From, Ananova.com
Bombing of soldiers was 'terrible accident'
Canadian defence officials say it is a 'mystery' how soldiers serving alongside British forces in Afghanistan were bombed by a US plane.
Four Canadian soldiers have been killed and eight wounded when an American fighter jet mistakenly bombed them during a training exercise.
The plane which dropped the missiles is not thought to have been involved in the training exercise.
"How this can happen is a mystery to us. Without a doubt, there was a misidentification," said Canada's defence chief, Lieutenant General Ray Henault.
Canadian defence officials say their soldiers were on a night-time training exercise about 10 miles south of their Kandahar base when the bombing occurred.
Lt Gen Henault said the area is recognised as a training area and the aircraft were using very strictly controlled routes.
Asked whether the US plane was involved in the exercise, Lt Gen Henault said: "My understanding is that this aircraft was in no way supporting or involved in that particular exercise."
He said some of the injured soldiers will be moved to a medical facility in Uzbekistan and others to Ramstein, Germany, depending on their condition. Two who were slightly injured will remain in Kandahar for treatment.
Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chretien said US President George W Bush has called to offer his condolences and pledged to cooperate with a Canadian investigation. But there was no immediate word from the White House on the accident.
"As to the circumstances of what appears to have been a terrible accident, clearly there are many questions that the families, and all Canadians, expect to have answered," said Mr Chretien.
============
It is indeed a tragedy that these soldiers have been killed and injured by so called 'friendly fire'.
What beats me is the fact journalists and editors are quite happy for the war against terrorism to trundle along without any proper in depth reporting of what is actually happening until they get a sensational story that they know will cause hurt and anger amongst both the American and Canadian people.
I'm not saying they should not report it but it would be nice if, once in a while, they would tell us what is happening in this war instead of just running with the 'information' spewed out by the White House and Downing Street.
Or do we really get the press we deserve?
Bombing of soldiers was 'terrible accident'
Canadian defence officials say it is a 'mystery' how soldiers serving alongside British forces in Afghanistan were bombed by a US plane.
Four Canadian soldiers have been killed and eight wounded when an American fighter jet mistakenly bombed them during a training exercise.
The plane which dropped the missiles is not thought to have been involved in the training exercise.
"How this can happen is a mystery to us. Without a doubt, there was a misidentification," said Canada's defence chief, Lieutenant General Ray Henault.
Canadian defence officials say their soldiers were on a night-time training exercise about 10 miles south of their Kandahar base when the bombing occurred.
Lt Gen Henault said the area is recognised as a training area and the aircraft were using very strictly controlled routes.
Asked whether the US plane was involved in the exercise, Lt Gen Henault said: "My understanding is that this aircraft was in no way supporting or involved in that particular exercise."
He said some of the injured soldiers will be moved to a medical facility in Uzbekistan and others to Ramstein, Germany, depending on their condition. Two who were slightly injured will remain in Kandahar for treatment.
Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chretien said US President George W Bush has called to offer his condolences and pledged to cooperate with a Canadian investigation. But there was no immediate word from the White House on the accident.
"As to the circumstances of what appears to have been a terrible accident, clearly there are many questions that the families, and all Canadians, expect to have answered," said Mr Chretien.
============
It is indeed a tragedy that these soldiers have been killed and injured by so called 'friendly fire'.
What beats me is the fact journalists and editors are quite happy for the war against terrorism to trundle along without any proper in depth reporting of what is actually happening until they get a sensational story that they know will cause hurt and anger amongst both the American and Canadian people.
I'm not saying they should not report it but it would be nice if, once in a while, they would tell us what is happening in this war instead of just running with the 'information' spewed out by the White House and Downing Street.
Or do we really get the press we deserve?
I suspect since they were American lives they didnt matter. I wonder how many allied soilders were killed by friendly fire in WW2. This issue will pass in a few days. Then we will be bombarded with another "crisis"
