The Yugoslavian civil war was a brutal one, and over time, peacekeeping became less tenable, and force from NATO would have to be called in to stop the conflict and enforce order. Canadian servicemen and women would be part of that for more than a decade.
This UN car, driven by Canadians, came under fire one night in Croatia, both of them seriously injured, with the vehicle hit over 100 times.
On September 11th, 2001, Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes in the United States and changed the world. This piece of wreckage was from one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center towers in New York.
Canadians would commit troops to fight in Afghanistan in the wake of the attack, taking on the Taliban and other extremists in what would become the longest war for the country.
Corporal Rob Furlong, embedded with an American unit at the time, set a record for killing an Al-Qaeda fighter from nearly 2 and a half kilometres away.
This is the rifle he used.
It was a hard war, far from home, and though the casualty rates wasn't near what previous wars had been, it affected the country deeply.
Art on the far wall includes a couple of paintings and a sign post from a Canadian camp at Kandahar. The painting at centre is Waiting For Twilight- Patrol Base Wilson, by William MacDonnell.
The vehicle itself was hit by an IED in Afghanistan in 2005. The engine was destroyed, but armored protection around the rest of the vehicle saved the occupants, two Canadian soldiers and a journalist.
A formidable UN car indeed to have withstood brutal attacks.
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteSeems like strong vehicles
ReplyDeleteDefinitely.
DeleteIngo as a boy holidayed there before this. He loved it.
ReplyDelete9/11... so close, no changes.
True.
DeleteAnd after all that, the country was given back to the Taliban, with abandoned weapons and armaments to boot. Go figure. And tell the young girls and old women who have become little more than slaves what that is all about. And tell the interpreters and others who helped Canada and have been left behind how fair Canada is. And tell me too. I haven’t quite understood it all yet.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree.
Delete...the endless progression of wars.
ReplyDeleteSo it seems.
DeleteConflict is a human trait!
ReplyDeleteIt is.
DeleteIt seems that war and conflict is never ending.
ReplyDeleteThat's the case.
DeleteNeverending story ~ Conflict ~ good exhibit, though ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Thank you.
DeleteMany lives wee lost in the useless Afghan war.
ReplyDeleteA lot.
DeleteHi William, excellent post as always. I would have thought the UN vehicle and Patrol would be spared of enemy fire. Obviously not. And how poignant is that piece of wreckage from 9/11
ReplyDeleteNot in that war.
DeleteAnother great exhibit, it seems like there will always be conflict somewhere. Have a happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat's the case.
DeleteThe ongoing conflicts and wars create such a destructive existence.
ReplyDeleteThey do.
DeleteWar is so awful and always has been, I don't know why people have to continually fight.
ReplyDeleteIt's in our nature.
DeleteHow can this post be said and inspiring at the same time? Thank you William. Aloha
ReplyDeleteSad yet inspiring
DeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteAnd I got that.
DeleteI watched horrified as the second plane hit the World Trade Center, and then the war in Afghanistan erupted. It was not a war to be proud of, and the long term consequences have not been positive.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteThis post is so sad and I see no resolve so much hate and yet there must be some hope
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteWhat was the point of the Afghanistan war after the country fell back into the hands of the Taliban overnight?
ReplyDeleteI know.
DeleteWar is never ending. Always horrifying.
ReplyDeleteThat's true.
Delete