Canada, the “Global War on Terror” and the Mission in Afghanistan a Chronology Drawn from the Globe and Mail

Canada, the “Global War on Terror” and the Mission in Afghanistan A Chronology Drawn from the Globe and Mail

Jordan Axani Royal Military College of Canada

DRDC CORA CR 2010–163 August 2010

Defence R&D Canada Centre for Operational Research and Analysis

Strategic Analysis Section

Canada, the "Global War on Terror" and the Mission in Afghanistan A Chronology Drawn from the Globe and Mail

Jordan Axani Royal Military College of Canada

Prepared By: Jordan Axani Royal Military College of Canada P.O. Box 17000 Stn Forces Kingston, ON K7B 7B4 Royal Military College of Canada Contract Project Manager: Dr. Michael Hennessy, (613) 541-6000 ext 6845 CSA: Neil Chuka, Defence Scientist, (613) 998-2332

The scientific or technical validity of this Contract Report is entirely the responsibility of the Contractor and the contents do not necessarily have the approval or endorsement of Defence R&D Canada.

Defence R&D Canada – CORA Contract Report DRDC CORA CR 2010-163 August 2010

Principal Author

Original signed by Jordan Axani Jordan Axani Contractor

Approved by

Original signed by Stephane Lefebvre Stephane Lefebvre DRDC CORA Section Head Strategic Analysis

Approved for release by

Original signed by Dean Haslip, PhD Dean Haslip, PhD DRDC CORA Acting Chief Scientist

This work was conducted in support of the Influence Activities Capability Assessement Applied Research Project being led by Mr. Neil Chuka, strategic analyst, DRDC CORA.

Defence R&D Canada – Centre for Operational Research and Analysis (CORA)

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2010 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2010

Abstract ……..

Résumé ….....

Ce rapport contractuel est une chronologie de l’engagement du Canada en Afghanistan et dans la lutte contre le terrorisme, avec une attention particulière portée à l’aspect militaire. Il a été élaboré en se basant sur des articles publiés dans le Globe and Mail entre septembre 2001 et le 31 mars 2010 qui avaient soit un titre, soit un contenu pertinent; il a pour but d’établir une chronologie des activités politiques et militaires du Canada pendant cette période en se basant sur les informations relayées par une source média canadienne de premier plan. Ce travail a été fait pour étayer le projet de recherche appliquée du CARO RDDC intitulé « Évaluation de la capacité en matière d’activités d’influence ». Ce travail a été mené parallèlement à l’élaboration de deux autres chronologies : l’une, identique à cette étude, mais se servant d’articles provenant du National Post, et l’autre fournissant une chronologie des activités militaires canadiennes en lien avec la lutte mondiale contre le terrorisme et l’engagement en Afghanistan, élaborée en se basant sur des sources non classifiées. Le Globe and Mail et le National Post ont été choisis comme sources d’informations pour les deux chronologies basées sur les médias, car les deux publications ont tendance, d’une façon générale, à avoir des positions éditoriales différentes. Le Globe a tendance à adopter des points de vue politiques de centre gauche, tandis que le Post se situe plutôt au centre droit. Il s’agit bien entendu d’une généralisation qui ne s’avère pas toujours vraie, mais qui est suffisamment juste pour les besoins de ce projet. L’utilisation de ces différentes sources média nous permet de comparer la manière dont un incident donné ou une histoire va être rapporté. Le but général est de créer un ensemble d’outils de recherche grâce auquel les activités militaires (y compris celles des ennemis du Canada) peuvent être recoupées avec les comptes rendus qui en sont faits dans les médias nationaux canadiens.

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Executive summary

Canada, the "Global War on Terror" and the Mission in Afghanistan: A Chronology Drawn from the Globe and Mail Jordan Axani; DRDC CORA CR 2010-163; Defence R&D Canada – CORA; August 2010. Introduction: This report is a chronology of Canada’s involvement in the ‘Global War on Terror’ and in Afghanistan, with a focus on the military aspect. Developed through the use of articles published in the Globe and Mail newspaper that had either relevant titles or content from September 2001 to 31 March 2010, it intends to create a timeline of Canadian political and military activities during this period based on the reporting of a major Canadian media source. This work was done in support of the DRDC CORA Applied Research Project entitled “Influence Activities Capability Assessment.”

Competing narratives have played a large role in both the War on Terror and the conflict in Afghanistan as the various parties, including Canada, have sought to influence perceptions, thought, and behaviour. The media is one means by which a desired story is disseminated through reporting on both the words and deeds of the various actors involved in the conflicts. This is not to suggest that the Canadian government or any of its agencies have purposefully attempted to mislead the public through the Canadian media. However, it is undeniable that our adversaries have attempted as much by disseminating misleading or incomplete information, timing the release of information to coincide with specific actions, and other such activities. The Canadian government, its agencies, and her allies do, however, release information to the media for dissemination to a wider audience.

Results: This work was conducted simultaneous to the development of two other chronologies: one identical to this study but which employs articles from the National Post newspaper, and the second providing a timeline of Canadian military activities related to the Global War on Terror and the engagement in Afghanistan developed using unclassified source material. The Globe and Mail and the National Post were chosen as the information sources for the two media chronologies because, in general, the two publications tend to possess different editorial stances. The Globe tends to adopt a centrist-left political viewpoint while Post tends towards a centrist- right stance. This is of course a generalization that does not always hold true but, for the purposes of this project it is sufficiently accurate.

Significance: The use of these different media sources allows comparison of how a given incident or story was reported. The overall goal is the creation of a set of research tools with which military activities (including those of Canada’s adversary’s) can be cross-referenced with reporting in the Canadian national media.

Future plans: This chronology to be used to assist in the analysis required for the DRDC CORA Influence Activities Capability Assessment applied research project.

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Sommaire .....

Canada, the "Global War on Terror" and the Mission in Afghanistan: A Chronology Drawn from the Globe and Mail Jordan Axani; DRDC CORA CR 2010-163; R & D pour la défense Canada – CORA; Août 2010. Introduction: Ce rapport est une chronologie de l’engagement du Canada en Afghanistan et dans la lutte contre le terrorisme, avec une attention particulière portée à l’aspect militaire. Il a été élaboré en se basant sur des articles publiés dans le Globe and Mail entre septembre 2001 et le 31 mars 2010 qui avaient soit un titre, soit un contenu pertinent; il a pour but d’établir une chronologie des activités politiques et militaires du Canada pendant cette période en se basant sur les informations relayées par une source média canadienne de premier plan. Ce travail a été fait pour étayer le projet de recherche appliquée du CARO RDDC intitulé « Évaluation de la capacité en matière d’activités d’influence ».

Les récits antagonistes ont joué un rôle important, à la fois dans la lutte contre le terrorisme et le conflit en Afghanistan, alors que les différents acteurs, y compris le Canada, ont cherché à influencer les perceptions, les façons de penser et les comportements. Les médias sont un des moyens par lesquels on peut propager l’histoire que l’on veut en rapportant les paroles et les agissements des différents intervenants dans le conflit. Cela ne veut pas dire que le gouvernement canadien ou une de ses agences aient délibérément essayé d’induire le public en erreur par le biais des médias canadiens. Il est cependant indéniable que nos adversaires ont essayé de le faire en propageant des informations trompeuses ou incomplètes, faisant en sorte que ces informations soient rendues publiques de manière à coïncider avec des actions particulières et d’autres activités de ce genre. Toutefois, le gouvernement canadien, ses agences et ses alliés transmettent bien l’information aux médias pour qu’ils les diffusent à un public plus large.

Résultats: Ce travail a été mené de manière simultanée avec l’élaboration de deux autres chronologies : l’une, identique à cette étude, mais se servant d’articles provenant du National Post, et l’autre, fournissant une chronologie des activités militaires canadiennes en lien avec la lutte mondiale contre le terrorisme et l’engagement en Afghanistan, élaborée en se basant sur des sources non classifiées. Le Globe and Mail et le National Post ont été choisis comme sources d’informations pour les deux chronologies basées sur les médias, car les deux publications ont tendance, d’une façon générale, à avoir des positions éditoriales différentes. Le Globe a tendance à adopter des points de vue politiques de centre gauche, tandis que le Post se situe plutôt au centre droit. Il s’agit bien entendu d’une généralisation qui ne s’avère pas toujours vraie, mais qui est suffisamment juste pour les besoins de ce projet.

Importance: L’utilisation de ces différentes sources médiatiques nous permet de comparer la manière dont un incident donné ou une histoire va être rapporté. Le but général est de créer un ensemble d’outils de recherche grâce auquel les activités militaires (y compris celles des ennemis du Canada) peuvent être recoupées avec les comptes rendus qui en sont faits dans les médias nationaux canadiens.

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Perspectives: Cette chronologie contribuera à l’analyse nécessaire au projet de recherche appliquée du CARO RDDC intitulé « Évaluation de la capacité en matière d’activités d’influence ».

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Table of contents

Abstract ……...... i Résumé …...... i Executive summary ...... iii Sommaire ...... iv Table of contents ...... vii Acknowledgements ...... xi 1 Introduction ...... 1 1.1 Methodology...... 1 2 2001...... 3 2.1 September 2001 ...... 3 2.2 October 2001 ...... 9 2.3 November 2001 ...... 18 2.4 December 2001 ...... 24 3 2002...... 29 3.1 January 2002 ...... 29 3.2 February 2002 ...... 35 3.3 March 2002 ...... 39 3.4 April 2002 ...... 42 3.5 May 2002 ...... 48 3.6 June 2002 ...... 54 3.7 July 2002 ...... 57 3.8 August 2002...... 60 3.9 September 2002 ...... 63 3.10 October 2002 ...... 67 3.11 November 2002 ...... 70 3.12 December 2002 ...... 74 4 2003...... 77 4.1 January 2003 ...... 77 4.2 February 2003 ...... 82 4.3 March 2003 ...... 89 4.4 April 2003 ...... 96 4.5 May 2003 ...... 100 4.6 June 2003 ...... 102 4.7 July 2003 ...... 105 4.8 August 2003...... 107

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4.9 September 2003 ...... 111 4.10 October 2003 ...... 115 4.11 November 2003 ...... 119 4.12 December 2003 ...... 120 5 2004...... 122 5.1 January 2004 ...... 122 5.2 February 2004 ...... 124 5.3 March 2004 ...... 126 5.4 April 2004 ...... 127 5.5 May 2004 ...... 130 5.6 June 2004 ...... 131 5.7 July 2004 ...... 132 5.8 August 2004...... 133 5.9 September 2004 ...... 134 5.10 October 2004 ...... 134 5.11 November 2004 ...... 135 5.12 December 2004 ...... 136 6 2005...... 138 6.1 January 2005 ...... 138 6.2 February 2005 ...... 138 6.3 March 2005 ...... 139 6.4 April 2005 ...... 140 6.5 May 2005 ...... 140 6.6 June 2005 ...... 141 6.7 July 2005 ...... 141 6.8 August 2005...... 144 6.9 September 2005 ...... 145 6.10 October 2010 ...... 146 6.11 November 2005 ...... 147 6.12 December 2005 ...... 148 7 2006...... 150 7.1 January 2006 ...... 150 7.2 February 2006 ...... 151 7.3 March 2006 ...... 153 7.4 April 2006 ...... 157 7.5 May 2006 ...... 159 7.6 June 2006 ...... 163 7.7 July 2006 ...... 167 7.8 August 2006...... 168 viii DRDC CORA CR 2010-163

7.9 September 2006 ...... 172 7.10 October 2006 ...... 176 7.11 November 2006 ...... 177 7.12 December 2006 ...... 179 8 2007...... 180 8.1 January 2007 ...... 180 8.2 February 2007 ...... 183 8.3 March 2007 ...... 186 8.4 April 2007 ...... 190 8.5 May 2007 ...... 196 8.6 June 2007 ...... 198 8.7 July 2007 ...... 202 8.8 August 2007...... 206 8.9 September 2007 ...... 209 8.10 October 2007 ...... 212 8.11 November 2007 ...... 215 8.12 December 2007 ...... 217 9 2008...... 219 9.1 January 2008 ...... 219 9.2 February 2008 ...... 222 9.3 March 2008 ...... 225 9.4 April 2008 ...... 226 9.5 May 2008 ...... 229 9.6 June 2008 ...... 231 9.7 July 2008 ...... 235 9.8 August 2008...... 236 9.9 September 2008 ...... 240 9.10 October 2008 ...... 242 9.11 November 2008 ...... 244 9.12 December 2008 ...... 247 10 2009...... 250 10.1 January 2009 ...... 250 10.2 February 2009 ...... 252 10.3 March 2009 ...... 255 10.4 April 2009 ...... 258 10.5 May 2009 ...... 260 10.6 June 2009 ...... 263 10.7 July 2009 ...... 265 10.8 August 2009...... 266

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10.9 September 2009 ...... 270 10.10 October 2009 ...... 273 10.11 November 2009 ...... 276 10.12 December 2009 ...... 279 11 2010...... 283 11.1 January 2010 ...... 283 11.2 February 2010 ...... 285 11.3 March 2010 ...... 288 Distribution list ...... 293

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Nancy Axani for her assistance in developing this chronology.

