We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:54:36 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Canadian and US troops fighting - and dying - side by side. KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - At 10 p.m. Tuesday, on a cool, cloudless night in Afghanistan, Private Robert Costall and 30 fellow members of Canada's Quick Reaction Force were scrambled into helicopters at Kandahar Airfield and whisked to the lawless wastes of Sangin district, a difficult corner of a dangerous land. Five hours later, Pte. Costall was dead, and his fellow soldiers were in the midst of the most serious and deadly battle faced by Canadian soldiers in 32 years. A U.S. soldier and an unspecified number of Afghan army... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html Fri, 31 Mar 2006 06:10:20 -0600 WHAT I JUST WANT TO SAY IS THANK YOU! AND KNOW YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!!! GOD HELP US IF WE EVER BREAK FAITH WITH OUR SOLDIERS!!! PVT COSTALL MAKES ME REALLY PROUD TO BE A CANADIAN!! TO THE REST OF THE PPCLI IN AFGHANISTAN I SAY , I KNOW YOU WILL MAKE THOSE TERRORIST DIRTBAGS PAY!!!!! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43573 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43573 Fri, 07 Apr 2006 00:57:24 -0600 Every one of our soldiers who go to war should be this big a deal, every one who returns, dead or alive should be this big a deal. I'm sick of hollywood, metrosexual, comfortable U.S. cynicism about the achievements and sacrifices our service people. Where are the parades, confetti, highschool bands and valiant returnees and families riding in convertibles down mainstreets across the U.S.? My prayers and support go out to them all and if I can influence my elected officials to fire up the patriotism bandwagon, I'll do it--let's all try! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43349 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43349 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 12:35:13 -0600 Yep, it is a big deal. It is nice to have our friends next to us in this fight. Actions speak. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43331 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43331 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 17:13:14 -0600 And, this soldier is not alone in his final steps either. I see his commrades are taking care of him as they always have. Godspeed. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43330 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43330 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 16:34:42 -0600 Thank you, John, for posting this. Too often we forget that we are not alone in this fight. Well done. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43328 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43328 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 16:15:20 -0600 I was listening to northern NY public radio report on this and I think I heard that the US soldier was from from Vermont and, again, one soldier is a big thing to Vermonters, too. Every one lost is a big thing to the community they come from. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43314 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43314 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 10:16:26 -0600 Thanks for the thoughtful post, John. I'll be linking to this one. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43312 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43312 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 08:56:06 -0600 "For Canada, it *is* a big deal. And that's good enough for me." Damn straight. I hate to see Canada joining our ranks of the fallen in the GWOT, but I'm so glad they're by our side. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43311 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43311 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 08:07:45 -0600 V29 apparently missed the link - if you click Costall's and Stone's names - you'll get the appropriate music delivered right to your speaker. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43310 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43310 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 08:04:21 -0600 http://www.mfiles.org.uk/downloads/the-last-post.mp3 The Last Post is one of a number of bugle calls in military tradition which mark the phases of the day. Where "Reveille" signaled the start of a soldier's day, the "Last Post" signaled its end. It is believed originally to have been part of a more elaborate routine, known in the British Army as "tattoo", that had its origins in the 17th century. During the evening, a duty officer had to do the rounds of his unit's position, checking that the sentry posts were manned and rounding up the off-duty soldiers and packing them off to their beds or billets. He would be accompanied by one or more musicians. The "first post" was sounded when the duty officer started his rounds and, as the party proceeded from post to post, a drum was played. The drum beats told off-duty soldiers it was time to rest - if the soldiers were billeted in a town, the beats told them it was time to quit the pubs. "Tattoo" is a derivation of doe den tap toe, Dutch for "turn off the taps", a call which is said to have followed the drum beats in many a Dutch pub while English armies were campaigning through Holland and Flanders in the 1690s. (It is also from this routine that American practice of "taps" or "drum taps" originated.) Another bugle call was sounded when the party completed their rounds, when they reached the "last post": this signaled the night sentries were alert at their posts and gave one last warning to any soldiers still at large that it was time to retire for the evening. "Last Post" was incorporated into funeral and memorial services as a final farewell and symbolises that the duty of the dead is over and that they can rest in peace. THE WORDS TO THE LAST POST Come home! Come home! The last post is sounding for you to hear. All good soldiers know very well there is nothing to fear while they do what is right, and forget all the worries they have met in their duties through the year. A soldier cannot always be great, but he can be a gentleman and he can be a right good pal to his comrades in his squad. So all you soldiers listen to this - Deal fair by all and you'll never be amiss. Be Brave! Be Just! Be Honest and True Men! Farewell Pte Costall]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43307 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43307 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 07:33:49 -0600 Beautiful post, John. I particularly like the part about Whiskey. :) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43306 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/03/canadawar.html#comment-43306 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 07:33:29 -0600