let’s see – four sources mentioned in the original article.  In subsequent article in another media outlet, one says “WTF? that’s not what I said”, three who we haven’t heard from, the museum’s fundraising boss saying, “he knew of multiple, credible sources indicating the famed poet was gay”, and the writer of the original piece saying, “she did not contact any historian to substantiate the story (and) “We may have to print a correction.” …. ” Great journalism all ’round…
• “Prime Minister Stephen Harper will deliver remarks and participate in a wreath laying ceremony at a memorial service in honour of Korean War veterans.  He will be joined by Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, Senator Yonah Martin and other dignitaries (in Brampton later today) ….”
• “Behind a hangar at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum a treasure pulled up on a flatbed truck Tuesday: a shipping container packed with twisted metal, airplane guts, and chopped up bits of wing. To the untrained eye it looked like scrap, and for 50 years that’s all anyone thought it was. For the small group of aviation buffs gathered to welcome the container to Canada it was something more: the bones and vital organs of a Handley Page Halifax Bomber, the airplane that saw Canada through the darkest days of the Second World War ….”
• “World Vision, the Child Soldiers Initiative and the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre have launched training programs in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to aid in the protection of children and the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence. The training of DRC’s national army and the United Nations staff is generously funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 28 Feb 11

• Canada’s Foreign Affairs department confirms it’s working on the “safe release” of a Canadian, Colin MacKenzie, in Afghanistan.  The Taliban has issued a statement claiming a captured “Canadian national” is a spy, saying they’ll be releasing a video shortly.  A bit more from the Canadian Press here, CBC.ca here, CTV.ca here, Agence France-Presse here and the BBC here.
• A couple of more versions of the Taliban’s “we have a Canadian spy” statement, in Arabic and Pashto (with a Google translation of the Arabic version) here.
• It appears, according to media accounts here and here, that the missing man, 1)  has been missing for 3 months (with RCMP involvement since November), and 2)  wanted to learn Pashto. In case one needs reminding, here’s DFAIT’s recommendations about touristing in Afghanistan:  ” …. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against all travel to Afghanistan. Canadians undertaking travel despite this warning take serious risks. Canadians already in Afghanistan should leave. The security situation remains extremely volatile and unpredictable ….”
• “A U.S. squadron will head to Kandahar’s Dand district next month in a move that will enable the Canadian military to start “saturating” the western neck of Panjwaii before the conclusion of combat operations, Canada’s top soldier in Afghanistan says. The 1st squadron of the 2nd Stryker Regiment will leave the Uruzgan province and take command of the Dand battle space in mid-March from the 1-71 Cavalry of 10th Mountain Division. The 500-member cavalry has been under the command of Task Force Kandahar, stationed alongside Canadian and Afghan forces in the relatively calm district since May. The 700-member Stryker squadron will fall under Brig.-Gen. Dean Milner’s command until the Canadian military mission ends in July. Two companies of soldiers will go to Dand and a third will be deployed to Panjwaii ….”
• A snapshot of Canadian mentoring work with Afghan troops: “A hint of irritation is evident in Capt. Eric Bouchard’s voice as he tries to figure out where his counterpart in the Afghan National Army is going.  Canadian and Afghan forces have barely begun a two-day mission to search villages and fields in the central Panjwaii district, and already there’s confusion between the two groups. It seems the Afghan platoon commander paired with Bouchard has neglected to bring a proper map, and he’s leading his troops off the planned route.  Bouchard’s first instinct is to tell him to get back on track, but he restrains himself. After all, this operation has been organized by the Afghans and Bouchard’s job is to mentor their soldiers, not lecture them. Showing respect is paramount.  “Tell him the first objective is over that way,” Bouchard instructs his interpreter. “But … but, ask him where he wants to go.”  Such interactions are common for Canadians serving in the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team, also known as the OMLT or “omelette,” which provides on-the-job training for Afghan soldiers in the field ….”