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1 Introduction

This report is a chronology of Canada’s involvement in the ‘Global War on Terror’ and activities in Afghanistan, with a particular focus on the military aspects of both. Developed through the use of articles published in the Globe and Mail newspaper that had either relevant titles or content from September 2001 to 31 March 2010, it intends to create a timeline of Canadian political and military activities during this period based on the reporting of a major Canadian media source. This work was done in support of the DRDC CORA Applied Research Project entitled “Influence Activities Capability Assessment.”

This work was conducted simultaneous to the development of two other chronologies: one identical to this study but which employs articles from the National Post newspaper, and the second providing a timeline of Canadian military activities related to the Global War on Terror and the engagement in Afghanistan developed using unclassified source material. The Globe and Mail and the National Post were chosen as the information sources for the two media chronologies because, in general, the two publications tend to possess different editorial stances. The Globe tends to adopt a centrist-left political viewpoint while the Post tends towards a centrist-right stance. This is of course a generalization that does not always hold true but, for the purposes of this project it is sufficiently accurate. The use of these different media sources allows comparison of how a given incident or story was reported. The overall goal is the creation of a set of research tools with which military activities (including those of Canada’s adversary’s) can be cross-referenced with reporting in the Canadian national media.

The remainder of this paper is organized annually, meaning, section two will cover the year 2001, section three 2002, and so on. Months are sub-sections of the annual sections. Because there is no analysis involved, no conclusion is provided. The end date of the chronology is March 2010 and is related solely to the fact that this work was funded during the federal 2009/2010 fiscal year.

1.1 Methodology A consistent seven-step methodology was used to produce this chronology:

1. Database searches using keywords: Canada Newsstand was used to access the articles electronically through the ProQuest distribution system that is available through most Canadian universities. ProQuest allows for a high degree of keyword customization and it

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was found that the following coding worked best to retrieve comprehensive but focused results. The search terms employed were:

a. Afghanistan OR Iraq OR Taliban OR terror* OR [last name of Minister of National Defence] OR [last name of Chief of Defence Staff] AND (Canad* OR federal OR Ottawa)

b. “*” was used to allow for any number of suffixes on the end of the term. For instance, “terror*” would yield results for “terror”, “terrorist”, and “terrorism”.

2. Measurement of relevance: To get rid of any articles that were irrelevant, two key questions were asked to narrow the search further. First, was the article of clear relevance to Canada and/or a relevant situation concerning an ally of Canada? And second, was it relevant to the war in Afghanistan and/or the broader Global War on Terror? And third, was the event significant enough to include in this chronology?

3. Type of article: Most articles that were opinion pieces were immediately eliminated if neutral material was available. Articles that used speculative foresight were also removed as much as possible (ie: “event x” is expected to happen next week). The ideal article simply reported the facts surrounding an event after it had already happened.

4. Long cases: Certain cases - especially those of Mahar Arar, Omar Khadr, and Afghan detainees - spanned much of the chronology and were only included when substantive events actually happened, rather than when the events were simply being commentated on by a journalist or analyst external of the actual ordeal.

5. Summarizing: More often than not, text was extracted from the article being examined and edited together to give a rudimentary understanding of the event. This allowed for the process be expedited while delivering detailed, complete entries.

6. Indexing: Most articles in the chronology are linked to other articles. This was done in a way that would connect ideas and happenings rather than provide a blanket list of articles for each broad subject encountered. Most articles are linked to others in the same year but there are some that span throughout much longer periods. One can literally index endlessly as there are abstract connections between many of the events in one way or another. A balance between clear organization and the avoidance of blanket indexing was the goal. No year was given in the date when the reference was for the same year as the indexed event.

7. Deceptive headlines: Articles with deceptive headlines – where the content of the article was not reflected in the title - are marked with “*Deceptive headline” below the indexing line.

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2 2001

2.1 September 2001

Wednesday, 12 September “A day of infamy” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

President George W. Bush last night vowed swift and severe retribution against those who carried out the worst terrorist attack in history, one that summoned the ghosts of Pearl Harbor and shattered every American's belief that the age of war was behind them. Vowing a “war against terrorism,” Mr. Bush returned to a stunned Washington last night to assure Americans that after a day of engineered catastrophe, in which thousands died, the world’s strongest military power was ready to strike back at an enemy—even one he could not identify. In a historic attack on U.S. soil, four commercial aircraft were hijacked yesterday morning and pointed at civilian targets. Two collided into the twin towers of New York City’s World Trade Center, causing the 110-storey buildings to collapse. U.S. officials quickly pointed to fugitive terrorist leader Osama bin Laden as the mastermind of the attacks. He is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan and has been blamed for 1998 attacks on U.S. embassies in Africa. – See entries on 13, 27 September and almost all forthcoming entries “Canada goes on alert” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A6)

The federal government went on a security alert and shut down all airports except for diverted aircraft in response to the terrorist attacks in the United States yesterday, but a shaken Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said these are precautions and there is no specific threat to Canada. RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli said the Mounties are co-operating with U.S. authorities. He said his force is investigating whether Canada was a staging area for the attacks, but added that there is no evidence yet of any Canadian connection. Mr. Chrétien, who said he was horrified by the attacks in New York and Washington, offered whatever Canadian emergency assistance might be needed. – See entries on 13, 14 September

Thursday, 13 September “U.S. expects its friends to back: efforts to launch war on terrorism” (John Ibbitson, pg.A6)

U.S. President George W. Bush’s declaration that the United States is at war has placed Canada on the front lines of a conflict without borders. The Americans are showing unprecedented solidarity and making unprecedented demands of their friends as they prepare to avenge the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The U.S. Senate voted 100 to 0 yesterday in declaring its unqualified support for Mr. Bush as he plans a response to the attacks. The House of Representatives was equally supportive. There were even discussions as to whether Congress should formally declare that the nation is at war. And the American government also asked for, and received, the invocation of Article Five of the North Atlantic Charter, which commits Canada and all NATO members to declaring that an attack on the United States is an attack on them.

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– See entry on 12 September “Chrétien hedges on troops to assist retaliatory strike” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A14)

Canada treats a terrorist attack against any one of its NATO allies as an attack against itself, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said yesterday, but he refused to commit Canadian troops to retaliatory strikes against foreign targets. Mr. Chrétien said he and his government officials have been in contact with other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Group of Eight industrialized countries to discuss a “collective” response to the attacks. The major issue is simply that it is unclear who the enemy is at this time, Chrétien concedes. “Who is the exact enemy? I will not speculate at this time. I'm sure that the Western world has to react and that the Western world will react.” – See entry on 14 September “Canadian connection suspected in hijackings” (Jeff Sallot, Andrew Mitcovica, Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A1) Canadian and U.S. authorities are working closely on investigative leads suggesting that some of the suicide hijackers who struck New York and Washington used Canada as a staging area, officials in both countries said on 12 September. Vince Cannistraro, a former senior U.S. intelligence official, said as many as five suspects in the attacks are believed to have entered the U.S. via Canada. – See entry on 12, 14 September

Friday, 14 September “No evidence of Canada link” (Daniel Leblanc, Andrew Mitrovica, Ingrid Peritz, pg.A7)

The terrorists involved in this week's attacks in New York and Washington did not travel through, or plan any part of their strikes in, Canada, according to the latest information available to police. There had been speculation that some of the terrorists had crossed into the United States from Quebec or Nova Scotia shortly before they hijacked a plane in Boston. But Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli insisted yesterday that all leads so far have been verified and that no Canadian link has emerged. – See entry on 12, 13 September “Canada backs 'proportionate' attack” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A3)

Canada would support U.S. retaliation against the terrorists who attacked New York and Washington, even if some innocent people got hurt, says Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley. Mr. Manley, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and other senior ministers repeatedly emphasized Canadian solidarity with the United States, noting that Canada is a close military ally as well as the Americans’ most important trading partner. The Canadian Forces remained on a higher state of alert, but so far military movements have been minimal. – See entry on 13 September – *Deceptive headline

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“Bush zeroes in on target” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

U.S. officials named Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden, who lives in Afghanistan, as “suspect No. 1” in Tuesday’s devastating attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and laid out specific demands for neighbouring Pakistan to show it is willing to co-operate with an increasingly likely U.S. assault. The White House won further public support from key military allies, including Canada, Britain and France. It also finalized a deal with Congress for $40-billion (U.S.) to pay for rescue and recovery efforts, as well as new and unspecified national-security measures. – See entries on 12, 14, 19, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October

Saturday, 15 September

“The world mourns” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

On Parliament Hill, more than 100,000 commemorated the bonds between the world's two closest allies, led by Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. “We reel before the blunt and terrible reality of the evil we have just witnessed,” the Prime Minister said. “We cannot stop the tears of grief.” But to Americans everywhere, from Canadians everywhere, he urged, “Do not despair. You are not alone. We are with you. The whole world is with you.” – See entry on 12 September

Tuesday, 18 September “A House divided—and that’s good” (Edward Greenspon, pg.A1)

In emergency debate, the House of Commons gave voice—or voices—to the different impulses beating within the heart of the nation after last week's devastation in the United States. It is becoming clearer as the days go by that Canadians are united in their revulsion at the terrorists and their empathy for the victims—but not on the best way forward. Each of the parties had their say in Canada’s course of action in this emergency debate. – See entries on 13, 14, 18, 19 September, 2 October “We'll back U.S. fight, PM vows” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A7)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has declared that Canada is “at war against terrorism,” a conflict that his cabinet ministers conceded may cost Canadian lives. In the House of Commons on 17 September, Mr. Chrétien pledged to join the United States and other allies in the fight against the terrorist organization responsible for the horrific attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The antiterrorist campaign could include possible military action. MPs their “determination to bring to justice” the people involved in the assaults and “to defend civilization from any future attacks.” U.S. officials have said the prime suspect is a terrorist organization headed by Osama bin Laden. – See entries on 13, 14 September

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Wednesday, 19 September “Clerics talk tough on bin Laden” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

The Taliban, the controlling group in Afghanistan, which referred a final decision to the council of clerics, appeared yesterday to maintain its position that it would surrender Mr. bin Laden only if the United States presented evidence of his involvement in last week’s terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and gave an assurance that he would be tried in a Muslim country. – 14, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October “U.S. plan to 'drain the swamp': lacks credible military targets” (Paul Koring, pg.A4)

Winning the war against terrorists means the United States must “drain the swamp they live in,” U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on 18 September. But there are lots of ways of draining those swamps, and senior U.S. officials say different methods—threats, sanctions, abductions, covert military action and, possibly, full-blown war—will be applied to different swamps. “This is a very new type of conflict; as a result, we're moving in a measured manner,” Mr. Rumsfeld said. If a military operation is undertaken against Afghanistan, it may initially take the form of small, covert abductions or assassinations. “There are not great things of value that are easy to deal with,” Mr. Rumsfeld said. Afghanistan lacks the buildings, military installations and other infrastructure that is usually targeted by cruise missiles and bombs. – See entries on 14, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October “PM plans trip to U.S. to discuss united force” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A7)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien will travel next week to the U.S. capital for a war council with U.S. President George W. Bush and said he will advise the U.S. to take a restrained approach in its response to last week’s terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. – See entries on 13, 14, 18, 19 September

Thursday, 20 September “U.S. military launches ‘Infinite Justice’ mission” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

The United States began a large military buildup in the Persian Gulf on 19 September—code named Operation Infinite Justice—as the threat of retaliation against countries accused of harbouring terrorists continues to grow. The Pentagon ordered more than 100 warplanes to the region, suggesting that more will soon follow as it begins its open-ended campaign to root out terrorist groups in what could prove to be dozens of countries. The F-15 and F-16 fighter jets are believed to be on their way to so-called forward bases in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, from where they could strike either Iraq or Afghanistan. The two countries have been mentioned by U.S. officials as havens for anti-American terrorists. More aircraft, including B-1 bombers and surveillance planes, are likely to follow, reports say. An aircraft carrier and a dozen other warships and submarines also left Norfolk, Va., yesterday for what was previously scheduled as a mission in the Mediterranean. Officials would not say whether orders had changed. Military pressure is ratcheting up as Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban regime continues to refuse U.S. and United Nations demands for the handover of suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.

