Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard expresses his condolences over the deaths of four American soldiers under his command in a statement at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, on Wednesday, Jan. 6. 2010. The four died Jan. 3, 2010 _ the first U.S. casualties of the year _ victims of an IED in Zhari district. THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Colin Perkel