• Taliban Propaganda Watch:  More attacks alleged in Kandahar, Uruzgan.
• Wounded warrior preparing for run on artificial leg:  “When army Sergeant Jamie MacIntyre joined Toronto’s annual run in support of St. John’s Rehab Hospital two years ago, he had a special reason for taking part: Among those getting a new lease on life from the widely acclaimed facility was his friend Master Corporal Jody Mitic, who’d lost both legs in 2007 in Afghanistan after stepping on a land mine.  This year, Sgt. MacIntyre has a still better incentive for participating: Last June, two months into his second tour of Afghanistan, he too trod on a roadside bomb and his left foot was blown off. So when he does the Achilles St. Patrick’s Day 5K Run/Walk on March 13, together with his wife and some military colleagues, this time he’ll be running with an artificial leg …”
• Operation GTFO Libya More details are coming to light about why Canadian planes had to leave empty from Libya last week. “…. MacKay said Sunday the two aircraft had arrived in the middle of the night and officials were having difficulty both identifying Canadians who were waiting at the airport and determining if they were allowed to leave the country. The planes had been given a limited amount of time to remain at the airport, so aircraft from other countries could land. “There was very little co-operation being extended to Canadians by officials at the airport,” MacKay told CTV’s Question Period in an interview from Halifax. “And so they were then told they had to leave because there were specific time slots that were being given to countries at that time.” ….”
• “Two more Canadian military planes are being dispatched to the eastern Mediterranean to help with the evacuation of Canadians in Libya. Defence Minister Peter MacKay tells CTV News’ Question Period the pair of Hercules transport aircraft were deployed and could be used to land in austere areas of Libya outside of the capital Tripoli. An estimated 100 Canadians are still trapped in the country, many of them believed to be oil workers. The British military, including members of its special forces, used a Hercules to fly under the Libyan radar and rescue 150 Britons and foreign nationals in a desert area. A spokesman for the prime minister said Stephen Harper was spending the day in briefings on the evolving situation in Libya ….” More on that from Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister here.
• Here’s what the PM had to say about what happens next with Libya: “…. Canada earlier today implemented the following binding sanctions contained in the Resolution:
  • An arms embargo requiring all states to prevent the sale or supply of arms into Libya, or the export of arms from Libya;
  • The inspection of cargo going into Libya;
  • A travel ban on Muammar Qadhafi and 15 individuals closely associated with him; and
  • An asset freeze against Muammar Qadhafi and members of his family….” More from the Canadian Press here.
• More news on the latest in Libya here (Google News), here (EMM News Brief:  Libya),  here (NewsNow), here (BBC) and here (Al Jazeera English).
• F-35 Tug o’ War “The fighter plane at the centre of one of Ottawa’s hottest political debates has taken its first test flight over the skies of Texas.  The hour-long flight of the first production model of the Lockheed Martin F-35 II Lightning stealth fighter went off without a hitch, said test pilot Bill Gigliotti.  “The aircraft was rock-solid from takeoff to landing, and successfully completed all the tests we put it through during the flight,” Gigliotti said.  The flight was an important developmental milestone for the aircraft that Canada plans to begin using in 2016 to replace its aging CF-18 fleet ….”

Taliban “Human Rights”: Better Late Than Never

This from the New York Times:

International and local human rights groups working in Afghanistan have shifted their focus toward condemning abuses committed by the Taliban insurgents, rather than those attributed to the American military and its allies.

(….)

“NATO, in some cases they acknowledge their mistakes; to some extent they have taken positive steps in terms of reducing their impact,” said Ajmal Samadi, director of Afghanistan Rights Monitor. “On the insurgent side we don’t have any acknowledgment of the problem and instead we see a brazen continuation of their crimes.”

(….)

“We haven’t seen any change in the conduct of the Taliban since their code of conduct,” said Ahmad Nader Nadery, a commissioner of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. “To the contrary, we’ve seen an increase in roadside bombs and suicide attacks in places where there are civilian populations.”

(….)