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Taliban leaders said they are still awaiting proof that Mr. bin Laden or any other member of his al-Qaeda network of militant groups was involved in last week's terrorist attacks. – See entries on 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October “Canada will make its own laws, PM vows” (Shawn McCarthy, Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien stressed sovereignty to his MPs yesterday in the face of increased pressure to establish a North American security perimeter. In a closed caucus meeting, Mr. Chrétien said the government may make changes to immigration and other policies but will not simply harmonize those policies with the Americans, as some Liberals have suggested. Opposition leaders slammed the government for being too soft. But the Prime Minister said it will maintain what he called a “balanced approach” as it tightens security. – See entries on 18 September, 2 October

Friday, 21 September “Tide of hate crimes rising in Canada” (Alanna Mitchell, pg.A5)

Hate-motivated crimes have skyrocketed in Canada since the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington last week. This is happening in lock step with a wave of similar incidents in the United States and Britain. In Canada, many of the incidents are aimed at any dark-skinned person, regardless of religion or ethnic origin. Police have confirmed the trend. – See entry on 4 May 2002 “First hit likely all-U.S. effort” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A6)

The United States is almost certain to strike unilaterally when it first locates terrorist targets and will call on allies for military assistance only later in what may become a long campaign, Canadian defence officials said on 20 September. – See entries on 14, 19, 20, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October

Saturday, 22 September “Canadians reject war if civilians put at risk” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Nearly half of Canadians would oppose joining a U.S.-led international war on terrorism if it would expose civilians here to terrorist attacks, a new Globe and Mail-CTV-Ipsos Reid poll reveals. The survey, done this week, found that 73 per cent of Canadians favour joining the United States in its battle against terrorism. But support plunges with the prospect of civilian casualties here. In that case, 43 per cent of respondents say they would oppose joining a war on terrorism.

Monday, 24 September “Bin Laden gone? U.S. doubts it” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

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The United States and Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban clashed yesterday over whether the Afghan regime has lost touch with militant Islamic leader Osama bin Laden, as U.S. officials vowed to uproot “thousands” of his supporters. Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, said his government has been searching for Mr. bin Laden since late last week to invite him to leave the country, “but he has not been traced.” Yesterday, though, Secretary of State Colin Powell emphasized that the U.S. government’s first and perhaps only objective is the destruction of al-Qaeda (The Base), Mr. bin Laden's loose network. – See entries on 14, 19, 20, 21, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October “Worldwide extremist network revealed” (Jane Armstrong, pg.A6)

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the U.S. government will make public evidence showing that Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network were behind the terrorist attacks. – See entries on 14, 19, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October – *Deceptive headline

Wednesday, 26 September “Canada and U.S. tighten borders” (John Ibbitson, Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

U.S. Attorney-General John Ashcroft revealed yesterday that his country will toughen security along the Canadian border, saying it has been used by terrorists as a “transit point.” His remarks came even as Canadian Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan announced she had ordered tough new security screening for refugee claimants, which is already increasing backlogs at entry points. – See entries on 13, 14 September

Thursday, 27 September “Death applications filed for 26 Canadians” (Canadian Press, pg.A8)

The state of New York received presumption-of-death applications on 26 September for at least 26 Canadians lost in the rubble of the World Trade Center. – See entries on 12 September

Saturday, 29 September “Special forces are in, says U.S.” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

U.S. government officials confirmed yesterday that U.S. and British special forces are inside Afghanistan, perhaps preparing for future operations against Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist group or the Taliban regime. President George W. Bush, alluding to the importance of such missions, commented yesterday that it's difficult to fight “a guerrilla war with conventional forces.” He refused to provide any information about undercover operations that might be under way in Afghanistan, but added: “Make no mistake about it, we're in hot pursuit.”

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– See entries on 14, 19, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October

2.2 October 2001

Monday, 1 October “Taliban keeping bin Laden at 'secret' hideaway” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

As U.S. troops and assets continue to arrive in the Gulf region, it became clear that the Taliban was housing and protecting Osama bin Laden in a secret hideaway somewhere in Afghanistan; making the political regime just as much of a target as bin Laden himself. The Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, warned in a public response that the US should leave Muslim and Arab countries alone or else Americans will never be safe. – See entries on 14, 19, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 8, 10 October

Tuesday, 2 October “U.S. to share bin Laden evidence” (Tu Thanh Ha, Jill Mahoney, pg.A5)

President Bush said that members of al-Qaeda have been located in Afghanistan and will be brought to justice. The U.S. will share intelligence with allied nations, including Canada, proving that Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda planned and conducted the attacks on 11 September. British Prime Minister Tony Blair called the evidence powerful and incontrovertible. – See entry on 5 October “U.S., Britain appear ready to begin strike on Taliban” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

The U.S. and Britain prepared to launch a military attack against the Taliban. Tony Blair cited that they have given the Taliban enough time to turn over the terrorists but have failed to do so. He said that the U.S.-British effort will destroy Taliban equipment, cut their supply lines and target their troops. Related, Canada announced that it would lift all economic and political sanctions against Pakistan, citing the country’s criticism of Taliban practices. – See entries for 14, 19, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 6, 8, 10 October “Ottawa setting up antiterror committee” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

A cabinet-level committee to coordinate departmental counterterrorism initiatives met for the first time on 1 October. The committee includes Deputy Prime Minister Herb Gray, Transport Minister David Collenette, Defence Minister Art Eggleton, Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan, Finance Minister Paul Martin, Revenue Minister Martin Cauchon, Solicitor-General Lawrence MacAulay, Justice Minister Anne McLellan and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion. The committee will quickly implement a number of antiterrorism initiatives including the investigation of terrorists who disguise themselves as refuges as a response to a call from the United Nations Security Council. – See entry on 18, 20 September

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Wednesday, 3 October “Cellucci urges Canada to hike defence budget” (Paul Knox, pg.A8)

U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci, asked Ottawa to spend more on defence to bolster its peacekeeping capabilities to aid the American transition from peacekeeping operations (i.e., in the Balkans) to offensive missions in the Middle East. He also called on Ottawa to work with the U.S. to prevent terrorists from operating in North America and emphasized tighter immigration controls. – See entries on 4, 8, 9 October “Canadian support praised by Ashcroft, MacAulay says” (John Ibbitson, pg. A6.)

Canadian Solicitor-General Lawrence MacAulay met U.S. Attorney-General John Ashcroft on 2 October to discuss border security and bilateral police cooperation. Neither would give specific details of the meeting aside from affirming that North American security will be a main issue of both governments in the future. Ashcroft and the FBI publicly praised the work of the RCMP and CSIS. – See entry on 17 December, 19 July 2006

Thursday, 4 October “Will Canada send soldiers to free U.S. peacekeepers? ” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

Minister of National Defence, Art Eggleton, said that Ottawa is considering Paul Cellucci’s push for Canada to increase its peacekeeping capacity. Eggleton also signed an agreement that would allow up to 100 Canadian soldiers to particpate in any U.S.-led antiterrorist strike. – See entries on 3, 8, 9 October “U.S. sends military aid request to NATO” (Paul Knox, pg. A4)

U.S. officials formally requested material support of other NATO member countries to launch a military offensive in Afghanistan. The assets requested include spy planes, allies’ air space, bases and fuel pipelines. The U.S. gave no indication whether or not it would seek the help of NATO nations in planning the mission.

See entry on 6 October

Friday, 5 October “The War on Terror ” (Editorial, pg.A7)

On 4 October, the British government released a 70-point report that outlined how Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda were behind the 11 September attacks. It was replicated in The Globe and Mail. – See entry on 2 October

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“How would Canada react to new regime? ” (John Stackhouse, pg.A4)

Minister for International Cooperation, Maria Minna, said that Ottawa would cooperate with another government in Afghanistan when and if the Taliban was ousted and replaced with a responsible and moderate government that was focused on redevelopment of the Afghan state. – See entry on 6 October

Saturday, 6 October “U.S., Blair tighten noose on isolated Taliban regime” (John Stackhouse, pg. A1)

American and British politicians and strategists completed their military and diplomatic preparations to launch a military offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Significant emphasis was placed on building a regional consensus of what governance for post-Taliban Afghanistan should look like. – See entries for 2, 5 October – *Deceptive headline “Peace groups gather as NATO delegates converge on Ottawa” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A5)

NATO member states met in Ottawa on 6 October to discuss the appropriate response to the 11 September attacks. Members of Canadian peace groups, including the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, also met to protest the pending invasion of Afghanistan. – See entries on 4, 9 October “Liberals to increase security spending” (Shawn McCarthy, pg. A5)

Liberal sources disclosed that the federal government will make a series of announcements in the next two weeks regarding increased funding for domestic security to the sum of $250 million. – See entries on 13, 27 October

Monday, 8 October “We will not falter and we will not fail” (Reuter News Agency, pg.A10)

President George Bush made a statement on 7 October on U.S. television explaining that the U.S. would launch a military offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan. – See entries on 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 10 October “We will act with reason and resolve” (British Press Association, pg.A11)

After President Bush’s announcement, British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke on national media on 7 October to confirm that British forces would be involved in the U.S.-led attacks on Taliban targets in Afghanistan – See entries on 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 24, 29 September, 1, 2, 10 October

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“We must remain strong and vigilant” (Canadian Press, pg. A10)

After President Bush’s announcement on 7 October, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien made a national statement stating that Canadian military assets would join the American-led coalition to combat terrorism. It was revealed that on 5 October President Bush asked Canada to commit military assets to the fight against terrorism. Later that evening the Minister of National Defence was informed of the situation and was instructed to agree. On 6 October, Chrétien met with the U.S. Chief of the National Defence Staff. On the same day as his national speech, 7 October, Chrétien instructed the Chief of Defence Staff, General Raymond Henault, to prepare units for deployment. Chrétien also assured Canadians that the leaders of all the opposition parties have agreed to cooperate with the deployment of Canadian troops – See entries on 13, 14, 18, 19 September, 9, 18 October “U.S. strikes back, Canada gears up” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

Following the announcements of state leaders on 7 October, U.S. military assets began to target locations in Kabul and Kandahar, including the military headquarters of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. Canada prepares troops, including a Navy frigate, for deployment. – See entries on 9, 18 October “Spend more on military, Ottawa told” (Stephen Chase, pg.A13)

Canada was accused by Bruce George, the head of the British Parliament’s defence committee of not pulling its weight internationally with respect to military spending and capabilities. Douglas Beruter, vice-president of a U.S. congressional house committee on intelligence, made similar claims on CTV’s Question Period. Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Raymond Henault, countered these claims at a NATO meeting, citing Canada’s peacekeeping role on the world’s stage. – See entries on 3, 4, 8 October “Suddenly, we’re at war” (Edward Greenspon, pg.A17)

Little information has been revealed about the scope of Canada’s commitment to fighting terrorism abroad. Prime Minister Chrétien said that it would include military, diplomatic, financial, humanitarian, legislative and domestic security initiatives. The author argues that Canadians want further details about the extent and longevity of the mission. Minister of National Defence Art Eggleton did not comment on the Prime Minister’s claims on 7 October. The author believes that a constructive, inclusive debate needs to take place before Canada makes firm commitments. “PM puts military on alert” (Steven Chase, pg. A1)

Prime Minister Chrétien has put the military on standby to be deployed to combat terrorism presumably in Afghanistan. Canada has not formally said whether Canada is at war with Afghanistan. Opposition Leader, Stockwell Day, backed the Prime Minister. Alexa McDonough, leader of the New Democratic Party, criticized the ongoing air attacks in Afghanistan and the prospect of Canadian military involvement in the region. The coming week will feature a cabinet meeting dedicated to the topic and a debate in Parliament is expected shortly.

