Operation Medusa

From the Canadian in charge of the joint military command in Kandahar Province in Afghanistan, this is the real on-the-ground story of one of NATO's bloodiest, most decisive and misunderstood operations: The battle of Panjwayi, the defining moment of "Operation Medusa." In the summer of 2006, David Fraser was the Canadian general in charge of NATO's Regional Command South, a territory spanning six Afghan provinces surrounding the Arghandab Valley. Birthplace of the Taliban decades earlier, this fertile region had since become Afghanistan's most deadly turf. It would soon turn deadlier still. Advised in the night by his intelligence officers that the Taliban had secretly amassed for a full-scale military assault, Fraser knew it would fall to him, his Canadians and their allies to avoid the wholesale slaughter of NATO troops, keep the Taliban from laying siege to Kandahar and restore control of the south of the country to a newly formed, democratic Afghan government. The odds were solidy against Fraser's forces. The Taliban knew every millimetre of their own terrain. During the months of secret manoeuvres they had stocked every farmhouse, school, grape hut and tunnel with weapons and ammunition. They had drilled Soviet-era landmines into all of the marijuana and poppy fields, and dug IEDs into every roadway. Protected from detection by corrupt officials, their sophisticated warfare schools had successfully readied an army of zealous fighters to attack and fight to the death. And now their top commanders were poised to launch decisive military operations against freshly arrived troops who had never seen combat. The bloodiest battle in NATO's history was about to begin.

No Lack of Courage is the story of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's first battle. It is a revealing account of Operation Medusa, the largely Canadian action from 1 to 17 September 2006, to dislodge a heavily entrenched Taliban force in the Pashmul district of Afghanistan's Kandahar Province. At stake, according to senior Afghan politicians and NATO military commanders, was nothing less than the very existence of the reconstituted state of Afghanistan, as well as the NATO alliance itself. In a bitterly fought conflict that lasted more than two weeks, Canadian, Afghan, and Coalition troops defeated the dug-in enemy forces and chased them from the Pashmul area. In the end, the brunt of the fighting fell on the Canadians, and the operation that saved Afghanistan exacted a great cost. However, the battle also demonstrated that Canada had shed its peacekeeping mythology and was once more ready to commit troops deliberately to combat. Moreover, it revealed yet again that Canadian soldiers have no lack of courage.

One of the most critical battles of the Afghan War is now revealed as never before. Lions of Kandahar is an inside account from the unique perspective of an active-duty U.S. Army Special Forces commander. As then-Captain Rusty Bradley he began his third tour of duty in southern Afghanistan in 2006, the Taliban were poised to reclaim Kandahar Province, their strategically vital onetime capital. To stop them, the NATO coalition launched Operation Medusa, the largest offensive in its history. This is the story of a two-week battle that raged in scorching heat over a territory the size of Rhode Island.--From publisher description.

Companion vol. to Establishing a legacy.

Clearing the Way: Combat Engineers in Kandahar is the story of the men and women of 23 Field Squadron, who served with the 1st Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group in Kandahar in 2006. Through the eyes of thirteen Squadron members, relive the early days of the war in Kandahar and the coming of age of a group of soldiers recorded in graphic detail. The reader experiences the large scale battles with Taliban fighters during Operation Medusa, the building of Route Summit and the construction of key Forward Operating Bases. Accompany them as they fight off insurgent attacks along 'Ambush Alley', dodge mortar fire and dispose of the many Improvised Explosive Devices that litter the landscape. These stories expose the raw bedlam, ironic moments and absurdities of war at the soldier-level. It is replete with little nuggets of wisdom and soldier-philosophy that will bring a wry and knowing grin to the face of those who have experienced combat. Clearing the Way highlights the ingenuity of our soldiers and in particular our combat engineers, regardless of the seemingly impossible demands made of them.

With the outbreak of Gulf War hostilities a unit from 22 SAS slipped quietly over the border and into the enemy's backyard. It would be six weeks before any of the patrol again reached safety. Sabre Squadron recounts in graphic detail their scud-busting operations deep inside Iraq. They were operating alone and out of reach of reinforcements, with the threat of detection and its fatal consequences ever present. Yet their determination to wreak havoc behind enemy lines remained undimmed, culminating in an attack that decisively reconfirmed the regiment's awesome reputation. Cameron Spence, a senior NCO on the operation, takes you as close to the fighting SAS as you are ever likely to get, conveying the relentless tension, black humour and camaraderie punctuated by explosive, nerve-shredding action that characterized the mission. This is the true story of an SAS operation of breathtaking audacity and flair, carried out under unimaginable pressure, in the face of impossible odds. _____________ 'A brilliantly authentic account of war with an SAS patrol, it's a fantastic read' - ANDY MCNAB, bestselling author of Bravo Two Zero 'Tense and at times terrifying... a well told action story' - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'A terrific read' - THE TIMES 'Blood, guts and military macho - as authentic as anything you are likely to read' - MAIL ON SUNDAY

Issued also in French under title: Tâemoin de la guerre.