Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

did not have a significant role in the first few months of the invasion of Afghanistan

War in Afghanistan (2001–present)

The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...

that began on October 7, 2001, and the first contingents of regular Canadian troops arrived in Afghanistan only in January–February 2002. Canada took on a larger role starting in 2006 after the Canadian troops were redeployed to Kandahar province

Kandahar Province

Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...

. Roughly 950 Canadian Forces

Canadian Forces

The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

(CF) personnel are currently deployed in Afghanistan as part of International Security Assistance Force

International Security Assistance Force

The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...

(ISAF).

Background

In September 2001 after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Minister of National Defence

Minister of National Defence (Canada)

The Minister of National Defence is a Minister of the Crown; the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the Department of National Defence which oversees the Canadian Forces....

Art Eggleton

Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...

advised Governor General

Governor General of Canada

The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...

Adrienne Clarkson

Adrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....

to authorize more than 100 Canadian Forces

Canadian Forces

members serving on military exchange programs

Exchange officer

An exchange officer is a commissioned officer in a country's armed forces who is temporarily attached to a unit of the armed forces of another country....

in the United States and other countries to participate in U.S. operations in Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

. Eggleton summed up the dominant thinking in the government at the time when he said, "Any Canadian military deployment to Afghanistan may well be similar to a situation in Eritrea and Ethiopia where we went in on the first wave, we helped establish the stabilization, the basis for ongoing peace support operations that would come after ... but then turned it over to somebody else." The operations were aimed at identifying and neutralizing al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...

members in that country, as well as toppling the Taliban regime, which was claimed to be supporting international terrorism.

At the time of the invasion, the Canadian government defined Canada's reasons for participating in the mission Afghanistan

Afghanistan

as follows:

Defend Canada's national interests;
Ensure Canadian leadership in world affairs; and
Help Afghanistan rebuild.

Canadian experience in nation-building and sector reform

In order to understand Canada's policy in Afghanistan, a brief history of its foreign policy initiatives is in order. In post-Cold War conflicts, Canada "experienced a steep--and at times bloody--learning curve as it tried to develop new techniques to contain violence and restore functioning civil societies." After a 15-hour firefight in Croatia involving Canadian troops at a ground known as the Medak Pocket, it became clear that "peacekeeping forces had to be able to make that rapid tactical transition. It meant that they had to be trained, equipped, and prepared for combat just as much as they were for peacekeeping." This is reflected in the training and professionalism of the Canadian army mentioned later on the page. Moving to Bosnia, Somalia, and Haiti a new peacekeeping partnership began to form. This required the assistance of soldiers and development organizations working hand in hand to achieve their rebuilding goals. These peacekeeping initiatives carried out by "Canadians and other NATO troops in Bosnia and elsewhere in the post-Cold War conflicts are similar and relevant to what they are carrying out in Afghanistan. In many respects the peace-building in Kandhar is just one more example of the 'new normal.'"

2001–2002 initial deployment

Although not participating at all in the opening days of the invasion, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien

Jean Chrétien

Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....

's Liberal government announced on October 7 that Canada would contribute forces to the international force being formed to conduct a campaign against terrorism. General Ray Henault

Ray Henault

General Raymond Roland Joseph Henault, CMM, MSC, CD is a retired Canadian Air Force officer. He was the Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada from June 28, 2001...

, the Chief of the Defence Staff

Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)

The Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Forces, and heads the Armed Forces Council, having primary responsibility for command, control, and administration of the forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements...

, issued preliminary orders to several CF units, as Operation Apollo

Operation APOLLO

Operation APOLLO was the codename for an operation conducted by Canadian Forces in support of the United States in its military operations in Afghanistan. The operation took place from October 2001 to October 2003...

was established. The Canadian commitment was originally planned to last to October 2003.

Forty Joint Task Force 2

Joint Task Force 2

Joint Task Force 2 is an elite Special Operations Force of the Canadian Armed Forces primarily tasked with counter-terrorism operations...

(JTF2) operators were sent to Afghanistan in December 2001, two months after the Minister of Defense, Art Eggleton

Art Eggleton

Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...

, announced that Canada would be sending troops to Afghanistan to aid the removal of the Taliban. (In October 2004, these JTF-2 personnel were awarded the US Navy Presidential Unit Citation as part of Task Force K-BAR, a multinational special-operations task force led by the US Navy SEALs that was deocrated for its operations during the period 17 October 2001 through 30 March 2002.)

Upon the regular forces arriving on the ground in Kandahar during January–February 2002 they were used supporting the war effort including in the major Operation Anaconda

Operation Anaconda

Operation Anaconda took place in early March 2002 in which the United States military and CIA Paramilitary Officers, working with allied Afghan military forces, and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization and non NATO forces attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shahi-Kot...

campaign.
In March 2002, three Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...

sniper

Sniper

A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....

s fought alongside U.S. Army units during Anaconda. In the operation the team broke, and re-broke, the kill record for a long distance sniper kill

Rob Furlong

Rob Furlong , is a former corporal of the Canadian Forces, who held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, at 2,430 metres...

set in the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

by a U.S. Marine, Staff Sergeant Carlos Hathcock

Carlos Hathcock

Carlos Hathcock was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills. Hathcock's record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the Marine Corps...

. Operation Anaconda was also the first time since the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

that Canadian soldiers relieved American soldiers in a combat situation.
Canadian forces also undertook Operation Harpoon

Operation Harpoon (2002)

Not to be confused with Operation Harpoon Operation Harpoon was the code name of a joint American–Canadian military operation which took place in March 2002 in Paktia Province, Afghanistan. This operation took place in roughly the same region as Operation Anaconda...

in the Shah-i-Kot Valley

Shah-i-Kot Valley

The Shah-i-Kot Valley is a valley located in Afghanistan's Paktia province, southeast of the town of Zormat. The terrain in and around the valley is notoriously rugged, located at a mean altitude of...

. Other forces in the country provided garrison and security troops.

On April 18, 2002, a friendly fire incident caused Canadian casualties when an American F-16 jet dropped a laser-guided bomb

Laser-guided bomb

A laser-guided bomb is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. LGBs are one of the most common and widespread guided bombs, used by a large number of the world's air forces.- Overview :Laser-guided munitions use a...

on a group of Canadian soldiers. The PPCLI soldiers were conducting night-time training on a designated live-fire range, and the American pilots claim they mistook their gunfire for a Taliban insurgent attack. Four Canadians were killed and eight were wounded in the bombing (see Tarnak Farm incident

Tarnak Farm incident

The Tarnak Farm incident refers to the killing of four Canadian soldiers and the injury of eight others from the Third Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on the night of April 17, 2002, by an American F-16 fighter jet. The aircraft, piloted by U.S...