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– See entries on 9, 18 October

Tuesday, 9 October “Thousands join rallies for peace” (Michael Valpy, pg.A13)

Peace rallies on 7 and 8 October in major North American and European cities (including Toronto and Montreal) took place as protestors attempted to influence the U.S.-led attack on Taliban key targets in Afghanistan. – See entries on 4, 7 October “NATO seeks Canadian troops for the Balkans” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A6)

George Robertson, the Secretary-General of NATO expects that Canada will send peacekeeping troops to the Balkans so that American soldiers can relocate to the Middle East. – See entries on 3, 4, 8 October “Canadians head off to war” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Canada’s largest combined naval and air mission in a decade, Operation Apollo, was announced on 8 October. It will include six ships, six aircraft and 2,000 service personnel. The only ground forces that will be used for hostile engagement is a small deployment of Joint Task Force 2. – See entry on 8 October

Wednesday, 10 October “Security changes here subtle” (Campbell Clark, pg.A4)

Since Canada has announced its participation in the U.S.-led war on terrorism, security measures have been increased domestically—although not to the extent seen in other countries. – See entry on 2 October. “PM vague about length of military deployment” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A6)

Pressed with more questioning, Prime Minister Chrétien was vague about how long Canadians can expect their armed forces to be active in the fight against terrorism. – See entry on 8 October “Al-Qaeda declares holy war” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, a lieutenant of Osama bin Laden, was featured in a video distributed by al- Qaeda on 9 October where he declares holy war on the U.S and praises the events of 11 September. He also urged all Muslims around the world to pick up arms and fight against the U.S. by citing that Jihad is the religious duty of every Muslim. “Canadian Muslims scorn call to arms” (John Saunders, pg.A1)

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Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, a lieutenant of Osama bin Laden, encouraged Muslims worldwide to pick up arms and fight the United States. Abdul Hai Patel, Muslim Chaplin at the University of Toronto, said that Canadian Muslims looked down on the call to arms. – See entries on 10 October 2001, 15 December 2001, 16 July 2005, 8 July 2006, 1 January 2007, 1 January 2007

Thursday, 11 October “Canadian killed in Kuwaiti market” (John Saunders, pg.A12)

A Canadian was shot in Kuwait on 10 October. Reuteurs reported that the incident could have been linked to Canada’s support for the ongoing U.S. air raids against key Taliban targets in Afghanistan. – See entries on 12, 13 October

Friday, 12 October “Terrorists could hit again soon, FBI warns” (John Stackhouse, pg.A1) President George Bush warned Americans on 11 October that there is a possibility of another attack on American soil or against U.S. assets overseas in the coming days. Canadian officials said that they have no intelligence of any attacks against Canada. See entry on 3 October 2001 “Let’s stand by our PM” (Stockwell Day, pg.A17)

Leader of the Oppositiion, Stockwell Day, published an open letter to Canadians urging them to support Prime Minister Chrétien’s decision to take part in the battle against terrorism. – See entry on 8 October “Shooting of Canadian sparks fear” (Alan Freeman, pg.A7)

Canadian expatriate communities, especially in the Persian Gulf, worry about the possibility of being targeted in the wake of the killing in Kuwait on 10 October. – See entries on 11, 13 October

Saturday, 13 October “Ottawa set to take hard line in battle on terror” (Brian Laghi, Daniel Leblanc, Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

The federal government will announce a $12-million bioterrorism package, tougher justice sanctions against hate crimes, new prohibitions on fundraising for terrorist groups and new money for CSIS. – See entries on 6, 27 October “Ottawa zeroes in on refugee claimants” (Campbell Clark, pg.A13)

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The RCMP received $55-million for a host of new security measures, including new technologies and the protection of key sites including embassies. The Immigration Department will receive $49-million that will be used to hire more immigration officers and intensify the interview process, as well as deport more persons living illegally in Canada. – See entries on 6, 27 October “Kuwaiti found with papers on sensitive Ottawa sites” (Peter Cheney, pg.A1)

The Canadian that was shot in Kuwait on 10 October was found with documents detailing at least two Ottawa facilities including the Atomic Energy Canada building and a federal disease and virus control site according to the Los Angeles Times using information provided by the FBI. The RCMP is taking over the investigation. – See entries on 11, 12 October

Monday, 15 October “Ottawa backs U.S. ‘all the way’” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

On CTV’s Question Period yesterday, Minister of National Defence Art Eggleton said that Canada would wholly support the U.S.’s efforts to blunt terrorism for the long term. – See entries on 13, 14, 18, 19 September, 8 October – *Deceptive headline “Submarines not ready for patrol” (Kim Lunman, pg.A6)

The submarines purchased from the British government for $750-million last year are still not operational, leaving Canada without a fleet of functional submarines. Critics point to this episode as representative of the state of Canada’s defence.

Tuesday, 16 October “Sweeping curbs on freedom in antiterrorism: legislation likely to go to top court” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A5)

On 15 October, Justice Minister, Anne McClellan, introduced a piece of antiterrorism legislation, the Antiterrorism Act, that would give Ottawa significant powers to combat domestic terrorist threats. In order to figure out how far Ottawa can go, the legislation will likely go to the Supreme Court of Canada. – See entries on 18, 20, 22, 23, 25 October “Police to get sweeping powers: under Ottawa’s terrorism bill” (Daniel Leblanc, Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

Police organizations would be given significant abilities under the new Antiterrorism Act that was introduced on 15 October. The bill includes: the ability to conduct preventive arrests, investigative hearings, the interception of communications and broadening the definition of “terrorist activity.”

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– See entries on 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November “PM vows complete victory” (Mark MacKinnon, Jeff Sallot, pg.A6)

Prime Minister Chrétien began the special House of Commons debate pertaining to Canada’s involvement in the U.S.-led fight against terrorism last night, 15 October, by assuring Canadians that complete victory against extremist opponents would be eventually complete. Leader of the Opposition, Stockwell Day, warned that it is likely that Canadians will have to make a deeper commitment to the battle. Alexa McDonough, leader of the New Democratic Party, argued that Canada is following the U.S. and demanded to know how far Canada is willing to go in the battle against terrorism. – See entries on 8 October

Wednesday, 17 October “Chrétien to talk to coalition partners at APEC” (Campbell Clark, pg.A13)

Prime Minister Chrétien and President Bush will attempt to round up support at the APEC summit in Shanghai this weekend. Chrétien will meet with a dozen national leaders whose support for the battle against terrorism seems weak.

Thursday, 18 October “Little room to manoeuvre, economists tell Martin” (Heather Scoffield, pg.A11)

Economic experts warned Minister of Finance, Paul Martin, that with the difficult current fiscal situation coupled with increases in security and defence spending Canada’s ability to fund programs across the board will be limited. “Fight terrorism at roots: McLellan” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Justice Minister, Anne McLellan, said that terrorist activity in Canada will not be limited only by laws and enforcement. Rather, she promotes investigating the root causes of terrorism and why such hatreds exist and grow within Canada. – See entries on 16, 22, 23, 24 October, 5, 18, 19 and 29 November “Canada bids farewell to troops” (Kevin Cox, pg.A1)

About 800 Canadian sailors, air personnel and soldiers left Halifax yesterday in the HCMS Preserver, HCMS Iroquois and the HCMC Charlottetown to head to the Persian Gulf to assist with the ongoing U.S. military offensive. – See entry on 8 October, 8 December

Saturday, 20 October “Weapons to be deployed at Canadian nuclear plants” (Martin Mittelstaedt, pg.A9)

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On the heels of plans detailing the layout of at least one Canadian nuclear facility being found on a Canadian that was gunned down earlier in the week, weapons will be used for defence of seven nuclear power sites nationwide. – See entries on 11, 12, 13 October

Monday, 22 October “PM rejects sunset clause for terror law” (Campbell Clark, pg.A7)

Prime Minister Chrétien said on 21 October that there would be no sunset clause on the powers outlined in Ottawa’s new antiterrorism bill. This was contrary to what Justice Minister, Anne McClelland, said the week prior. – See entries on 16, 18, 23, 24 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November “Canada could send peacekeepers to postwar Afghanistan, PM says” (Campbell Clark, pg.A4)

At the end of the APEC summit, Prime Minister Chrétien noted that if a United Nations force were to be deployed in Afghanistan to secure the region and provide governance that Canada would consider sending a peacekeeping troops if asked. – See entry on 17 October.

Tuesday, 23 October “The antiterrorism law needs a sunset clause” (Editorial, pg.A16)

The Globe and Mail editorial argued that Canada’s new Antiterrorism Act needs a sunset clause or else it runs the risk of stripping the civil liberties of Canadians for the long term. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 24 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November

Thursday, 25 October “Antiterrorism act” (Anne McLellan, pg.A18)

Minister of Justice, Anne McLellan, responded to The Globe and Mail’s editorial on 23 October by arguing that putting a sunset clause into Canada’s new Antiterrorism Act would violate United Nations conventions to suppress terrorist bombings and financing and the United Nations Security Council’s resolution to freeze terrorist assets. Further, it will also limit the strength of investigative powers in the criminal code. McLellan argues that it does not violate civil liberties because it upholds the content of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23 October, 1 November

Saturday, 27 October “Canada’s bill for terrorism $1-billion” (Shawn McCarthy, Healther Scoffield, pg.A1)

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Senior government sources revealed that Ottawa has increased its security and defence budget by $1-billion for the 2001 fiscal year—a significant increase considering the post-11 September economic slump and other federal expenditures that are expected in the near future. – See entries on 6, 13 October

2.3 November 2001

Thursday, 1 November “No sunset clause for antiterror bill, PM tells his caucus” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A7)

In a private caucus meeting, Prime Minister Chrétien ruled out the addition of a sunset clause to the new Antiterrorism Act despite some opposition from certain Liberal MPs. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November “Never to be heard from again” (Canadian Press, pg.A4)

Foreign Affairs released the list of 24 confirmed Canadian casualties from the 11 September attacks on 31 October.

Friday, 2 November “Sunset's good sense” (Editorial, pg.A16)

An editorial once again argued that a five year sunset clause should be affixed onto Canada’s new antiterrorism legislation. They argue that Ottawa has little to lose by adding the time period and that it can be renewed after the five year period if needed. This will then only allow inflated police powers for the short term. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19 and 29 November “Senators unite against antiterror bill” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A12)

A bipartisan committee of Senators ruled on 1 November that a sunset clause was needed on Ottawa’s new antiterrorism legislation. They argue that safeguards are needed to ensure the long term protection of Canadian’s civil rights. – See entries for 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November

Saturday, 3 November “Riding the sunset clause” (Edward Greenspon, pg.A17)

Ottawa needs to integrate a sunset clause in its new Antiterrorism Act because it is doubtful that in 3-5 years police organizations would be able to revert back to their previous, weaker investigative practices. Moreover, the author doubts that its intent will be reflective in its implementation. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November

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Tuesday, 6 November “Ottawa unsure of total detained” (Estanislaeo Oziewicz, pg.A7)

Canadian government officials, including the RCMP and officials at the Justice Department, are unsure of how many individuals have been detained in Canada since the attacks on 11 September.

