707. LU

Canada should stay in there, but perhaps adopt a less ethno-centric and military-centric approach. The death of this girl because "signals" went "unheed" is completely inexcusable.

While I do agree that this is a very unfortunate event, the ROE's are meant to protect civilians and soldiers alike and the part of the warning shot is the last step before deadly force can be used.

(ROE- règle d'engagment = ce que tu vas faire qui va m'obliger à te tuer. Celle des étasuniens sont paraît-il plus «souple» que les nôtres. Basé sur le modèle israéliens.)

Having been in a situation were the ROE's were escalated up to the warning shot, I can tell you that for myself and a few of my buddies that went through the experience that as I was readjusting my aim and taking the tension on the trigger of my rifle, that all that I could think of in my head was 'please stop, please stop..." and the feeling of relief when the car stopped. The shooting of an innocent civilian and specially a child is the worst scenario that many if not all the soldiers I know dread to think about.

But please understand too, that the soldier is affraid when he has to escalate the ROE's. Knowing that the taliban has in the past sent suicide bombers in all kind of vehicles including motorcycles, animal drawn carts and even bicycles riden by 10 yrs old children.

The soldier must stop those vehicles from coming near the cordon, if he does not then he and his friends may not be alive much longer and that is another fear that a soldier must deal with.