2003–2005 Operation Athena

In August 2003, the Canadian Forces moved to the northern city of Kabul where it became the commanding nation of the newly formed International Security Assistance Force

International Security Assistance Force

. Canada dubbed this Operation Athena and a 1,900-strong Canadian task force provided assistance to civilian infrastructure such as well-digging and repair of local buildings.

In March 2004, Canada committed $250 million in aid to Afghanistan, and $5 million to support the 2004 Afghan election.

On 13 February 2005, Defence Minister Bill Graham

Bill Graham

William Carvel "Bill" Graham, PC QC is a former Canadian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, and Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.-Personal life:...

announced Canada was doubling the number of troops in Afghanistan by the coming summer, from 600 troops in Kabul to 1200.

In spring 2005 it was announced that the Canadian Forces would move back to the volatile Kandahar Province

Kandahar Province

as the U.S. forces handed command to the Canadians in the region. Operation Athena ended in December 2005 and the fulfillment of the stated aim of "rebuilding the democratic process" in Afghanistan.

Mission-specific training

Mission-specific training has been part of a Canadian soldier’s preparation for service on peacekeeping and stability operations since the 1960s. This plays a huge part in the war in Afghanistan. In preparations, “soldiers needed to know as much as possible about local customs, culture, and politics, and about the nature and motivation of groups that might oppose the establishment of peace and order.” This accompanied with psychological triaging with a soldiers family made, this deployment of Canadian forces the most ever prepared overseas. In training for the mission the goal in Afghanistan was clear: “The Afghan mission would only succeed when the Government of Afghanistan could provide for the needs of its people.” It was this notion that shaped the Canadian and NATO approach toward reconstructing the Afghan society.

2006 renewed commitments: Operation Archer

Operation Archer

Operation Archer is the Canadian Forces contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. It began in July 2005 with the deployment of a 220 member "theater activation team" to Kandahar....

followed Athena beginning in February 2006. Unlike the ISAF-lead ATHENA, ARCHER was part of the American military command. By the spring of 2006, Canada had a major role in southern Afghanistan, with Task Force Afghanistan being a battle group of 2,300 soldiers based at Kandahar

Kandahar

Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...

. Canada also commanded the Multi-National Brigade for Command South, a main military force in the region. In May 2006, the Canadian government extended Canadian military commitments to Afghanistan by two years, replacing earlier plans to withdraw soldiers in 2006.

On 28 February 2006, control of Regional Command South

Regional Command South

Regional Command is a multinational military formation, part of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. It is responsible for provincial reconstruction and security in Kandahar, Lashkar Gah, Qalat and Tarin Kowt. The Command also has responsibility for the provinces of Nimruz...

was transferred from U.S. Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry

Karl Eikenberry

Karl Winfrid Eikenberry is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General and former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.-Education:Eikenberry graduated from Goldsboro High School in Goldsboro, North Carolina in 1969 and then attended West Point, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon...

to Canadian Brigadier-General David Fraser

David Fraser (Canadian)

David Fraser is a major-general of the Canadian Forces. He was the commander of the Multinational Brigade for Regional Command South in Afghanistan's southern provinces in 2006...

in a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield

Kandahar Airfield

Kandahar International Airport is located 10 miles south-east of Kandahar City in Afghanistan. The airport was built by the United States in the 1960s, under the United States Agency for International Development program. It may have been intended to be used as a possible U.S...

.

Additionally, Foreign Affairs

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada)

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade , more commonly known as Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, is a department in the Government of Canada which has responsibility for foreign policy and diplomacy, as well as import/export and international trade policies.On June...

Canada stated that the commitment was more than just military, employing a "whole of government approach", in which a Provincial Reconstruction Team

Provincial reconstruction team

A Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...

(PRT), utilizing personnel from the military, Foreign Affairs, the Canadian International Development Agency

Canadian International Development Agency

The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...

and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...

, would provide a dual role of security as well as reconstruction of the country and political structure.

On 31 July 2006, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force assumed command of the south of the country and the Canadian Task Force was transferred from the jurisdiction of ARCHER (Operation Enduring Freedom) back to ATHENA (ISAF).

2006-2009: Taliban resurgence

When the Canadian Forces returned to Kandahar after being deployed to Kabul in 2003, the Taliban began a major offensive, and the Canadians were caught in the middle. After a spring in which a record number of attacks against Canadian soldiers had been set, which included six deaths to the CF, the Taliban in Kandahar and Helmand province

Helmand Province

Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....

s were massing.

Operation Mountain Thrust

Operation Mountain Thrust

Operation Mountain Thrust was a Canadian and Afghan-led operation in the war in Afghanistan, with more than 2,300 U.S., 3,300 British troops, 2,200 Canadian troops, about 3,500 Afghan soldiers and large air support...

was launched in the beginning of the summer in 2006. Canadians of the 1 PPCLI Battle Group were one of the leading combatants and the first fighting when the Battle of Panjwaii

Battle of Panjwaii

The Battle of Panjwaii was a battle fought during two periods in the summer of 2006, primarily involving Canadian and Afghan soldiers being supported with some small elements of the Dutch, American, and British forces. There were two separate times in which the forces were involved in heavy...

took place. Complex mud-walled compounds made the rural Panjwaii District take on an almost urban style of fighting in some places. Daily firefights, artillery bombardments, and allied airstrikes turned the tides of the battle in favour of the Canadians. After Operation Mountain Thrust came to an end, Taliban fighters flooded back into the Panjwaii District in numbers that had not been seen yet in a single area in the "post Anaconda" war.

The Canadian Forces came under NATO command at the end of July, and the 1 RCR Battle Group replaced the PPCLI. Canadians launched Operation Medusa

Operation Medusa

Operation Medusa was a Canadian-led offensive by major elements of the International Security Assistance Force, Afghan National Army and an A-Team from the 3rd Special Forces Group, as part of the ongoing war in Afghanistan. It aimed to establish government control over an area of Kandahar...

in September in an attempt to clear the areas of Taliban fighters from Panjwaii once and for all. The fighting of Operation Medusa led the way to the second, and most fierce Battle of Panjwaii in which daily gun-battles, ambushes, and mortar and rocket attacks were targeting the Canadian troops. The Taliban had massed with an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 fighters. The Taliban were reluctant to give up the area, and after being surrounded by the Canadian Forces, they dug in and fought a more conventional style battle. After weeks of fighting, the Taliban had been cleared from the Panjwaii area and Canadian reconstruction efforts in the area began.