Wednesday, 7 November “Saith the Sun King: Let there be no sunset clause” (Jeffery Simpson, pg.A21)

The sunset clause is nearly implemented. The author writes that while the plan is nearly ready to proceed, that the behaviour of enforcing the party line within the Liberal party on this issue is dirty politics. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November “Liberal terror bill alarms committee” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A12)

During a meeting of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on 6 November, Liberal and opposition MPs expressed extreme concerns for the expanded powers of the RCMP and other police organizations under Ottawa’s new antiterrorism legislation. These were influenced partially on studies presented by experts, which argue that the RCMP should not be given such powers without adequate checks and balances as required by the RCMP Act. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November “Canadian murdered by wife, Kuwait says” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A14)

The murder of a Canadian in Kuwait last month was initially believed to be linked to the coalition offensive against Afghanistan. Instead, Kuwaiti officials say, the assassination was carried out by his wife in order to receive his life insurance money. The hope was that the murder would appear as an act of a terrorist organization. “Canada spearheads bioterror fight” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

Health Minister Allan Rock hosted a meeting in Ottawa that brought together allied nations to share intelligence and scientific information on different bioterrorism agents and approaches to responses that would be needed in the case of an attack. As well, the group plans to design and purchase vaccines in bulk. – See entry on 22 November. “Antiterrorism bill termed ‘reptilian’” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A12)

The Canadian Arab Federation said on 6 November that Ottawa’s new antiterror legislation makes Canada’s Muslim and Arab populations enormously nervous and threatened.

Thursday, 8 November “Beef up military, government told” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A8)

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The Commons Committee on National Defence released a report on 7 November which reported that the Canadian Forces require another $1-billion per year to meet current operational commitments. Additionally, the report asked that Ottawa upgrade reserve forces, increase size and capability of military to deal with the threat of chemical and biological weapons and quadruple the size of JTF-2. – See entry on 11 December “Al-Qaeda probe entangles small Ottawa business” (Daniel Leblanc, Estanislao Oziewicz, pg.A1)

The U.S. has found a small business in Ottawa that sends up to $90,000 per month to Somalis internationally with ties to al-Qaeda. Ottawa is reacting by introducing a new requirement of banks to find and seize such accounts. – See entries on 12, 13 November

Friday, 9 November “Eggleton defends use of cluster bombs” (Reuteur News Agency, pg.A8)

Some of the parliamentary opposition have been calling for Ottawa to stand up against the U.S.’ use of cluster bombs. After the Prime Minister made it clear that he would not do so, Defence Minister Art Eggleton argued that cluster bombs are lawful and are only being used against military targets in Afghanistan.

Monday, 12 November “RCMP seek arrest of terror suspect” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A5)

The RCMP has issued a warrant for a Somali man charged with running a business in Ottawa that funneled millions of dollars to al-Qaeda. – See entries on 8, 13 November “Bush pledges to conquer ‘evil’” (Paul Koring, pg.A4)

President Bush spoke yesterday at the former site of the World Trade Centre to proclaim that the U.S. will overcome al-Qaeda and the Taliban by using some of his most powerful rhetoric to date. – *Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 13 November “Terrorism suspect arrested by RCMP” (Canadian Press, pg.A15)

Liban Hussein, the man sought by the RMCP in connection with an Ottawa-based business caught funneling money to al-Qaeda, was arrested yesterday.

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Wednesday, 14 November “Canada campaigns against terror funds” (Heather Scoffield, pg.A20)

Finance Minister, Paul Martin, aims to have all G20 countries agree to a plan which would block the financing of all terrorist groups, abiding by the United Nations’ antiterrorism resolution that demands that all assets of Osama bin Laden be frozen immediately. The plan would also set out broader antiterrorism measures against money-laundering.

Thursday, 15 November “The Fall of Kabul: Canadian soldiers will go in to give aid” (Brian Laghi, Kevin Cox, pg.A1)

On 14 November, Prime Minister Chrétien said that as many as 1000 troops from Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton would be deployed to secure and provide aid to post-Taliban areas of Afghanistan. No details of their mission concerning time or geographic target were released. – See entries on 16, 20, 21, 27 November – *Deceptive headline

Friday, 16 November “Ottawa plans fix for antiterror law” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A13)

Sources in Ottawa say that the federal government has planned an amendment that would increase the legitimacy of the new antiterrorism legislation by allowing a three-judge panel to overturn decisions made by the Minister of Justice pertaining to which information is released publicly. Critics argued that by hiding information from the public, the government could abuse new police powers in the bill. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 17, 18, 19, 29 November “Eggleton plays down combat role for troops” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

Defence Minister, Art Eggleton, said that the 1000 troops to be deployed to Afghanistan will not be in the country longer than 6 months and will retreat if conflict breaks out. – See entries on 15, 20, 21 November

Saturday, 17 November “PM likely to embrace sunset clause on terror bill” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A13)

Liberal MP, Paul Devillers, stated that Ottawa will probably announce that the sunset clause will be introduced into its new antiterrorism legislation. The Justice Committee of the House will officially recommend a sunset clause on the bill next week, likely forcing Chrétien to adopt such a measure. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 16, 18, 19, 29 November

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Monday, 19 November “Chrétien, Annan discuss Afghanistan peacekeeping” (Canadian Press, pg.A11)

During a week of meetings, Prime Minister Chrétien and the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, announced that they had spoken about possible approaches to a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan—although warned that it is too premature to make any choices.

Tuesday, 20 November “Troops won’t go if they’re ‘unwelcome’” (Brian Laghi, Jill Mahoney, pg.A1)

On 19 November, Defence Minister Art Eggleton told reporters that Canadian troops would not be deployed unless welcomed and invited by those in Afghanistan. The technicalities of this claim went unnoticed. – See entries on 15, 16 November

Wednesday, 21 November “Ottawa softens terror bill” (Daniel Leblanc, pg. A1) On 20 November, Justice Minister Anne McLellan announced revisions to the controversial antiterror legislation. Namely, she announced that the two most glaring powers given to the police—the ability to launch investigative hearings and preventative arrests without due process—be subject to a sunset clause as demanded by many in Ottawa. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November “New Afghanistan takes shape but Canada's role in doubt” (Murray Campbell, pg.A1)

Ottawa continues to distance itself from its earlier claim that it would prepare 1,000 troops to support the U.S. effort in Afghanistan by placing conditions on their participation. Amongst problems with United Nations authorizations, Canada continues to place caveats on its participation—noting its willingness to clear land mines and protect food convoys. – See entries on 15, 16, 20 November

Thursday, 22 November “The bite of Canada’s new terrorist bill” (Editorial, pg.A26)

The editors of The Globe still believe that Ottawa’s new antiterror bill cuts into civil liberties by allowing preventative detentions, destroying the right of silence in investigative hearings even before charges have been laid, defining terrorists broadly and widespread wiretapping. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November “Ottawa takes aim at bioterror” (Stephen Chase, Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

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Ottawa announced a new antiterror bill on 22 November that takes aim at bioterrorism, specifically by giving increased airline passenger information to the authorities and the U.S. and by cracking down on those who deal with bioterror weapons/agents in Canada or abroad. Both measures are part of broader international initiatives to blunt terrorist activity. – See entry on 7 October.

Saturday, 24 November “Budget to launch antiterrorism action” (Campbell Clark, Steven Chase, pg.A12)

The second wave of Ottawa’s antiterror legistlation that was unveiled this week will wait until December’s budget to be pushed through Parliament, according to Defence Minister Art Eggleton.

Tuesday, 27 November “DND calls off high alert” (Brian Laghi, pg.A7)

Canadian soldiers that were put on high alert last week to be deployed to Afghanistan were officially told yesterday that they will not be needed soon, if at all. The move is in step with Britain and other nations. – See entry on 15 November

Wednesday, 28 November “Ottawa wrangles over terror law“ (Campbell Clark, Daniel Leblac, pg.A8)

The Liberal government tried to push through a component of its new antiterror law that would permit the sharing of passenger information so that Canadian planes can land in the United States without lengthy searches beginning in December. While unsuccessful initially, the government will try again. – See entries on 30 April 2002, 2, 18 May 2002

Thursday, 29 November “Terror bill passes Commons” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A16)

Ottawa’s antiterror bill went to Parliament on 28 November and was passed 190-47, with the Liberals and Alliance supporting the legislation, while the Bloc and New Democratic Party opposed the motion. It will now be sent to the Senate where the government hopes it will be approved by Christmas. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19, 29 November “PM offers Americans ‘security’ of oil and gas” (Doug Saunders, pg.A15)

Speaking in Texas to representatives of the oil industry on 28 November, Prime Minister Chrétien assured them that Canada’s tar sands has enough oil to supply the United States given

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the political instability in the wake of the attacks on 11 September—specifically making reference to Saudi Arabia.

2.4 December 2001

Monday, 3 December “U.S. to put troops at border: Ground deployment, air patrols to defend” (Barrie McKenna, pg.A1)

The United States is deploying more than 600 troops along the Canadian-U.S. border and using helicopter patrols to thwart terrorist incursions from Canada. U.S. Attorney-General John Ashcroft will unveil a US$31.5-million plan today to temporarily plug what critics in the United States have complained are gaping holes in that country's antiterrorism defences. – See entry on 4 December

Tuesday, 4 December “Sweet talk masks Ashcroft's anger” (Edward Greenspon, pg.A1)

U.S. Attorney General, John Ashcroft, visited Ottawa on 3 December to discuss the proposed plan to protect the Canada-U.S. border. Officials in Ottawa responded favourably and supported the plan. – See entry on 3 December “Military at the border” (Editorial, pg.A22)

The Globe and Mail editors worry that the new U.S. plan to secure the Canada-U.S. border will turn from a short term homeland security measure into a long term norm. – See entry on 3 December “Armed Forces strength increasing, top commander says” (Canadian Press, pg.A12)

The Canadian Forces, which have been losing members to civilian life at an alarming rate in recent years, have stemmed the flow and are on the way to rebuilding, their top general said yesterday. General Raymond Henault, chief of the defence staff, told a Senate committee that attrition rates—which had been running at an unsustainable 7 to 8 per cent—have slowed to about 5 per cent. One of the reasons that he sighted may be the 11 September attacks.

Wednesday, 5 December “Senate offers little opposition to terror bill” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8)

Little opposition to the government’s anterrorism bill was left in the Senate yesterday as Justice Minister Anne McLellan went before a committee of senators to defend the present version of the new legislation. It was made clear that there are no further planned amendments.

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– See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 18, 19, 29 November

Thursday, 6 December “Sixth warship sets sail from Halifax” (Canadian Press, pg.A10)

HCMS Toronto, with a complement of 220 sailors, left Halifax on 5 December to increase security in the Mediterranean along with a NATO fleet that will possibly support the war in Afghanistan. – See entries on 8, 18 October “Canada sends off crack JTF2 troops” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

Members of Canada’s crack antiterrorism squad are being sent to take part in the international war on terrorism. Sources within the Defence Department confirmed yesterday that elements of Joint Task Force 2 are being deployed to an undisclosed location in the Middle East. No details about the operation were released. – See entry on 20 December

Tuesday, 11 December “Opposition criticizes ‘paltry’ sum for defence” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A15)

Canada's military was the biggest loser in the budget, the opposition said yesterday. The Canadian Alliance, the Conservatives and the NDP banded together to attack the $1.2-billion increase in defence spending over five years. The Alliance pointed out that Canada's spending on the military will remain at about half of the average of its NATO allies. – See entry on 8 November, 11 December, 18 May 2002 “Martin’s security blanket” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

The federal budget announced on 10 December was focused on security measures including border and airline security as well as increasing funding for CSIS and RCMP. Expanding the armed forces was less of a priority than expected.

