An Irishwoman serving with the United States Army in Afghanistan has been killed at Bagram AB.
Ciara Durkin,originally from Connemara in the West of Ireland died of a single gunshot wound to the head.
An investigation will be held in the United States into the death and will take up to eight weeks,the Durkin Family have been told.

http:www.rte.ie/news/2007/1001/durkinc.html

Wow, and the bodies mount up. :(

Yeah not sure of the count in Afghanistan,its so overshadowed by Iraq.Tho in my opinion,this is the real deal.

The thing that attracted me to this news article is,
1.I thought of another of our posters when I first read this. 2.I think she was the first Irish fatality of the conflict.
3.The circumstances around her death are hazy.

Yeah not sure of the count in Afghanistan,its so overshadowed by Iraq.Tho in my opinion,this is the real deal.

The thing that attracted me to this news article is,
1.I thought of another of our posters when I first read this. 2.I think she was the first Irish fatality of the conflict.
3.The circumstances around her death are hazy.
Yeah, :(

Hazy? Yeah. What a fuck up everything is over there.

Was just reading an article about them rallying and screaming "death to Canadians" because they got confused between soldiers and those hired killers. Great, now they probably will target us.

I wonder if anyone else watched Under the Veil. The condition for women is horrendous but improving in the outer lying villages. The little girls aren't covering themselves from head to toe and are learning what "play" and "school" mean.

So what do you think about the circumstances of her death?

The circumstances of her death,well.

1.Accidental.
2.A Taliban has more luck than the Irish.
3.Snipers operating around base.
4.Murder.

Id rule out 3 and 4 pretty much.

I think we need a thread to discuss Afghanistan,seems to me that all the effort that has been put into it has grinded to a halt,maybe a change of tactics of somekind,nothing can be achieved there as long as Pakistan refuses to allow Air Support and Troops to cross its border.

I thought of another of our posters when I first read this.Thanks, paul. The story does strike close to home. We're coming up on the third anniversary of Jamie's death this month. Not planning anything special, just a visit to leave her some candy and such.I wonder if anyone else watched Under the Veil. The condition for women is horrendous but improving in the outer lying villages. The little girls aren't covering themselves from head to toe and are learning what "play" and "school" mean.An aunt of mine made a donation in Jamie's name to a group called Solace International (http://www.solaceinternational.org/). I don't know very much about them other than what their website says but she lives up that way and recommends them. We sent a great number of packages to Afghanistan when Jamie was there and always included a stash of school supplies. I imagine they've all been used up by now except for these great German pencil sharpeners I found. Stainless steel, nearly indestructible. Lately I've been thinking more and more about sending stuff over again -- the soldiers need to know we are thinking of them, and the kids in Afghanistan need all the help they can get.

2.A Taliban has more luck than the Irish.
Some luck, eh? :drinktoth

Some luck, eh? :drinktoth
not for here:(

i'm better on 1 or 4..the others would take 8 weeks of looking into.

Thanks, paul. The story does strike close to home. We're coming up on the third anniversary of Jamie's death this month. Not planning anything special, just a visit to leave her some candy and such.A life time and just yesterday for your wife and you and your family. My thoughts go out to you and yours sedan. I actually often think of her when another Canadian goes down. I remember telling my SO at the time and we spoke of her and what that would be like. We have a close friend in the airforce who has done two tours in Afganistan. This fucked up thing has touched so many, some gently, others brutally. It is funny how stangers on the net are strangers no longer in that we touch each others thoughts and lives in ways one would never image. I think of her video now and then and wonder about you and your wife. Obviously Paul has not forgotten either.



An aunt of mine made a donation in Jamie's name to a group called Solace International (http://www.solaceinternational.org/). I don't know very much about them other than what their website says but she lives up that way and recommends them. We sent a great number of packages to Afghanistan when Jamie was there and always included a stash of school supplies. I imagine they've all been used up by now except for these great German pencil sharpeners I found. Stainless steel, nearly indestructible. Lately I've been thinking more and more about sending stuff over again -- the soldiers need to know we are thinking of them, and the kids in Afghanistan need all the help they can getThat group looks really interesting. The Taliban really set women back but they are slowly taking baby steps forward again. It's funny you should mention about the pencil sharpeners. A friend of ours was stationed in Bosnia for a time. They carry these huge knives. He said they spent hours with the kids protecting the schools and the kids would clamour all over them wanting them to sharpen their pencils. There were no sharpeners so they used their knives to carve them for the kids. He said often times the only thing they had to write their notes for school were the back of cereal boxes. We take so much for granted. Kudos to you for reaching out and giving in the way that you do.