On 15 September 2006, the Canadian government committed a squadron of Leopard C2 tanks from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)

Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)

Lord Strathcona's Horse is a regular armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces. Currently based in Edmonton, Alberta, the regiment is part of Land Force Western Area's 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group...

, and an additional 200 to 500 troops to Afghanistan.

On 1 November 2006, Dutch

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

Major-General Ton van Loon

Ton van Loon

Ton van Loon is a commander from the Netherlands. He is a Lieutenant General employed by NATO who took control of the International Security Assistance Force , Regional Command South on November 1, 2006 until May 1, 2007. As of April 13, 2010, he commands I. German/Dutch Corps...

succeeded Brigadier-General David Fraser

David Fraser (Canadian)

David Fraser is a major-general of the Canadian Forces. He was the commander of the Multinational Brigade for Regional Command South in Afghanistan's southern provinces in 2006...

as head of NATO Regional Command South in Afghanistan, a post which he will retain for a six month period.

On 15 December 2006, the Canadians launched Operation Falcon Summit

Operation Falcon Summit

Operation Falcon Summit was a Canadian-led operation in the Battle of Panjwaii and on a larger scale, the 2001–present War in Afghanistan....

into
Zhari District

Zhari District

Zhari is a new district in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.Alternate spellings include Zheley or Zharey. The district was created from territories taken from Maywand and Panjwai districts...

, to the north of Panjwaii. The operation was the Canadian involvement in the NATO-led Operation Mountain Fury

Operation Mountain Fury

Operation Mountain Fury was a NATO-led operation begun on September 16, 2006 as a follow up operation to Operation Medusa, to clear Taliban rebels from the eastern provinces of Afghanistan...

. During Operation Falcon Summit, the Canadians gained control of several key villages and towns that were former Taliban havens, such as Howz-E Madad. During the first week of the operation, massive Canadian artillery and tank barrages were carried out in a successful attempt to clear pockets of Taliban resistance. The operation concluded with plans to build a new road linking Panjwaii with Kandahar's Highway 1 that runs east-west through Zhari.

In February 2007, the 2 RCR Battle Group took over to carry on with combat operations in several districts in Kandahar Province.

From 15 July 2007 to February 2008, units from CFB Valcartier

CFB Valcartier

Canadian Forces Base Valcartier is a Canadian Forces Base located in the municipality of Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, approximately north of Quebec City...

near Quebec City served in Kandahar filling most positions in the Operational Mentor Liaison Team (OMLT) and providing the protective company for the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). The 3rd Battalion Royal 22^e Régiment

Royal 22e Régiment

The Royal 22nd Regiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army...

Battle Group, with supporting troops from 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group is a Canadian Forces brigade group that is part of Land Forces Quebec Area of the Canadian army. It is based at CFB Valcartier, near Quebec City in Quebec, Canada...

and a composite tank squadron from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)

Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)

conducted operations on the ground. This rotation reflected a change in Canadian tactics, with emphasis on systematically clearing-holding-building in the districts of Panjwaii and Zhari, while also protecting Arghandab District

Arghandab District

Arghandab is a district in the central part of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Panjwai and Khakrez districts to the west, Shah Wali Kot District to the north and east and Kandahar District to the east and south....

and the Afghan–Pakistan border in the area of Spin Boldak

Spin Boldak

Spin Boldak or Spin Buldak is a border town in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, right next to the Durand Line border with Pakistan. It is linked by a highway with the city of Kandahar to the north, and with Chaman and Quetta in Pakistan to the south. Spin Boldak has the second major...

. The focus was on intimately working with the Afghan army, police and civil administration to hold cleared areas rather than subsequently lose them to returning Taliban, as had previously occurred throughout the South and East.

In February 2008, the Van Doos contingent was replaced by force centred on a PPCLI battle group. Also in February 2008, Canadian Major-General Marc Lessard took command of Regional Command South for a nine-month period.

On March 13, 2008, the Harper Conservative government's motion to extend the military mission past February 2009 into 2011 was approved in a parliamentary vote with the support of the Liberal opposition. The extension of almost another three years is to have a focus on reconstruction and training of Afghan troops, and sets a firm pullout date, calling for Canadian troops to leave Afghanistan by December 2011. While the Liberals voted in favour of the Conservatives' confidence motion, the New Democratic Party

New Democratic Party

The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...

and the Bloc Québécois

Bloc Québécois

The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...

voted against it, having consistently rejected any extension of the military mission. NDP leader Jack Layton said "There are millions of Canadians who don't want this strategy to continue. The population prefers a road to peace."

As part of the new American administration

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

’s policy on Afghanistan it was announced that 17,000 new U.S. troops would be deployed to the country with a third stationed in Kandahar province. On August 10, 2009, Brig-Gen. Jonathan Vance of Task Force Kandahar transferred authority of some of Kandahar Provence to Col. Harry Tunnell IV, commander of the U.S. army's 5th Stryker Brigade

Brigade combat team

The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...

. Canadian troops will now be station primarily around Kandahar City and the surrounding districts.

2010: American troop surge

On 1 December 2009 U.S. president Obama announced a major troop increase that would send another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. The Canadian troops remained mostly active in the Panjwaii and Kandahar

Kandahar

districts where they were located at the end of 2009. Canadians are also active in the Zhari

Zhari District

Zhari is a new district in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.Alternate spellings include Zheley or Zharey. The district was created from territories taken from Maywand and Panjwai districts...

and Daman

Daman District, Afghanistan

Daman district is situated in the central part of the Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Panjwai and Kandahar districts to the west, Shah Wali Kot District to the north, Zabul Province to the northeast, Arghistan and Spin Boldak districts to the east and Reg District to the south. The...

districts.

In February 2010 Canadian air forces and ground troops from 3 PPCLI took part in the highly publicized Marja

Marja, Afghanistan

Marja is an unincorporated agricultural district in Nad Ali District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, southwest of Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital. The name Marja is also applied to a small location within the district where a number of farmers' markets, shops and a mosque are located...

offensive

Operation Moshtarak

Operation Moshtarak was an ISAF pacification offensive in the area that is described as the "poppy-growing belt" of Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. The combat operations started on February 13, 2010, and focuses on the Nad Ali District and Lashkar Gah district...