Thursday, 13 December “N. American war on terror seen as threat to privacy” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A12)

The North American war on terrorism is seriously undermining Canadians’ privacy rights, threatening to produce an Orwellian world where government monitors our daily lives, federal Privacy Commissioner George Radwanski has warned. In his annual report tabled yesterday, Mr. Radwanski says Canadian society is at a crossroads, with new technology and a heightened emphasis on anti-terrorist security combining to erode basic rights. – See entry on 2 May 2002

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Friday, 14 December “‘We calculated in advance the number of casualties’” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

Yesterday, the U.S. released a captured videotape that it said should remove any doubt that Osama bin Laden was intimately involved in planning the terrorist attacks of September 11. It captured bin Laden’s reaction to news of the attacks and his description of planning 11 September. Officials and civilians internationally were appalled by the tape and cited it as a confirmation of the legitimacy of the U.S.’ action in Afghanistan—including Prime Minister Chrétien. – See entry on 15 December

Saturday, 15 December “Muslims fear reaction to tape” (Dawn Walton, pg.A5)

The Canadian Muslim community finds itself having to right off popular misconceptions about their faith in the wake of bin Laden’s video released on 13 December. They worry about a lash back even though they condemn the 11 September attacks. – See entry on 14 September, 10 October, 15 December, 16 July 2005, 8 July 2006, 1 January 2007

Monday, 17 December “FBI pushes to beef up operations in Canada” (Brian Daly, pg.A7)

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation says it has asked Congress for more money to increase its permanent presence in Canada to prevent terrorist attacks and deter cross-border crime. The special agents, known as legal attachés, would exchange information with Canadian law- enforcement agencies and aid investigations of terrorism, drug-trafficking and fraud on both sides of the border. – See entries on 3 October 2001, 19 July 2006

Tuesday, 18 December “Peacekeeping plan takes shape” (Paul Knox, pg.A1)

Crucial talks at the United Nations on 18 December are expected to outline the mandate of a British-led peacekeeping force for Afghanistan that could include several hundred Canadians. – See entries on 19, 31 December “Liberals to cut Senate debate on terrorism bill” (Jim Brown, pg.A12)

The Liberal government served notice on 17 December that it will cut off debate in the Senate on landmark antiterrorism legislation and push it through over opposition objections. The legislation is expected to pass the Senate on 18 December, leaving only the routine procedure of royal assent to make it law.

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– See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 19, 29 November

Wednesday, 19 December “Squabbling clouds peacekeeping plan” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Chrétien has stated that Canada will await the decision of whether or not to send a peacekeeping force to Afghanistan before any Canadian infantry are sent overseas. – See entries on 18, 31 December “Senate approval brings Bill C-36 closer to law” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A12)

The Senate voted 45-21 in favour of Bill C-36, after the Liberal majority cut off debate on the legislation. Having obtained royal assent, the bill needs only to be proclaimed by the federal cabinet to become law. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 29 November, 2 May 2003

Thursday, 20 December “Elite JTF2 goes into Kandahar war zone” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

About 40 of Canada’s elite soldiers have joined the military action in Kandahar as part of a “security-assistance force” for the interim government in Afghanistan. Breaking a long-standing policy of silence, Defence Minister Art Eggleton revealed yesterday that some members of the Joint Task Force 2 recently arrived in southern Afghanistan and joined coalition soldiers in the area around the former Taliban stronghold. – See entry on 10 December

Friday, 21 December “Chrétien defends Forces” (Health Scoffield, pg.A8)

In year-end interviews with the CTV and Global Television networks, the Prime Minister insisted that the Canadian Forces are well-equipped and well-respected around the world, and that the pressure to increase military spending simply stems from the profit-oriented agenda of lobbyists for the defence industry. – See entry on 8 November, 11, 28 December

Friday, 28 December “Ottawa neglecting military, poll says” (Ingrid Peritz, pg.A1)

Canadian Armed Forces poorly equipped in wake of terror attacks, 66 per cent say. Two-thirds of Canadians believe Ottawa has not done enough since Sept. 11 to equip the nation's armed forces properly, a new poll suggests. Reports of rusting military gear, missing batteries for fighter jets and dire underfunding appear to have seeped into the national consciousness.

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– See entry on 21 December “Canadian aircraft to hunt terrorists” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Two hundred Canadian troops and two long-range maritime patrol aircraft are finally leaving the country to join coalition forces in the Arabian Sea, more than two months after their departure was announced as part of Operation Apollo. Defence Minister Art Eggleton said the detachment will work with the U.S.-led coalition forces in the area. – *Deceptive headline

Saturday, 29 December “Antiterrorist laws win favour” (Ingrid Peritz, pg.A10)

Only 9 per cent of Canadians surveyed by Ipsos-Reid said Ottawa has gone too far in giving police extra powers since Sept. 11. In findings that suggest Canadians still embrace the goal of peace, order and good government, especially in troubled times, 46 per cent of respondents told pollsters that Ottawa should go further to give police the tools to fight terrorism. – See entries on 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 October, 5, 18, 19 November

Monday, 31 December “Trail of bin Laden goes cold” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

American and Afghani officials agree that the trail of Osama bin Laden is cold. No one is sure of whether he is in Afghanistan or Pakistan. Canadian special forces in cooperation with U.S. troops continue the search. “Afghans okay peacekeeping force” (Campbell Clark, pg.A7)

The Afghan interim government approves the deployment of a foreign peacekeeping force to the country. But as British forces prepared for their first peacekeepers to begin official duty this week, military officials here said Canada has yet to be told whether its troops will be needed. The International Security Assistance Force that will be approved by the United Nations Security Council is intended to stabilize the country as it recovers from the collapse of the Taliban government. – See entries on 18, 19 December

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3 2002

3.1 January 2002

Tuesday, 1 January “Ottawa mulls smaller role in Afghan peace mission” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

The list of countries announcing contingents for a British-led United Nations peacekeeping force in Afghanistan grew on 31 December, while Canadian officials said they were discussing the possibility of sending a smaller contingent than the 1,000 offered, if Canadians go at all. But military experts warned that Canada should resist the temptation to send a token peacekeeping contingent and tell the British leaders of the multinational force that it will send the 1,000 or none. Canadian policymakers are following in step. – See entries on 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 January

Wednesday, 2 January “Mission begins without Canadian soldiers” (Jane Gadd, pg.A1)

Soldiers from Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Romania and Britain began to arrive in Afghanistan on 2 January as part of the British-led, United Nations mandated peacekeeping force. No Canadian forces have been deployed. They are currently awaiting a formal invitation from the British commanders to join. Canada’s Department of National Defence gave little elaboration. – See entries on 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 January

Thursday, 3 January “Frustration up, morale down, soldiers say” (Jill Mahoney, pg.A8)

According to some soldiers’ testimonials, many are becoming frustrated with Ottawa’s inaction on whether or not it will join the International Security Assistance Force, and if so, in what numbers. – See entries on 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 January “Canada in talks to secure peace role” (Campbell Clark, pg.A8)

Ottawa confirmed that it is in talks with the British government to affirm what role, if any, it will take in the International Security Assistance Forces mission in Afghanistan. Government officials released no other details. – See entries on 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 January

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Friday, 4 January “Canada shuns minor peace role” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

Canada is unlikely to take part in the first wave of the British-led peacekeeping force in Afghanistan because it insists on taking a more prominent role in the mission than is on offer, according to Canada's top diplomat in Britain. Canada would rather have a more identifiable and self-sustainable force take part in the mission. – See entries on 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 January – *Deceptive headline

Saturday, 5 January “Canada sending 700 troops to conflict” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

Canadian ground troops will ship out to Afghanistan to take part in a U.S.-led coalition operation to secure parts of the Afghan countryside, a government source said on 4 January. The government is expected to announce on 7 January that about 700 Canadian soldiers—mostly drawn from the 1,000-strong light-infantry battle group that was offered for an international peacekeeping force in Kabul—will take on the mission. The Canadian troops will not be part of the British-led International Security Assistance Force of peacekeepers that will patrol the streets of the capital, but will instead be sent under the auspices of the U.S.-led coalition that launched attacks ousting Afghanistan's former Taliban regime. – See entries on 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 January

Monday, 7 January “Peril looms for troops in Afghan operation” (Heather Scoffield, Jill Mahoney, pg.A1)

Canada's military contribution to the war in Afghanistan will put Canadian troops in a more aggressive and also more dangerous role than a peacekeeping mission, senior government officials say. Details are to be announced on 7 January. – See entries on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 14 January – *Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 8 January “Going to war: Canada opts for combat role” (Daniel Leblanc, Jill Mahoney, pg.A1)

Canadian troops are heading into a combat mission under U.S. control in the highly volatile area of southern Afghanistan after rejecting a minor stabilization role under Turkish orders in the calmer area of Kabul. Defence Minister Art Eggleton said the government decided not to send troops to Kabul after being offered a more prominent role in Kandahar by the United States. Mr. Eggleton said Canada will send 750 additional troops to clean out the former Taliban stronghold, pushing the Canadian contribution to Operation Apollo to more than 2,500 men and women which will be under U.S. command.

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– See entries on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14 January “To fight in Afghanistan” (Editorial, pg.A14)

The editors of The Globe and Mail wrote in support of the troops and the choice of the Canadian government to join the difficult U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan. – See entries on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14 January

Wednesday, 9 January “Manley defends deployment” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A4)

Canada is not sacrificing its sovereignty by sending troops to Afghanistan to serve under U.S. combat control, Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley said on 8 January. This response comes after remarks made that challenged the rationale for Canada’s cooperation with the U.S. operation. – See entries on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 14 January

Friday, 11 January “Canadians sought war, insider says” (Alan Freeman, pg.A11)

Canada's decision to turn down a less prominent role in the British-led International Security Assistance Force, in favour of the U.S.-led mission has raised political eyebrows in Britain. The official, who asked not to be named, said yesterday he got the clear impression from members of the Canadian military that they preferred to deploy 750 Canadian soldiers to Kandahar because they were anxious to get some real war experience, rather than participate in another peacekeeping mission. – See entries on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 14 January

Saturday, 12 January “How to build a better cabinet” (Editorial, pg.A14)

The editors of The Globe and Mail speculate that a cabinet shuffle will occur in the near future and that Defence Minister Art Eggleton is one of the many who will be reassigned. The Globe cited his indecisiveness and perceived weakness as a leader since the attacks on 11 September 2001. “Court allows deportation of refugees facing death” (Kirk Makin, pg.A1)

Refugees can be deported to face possible torture or death in their homelands—but only after a fair hearing has established they pose a serious risk to national security, the Supreme Court said on 11 January. In the first major test of antiterrorism laws since the attacks of Sept. 11, the court said the fearsome prospect of torture can be offset by cogent evidence that a refugee is a serious security risk. – See entry on 18 April 2005

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Monday, 14 January “66% back Canada's war role” (Lily Nguyen, pg.A1)

The first wave of soldiers in the Canadian combat mission bound for Kandahar, Afghanistan, landed in Asia yesterday as a poll found that 66% of Canadians are in favour of Canada's troops moving beyond a traditional role of peacekeeping. – See entries on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11 January

Wednesday, 16 January “PM steps back, Manley steps up” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Chrétien shuffled his cabinet on 15 January. Of note, John Manley was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and will increasingly deal with matters of national security in his new post. His post at Foreign Affairs was filled by Bill Graham.

Thursday, 17 January “Canada defies U.S. on PoWs” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

The first Canadian troops have arrived in Kandahar to find their freedom of movement could be limited by a looming dispute with the United States over the treatment of prisoners. The federal government said yesterday that Canada will treat all prisoners of war in Afghanistan according to international law. Critics around the world accuse the United States of ignoring Geneva Convention rules on PoW treatment as it moves the men it captured to a U.S. naval base in Cuba. – See entries on 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February “Al-Qaeda’s Canadian schemes revealed” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A1)

Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda organization targeted Israeli diplomatic missions in Canada and considered gathering information from U.S. soldiers nightclubbing near the U.S.-Canada border, documents on computers found in Afghanistan reveal. The documents also mention that al-Qaeda was trying to find out how to obtain bomb-making equipment from Canada, according to The Wall Street Journal, which purchased the computers in Kabul and translated their contents. There was also a plan in place to retrieve information about Israel’s consulates and embassies in Canada. “Canadian warships could stay on patrol” (Canadian Press, pg.A16)

Canadian ships deployed in the Arabian Sea are prepared to be on the lookout for al-Qaeda terrorists indefinitely if that’s what the government wants, the current fleet’s commodore says. – See entry on 26 January

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Friday, 18 January “There’s nothing uniform about Canadian battle dress” (Mark MacKinnon, pg.A1)

Canadian troops are poorly equipped with camouflage uniforms, whereas other nations operating in Afghanistan have tan coloured outfits. This is cause for embarrassment for the Canadian Forces. – See entry on 26 January, 10 July 2003 – *Deceptive headline “Prisoners' rights” (Editorial, pg.A14)

The editors of The Globe and Mail are concerned that Canadian troops plan to hand prisoners of war over to the Americans, who have shown less support for upholding the Geneva Conventions. – See entries on 17, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February

Saturday, 19 January “Bin Laden probably dead, Musharraf believes” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Kidney failure, not the military might of the world's sole remaining superpower, may have killed Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader accused of masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks. President Musharraf of Pakistan believes that this is the case according to his government’s intelligence. “Afghanistan civilian toll notably high” (Murray Campbell, pg.A11)

U.S. bombing in Afghanistan has killed civilians at a rate four times higher than the NATO bombardment of Kosovo and Serbia three years ago, a new study says.

