Canadians killed in Kandahar

[DJ88]

An american F-16 dropped two 500lb bombs after mistaking the identities of a group of soldiers. This happeend at 230am afghani time today.

Four were killed.

Here's the kicker. They were in a designated EXERCISE area participating in a joint Canadian/US exercise when an aircraft piloted by an Air National Guardsman that was NOT part of the exercise dropped it's load and killed four PPCLI's. A total of 12 were injured or killed.

What a farce. How the hell was an aircraft NOT involved in an exercise that was taking place in a DESIGNATED exercise area allowed to drop it's armaments??????? Who is the area controller for this rag tag bunch? Krusty the Clown??????

WTF!?!?!?! :mad: :mad: :mad:

You know that not a single person will be held responsible for this. Somehow everyone will come out smelling like a rose. Whoever was in charge of that aircraft in the way of an Air Controller on the ground or on an AWAC's needs to have his balls minced.

Sorry. Need to vent.

This will be listed as an acceptable exercsie loss. I think that is what the US calls it or something like that. :mad: :mad:

Here is a quote from the Chief of Defense Staff
(CBC News)

Henault also said that there will be a Canadian-led investigation with full support and co-operation from the United States.

PM pledges full investigation

The incident occurred on what Henault called a recognized training area using well-controlled routes and strict operating precautions. He said how it could have happened is a mystery, and that it must have been a case of misidentification.

The U.S. jets were reportedly not involved in the training exercise on the ground.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Another from CNN

"The details are something that need to be determined ... but certainly my understanding is that there was no hostile activity in the area that would have created this incident," said Gen. Ray Henault,

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">My thoughts are with the families. :(

[ 17 April 2002, 22:38: Message edited by: DJ88 ]

[Jack]

Let's just say I'm not impressed... to put it kindly. :mad: :mad: I feel terribly for the families and friends of every soldier involved. It makes me sick to my stomach when something like this happens. Our men get killed because of some hotshot, gung-ho, trigger happy yanky fighter jock lets off a pair of 250kg bombs... ON INFANTRY! How sickning. Sorry, had to vent. I appologize if I came across as harsh, but I'm not pleased at the moment

[Delphinus]

I am very saddened by this. Our thoughts are with their families. Best wishes to speedy recoveries for those who were injured.

:(

[BCReefer]

They are now saying on CNN that the pilot thought he was under fire.

He is also suppose to be National Guard reserve which means his training and experience won’t be as good as a regular.

It’s amazing that the first Canadian killed on an offence since the Korean was killed by friendly fire.

My thoughts are with the families and the children. What a senseless death.

[AJ_77]

A guy at work said it this morning: "Bring 'em all home."

This is bulls**t.

AJ

[DJ88]

So much for Forward Air Control.

He did do a great job of "marking" the position.

:mad: :mad:

Lose cannon is what that guy was. He was all to happy to "kick some Taliban a$$. Too bad it was those sent there to help him. He should have listend to his controller and not thought he was Jesse James in the old west.

idiot.

[titus]

Hello,

I was up at about 1-2:00am when the news came. At this moment, I'm still terribly saddened by the incident. The pilot was supposed to drop markers, not bombs. Further, I doubt the PPCLI have ammunition that will be threatening to a F-16. The PPCLI's mortars, rifles, machine guns, grenades, and at the most the carl gustav shouldn't have any threat to a high speed high altitude flying aircraft.

Whoever is the pilot should have his rank stripped and thrown into prison. He had dis-obeyed an order, commited 4 counts of murders, and fired without permission.

[titus]

Hello,

My goodness. CNN quoted the CDS as Lt. Gen, instead of Gen. Com'on give me a break here.

[terryp01]

Well, from one Yank, most of the people here are just as sickened by this incident as the post here. Anytime anyone looses his or her live due to a senseless mistake, it is difficult to accept.

I don't view the people fighting against Terrorism as being from different countries; I view them all as allies, friends and family. We all have a common objective to extinguish terrorism.

The same thing happened in Desert Storm where other Americans killed Americans, remember the scatter bombs.

BTW, why would you be running a practice exercise in the middle of a 'war zone'?

Upset in Texas, thought to those families who lost loved ones.

tp

[titus]

Hello,

It is very common to have exercises during operations. For eg, trps can practice the capture and handling of enemy forces, or extraction of friendly who are trapped in a minefield, etc. The point is, it is next to impossible to shoot down a F-16 with the equipment the PPCLI use. I don't think there's anything wrong with what the air controller did. It's the pilot.