The Secret Air Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

"A relentless attack from the air against Iraq and Afghanistan has been going on for years, with the United States conducting an average of 75 to 100 airstrikes in the 2 countries every day. The death toll from these attacks is unknown, but a reasonable estimate is in the range of 100,000 to 150,000 in Iraq, with the number in Afghanistan as yet unexplored. Yet the story of these air wars is almost unknown in the United States. Without access to Iraqi or Afghani sources, it is not possible to offer firsthand accounts of the consequences of the air wars, but it is possible to go to some available sources to get a glimpse of what is happening."

Jeff Nygaard examines this important issue, also "almost unknown" in Canada, in the June issue of Z Magazine.

- By "almost unknown" in Canada, that means those who are outside of the defence establishment. In fact, on a directly related note, today the Canadian Forces College Aerospace Warfare Centre in Toronto wrapped up a three-day conference entitled, "Flea Hunting: The Historical Dimension of Air Power and Counterinsurgency Warfare." A relatively high-level affair bringing together AIR-COIN experts from the U.S., UK, and Canada.