Wednesday, 23 January “Afghanistan won’t be rebuilt in a day” (Editorial, pg.A16)

Interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai delivered a double message in Tokyo yesterday, as an ambitious international conference wrapped up with pledges worth US$4.5-billion of aid for his devastated country. He worries that once news coverage of Afghanistan slows the international community will yield development support for the nation.

Saturday, 26 January “Al-Qaeda terrorists Canadian” (Tu Thanh Ha, Estanislao Oziewicz, pg.A1)

Two Montreal men linked directly to al-Qaeda are being hunted by U.S. and Canadian officials. It is unknown where the men are or if they are still alive. Both appeared in recent martyrdom videos and are believed to be a threat to U.S. targets. “Eggleton slams critics of military uniforms” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A6)

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Defence Minister Art Eggleton yesterday chastised the critics who ridicule the green uniforms that Canadian troops will be wearing in desert conditions in Afghanistan. He refuted that the uniforms are an issue of concern and reaffirmed that the Canadian Forces will receive adequate support to do their job. He also defended his government's plan to transfer Taliban and al-Qaeda members captured in Afghanistan to United States forces. That measure is expected to come under attack from some Liberal MPs at a caucus meeting in the next week. – See entry on 18 January “Canadian ship returning from war against terrorism” (Keven Cox, pg.A7)

The first Canadian ship to join the coalition against terrorism is coming home. The navy announced last night that the frigate HMCS Halifax passed through the Suez Canal yesterday and is expected to return to Halifax on Feb. 11. No explanation was given for the vessel’s return. – See entry on January 17

Wednesday, 30 January “Eggleton isn’t off to a good start with the PM” (Hugh Winsor, pg.A4)

Defence Minister Eggleton had known for days that members of the Canadian Forces Joint Task Force 2 had taken prisoners, but he had failed to inform Mr. Chrétien. Critics charge Eggleton with being unaware of what is going on within his department, the JTF-2 operations in Afghanistan and with withholding information from the House of Commons. – See entries on 17, 18 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February “Eggleton changes his story” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

An embarrassed Art Eggleton revised his story yesterday, admitting he knew about the taking of prisoners by Canadian troops in Afghanistan four days earlier (21 January) than he had previously allowed, raising questions about his handling of the war effort as Defence Minister. He admitted he had left his cabinet colleagues in the dark for eight days on the issue despite having ample opportunity during caucus and cabinet meetings. – See entries on 17, 18 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February

Thursday, 31 January “Bush’s tough talk stirs allies, foes” (John Ibbitson, pg.A12)

On 29 January, in his State of the Union address, President Bush labeled Iran, Iraq and North Korea the “axis of evil,” whose pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and support for terrorism must not be tolerated. – *Deceptive headline

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3.2 February 2002

Friday, 1 February “Shelved Bin Laden tape aired” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

Another interview was released with Osama bin Laden on 31 January. In an exclusive interview taped during the height of the fighting in Afghanistan last October—implicitly accepting responsibility for the 11 September terrorist attacks, predicting the easy defeat of coalition forces and warning that life in the United States would become “an unbearable hell.” The interview was conducted by a reporter from the Qatar-based news agency Al-Jazeera, which never aired the tape. A copy was obtained by CNN and broadcasted shortly thereafter. “Eggleton concedes mistake, won't quit” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Defence Minister Art Eggleton conceded yesterday he provided wrong information to the House of Commons about when he knew that Canadian troops had taken prisoners in Afghanistan, but he refused opposition demands that he resign. Mr. Eggleton rejected opposition charges that he had deliberately misled the Commons, which would place him in contempt of Parliament and give further weight to calls for his head. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February “Edmonton troops given emotional sendoff” (Jill Mahoney, pg.A5) Edmonton ground troops said farewell on 31 January to family members who will await their safe return from a combat mission in Afghanistan. The on-again, off-again deployment was finally to begin last night as about 70 soldiers geared up for the long journey to Kandahar on a U.S. C-5 Galaxy military cargo plane.

Saturday, 2 February “Speaker prolongs woes for besieged Eggleton” (Daniel Leblanc, Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Defence Minister Art Eggleton will have to convince a committee of the House that it was human error, not deceit, that made him offer two versions of events on the taking of prisoners by Canadian troops at war. The Speaker of the House, Peter Milliken, referred the case to the procedure and house affairs committee, which will determine if Mr. Eggleton deliberately misled the House and showed contempt for Parliament. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February “What matters is defence integration, not the Eggleton sideshow” (Jeffery Simpson, pg.A15)

The author postulates that a very important story was missed in the prior seven days: whether or not Canada will integrate its armed forces with those of the United States for the joint defence of North America or not. Of concern, Defence Minister Eggleton and Chrétien have not been forthright about this issue, thereby preventing a productive debate from occurring.

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Monday, 4 February “Counterterrorism centre will train emergency teams” (Canadian Press, pg.A4)

A counterterrorism centre has been approved at a military base in Alberta for municipal emergency response teams to train for biological and chemical attacks at a cost of $12-million to Ottawa.

Tuesday, 5 February “Eggleton probe won’t look at PM, House Leader says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

The investigation into Defence Minister Art Eggleton’s meandering statements about Canadian troops taking prisoners in Afghanistan will not look into the Prime Minister’s knowledge of the incident, a federal minister said on 4 February. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 8, 19, 20, 21 February “Captives’ status worries Ottawa” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

The federal government has doubts about whether the United States is fully complying with international law in its handling of prisoners captured in Afghanistan, Deputy Prime Minister John Manley says. On 4 January, Manley claimed that the heart of the issue is whether the United States will allow a court or tribunal to determine whether the captives are prisoners of war under the terms of the Geneva Conventions. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 8, 19, 20, 21 February

Wednesday, 7 February “PM says critics are defending terrorists” (Daniel Leblanc, Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Chrétien labelled the Bloc Québécois—and by extension other government critics—as terrorist defenders yesterday for raising questions about U.S. treatment of prisoners captured in Afghanistan. A spokesman for Mr. Chrétien said the Prime Minister expressed his frustration that the debate has focused on the detention conditions of suspected terrorists instead of the work of the Canadian Forces against terrorism. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 19, 20, 21 February

Thursday, 8 February “Inquiry to probe Eggleton’s double-take on prisoners” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A6)

The House of Commons is launching a four-week inquiry to determine why Defence Minister Art Eggleton failed to tell the real story when first asked about the capture of prisoners by Canadian troops in Afghanistan. The televised investigation by a House committee, which was agreed on by all parties yesterday, is bound to prolong the embarrassing situation for the government. Witnesses will include the clerk of the Privy Council Mel Cappe and General Ray Henault, Chief of Defence Staff. No one from the Prime Minister’s Office will be interviewed.

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– See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 19, 20, 21 February

Monday, 11 February “Canadians to take on more tasks in Kandahar” (Canadian Press, Associated Press, Agence France Press, pg.A10)

Canada’s flag will be raised at Kandahar airport on 11 February to signal that two-thirds of Canada’s contingent to Afghanistan are stationed at the base. They will soon relieve an American battalion from its duties of securing the perimeter of the airfield. Other tasks will follow as more soldiers arrive. – See entry on 2 March

Wednesday, 13 February “Canadian troops expel reporter from airbase” (Daniel Leblanc)

The Canadian Forces have expelled a Canadian reporter from the military camp in Kandahar over an article that discussed the presence of multinational commandos in Afghanistan and described a U.S. detention facility. The Toronto Star’s Mitch Potter was escorted off the base yesterday because the armed forces said that one of his articles had caused a security breach. Last Sunday, The Star published a long story that contained two sections that allegedly broke an agreement signed by all 42 journalists at the base, including Mr. Potter. The article revealed details about the presence of multi-national special forces at the base.

Friday, 15 February “Limit war on terror, PM, Putin tell U.S.” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien says Canada continues to support the U.S.-led war on terrorism, but any action against Iraq should be done under the auspices of the United Nations. Chrétien, in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, agreed to urge the U.S. to show restraint in its dealings with Iraq, and warned against expanding the antiterrorism war to countries such as Iraq, Iran or North Korea. – See entries on 19, 23 February

Saturday, 16 February “Ottawa ratifies UN rules to curb terrorism funding” (Canadian Press, pg.A7)

The two-year-old United Nations convention on the suppression of terrorist financing was formally ratified yesterday by the federal government, making it a criminal offence to raise funds for a list of terrorist groups and setting up a process for the extradition of terrorist fundraisers.

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Tuesday, 19 February “JTF2 rules left all but Eggleton out of loop” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

A secret document written last November named Defence Minister Art Eggleton as the only civilian eligible for regular briefings on the actions of Canada’s special military forces in Afghanistan, a senior source has told The Globe and Mail. The document also gave Mr. Eggleton the right to relay information on the actions of the Joint Task Force 2 to the Prime Minister only when Mr. Eggleton deemed it relevant. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 20, 21 February “Canada open to all options on Iraq, Graham says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham on 18 February said that Canada is still open to all options, including military strikes in an emergency, to thwart Iraq’s ambitions to develop nuclear, biological or chemical weapons that can be used by terrorists. He was elaborating on Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s comments in Moscow last week that the United States should try to act through the United Nations to put pressure on Iraq rather than take unilateral military action against the regime of Saddam Hussein. – See entries on 15, 23 February

Wednesday, 20 February “Cabinet records sought in inquiry” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

The Official Opposition wants access to records of secret cabinet discussions to determine whether other ministers sat silent last month while Defence Minister Art Eggleton misled Parliament on military operations in Afghanistan. The federal cabinet had been informed about the prisoner-taking in private before Mr. Eggleton gave wrong information to the House. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 21 February, 15, 18 March

Thursday, February 21 “Photo helped jog memory, Eggleton says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A6)

Defence Minister Art Eggleton said yesterday he fully grasped the fact that Canadian troops had taken prisoners in Afghanistan only when he saw a picture of the incident, even after being told about it four days earlier. Mr. Eggleton said he did not think that the prisoner-taking could be controversial when he learned about it on Jan. 21 in a telephone briefing with a top Canadian officer. Some opposition MPs contend that Mr. Eggleton sat on the information as long as he could to avoid fuelling dissension within the Liberal caucus about the Canadian mission in Afghanistan. The government, on the other hand, wants to portray it as a simple mistake that was corrected the following day, when Mr. Eggleton told the truth to the House. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20 February, 15, 18 March

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Saturday, February 23

“Poll finds 51% back move on Iraq” (Graeme Smith, pg.A12)

A survey by Ipsos-Reid, The Globe and Mail, and CTV concludes that 51 per cent of Canadians agree with American military action against Iraq after being told that “President George W. Bush has stated that Iraq leader Saddam Hussein harbours weapons of mass destruction and is a member of the ‘axis of evil’ along with Iran and North Korea.” – See entries on 15, 19 February

3.3 March 2002

Saturday, 2 March “130 to join Afghan mission” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A16)

Canada announced on 1 March that it will send an extra 130 Winnipeg-based soldiers into still- volatile Afghanistan, joining 750 troops already working in the southern city of Kandahar. The Winnipeg soldiers, members of the 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, are to leave by mid-March. They will join Edmonton-based troops in helping to deliver humanitarian aid, offer security at the airport and engage, potentially, in combat missions. – See entry on 11 February “Senate wants $4-billion more spent on defence” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8)

