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Canadians Afghan troops using contractor's
dogs for searching Mosques and people
dogs for searching Mosques and people
NY Times The explosion hit their patrol in the mountainous Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar Province, where Canadian troops took over from American forces last month and where complaints about their actions had started to emerge from villagers.
Members of a family from Gumbad, the village where the Canadians are based, said Saturday in a telephone interview that the bombing had been organized by villagers who were angry about what they described as inappropriate treatment during searches.
One elder, whose family asked that he not be identified for fear of reprisals, denounced the Canadian troops for bringing dogs into the village mosque and peoples' homes, and for conducting intimate body searches.
Ottawa Citizen "I am an educated person, and I know a bit about how they do things, but I am getting angry when they are bringing dogs to my mosque and to my house," the elder is quoted as saying in a telephone interview. "I also feel like attacking them with an axe, but I lack the courage."
Public affairs officers with the Canadian contingent in Afghanistan shook their heads when they heard about the story. Lieut. Mark McIntyre said "The New York Times has a stringer in town here in Kandahar who reports things without sources."
Maj. Marc Theriault said "Our military doesn't even have a dog capacity. The only dog handlers are civilian contractors here in Kandahar, and up until recently their existence was not supposed to be exposed."
For more than a year, these dogs have been used in and around Kandaharfor bomb-sniffing operations, particularly during the September election.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper APRIL 22/06
"These men were working to bring security, democracy,
self-sufficiency and prosperity to the Afghan people,
and to protect Canadians' national and collective security.”
APRIL 16/06
APRIL 23/06
INSULTING AND INTIMIDATING CITIZENS LIKE THIS WILL ONLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF RETURNING CASKET
CANADIANS ARE INCREASINGLY SEEN AS “INVADERS”
- CBC NATIONAL NEWS REPORT
RECALL THAT CANADIAN TROOPS ARE UNDER US
AND CONTROL IN REGIONS OF SOUTH AFGHANIS
(AND NOT UNDER UN MANDATE)
AND CONTROL IN REGIONS OF SOUTH AFGHANIS
(AND NOT UNDER UN MANDATE)
CBC: Canadian Brig.-Gen. David Fraser reports to American Maj.-Gen. Benjamin Freakley, the coalition operational commander in the region. U. S. Lt.-Gen. Karl Eikenberry is in overall command of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Defence Minster O’Connor APRIL 22/06
"We're not going to let the terrorists win. Our troops on the ground are protecting Canada."
Canadian soldiers fatally shoot taxi driver MARCH 15/06
POSSIBLE CONTRACTORS:
NB: “REGULAR MILITARY” DOGS ARE LIKELY T
US MILITARY DOG USAGE IN AFGHANISTAN:
By Army Pfc. Michael J. Nyeste - 19th Public Affairs Detachment
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Coalition forces aren't alone in the fight to secure democracy in Afghanistan. A number of canine "warriors" are also deployed here to help take a bite out of terrorism.
Members of the Combined Joint Task Force-76's canine section train and work with eight police dogs on a daily basis to protect service members and enforce base policies.
Their operations are essential to Operation Enduring Freedom, said Air Force Staff Sgt. Kevin Dredden, a canine handler assigned to the unit.
"Our mission is to go where we're dispatched and provide support, detection and deterrence. We look for explosives (and) narcotics, and use the canines as a means of intimidation (against) would-be criminals," he said.
The attack exercise emphasizes basic biting skills, control and obedience, he said. The dogs attack, stop attacking and assume certain guard positions based on the handler's command. The handlers wear padded bodysuits that allow them to remain injury free as the dogs practice their skills.
All of this continuous training keeps both handlers and dogs sharp and deters crimes on base, but the members of the CJTF-76 canine section do more than just train. The handlers and dogs work hard every day to accomplish their primary mission of providing force protection.
Protection can take many forms. The canine unit conducts patrols to make sure everybody, Afghan, service member and contractor, is doing the right thing.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Blake Soller, another CJTF-76 canine handler, and Rico, his Belgian Malinois partner, search every living quarter within a unit when ordered by the post commander.
He and other handlers say drugs are not a major problem here because of the high profile of their unit through routine patrols and demonstrations of the dogs' abilities.
Occasionally, the unit conducts training demonstrations. This allows people to distinguish these police dogs from house pets and see that the dogs mean business when it comes to their mission.
"These dogs are trained well, but people should stay at least 10 feet away and not walk up to pet (them). The dogs may feel threatened," Soller said.
Enemies should keep their distance also. "I think my dog and I have a dangerous job. The dogs are targets because people know they can sense what humans cannot," Hockenberry said.
For more information, call the CJTF-76 canine section at 231-5207.
THE EVENT THAT PROVOKED THIS STORY:
4 Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan
It’s the job of every soldier to worry about their brothers.
But there’s a pride that comes with “making the ultimate sacrifice”
As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities.
