It is with regret that I advise of the death of  Signaller Sean McCarthy, Special Air Service Regiment, Perth.

He was killed by an IED that also injured two other Australian soldiers and a third man who is unidentified at this time. He is the sixth Australian soldier to die in Afghanistan since 2002, and the second this year.

“The injuries to the remaining two soldiers do not appear to be life-threatening. However they and the coalition national who was seriously wounded continue to be closely monitored.”

Air Chief Marshal Houston said that because the injured soldiers were special forces their personal details would not be made public.

(Australian newspapers, thank God, understand what OPSEC means- B)

New Zealand-born Mr McCarthy, who was not married, joined the Australian Defence Force in 2001. He was described today as an “avid rugby union supporter”.

On his previous tour in Afghanistan, he was recognised by the special operations commander for his courage and mission focus, including a specific commendation for “maintaining his presence of mind and excellent soldier’s skills while in contact with the enemy,” Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

“Signaller McCarthy was an experienced, highly skilled and professional soldier.

“He was very well respected by his comrades and will be sorely missed by his many friends.”

We have finished what we set out to do in Iraq. The skies of Iraq are clear, the business of the people moving along as it should. The soldiers and police officers we trained are at work with their people, as it should be.

The engineers and people we guarded have done their work, helping with the rebuilding and, as time moves on, we have seen more and more of our wildest hopes realised, the Iraqi people standing up,proud and strong, their military ready and willing to take the fight to the enemy and send them to Hell.

We will watch, bursting with pride, as the Iraqi people at last hear the sound of freedom ring, in the hubbub of a busy marketplace, in the promise of a newborns first cry.

Mission accomplished.

Now the Australian Digger turns his eyes towards Afghanistan, the Taliban, and the next phase of the War on Terror.

We mourn our dead, and seek solace for their families.

Then we lock and load.

We send this message to those that skulk in the shadows, that plant IED’s in the night, rather than have the guts to face us man to man.

Remember this.

Inscribe it in letters three feet high on your forehead, carve it in the stone of your caves where you cower and hide, being the snivelling, puking cowards that you are.

Know this well….when in the end, we stand before you, weapon in hand, the memory of every fallen soldier burning bright in the minds of our comrades, I swear to Almighty God that these will be the last words you will ever hear.

I am Death. Come with me.

Said Sonnabend @ 7:46 pm | Permalink   

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