Sad Times at Easter

[dewline]

Just got the news a few minutes ago: six of our soldiers in Afghanistan died today. And just to further aggravate things, Afghani journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi was announced as executed as well.

To everyone affected by this...I'm sorry.

Sad update - 9 April 2007: We now have the names of five of the six we lost in Helmand province.

Comments

[steve-roby.livejournal.com]

Apparently the guys from 2 RCR are from the same company as my sister's husband. He's already done a tour or two in Afghanistan, not to mention Bosnia and Cyprus, but he's home in New Brunswick now.

I'm not sure whether or for how long we need to stay in Afghanistan, but I hope we as a country do right by the families of the dead soldiers. And the ones who are still alive and at risk.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

I seem to recall a fellow customer at my local comics shop also having served over there at least one tour. We often forget how small this country is in some respects and this is one of them: it isn't "six degrees of separation" in Canada, it's more likely two, three at most.

I do feel that there's still work worth doing, by soldiers and others, in Afghanistan. Some of the work done by those others has been lower-key than you might expect (http://www.thestar.com/News/article/200291), but that seems to be what makes it effective and potentially truly useful over the long haul.

Agreed on that last sentiment in full, Steve.