.

In late June 2010 control of the Zhari and Arghandab

Arghandab District

districts were transferred to the United States 101st Airborne Division

101st Airborne Division

The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...

. Two weeks later Canadian Forces transferred Kandahar city to the Americans. As of this point most of Canada’s forces are in the Panjwaii district as well as Dand

Kandahar District

Kandahar District is situated in the central part of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, surrounding the city of Kandahar. It borders with Panjwai District to the west, Arghandab District to the north, Shah Wali Kot District to the northeast and Daman District to the east and south. The population is...

and Daman.

On November 27, 2010, in the tenth and final troop rotation, the 1st Battalion of the Royal 22^e Régiment

Royal 22e Régiment

took over, marking the final rotation before Canada's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

2011: Withdrawal

Canada has announced that it will withdraw the bulk of its troops from Afghanistan in 2011, with the Infantry Battle Group withdrawn by the end of July, and all Canadian Forces personnel and equipment withdrawn from Kandahar by the end of December 2011 . In September 2008, Conservative leader Stephen Harper pledged this, saying a decade at war is enough. He acknowledged that neither the Canadian public nor the troops themselves had any appetite to stay longer in the war and said that only a small group of advisers might remain.

On Dec 09/10 it was announced that after the end of combat operations in July 2011, Canadian Forces (approximately 950 newly-posted specialized personnel) will be transferred from ISAF to the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan

NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan

The NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan operates under a dual-hatted command, with one commander for both the US-led Combined Security Transition Command- Afghanistan and the NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan...

to continue the training of the Afghan National Army

Afghan National Army

The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...

and Afghan National Police

Afghan National Police

The Afghan National Police - ANP - is the primary national police force in Afghanistan. It serves as a single law enforcement agency all across the country. The Afghan police force was first created with the establishment of the Afghan nation in the early 18th century...

Provincial reconstruction team

A key element of Canadian operations in Afghanistan is the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT), one of 25 provincial reconstruction teams throughout the country. A Provincial Reconstruction Team

Provincial reconstruction team

(PRT) is a unit introduced by the United States government to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states, performing duties ranging from humanitarian work to the training of police and the military. Following NATO's involvement, command of some PRTs was transferred from the US to other nations under the ISAF.

The Kandahar PRT is composed of around 330-335 personnel composed largely of Canadian Forces elements (315), but also of a few diplomats, correctional officers, development specialists, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

(RCMP).
The Kandahar PRT also includes one U.S. State Department official, one U.S. development official, and several U.S. police mentors.

By 2007, Canada's effort was in full effect in order to rebuild Kandahar. The KPRT task was in relation to the National Solidarity Program (NSP). The NSP was "designed to re-generate local viallage councils and their ability to work for a common purpose, something sorely lacking after 25 years of focus on basic self-preservation." The role of KPRT to fulfill the goals of the NSP was one that required much time and patience. As the NSP grew, "power shifted away from drug lords and Taliban chieftains and back to Afghans" through the rebuilding of community and creating trust in the "power of good government."

Canada and its allies used several methods to develop and build the economy in Kandahar. One of its main challenges was convincing its people that their future lies in good government and much had to be done. One of the tasks at hand was the organization and professionalism that needed to be added to the Afghan police. The problem that Canadians faced is that one day they may be dealing with Afghan police who assist with tracking down the Taliban, and the next a corrupt police force taking bribes from the Taliban and drug lords. In order to correct this Canadians used the RCMP to “train new police forces in war-shattered societies.”

Another crucial element toward the rebirth in Kandahar is its agriculture, and the need to show farmers how to prosper. After facing ten years of drought “CIDA focused development on getting wadis

Wadi

Wadi is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.-Variant names:...

, karezes

Kařez

Kařez is a village and municipality in Rokycany District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 570 ....

, canals, and more modern pipelines into the older fields so that farmers could radically increase crop production.” The next step was then teaching the Afghan farmers how to “improve crop yields” which they were receptive too wanting to improve their way of life. The difficulty with farmers in this region is the fact that their interests coincide with the Taliban and local drug lords. Both these groups, “depend on a climate of fear and dependency in the countryside to support their lifestyles and their wars.” By 2007 the work of the PRT was gaining considerable ground. This was evident as “Kandaharis took on much of the rebuilding process themselves.” The Taliban threat was down and the UN plan for the people of Kandahar to help it its own renewal was in full effect. Despite the continued fighting and Taliban resurgence Kandahar was maintaining stability and beginning to prosper.
The PRT is about one-eighth the size of the overall 2,830 Canadian military forces in Afghanistan. The 2008 Manley Report recommended that the KPRT be given more funding and attention and be placed under civilian leadership instead. The KPRT was transferred to civilian command in Spring 2010, during the update in the US civilian surge to Kandahar, with Canadian Ambassador Tim Martin as KPRT Director and former US Ambassador Bill Harris as Deputy Director. With impending Canadian draw down in 2011 and increasing number of US soldiers and civilians in Kandahar, the KPRT transitioned from Canadian to American command in late 2010, completed with the transfer of authority in early 2011 of KPRT directorship from Tim Martin to American diplomat Ben Moeling.

"Signature" projects

Following the recommendations of the Manley report, the Canadian government has sought to highlight several so-called "signature" projects in Kandahar Province

Kandahar Province

. The government of Canada's communications on Afghanistan website highlights:

Dahla Dam
Dahla Dam
The Dahla Dam is the largest dam in Kandahar Province, and the second largest in Afghanistan.The dam is 34 kilometers north of Kandahar City.The dam was first built between 1950 to 1952 during the reign of Zahir Shah, the last King of Afghanistan....

and irrigation system: Canada will put $50 million over three years toward this project to assist with irrigation and basic services across the region. It is believed that it will create 10,000 seasonal jobs.
Education: Canada will put $12 million over three years into improving the education system across Kandahar.
Polio eradication: Canada will put up to $60 million over three years toward this project to see the immunization of an estimated seven million children across Afghanistan, including 350,000 in the province of Kandahar.

