[eXC3Kvnn]

just when you think you've heard it all...

http://news.sympatico.ca/oped/coffee...rocks/4b4d51d5


Getting military equipment home to Canada from Afghanistan is proving to be a tricky task. When several "secured" shipping containers arrived home, they found rocks instead of gear.

Serious security breaches have left the Canadian Armed Forces wondering where their gear has gone.

Containers shipped to Canada from Afghanistan ended up holding dirt and rocks instead of the equipment packed inside when it left on its trip by sea. Now we know how Charlie Brown felt each time he went trick-or-treating on Halloween: "I got a rock."

Canadian troops have probably seen enough of Afghan soil, so seeing it delivered – at taxpayer cost – to Canada is no treat at all. On the other hand, if anyone would like some dirt and rocks, heck, make an offer.

The contents of the containers were supplies intended for use by our soldiers. The Armed Forces told a reporter that there were no munitions inside the containers; more like "tires, tools and tents."

An investigation into the thefts is underway, but the missing equipment is long gone. It may have been pilfered in Afghanistan, Pakistan or during the long trip by cargo vessel.

Let's add up the whole cost of these thefts. What we've ended up doing is buying equipment for our troops, paying to ship it from here to Afghanistan, then finding out the troops are coming home and won't need the material overseas.

We then paid a Canadian shipping company to transport the gear back to Canada. And we got rocks. And someone else got the equipment and may one day use it to do bad things.

If this was a sitcom, the laugh track would be worn out by now, but unfortunately it's real life. And things may get worse.

The Montreal shipping company that handled the goods, A.J. Maritime, says 182 containers have made it back to Canada so far; presumably including the ones that arrived full of valuable dirt. Another 40 containers are currently in transit, so we may have some surprises when they arrive.

A whopping 448 Canadian shipping containers are still in Afghanistan, which means the riskiest part of the whole process has yet to happen. Who knows how much dirt we may import.

The good news – if it can be called that – is that no Canadian uniforms went missing and the containers weren't booby-trapped, as they might have been if the thieves wanted to kill instead of just steal.

A.J. Maritime's president told a reporter that "all NATO countries have a pilfering problem with their containers," which shouldn't make anyone feel safer. Who knows, maybe other NATO countries are losing arms from their shipments that may one day be used to kill Canadians or Afghan police.

Maybe our Armed Forces should change the way shipments of Canadian military goods are sent home. Could those containers be escorted by security staff, maybe even well-trained protection teams with guns? It's seems a mystery where our Armed Forces could find such people. Hmm.

Should Canadian military equipment be entrusted to third parties? How would you feel if our own equipment was being used by the enemy?

[Shark&Nike]

why does canada have troops in afghanistan? did some terrorists blow up part of canada? i must have missed that one. fucking worthless nato. killing innocent american kids isn't enough, no, we have to kill kids from canada and a bunch of countries too.

[ZesePreodaNed]

why does canada have troops in afghanistan? did some terrorists blow up part of canada? i must have missed that one. fucking worthless nato. killing innocent american kids isn't enough, no, we have to kill kids from canada and a bunch of countries too.

To keep us safe from the terrorizors.

My buddy's kid is joining the army when hes done highschool this year. He wants to be front line infantry. In his own words to keep Canada safe from the terrorists. He should do well. He has spent 90% free time in his teenage years playing first person shooter video games....

[mArVHDO6]

Ship the dirt, and rocks back they are most likely contaminated with DU!

[Frdsdx26]

why does canada have troops in afghanistan? did some terrorists blow up part of canada? i must have missed that one. fucking worthless nato. killing innocent american kids isn't enough, no, we have to kill kids from canada and a bunch of countries too.

Because they were told to help the US in their bullshit war on terror, by those really in charge.

[Ruiceara]

It may have been pilfered in Afghanistan, Pakistan or during the long trip by cargo vessel. How likely is it that the cargo vessel carried dirt and rock to replace the missing equipment?

[POMAH_K]

Dirt & rocks. They must have filled weapons boxes to provide the appearance of containing equipment. Somebody went to the trouble of deceptive labors to put time and space in between them and the realization that the weapons are gone.

I bet the equipment was entrusted to AFGH military people for the loading into shipping containers. If I were them, I would have done the same. It would be easy, however, to trace back the chain of custody and know who did it.

[forextradinginfo]

...And the CIA arms more 3rd world agencies with stolen firearms.

[RozzyLiu]

IMO- something like this doesn't just happen because some grunt made a little deal on the side...this would have been well planned and well executed by higher-ups on the ladder. THEY know exactly who has them, how they got them and what is going to be done with them....

...but we never will.

until it's too late.

[abossakon]

IMO- something like this doesn't just happen because some grunt made a little deal on the side...this would have been well planned and well executed by higher-ups on the ladder. THEY know exactly who has them, how they got them and what is going to be done with them....

...but we never will.

until it's too late.

I think it was done by Afghan govt. They had the ability to obfuscate and misdirect any inquiries. They can refuse to find the break in custody. If your govt was being abandoned by the military that propped you up, wouldn't you borrow their weapons if giventhe chance?

[limpoporanique]

...And the CIA arms more 3rd world agencies with stolen firearms.

Bingo

[barsikjal]

Whats wrong with rocks ......thats what we all started with (cave man)...........

[bubborn]

The towel heads got their monthly arms shipment from NATO.

[xjNo4zvD]

this latest development has "inside job" written all over it..

[WaydayTew]

I wonder how much heroin was in those containers from the poppy fields.