CANADIANS IN AFGHANISTAN
January 18th 2007 11:48
Well, for all the people who want to cut and run from our duty in Afghanistan, I've written before that maybe they should speak to some of the soldiers who are there right now. ‘Taliban' Jack Layton, leader of our federal NDP party comes to mind.
With the end of this rotation of duty coming up in February, a number of soldiers are already talking about going back for another tour of duty. People like Cpl. Mark Ejdrygiewicz, 22, of Lethbridge, Alta., believe a six-month tour isn't long enough to get the job done. "On this six month tour we did a lot. There was a lot of progress made: Op Medusa and down in Panjwaii and the districts there opening up the schools and building highways," said Ejdrygiewicz, known as "Edge". And the peaceniks wonder what we are doing there. One has to keep in mind that we have lost 44 troops there since 2002, but they're probably safer in Afghanistan than in Toronto, where 45 people succumbed to SARS within 5 months.
"We're doing what we can but we know the Taliban are going to come back. Winter's here and they've gone back to Pakistan," he told a reporter. And people want us to get out and leave the Afghans to their fate. Sorry, I don't buy it. The Afghans are extremely grateful for what the Canadians have done for them and don't want us to leave, contrary to what ‘Taliban' Jack and his ilk would have you believe. Ejdrygiewicz takes his job seriously. Written in felt pen on the cover of his helmet in Pashtu is "Taliban Relocation Service," a tribute to fallen comrade Master Cpl. Jeffrey Walsh, who was killed by an accidental rifle discharge last summer.
As far as Ejdrygiewicz is concerned, any soldier that doesn't want to come back for another tour here, shouldn't have come in the first place. "Being gung ho, being enthusiastic about doing his job? Hey that's a good thing," he said. "If you've got soldiers out here wanting to go home, miserable and complaining, they're a risk to you, they're a risk to themselves and they don't need to be here." It will be time to go home only when the Afghan people are able to take care of themselves said Ejdrygiewicz.
Cpl. Dave Taylor of Owen Sound, Ont., 35, will be heading home to see his new daughter, Xandra, who was born a couple of days before Christmas. But he is already talking about next time. It should be the last thing on his mind. But, as he explains, "I love doing this and I personally can't think of anything I would rather do. When I get back, we'll start our training cycle again. The break will be nice but I'll be chomping at the bit to get back to work. The wife won't like it."
Maj. Mike Wright, commanding officer of A Company 2nd PPCLI, isn't surprised at the commitment of his men to the mission. "It's part of being a soldier to complain and to bitch but when it counts these guys know when to turn it on," he said.
And the peaceniks want to bring these guys home for good. Until Afghanistan can stand on its own against the Taliban, we have to stay there.
With the end of this rotation of duty coming up in February, a number of soldiers are already talking about going back for another tour of duty. People like Cpl. Mark Ejdrygiewicz, 22, of Lethbridge, Alta., believe a six-month tour isn't long enough to get the job done. "On this six month tour we did a lot. There was a lot of progress made: Op Medusa and down in Panjwaii and the districts there opening up the schools and building highways," said Ejdrygiewicz, known as "Edge". And the peaceniks wonder what we are doing there. One has to keep in mind that we have lost 44 troops there since 2002, but they're probably safer in Afghanistan than in Toronto, where 45 people succumbed to SARS within 5 months.
As far as Ejdrygiewicz is concerned, any soldier that doesn't want to come back for another tour here, shouldn't have come in the first place. "Being gung ho, being enthusiastic about doing his job? Hey that's a good thing," he said. "If you've got soldiers out here wanting to go home, miserable and complaining, they're a risk to you, they're a risk to themselves and they don't need to be here." It will be time to go home only when the Afghan people are able to take care of themselves said Ejdrygiewicz.
Maj. Mike Wright, commanding officer of A Company 2nd PPCLI, isn't surprised at the commitment of his men to the mission. "It's part of being a soldier to complain and to bitch but when it counts these guys know when to turn it on," he said.
And the peaceniks want to bring these guys home for good. Until Afghanistan can stand on its own against the Taliban, we have to stay there.
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Comment by S.L. Bradish