As a result of these signature projects, “Within five years, more than six thousand schools have been rebuilt and six of thirteen million children are now in school. Roads and bridges have been repaired, new roads have been built, and new wells have been dug. Access to health clinics is vastly better than it was five years ago and the infant mortality rate is beginning to drop. Programs in rural transportation, safe drinking water, irrigation, and schools are among the twenty thousand projects that are now underway.” The work of the NSP has also seen tremendous progression in the Afghan government. For example, “More than sixteen thousand locally elected community development councils now dot Afghanistan, and elected leaders choose projects that meet their priorities.”

Other operations

Canada’s naval contribution to the Afghanistan War was part of the American-lead Combined Task Force 150
Combined Task Force 150
Combined Task Force 150 is a multinational coalition naval task force working under the 25 nation coalition of Combined Maritime Forces and is based in Bahrain established to monitor, inspect, board, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the "War on Terrorism" and in the Horn of Africa region ...

(CTF 150). The purpose of which is for maritime patrol and enforcement near Afghanistan. Originally Canada served as part of Operation APOLLO but after its conclusion in October 2003 it was designated Operation ALTAIR
Operation ALTAIR
Operation ALTAIR is the Canadian Forces maritime contribution to the U.S.-led coalition anti-terrorist campaign known as Operation Enduring Freedom . Operation ALTAIR mainly consists of single ship deployments. HMCS Toronto , a Halifax-class patrol frigate with an embarked helicopter detachment,...

in January 2004. ALTAIR ended on September 2008 and its duties transferred to Operation SAIPH which has more of a focus on the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...

region.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...

has increased activities abroad, including in support of Canada's participation in the war in Afghanistan. The executive director of its civilian oversight committee noted in January 2009 that this has noticeably altered the spy agency and urged policy improvements to manage its growing operations overseas.
Canada has assisted in the collection, storage and decommissioning of 10,000 heavy weapons left in Afghanistan including artillery, tanks and rocket launchers, used in decades of conflict in the country.
Canada has helped clear about one third of the estimated 10 to 15 million mines in Afghanistan.
Canada has lent money to over 140,000 people in Afghanistan.
Canada has helped train the Afghan police and army.
Since December 2001, Canada has been an active participant in the civilian-led United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The Canadian military terms it Operation ACCIUS
Operation ACCIUS
Operation Accius is the Canadian military's contribution to the civilian-led United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan . On November 28, 2002, the Minister of National Defence John McCallum announced that a senior Canadian Forces officer by the name of Lieutenant Colonel David Ross would be...

.
In September 2005 Canada initiated the Strategic Advisory Team – Afghanistan (SAT-A), known as Operation ARGUS, to mentor aspects of the Afghan government on defence issues. It usually contains around fifteen personnel and one Canadian International Development Agency
Canadian International Development Agency
The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...

official. The SAT-A had often been considered a pet project of CDS Rick Hillier and was shut down August 2008 a month after his retirement.
Since early 2006, the Canadian Operational Mentor Liaison Team (OMLT) has helped to train and equip the Afghan National Army to take over security when the coalition pulls out. Currently the OMLT consists of around 200 personnel training 1,000 Afghan soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 205th Corps
205th Corps (Afghanistan)
The 205th 'Atul' Corps is a corps-level formation of the Afghan National Army since 2004. The establishment of the corps started when the first commander, Gul Aqa Nahib, and some of his staff were appointed on September 1, 2004. The corps was officially established in Kandahar on September 19, 2004...

. The OMLT also has a subgroup that mentors the Afghan National Police.

Public opinion

Although the leaders of Canada's two largest political parties agree on the necessity of the mission to Afghanistan, it is politically controversial with the Canadian public.. On August 31, 2006, New Democrat

New Democratic Party

leader Jack Layton

Jack Layton

John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...

called for the withdrawal of Canadian troops from the south of Afghanistan, to begin immediately and soon afterwards pursue peace negotiations with the Taliban insurgents. He argued that the mission lacked clear objectives and measures of success, and that the counter-insurgency operation was undermining reconstruction in Afghanistan. The Liberals

Liberal Party of Canada

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

and the governing Conservatives

Conservative Party of Canada

The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...

have been generally supportive of the mission in Afghanistan. While initially in support of the war, the Bloc Québécois

Bloc Québécois

opposed any extension beyond the initial withdrawal date. Opinion amongst pundits and academics has generally been divided along the ideological lines, with left-leaning media outlets and think-tanks being against the war, and right-leaning publications and institutes being supportive.

Successive surveys conducted by various pollsters across the political spectrum suggest opposition to the war in the general public has grown with time :

At the end of 2001, a poll quoted by the Washington Post showed that 74% of Canadians supported the US-led war in Afghanistan.
One year after the September 11 attacks, Ekos
Ekos
Ekos or EKOS can mean the following:*EKOS Research Associates - a Canadian polling firm*Ekos * A planet in "Patterns of Force ."...

reported that a majority of Canadians still supported the participation of the Canadian military in Afghanistan, with only one in five opposing.
In 2006, as Canada was expanding its presence in the country, a Strategic Counsel poll conducted for CTV News
CTV News
CTV News is the news division of the CTV Television Network in Canada. The name CTV News is also applied as the title of local and regional newscasts on the network's owned-and-operated stations , which are closely tied to the national news division...

and The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...

suggested that a majority of Canadians opposed or were ambivalent to the War in Afghanistan, with 54% opposing. In Québec, as much as 70% opposed the war, while in the West more Canadians were in support (49%) than opposed (45%).
In May 2008, after the Government extended the Canadian mission as recommended by a report from John Manley
John Manley
John Manley may refer to:* John Manley , English soldier, MP and Postmaster General* John Manley, Canadian politician* John Manley , British archaeologist* John H. Manley, American nuclear physicist...

