The father of Sgt. Marc Leger, one of four Canadian soldiers killed in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan a decade ago, now wonders whether his son's death was "worthwhile."
The Canadian soldiers were killed on April 17, 2002 when U.S. Air Force jets mistakenly attacked their unit. The Canadians were training at Tarnak Farms, the former al Qaeda compound located near Kandahar.
The deaths came just two months after Canada sent its first combat troops into Afghanistan.
Ten years later, watching news reports of Taliban insurgents attacking Kabul and of the deteriorating security situation across the country, Leger's father now questions why his son was sent there.
"You almost have to wonder, the 10 years that Canadian soldiers were there, was it really worthwhile?" Richard Leger said in a 麻豆影视 Channel telephone interview.
"I'm starting to really, really understand that Marc's death will not be worth it."
U.S. Air Force pilot Harry Schmidt was eventually convicted of dereliction of duty for his role in dropping the bomb that killed the Canadian soldiers. Richard Leger believes that while Schmidt genuinely thought he was attacking the Taliban, he was too quick to unleash his weapons.
"(Schmidt) dropped a bomb in his way of making sure he was part of this war. He wanted to wear a medal," Richard Leger said.
The three other Canadian causalities were Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, Pte. Richard Green and Pte. Nathan Smith. All four soldiers were members of the Third Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.
A decade on, the Legers say time has not healed the wounds caused by the loss of their son.
"There's not such a thing as closure," said Claire Leger. "What happens is that you learn to live with your grief and sorrow."
