Canadian Snipers say U.S. ties angered comrades

[RACooper]

Right for those who don’t know Canadian troops have been serving in Afghanistan since the beginning of the War on Terror… some with high distinction, such as the six snipers sent over – including one who may have set a new record for making a kill at extreme distances.

Article on the conduct and service of the Canadian snipers in Afghanistan:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...6271952413_269

Now there is an investigation over the treatment of these snipers by the rest of the Canadian contingent while over in Afghanistan:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=968350116467

Since this involves the old Regiment it was relatively easy to chat with some of the guys to find out what was up… as well as chatting with some of the snipers from other units.

There seemed to be a consensus that they became “too close” to US doctrine and practice during the service with US troops… specifically abandoning Regimental traditions in favour of US ones – something that is more or less the equivalent of a Fraternity brother “switching” allegiance to another Fraternity (closest analogy I could come up with).

I think most of the tension stems from two fronts… one a lingering resentment for US policies concerning the UN, as up to 90% of the unit has served more than one tour with the UN as peacekeepers – constant comments about the uselessness of the UN was seen as calling into question their previous service as “useless”. The second is the still simmering issue of the friendly-fire (or fratricide) incident that happened in Afghanistan… there are troops that resent the initial accusations of error on their part, the characterization of the incident in some US media circles, and the feeling that Major Schmidt got off very lightly because of politics (charges lessened around the same time as Canada said no to Iraq).

Now personally I can understand the cold shoulder that they got because of the adoption of US military practices or traditions – as that was seen as a slap in the face to the unit and those who have served in the Regiment, past and present… with tensions and emotions high over the fratricide some saw there actions as insulting to their dead comrades… However I also feel that efforts should have been made to bring them back into the fold so to speak, instead of shunning them; as this only reinforced the growing divide between the snipers and the rest of the unit.