“NATO, with the tactical directives, they’ve moved a long way,” said Rachel Reid, Human Rights Watch’s Afghanistan analyst. “It’s very possible to engage with them, even organizations like mine, they’ll meet with us and listen to our concerns.”  “There is a real need for more pressure and open dialogue with insurgent forces for their violations of the laws of war,” she said.

(….)

Here here.

Some of my previous ranting on this one:

• On civilian casualties, Taliban try to look like victims
• Who’s (Still) Killing the Majority of Civilians in AFG?
• Who’s Killing the Civvies in Afghanistan?
• Yet More on Who’s Killing Civilians in Afghanistan
• UN: Bad Guys Killed +2/3 of Civilian Casualties in 2009

Update: American Security Project fellow and Registan.net contributor Joshua Foust has this take on the NY Times coverage.  This leads to me clarifying a bit:  The NYT piece makes it look like the new development is human rights groups focusing on Taliban human rights issues.  To me, it looks more like the groups have been pointing out the Taliban’s misdeeds for some time, with MSM not reporting in proportion to the source of the problem.

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 23 Dec 10

• Corporal Steve Martin, R22eR, R.I.P. He’s home.  More here, here and here.
• The last gang returning from ROTO 10-1 expected to arrive in Petawawa on Xmas eve – better late than never.
• Louise Arbour, a former Canadian UN judge, UN human rights boss, and president/CEO of a security think tank, tells is straight when it comes to Afghanistan: “…. In the coming months, Canada and other NATO partners are likely to face a critical choice between supporting constitutional review or standing by silently as the Afghan government implodes. The alternative for Afghans is constitutional change – giving power back to the people rather than centring it in Kabul – or a return to full-scale civil war. After so many years of sacrifice on the battlefield and financial generosity at home, Canadians must recognize that their continued engagement in Afghanistan must rest not on wishful thinking but on a policy grounded in reality.”
• Someone in the translation contractor’s office has some ‘splainin’ to do…. “A company that supplies Afghan translators for Canada’s mission in Kandahar may have mistakenly raised the interpreters’ hopes of emigrating to Canada, according to a newly released document.  A contingent of Canadian military and civilian officials say International Management Services, or IMS, told interpreters that their immigration papers were being considered — even though not every application was.  The officials noted the finding in a report to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which they submitted in March after spending three weeks in Kandahar reviewing applications made under a special immigration program …. “Complications arose when (blank) contacted IMS, the prime contractor for many of the CF’s interpreters and other language assistants, to confirm employment records,” the report says.  “(Blank) reported that IMS, staffed in Kandahar by local nationals, informed some program applicants that they were being considered. Given that the list submitted to IMS was only of individuals that were potentially eligible, this likely raised false expectations among applicants.” ….”
• Taliban Propaganda Watch:  Taliban claims 6 Canadians killed on patrol in Zhari, but nothing in mainstream about such an incident.
• UN:  Taliban causing more than 3 out of every 4 civilian casualties in Afghanistan lately (PDF, page 13).  Taliban spokesperson:  Lies!  All Lies! Taliban web site:  Lies!  All Lies! (links to non-terrorist site)
• The UN’s senior official in Afghanistan speaks to the Security Council about how things are going in Afghanistan.  What did he say?  Depends on what you read.
• Year-end message from the head of Canada’s Expeditionary Force Command:  LOTS of changes and work in 2010, but “We don’t know what’s coming next; we only know that the CF is ready, willing and capable of dealing with it when it does.
• Ottawa is extending the deadline for applying for compensation for illnesses linked to the use of Agent Orange and other plant killers at CFB Gagetown in the mid- to late-1960′s. “A New Brunswick widow who lost her husband to cancer six years ago is praising a decision by the federal government that will allow more people to qualify for Agent Orange payments. Bette Hudson, whose husband Ralph died of bone cancer after two decades in the military, said Wednesday that Ottawa finally got it right in loosening the rules on who can get a $20,000 ex gratia payout. Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn announced in Fredericton that the government is removing a controversial condition that required applicants to be alive on Feb. 6, 2006 — the date the federal Conservatives came to power. “It makes me feel as if my husband is worthy,” she said at the announcement, moments after Blackburn outlined the changes ….” Here’s the Veterans Affairs Canada news release and backgrounder, the Order in Council approving the change and a Canadian Forces page with various history and documents on the issue.