, a national poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion is an international public affairs practice. It was established in 2006 under the name Angus Reid Strategies by Dr Angus Reid, a Canadian sociologist who founded his first research company in 1979. Reid sold the Angus Reid Group to Paris-based Ipsos SA in 2000...

suggested that 54% of Canadians thought the House of Commons of Canada was wrong, while 41% agreed; two months later, 58% opposed and 36% agreed. At that point, Canada had lost 86 soldiers in the war.
In December 2009, public opinion on the War in Afghanistan stood at approximately the same numbers, with 53% opposing and 42% supporting the mission in Afghanistan. However, 66% were opposed at expanding Canada's role in the country, 28% were in support. At that point, Canada had lost 133 soldiers in the war.
At the end of 2010, 9 years after the initial invasion, the Canadian government decided to extend Canada's involvement until 2014; however the combat mission was ending in 2011, and the new mission would involve 950 trainers to help train Afghan troops. According to a national poll conducted by Angus Reid, 48% of Canadians agreed with this decision, while 44% disagreed; however 56% still opposed the military mission in the country.
As the combat mission wrapped up, a poll conducted on 1570 Canadians in July of 2011 for QMI Agency and Sun Media
Sun Media
Sun Media Corporation is the owner of several widely read tabloid and broadsheet newspapers in Canada and the 49 percent owner of Sun News Network...

showed 30% of respondents felt the sacrifice was worthwhile, and 58% did not. The Leger
Leger
Leger may refer to:*Fernand Léger, French artist and filmmaker*Nicole Léger, Canadian politician*Dick Leger, Square Dance Caller*Jules Léger, Governor General of Canada from 14 January 1974 to 22 January 1979.*Saint Leger, or Leodegar...

poll also found that male respondent were more likely to feel the mission was worth the sacrifice than female respondents.

Many Canadians have been vocal in their opposition to the war, and several protests have been held by many anti-war groups, most of them organized under the Canadian Peace Alliance

Canadian Peace Alliance

The Canadian Peace Alliance / L'Alliance canadienne pour la paix is a Canadian umbrella peace organization claiming more than 140 member groups...

umbrella. In Québec, some parliamentarians have refused to stand in honour of soldiers visiting the National Assembly. Other Canadians have been supportive of the mission, and more particularly of the troops. A grassroots phenomenon known as the Highway of Heroes that started in 2006 saw hundreds of local residents gathering along bridges to salute fallen soldiers travelling between CFB Trenton

CFB Trenton

Canadian Forces Base Trenton , is a Canadian Forces base located northeast of Trenton, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad...

and the Coroner's office in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

. Some Canadians also participate in Red Fridays in honour of the soldiers.

Canadian military deaths in Afghanistan

Since February 2002, 158 Canadian soldiers have died in the war in Afghanistan or in support of the war. Of these, 123 were due to hostile circumstances, including 95 due to improvised explosive devices (IED)

Improvised explosive device

An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...

or landmines, 21 due to rocket-propelled grenade, small arms or mortar fire, 11 due to suicide bomb attacks, and one died falling from a high ground position on a cliff during a combat operation that involved firefight. An additional 22 soldiers have died in accidents or other non-combat circumstances; 7 due to "friendly fire

Friendly fire

Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...

", 6 in vehicle accidents, two in an accidental helicopter crash, 2 from accidental falls, 2 from accidental gunshots, 1 suicide death and 2 unspecified non-combat-related deaths in country. Additionally, one unspecified non-combat-related death occurred at a support base in the Persian Gulf. Canada has suffered the third-highest absolute number of deaths

Coalition casualties in Afghanistan

As of November 30, 2011, there have been 2,744 coalition deaths in Afghanistan as part of ongoing coalition operations since the invasion in 2001. In this total, the American figure is for deaths "In and Around Afghanistan" which, as defined by the U.S...

of any nation among the foreign military participants, and the highest casualties per capita of all coalition members since the beginning of the war.

Canadian non-military deaths in Afghanistan

One senior Foreign Affairs official and four Canadian civilians have also been killed in Afghanistan due to hostile circumstances.

Name	Hometown	Employment	Date	Circumstance	References
Glyn Berry Glyn Berry Glyn Berry was a Canadian diplomat killed in a car bomb attack in Afghanistan. He was the first Canadian diplomat to be killed while on duty in Afghanistan. Two other civilians were killed in the incident and ten people were wounded, including three Canadian soldiers, MCpl. Paul Franklin, Pte....	United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	Senior Foreign Affairs officer Government of Canada The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...	15 January 2006	Died in a suicide attack while travelling in an armoured G-wagon.
Mike Frastacky	Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...	Civilian carpenter Civilian A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...	23 July 2006	Murdered in Nahrin.
Jacqueline Kirk	Montreal, Quebec	Civilian Aid Worker Humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...	14 August 2008	Killed along with an American aid worker and their Afghan driver when the vehicle they were riding in was ambushed by gunmen while travelling between Gardez and Kabul.
Shirley Case	Williams Lake, British Columbia Williams Lake, British Columbia Williams Lake, is a city in the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the central part of a region known as the Cariboo, it is the largest urban centre between Kamloops and Prince George, with a population of 11,150 in city limits....	Civilian Aid Worker Humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...	14 August 2008
Michelle Lang Michelle Lang Michelle Justine Lang was a Calgary Herald reporter and the first Canadian journalist to die in the War in Afghanistan.-Career:...	Vancouver, British Columbia	Journalist working for the Calgary Herald	30 December 2009	Killed along with 4 Canadian soldiers when the vehicle they were riding in was struck by an IED

Valour and bravery awards

In December 2003, PPCLI snipers Master Corporal Graham Ragsdale, Master Corporal Tim McMeekin, Corporal Dennis Eason, Corporal Rob Furlong

Rob Furlong

Rob Furlong , is a former corporal of the Canadian Forces, who held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, at 2,430 metres...

and Master Corporal Arron Perry were awarded the Bronze Star

Bronze Star Medal

The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...

by the U.S. Army for their actions in combat during Operation Anaconda

Operation Anaconda

, March 2–11, 2002.

On October 27, 2006, Sergeant Patrick Tower

Patrick Tower

Warrant Officer Patrick Tower, SMV, CD is a Canadian soldier who was the first recipient of the Star of Military Valour, a Canadian military decoration, in recognition of actions under enemy fire taken in the Pashmul region of Afghanistan...

of the PPCLI became the first ever recipient of the Canadian Star of Military Valour

Star of Military Valour

The Star of Military Valour is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest award for military valour, and one of three honours for military valour gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council...

. It came as a result of actions on August 3, 2006, where he assumed command of his platoon under fire, and escorted them to safety.

Sergeant Michael Thomas Victor Denine

Michael Thomas Victor Denine

Sergeant Michael Thomas Denine, MMV, CD is a Canadian soldier who was among the first recipients of the Medal of Military Valour, a Canadian military decoration, in recognition of actions under enemy fire in Afghanistan. He belongs to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.The citation for the...

, PPCLI, was awarded the Medal of Military Valour

Medal of Military Valour

The Medal of Military Valour is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the third highest award for military valour, and one of three honours for military valour gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council...

for his actions as part of Operation Archer

Operation Archer

Operation Archer is the Canadian Forces contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. It began in July 2005 with the deployment of a 220 member "theater activation team" to Kandahar....

