ROAD WARRIORS

Our Engineers on the Move

It's one and a half kilometres of dust and gravel, running straight
as a pool cue through the Arghandab River valley in the Panjwayi district.

To Lieut. Anthony Robb, 24, of the 23 Field Squadron Combat
Engineers, it could well be the most precious section of dirt in all
Afghanistan.

"When you consider all the bloody work we had to do during Op Medusa
just claiming this ground, it's pretty important to us," he said,
looking to where the flat stretch of dirt road turns past the town of Pashmul.

Route Summit is more than a road - it's a promise. Right now, NATO
forces are moving through Panjwayi district in an effort to flush out
the Taliban in an operation dubbed Baaz Tsuka - "falcon's summit."

The aim of Baaz Tsuka is to clear the region of insurgents, allow the
locals to return to their homes and their lives, and build contacts
between them and the Afghan National Army and police so that Afghans
can defend their own ground. The aim of Route Summit is to rebuild
the region's economy and give security forces a safe corridor.

The two operations are co-dependent; one can't work without the
other. And right now, Route Summit depends on the skills and courage
of Canadian engineers.

"Building roads is only one part of what we do," said Robb. "We build
bases, disarm mines and IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Route
Summit is putting all our skills to the test."

When it's completed (the target date is sometime early next year),
Route Summit will connect the Panjwayi district with Highway One in the north.

VITAL CONNECTION

Highway One connects Kabul and Kandahar City - it's the most
important road in all of Afghanistan, a sort of central Asian Trans-Canada.

The Canadians are building 1.4 km of the route, south of the river,
at a projected cost of slightly more than $500,000 US. It's about
one-fourth complete.

Germany is paying to pave another 3.2 km, and the Americans have
promised to build the bridge over the Arghandab. Right now the
Canadians are taking the risks, directing earth movers and local
labour under the constant threat of rocket and small arms fire and
hidden land mines.

On Dec. 16, Pte. Frederic Couture of the 2nd Van Doos regiment based
in Valcartier, Que., was seriously injured after stepping on a land
mine less than a kilometre away. He was taken to hospital in serious
but stable condition.

"We're always digging up old rocket warheads, artillery shells," said
Sgt. Rene Grignon of 23 Field Squadron.

GOING SMOOTHLY

"So far, things are going very smoothly. We have very good security
and the war sort of goes on around us. The Taliban targets (forward
operating base Ma'sum Ghar) over there, mostly, so we can concentrate
on our work."

Route Summit started under fire. The road was plotted and cleared by
Canadian troops during Operation Medusa in September, as a combat corridor.

"The existing roads in the area were too narrow for our vehicles, and
had compounds right up next to them. Too many spots for ambushes,"
said Maj. Todd Scharlach, operations officer for the Canadian task force.

"The idea was to make the road as straight as possible, and to clear
enough area around it to make it safe. It's going to be paved, which
will make it very difficult to lay (mines) under it."

In the longer term, the hope is that Route Summit will revitalize the
local economy by giving area farmers access to markets in Kandahar
City and Kabul.

They'll be able to get better prices for the local staple crops:
grapes, wheat ... and marijuana.

"Well, yes, marijuana is a local cash crop," said Scharlach.
"Obviously that's not what the road is being built for. And we hope
someday that crop will be replaced with others. But the purpose of
the road is to support the area economy.

"We're not over here to do drug eradication or to enforce Canadian
law. That's not the mission."