• Canada’s special forces are getting new vehicles (when there’s better ones to buy):  “Canada’s special forces are holding off on buying new vehicles until technology catches up to its needs. The Ottawa-based Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) had been looking to replace its Humvee vehicles, now being used in Afghanistan by units such as Joint Task Force 2, but had to cut short its plans after the trucks being examined were determined not to meet various technical specifications. Industry sources say one company, U.S.-based Lockheed Martin, bid on the program, estimated to cost a little less than $80 million. The new vehicles were supposed to be acquired next year and were to be located with the Canadian Special Operations Regiment at Petawawa ….”
• More on Canada’s Communications Security Establishment moving into a brand, spanking new building right next to a brand spanking new building for the Department of National Defence (including a few details of a “private-public partnership” for building/running some of the buildings?). More on the usually-low key CSE here, including a letter to the editor from this week here explaining why they need bigger digs.
• Could possible cuts in US funding for their F-35 fighters increase the price of Canada’s proposed buy?
• Who do people responding to an online survey trust more, Canada’s government or Canada’s military? “Canadians have more trust and confidence in Canada’s armed forces than they do in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government, according to a new study. The study, based on polling conducted by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies (ACS) and released exclusively to iPolitics, found that 75.7 per cent of respondents had trust and confidence in the Canadian Forces to do a good job compared to only 54.1 per cent who trusted the federal government. While faith in both the Armed Forces and the federal government tended to rise with age, one of the sharpest divides was among English-speaking respondents — 80.3 per cent of whom trusted the military and 52.7 per cent of whom trusted the federal government ….”
• More end-of-year interview stories, this one from CBC.ca:  “Defence Minister Peter MacKay is calling on the Afghan government to “pick up the slack” as the Canadian military hammers out the details and logistics of its new training mission in Afghanistan. As NATO allies continue to try to limit corruption and improve Afghanistan’s fledgling democracy and governance, the defence minister cited “incremental progress” in the country in 2010. “There are definitely improvements, tangible improvements that we can see, that we can point to,” MacKay told the CBC’s James Cudmore in a year-end interview. “And yet, all of it is tenuous as far as, will it last?” But MacKay insisted those gains translate into a “shifting of attitudes” among Afghans toward not only Canadian soldiers, but the tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers and police they are training ….”
• First, NORAD pimps Santa for some good exposure and PR (followed by Canada’s Air Force).  Next:  NAV CANADA, the agency that runs air traffic control at civilian airports, gets into the act.  The latest to hop on the “let’s milk Santa for some attention” bandwagon?  Canada’s Minister of Immigration:  “Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney today reaffirmed Santa Claus as a Canadian citizen during a special citizenship ceremony. “We wish Mr. Claus all the best in his Christmas Eve duties again this year,” said Minister Kenney. “And rest assured, as a Canadian citizen living in Canada’s North, he can re-enter Canada freely once his trip around the world is complete.” Santa was on hand to reaffirm his citizenship while 100 new citizens from 32 countries were sworn in ….”
• In other security news, scumbag anti-Semite who shared info on best way to kill Canadians is back online: “The resurrection of a website advocating the genocide of Jews and Canadians, founded by a Toronto extremist who is wanted by police, highlights the difficulties of policing the Internet, where public postings can be generated and disseminated from almost anywhere. The website was founded by Salman Hossain, 25, a Canadian extremist who fled Canada earlier this year during a police investigation into use of the Internet to promote terrorist violence in Canada. Police subsequently charged him with five hate crimes — two counts of advocating genocide and three counts of promoting hatred — but so far, have been unable to locate him. The site was shut down after the charges were laid. The National Post reported last month that the site had re-emerged on a U.S. free-speech server but was again shut down. This month, it found a new home, through Internet servers based in Switzerland ….” More details on who’s hosting the site now, and the Interpol notice for the chap in question here at Army.ca.