. On May 17, 2006, though under intense rocket-propelled grenade, machine gun and small arms fire, Sergeant Denine exited a light armoured vehicle and manned the pintle-mounted machine gun. In spite of being completely exposed to enemy fire, Sergeant Denine laid down such a volume of suppressive fire that he forced the enemy to withdraw.

On May 24, 2006, while under intense enemy fire, Master Corporal

Master Corporal

Master Corporal , in the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Army Cadets is an appointment of the rank of Corporal in the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Airforce...

Collin Ryan Fitzgerald

Master Corporal Collin Ryan Fitzgerald, MMV is a Canadian soldier who was among the first recipients of the Medal of Military Valour, a Canadian military decoration, in recognition of actions under enemy fire in Afghanistan. He belonged to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.The citation...

, PPCLI, entered and re-entered a burning platoon vehicle, driving it off the roadway and allowing the other vehicles trapped in the enemy's kill zone to break free, for which he was awarded the Medal of Military Valour.

On July 13, during Operation Archer Private

Private (rank)

A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...

Jason Lamont

Corporal Jason Lamont, MMV is a Canadian soldier who was who was among the first recipients of the Medal of Military Valour, a Canadian military decoration, in recognition of actions under enemy fire in Afghanistan. He belonged to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.The citation...

, PPCLI, ran across open ground through concentrated enemy fire in order to deliver first aid to a wounded comrade, for which he was also awarded the Medal of Military Valour

Medal of Military Valour

.

Major William Hilton Fletcher, PPCLI, received the Star of Military Valour

Star of Military Valour

. He was recognized for demonstrating extraordinary bravery during his service in Afghanistan from January to August 2006. He repeatedly exposed himself to intense fire while leading C Company, 1 PPCLI Battle Group, on foot, to assault heavily defended enemy positions.

Captain Derek Prohar, PPCLI, received the Medal of Military Valour

Medal of Military Valour

. Assigned as liaison officer with the U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan during the battle at Sperwan Ghar, from September 5 to 12, 2006, Captain Prohar operated as the rear machine gunner on the battalion commander's vehicle. He was wounded by an improvised explosive device

Improvised explosive device

An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...

during an intense enemy ambush. Despite his injuries, he continued returning fire and assisted the commander with the control of the attack, which resulted in the successful seizing of key terrain.

Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant Chris Hasler, a Canadian, was invested with the Distinguished Flying Cross

Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)

The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...

personally by Queen Elizabeth II on 23 May 2007 for flying resupply missions under fire in Chinook helicopters in Afghanistan in 2006. He is the first Canadian to be decorated for bravery in the air since the Korean War.

At the end of 2006, every Canadian soldier was selected by the Canadian Press

Canadian Press

Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. is the entity which "will take over the operations of the Canadian Press" according to a November 26, 2010 article in the Toronto Star...

as the Canadian Newsmaker of the Year

Canadian Newsmaker of the Year

The Canadian Newsmaker of the Year is a title awarded by the Canadian Press annually since 1946, reflecting the opinion of CP, and, since its formation in 1954, that of Broadcast News, on which Canadian has had the most influence on the news in a given year...

due to the war in Afghanistan.

Canadian soldier charged with second-degree murder

In late December 2008, reports began to surface of possible "inappropriate conduct" in relation to the death of a "presumed insurgent". The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service investigated the incident, resulting in second-degree murder charges against Captain Robert Semrau on 31 December 2008. According to court documents released on 6 January 2009, Captain Semrau, who was serving with NATO's Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team supervising and mentoring Afghan soldiers in Helmand Provence, is alleged to have killed a wounded insurgent found by Afghan National Army troops after they came under a Taliban ambush on 19 October 2008. According to the "detention review synopsis" filed by Crown prosecutor Major Marylene Trudel, Afghan soldiers found a man whose wounds "appeared too severe for any type of treatment in situ" and disarmed him. The statement goes on to allege that Semrau was seen near the wounded man when two shots were heard. The document states that "After evaluating all available evidence, the prosecution believes that it was Captain Semrau who fired both shots, that these shots resulted in the death of the severely wounded insurgent and that Captain Semrau had no lawful justification for shooting the severely wounded insurgent,". The prosecution also claims that it will produce a witness who will testify that he saw Semrau shoot the wounded man. The body of the man was left behind at the scene of the ambush and was never found. Major Trudel added that the charges against Captain Semrau could change and that the prosecution was "still a step behind that process."

On September 18, 2009, the Canadian Forces announced that Captain Semrau would be facing General Court Martial on four charges:

Second Degree Murder - contrary to Section 130 of the National Defence Act, pursuant to Section 235(1) of the Criminal Code
Attempt to Commit Murder (alternative to the Charge of Second Degree Murder) - contrary to Section 130 of the National Defence Act, pursuant to Section 239(1)(a.1) of the Criminal Code
Behaving in a Disgraceful Manner – contrary to Section 93 of the National Defence Act
Negligently Performing a Military Duty - contrary to Section 124 of the National Defence Act.

Court Proceedings began on January 25, 2010, before a Military Judge and a five person panel. On March 24, Semrau pleaded not guilty to the four charges. On July 19, he was found not guilty of murder, attempted murder, and negligence, but guilty of disgraceful conduct. On October 5, 2010, he was dismissed from the military and his rank was reduced to second lieutenant, but he was not sentenced to jail. Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Guy Perron, explaining his sentencing, described Captain Semrau as a courageous soldier and leader, and that he was "probably caught between his moral values and his duties as a soldier". He also said that Captain Semrau had even more responsibility towards his duties, because he was in a leadership position : "How can we expect our soldiers to respect the rules of engagement if our officers don't?".

Afghan detainee abuse scandal

In 2007 allegations arose that the Canadian military was handing detainees over to the Afghan military without first making sure that they would not be abused. This evolved into a political scandal in Canada that eventually resulted in Defence Minister

Minister of National Defence (Canada)

Gordon O'Connor

Gordon James O'Connor, is a retired Brigadier-General, businessman, lobbyist, and current Canadian Member of Parliament and the Minister of State and Chief Government Whip....

being demoted.

