Old Europe in Iraq

Wretchard at The Belmont Club has a very interesting, typical and disturbing account of the actions of some European troops serving in Iraq. bq. From Blackfive comes a link to how Canadian troops in Afghanistan realized an ammo dump that had supposedly been cleared by European troops --wasn't. Troops from the Princess Patricia Regiment discovered a large pile of explosives ten minutes away from their camp. It contained: bq. ... 82 buried bunkers, each 20-metres long, housed thousands of Soviet FROG missiles (one step down from Scud missiles), and every variety of rocket and mortar shells. ... Some of the FROG missiles were still in their original cases. Some heaped in the open. Some stacked to the roof in the unlocked, open bunkers. Much of the ordnance had warheads removed to collect the explosive for homemade bombs -- or for blasting at a nearby quarry. "Unbelievable!" was Maj. Brian Hynes' reaction when he saw them. "We (troops of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)) have been here some two years, and no one knew this was at our back door. Unbelievable." bq. Many of the rockets, missiles and shells had been pried open for the explosives, which are used peacefully to blast mountain rock into gravel, and by those who want to make bombs that disrupt Kabul. ... Littered with burned out Soviet military vehicles, the whole area is a junk pile strewn with every sort of live ammunition, fuses, unexploded shells, rockets, etc., all supposedly under the authority of Belgian troops (at the moment), who ignored it. And the activities of the Old European troops when discovered? bq. In the midst of examining the bunkers and taking photos, a Swedish UN guy, a French major and a German colonel arrived to make a fuss and order the Canadians to leave. The French major insisted his government had a deal with the Afghan government for the area, and ISAF had no business being there. This cut little ice with Maj. Hynes, who is responsible -- not to the commander of Camp Julien, Col. Jim Ellis -- but to the ANA (Afghan National Army), which has now moved in to secure the site. bq. The French major was clearly bluffing, hadn't checked the bunkers and got a classic Canadian roasting from Maj. Hynes -- who was supported by a German general who was also appalled at the laxity. "Now we've stirred up the hornet's nest," grinned Maj. Hynes. "Good. Now we may get some action." Buncha self-centered corrupt twits... At least the German supported the Canadians in being disturbed by the incompenence...