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Did he abandon his troops?
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZETTELMEYER, AFGHANISTAN When Major Matthew Sprague says he is tempted to put in his whole company for awards or commendations, he isn't kidding.So many of the officers, noncommissioned officers and ordinary grunts of the 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment's Charles Company, which Major Sprague commands, have distinguished themselves under fire here in southern Afghanistan particularly on two terrible days in September, when the company was first attacked with shocking ferocity by the Taliban, and then, still reeling from the four men lost that morning, accidentally strafed in a friendly-fire incident that killed another and injured 38 the very next day that separating the ordinarily brave from the ridiculously courageous is difficult if not impossible. But there is one man not included in that honourable group. In several recent interviews, during which he properly sang the praises of his troops, Major Sprague didn't even mention his name. Asked directly about him yesterday, he would not discuss the soldier except to say tersely that he is now out of the army and that the alleged incident that led to his leaving is in the past, as far as I'm concerned. From Christie Blatchford at the G&M, one of the best Canadian journalists and worth the read. Posted by: john 2006-12-29 |
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