On November 18, 2009, allegations regarding the treatment of Taliban prisoners captured by Canadian forces in Afghanistan resurfaced in parliamentary testimony by Richard Colvin, the second highest ranked member of Canada’s diplomatic service in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007. Colvin testified that "According to our information, the likelihood is that all the Afghans we handed over were tortured. For interrogators in Kandahar, it was a standard operating procedure." Colvin also testified that he had made numerous reports to both the Department of Defence and the Foreign Affairs Department about the situation, starting in 2006. Defence Minister Peter MacKay

Peter MacKay

Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....

responded to the allegations saying "I don’t believe it's credible. I don’t believe it's backed up by fact and what we have to deal with in a parliamentary hearing, as we do in a court of law, or another judicial or public inquiry, is evidence that can be substantiated".

Financial cost

The estimated cost of continuing Canadian operations in Afghanistan is the subject of considerable debate. Initial government estimates for the period 2001 to 2009 were as low as CAD$9 billion according to Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mackay

Peter MacKay

in June 2006, but later government estimates of the incremental cost of the conflict (as distinct from the fixed cost of DND operations unrelated to Afghanistan) increased to CAD$5 billion in March 2008 due to equipment purchases.

Independent estimates of the total cost of the conflict range as high as CAD$18.5 billion by 2011, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Parliamentary Budget Officer

The Parliamentary Budget Officer was established in 2006 and is mandated by the Parliament of Canada Act to provide independent analysis to the Senate and House of Commons on the state of Canada's finances, the government’s estimates and trends in the national economy. It was one of the...

. The discrepancy between this and government estimates lies in the difficulty in distinguishing between routine military costs and those dedicated specifically to the Afghan conflict, as well as the inclusion of long term costs relating to injured soldiers and estimated lost productivity caused by personnel afflicted with Operational Stress Injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Posttraumaticstress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity,...

Bases

Camp Julien
Camp Julien
Camp Julien was the main base for the Canadian contingent of the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan.The camp was named after Corporal George Patrick Julien, a Canadian soldier who was awarded the Military Medal as a Private, for his actions at Hill 187 in Korea in May 1953...

in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
Camp Nathan Smith
Camp Nathan Smith
Camp Nathan Smith is an American military base in Kandahar City, Afghanistan. Originally, it was an abandoned fruit factory. In November 2003, it was built and operated by the US Army Soldiers of Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment from Fort Bragg, North Carolina...

in Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
Camp Mirage airbase
Camp Mirage
Camp Mirage is the codename for a former Canadian Forces forward logistics facility located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The facility was established in late-December 2001 and, though not officially acknowledged by the Canadian Forces, is considered an "open secret"...

, a logistics base outside of Afghanistan(taken down after UAE airline dispute)

Equipment

Various new equipment was purchased by the CF for the mission to ensure safer conditions for personnel:

Broshuis HET - new
IAI Heron
IAI Heron
The IAI Heron is a Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the Malat division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of Medium Altitude Long Endurance operations of up to 52 hours' duration at up to 35,000 feet...

- new/leased
Mercedes-Benz Actros
Mercedes-Benz Actros
The Mercedes-Benz Actros is a heavy duty truck introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 1995. It is normally used for long-distance haulage, heavy duty distribution haulage and construction haulage. It is available in weights starting at 18 tonnes and is powered by a V6 or V8 cylinder diesel engine with...

- new
CH-47 Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...

- new
CH-146 Griffon
CH-146 Griffon
The Bell CH-146 Griffon is the Canadian military variant of the Bell 412EP, a multi-use utility helicopter. The CH-146 is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissance, search and rescue and aero-mobility tasks....

- existing
Leopard 2
Leopard 2
The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve...

- leased and new
Aardvark JSFU
Aardvark JSFU
Aardvark JSFU Mark 4 is a British-made Mine flail vehicle built by Aardvark Clear Mine Limited of Aberdeenshire, Scotland....

- existing
Chubby (mine detection system)
Chubby (mine detection system)
Husky VMMD or as it was previously known as the Chubby system is part of a mine-removal system developed by DCD-Dorbyl Rolling Stock Division of East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa....

- new
RG-31 Nyala - new
Cougar (vehicle)
Cougar (vehicle)
The Cougar is an armored fighting vehicle designed to be resistant to anti-vehicle mines and improvised munitions.It is a family of armored vehicles produced by Force Protection Inc, which manufactures ballistic and mine-protected vehicles. The automotives are integrated by Spartan Motors...

- new
Bandvagn 206
Bandvagn 206
Bandvagn 206 is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier developed by Hägglunds for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered...

- existing (2002 only)
Buffalo (mine protected vehicle)
Buffalo (mine protected vehicle)
The Buffalo mine protected vehicle is a wheeled armored vehicle built by Force Protection Inc. It was designed based on the successful South African Casspir mine-protected vehicle. While the Casspir is a four wheeled vehicle, the Buffalo has six wheels. Buffalo is also fitted with a large...

- new
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The original 460-series Geländewagen went on sale for civilian buyers in 1979, after having debuted in February of that year. It was offered with two wheelbases, a short wheelbase of 2,400 mm and a long one of 2,850 mm. One could choose between three body styles: A two-door short...

- new
M-Gator
John Deere Gator
The John Deere Gator is a family of small all-terrain utility vehicles produced by the John Deere Corporation. They typically feature a box bed, similar in function to a pickup truck, and have been made in a variety of configurations, ranging from 4 to 6 wheels. The Gator line of vehicles are...

- new
Arid CADPAT
CADPAT
Canadian Disruptive Pattern is the computer-generated digital camouflage pattern currently used by the Canadian Forces . CADPAT is designed to reduce the likelihood of detection by night vision devices. The basic uniform consists of a wide brim combat hat, helmet cover, shirt, jacket, trousers,...
M777 155mm Howitzer

Diplomatic ties

On January 25, 2002, Canada officially re-established diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. This was followed by the opening of Canada's embassy in Kabul in September 2003. Canada's current representative is Ambassador Ron Hoffmann.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Background

Canadian experience in nation-building and sector reform

2001–2002 initial deployment

2003–2005 Operation Athena

Mission-specific training

2006 renewed commitments: Operation Archer

2006-2009: Taliban resurgence

2010: American troop surge

2011: Withdrawal

Provincial reconstruction team

"Signature" projects

Other operations

Public opinion

Canadian military deaths in Afghanistan

Canadian non-military deaths in Afghanistan

Valour and bravery awards

Canadian soldier charged with second-degree murder

Afghan detainee abuse scandal

Financial cost

Bases

Equipment

Diplomatic ties

See also

External links