The Canadian Forces need an extra $4-billion a year and 15,000 more personnel to keep protecting Canadians and their values, the Senate committee on security and defence said on 1 March. Releasing a report that took ten months to prepare, the committee called for increases and improvements to the equipment for the Army, Navy and Air Force as well as 15,000 more personnel. – See entries on 28, 31 May, 25 October, 13 November

Monday, 4 March “Canadians in action as force repulsed” (Paul Koring, Reuter News Agency; Associated Press, pg.A1)

Canadian troops are officially in an active combat role in Afghanistan, having supported a U.S.- led mission to destroy one of the Taliban’s mountain strongholds in eastern Afghanistan. American sources admitted that the forces were being repulsed by Taliban fighters. – See entries on 5, 11, 14, 18 March

Tuesday, 5 March “Canadians in battle” (Paul Koring, pg.A4)

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Snipers from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry as well as special-forces troopers from Canada’s elite JTF2 commando unit “are in the middle of and fully engaged in the operation,” a Canadian Forces spokesman said on 4 March. – See entries on 4, 11, 14, 18 March

Thursday, 7 March “Brace for casualties, MP warns” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

David Pratt, head of the House defence committee and Liberal MP, said on 6 March that Canadians have to be ready for casualties among their troops in Afghanistan as the danger level of combat missions intensifies. – *Deceptive headline

Monday, 11 March “More Canadian soldiers heading to front” (Steven Chase, pg.A6)

An undisclosed number of Canadian soldiers from Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry have been called up from their base at Kandahar to join the battle against Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in the eastern Afghan province of Paktia, officials said yesterday. No further details were released. The troops will support the ongoing offensive effort that began early March. – See entries on 4, 5, 14, 18 March

Thursday, 14 March “‘Deadly’ Canadian snipers cut down enemy fighters” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

A team of six Canadian snipers shot dead heavily armed Taliban or al-Qaeda members in Afghanistan over the past week—the first confirmed enemy killings in combat by Canadian troops since the Korean War. – See entries on 4, 5, 11, 18 March “Canadians on trail of Taliban, al-Qaeda fighters” (Canadian Press, pg.A4)

About 500 Canadian troops launched their first major offensive operation on 13 March in eastern Afghanistan, pursuing Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters who are scattering after days of intensive bombardment by coalition forces. There were no casualties and no prisoners taken so far, senior military officials said. – See entries on 4, 5, 11, 18 March.

Friday, 15 March “U.S. to consult allies on any plan to hit Iraq, Chrétien says” (Paul Koring, pg.A6)

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The United States has no immediate plan to attack Iraq and, if one is developed, has promised to consult allies such as Canada, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said on 14 March after a meeting with President George W. Bush. The Prime Minister also said he had no plans for more military contributions to the current U.S.-led war against terrorism. – See entries on 19, 23 February “Eggleton recall attempt thwarted” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A7)

Liberal MPs used their majority on 14 March to thwart opposition attempts to recall Defence Minister Art Eggleton to testify in an investigation into whether he lied to Parliament. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February, 18, 23 March

Monday, 18 March “War role beneficial for Canada, Manley says” (Simon Tuck, pg.A7)

Canada's military involvement in Afghanistan has helped this country score points in its negotiations with the United States on softwood lumber and other issues, Deputy Prime Minister John Manley says. He was careful to say that Canada did not join the U.S.-led effort in the Middle East to improve relations with America. “War information policies at DND trip Eggleton up” (Hugh Winsor, pg.A8)

The Liberal Whip ordered MPs on the procedures and House affairs committee to close down the inquiry into Mr. Eggleton's contradictory statements about taking prisoners in Afghanistan. The author suggests that the fallout was based on the Department of National Defence having two information policies: one whereby certain actions are attempted to be kept secret even if they are not classified and the other which will feed the public. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February, 15, 23 March “Few enemy dead found in Canadian mop-up” (Paul Koring, Tu Thanh Ha, Associated Press; Canadian Press; Reuter News Agency, pg.A1)

Operation Harpoon alongside U.S. forces in eastern Afghanistan, which was Canada’s military largest offensive since the Korean War, has finished with no Canadian casualties and limited enemy bodies found. Many insurgents are believed to have escaped from the high elevation clash. It was part of the U.S.’ Operation Anaconda, a wide effort that attempted to dislodge a thousand Taliban from the Shani Kot mountains near Pakistan which began on 2 March and concluded with the end of Operation Harpoon. – See entries on 4, 5, 11, 14 March – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 19 March “Troops in Afghanistan get breather” (Canadian Press, Associated Press, pg.A6)

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With the end of Operational Harpoon, Canada troops get a brief break from fighting. Although, both Ottawa and Washington has confirmed that Canadian soldiers will be involved in further intensive combat. “PM praises troops’ work, rejects hike in spending” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A7)

The Prime Minister said the battle against terrorism will last a long time. He said Canadians will remain in Afghanistan until at least July, but may stay longer if the Taliban continue to resist. He applauded the troops’ work so far in Afghanistan, but at the same time rejected requests that Canada purchase more heavy-lift aircraft, citing that rentals can be made available as needed.

Saturday, 23 March “Opposition parties unite in wanting Eggleton fired” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8) Opposition parties ganged up on 22 March to call for the removal of Art Eggleton as Defence Minister. They agreed that he was not honest with the House of Commons and withheld information during wartime. The Liberal Party said that there is no evidence of any wrongdoing. – See entries on 17, 18, 30 January, 1, 2, 5, 8, 19, 20, 21 February, 15, 18 March

Tuesday, 26 March “U.S. basic training set for Afghan army” (Susanne Schafer, pg.A15)

U.S. troops will begin training Afghan soldiers to bolster security and guard borders in the unstable country, U.S. Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld said on 25 March. Allies will be asked to participate in and help pay for the program. British and German forces are already providing basic training for about 600 Afghans in Kabul.

3.4 April 2002

Monday, 1 April “More combat likely, Canadians warned” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A8)

Canadian soldiers have proven their mettle in Afghanistan and may be called upon again in future operations, the deputy chief of defence staff, Vice-Admiral Greg Maddison said on 31 March. Promising that the troops now in Afghanistan would be home by June or July, the Canadians were also warned that more combat likely lies ahead. – See entries on 12 April, May 2

Friday, 5 April “Kabul holds hundreds in alleged coup plot” (Associated Press, pg.A14)

Officials said on 4 April that they had uncovered a plot against the fledgling interim government, arresting hundreds of people for allegedly planning abductions and sabotage. Authorities seized explosives, weapons and documents in sweeps throughout Kabul. They said suspects, linked to

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former prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, were plotting to overthrow Hamid Karzai's interim administration.

Saturday, 6 April “Fears grow of Afghan war without end” (Paul Koring, pg.A13)

Six months after the first use of missiles in Afghanistan, tangible evidence of what the mission has accomplished remains weak. While the Taliban have been toppled, several al-Qaeda officials murdered or captured, and one person charged in connection with the 11 September attacks, further anecdotes of progress are rare. – * Deceptive headline

Monday, 8 April “Blair warns Iraq” (Associated Press, pg.A9)

On 7 April, British Prime Minister Blair signaled that the U.K. would back a military invasion of Iraq if Saddam Hussein’s government did not comply with international law and standards regarding weapon inspections.

Tuesday, 9 April “Canadian soldiers fight for Afghan school's future” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A12)

Troops press Ottawa for simple materials needed to refurbish the classrooms in the village of Mandi Sar between Kandahar city and Kandahar’s airport. The request was forwarded to CIDA who have only issued vague responses. – See entry on 26 September 2003

Friday, 12 April “Canadians face more action in Afghanistan” (Paul Koring, pg.A14)

Canadian troops can expect to deploy throughout Afghanistan and could be in the country for the foreseeable future, General Tommy Franks, the supreme commander of the U.S.-led coalition forces said on 11 April. Operations will range from offensives similar to Operation Harpoon in early March to more general security and stabilization tasks. General Franks explained that the operations would be ongoing for the foreseeable future. – See entries on 1 April, 2 May

Monday, 15 April “Ottawa takes a fresh look at its place in new world” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bill Graham, has announced that Canada will undergo a foreign and defence policy review—the first of its kind since the parallel reviews released in 1995. The reviews will look at Canada’s role in the post-11 September world.

Wednesday, 17 April “Military lacking expertise, report says” (Eric Anderssen, Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

The Auditor-General released a report analyzing the Canadian Forces on 16 April that suggested the organization is dangerously low on expertise—to the degree where cutting-edge equipment cannot be used because no one knows how to operate it. More recruiting is needed. The report said it could take up to 30 years for the military to be at a stable population at its current rate.

Thursday, 18 April “U.S. jet bombs Canadians” (Jeff Sallot, Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Four Canadian soldiers died and eight were wounded in Afghanistan the night of 17 April when a U.S. fighter jet mistakenly bombed them during a live-fire training exercise, military officials said. Of the wounded, two suffered life-threatening injuries while six had either serious or very serious injuries. All were Canadians from the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. The U.S. pledged their full cooperation with an investigation into the mishap—which is being called an identification error. – See entries on 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 20 June 2003, 16 September 2006 “Four Canadian soldiers are killed in Afghanistan” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Four Canadian soldiers have died in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in what is believed to be an accident, the Department of National Defence said the nights of 17 April. The dead soldiers were members of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, which was deployed to the region earlier this year. The families of the deceased are still being contacted. – See entries on 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May,14, 28 June, 20 June 2003, 14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006 “On guard for Uncle Sam?” (Michael Byers, pg.A13)

Negotiations are now under way to place a large part of Canada’s armed forces under a permanent, U.S.-led integrated command within the context of North American homeland defence. The plan would build on the existing NORAD framework to provide ground and sea security. Such meetings have been kept quiet thus far. – See entries on 19, 22, 26 April” “Canada opts out of American plan to defend continent” (Shawn McCarthy, Paul Koring, Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

On 17 April, U.S. Defence Secretary Rumsfelfd announced the creation of Northern Command, a new military zone stretching from the Canadian Arctic to the tropics of southern Mexico. Prime

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Minister Chrétien and his cabinet have so far opted out of the plan, saying that they will be responsible for their own national security. The U.S. said that it would do whatever is necessary to protect American interests, but would not send U.S. forces into Canada without consent. – See entries on 19, 22, 26 April

Friday, 19 April “U.S. pilot believed he was under attack” (Daniel Leblanc, Paul Koring, Peter Cheney, pg.A1)

Military investigators from Canada and the United States will focus their probes on the U.S. Air National Guard pilot who dropped a laser-guided bomb on Canadian troops in Wednesday night’s friendly-fire debacle in Afghanistan. The pilot who flew his F-16 into the live-fire training exercise near Kandahar apparently dropped the 200-kilogram bomb on the Canadians in the belief that he had come under ground attack by enemy forces. Military officials from Canada and the United States have launched four parallel investigations into the incident. – See entries on 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May,14, 28 June, 20 June 2003,14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006 “U.S. plays down Northcom threat” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A14)

The United States has no intention of patrolling Canadian waters or stationing U.S. troops on Canadian territory under its new Northern Command, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci said on 18 April. Mr. Cellucci played down concerns raised about threats posed to Canadian sovereignty by the Northern Command, which will oversee U.S. security interests from the Canadian Arctic to the tip of Mexico. He said improved co-operation between Ottawa and Washington on security issues is critical to creating a “zone of confidence” to facilitate goods and people moving across the border with increasing ease. – See entries on 18, 22, 26 April “National Guard pilots under scrutiny” (Paul Waldie, pg.A4)

Even before one of its pilots fired a missile at Canadian forces in Afghanistan, disturbing questions were being raised about the U.S. Air National Guard and its combat readiness. Unlike full-time military pilots, Air National Guard pilots typically fly commercial jets for a living and perform military service as a part-time job. They train about 200 hours a year in military aircraft, which experts say is comparable to training for regular Air Force pilots. – See entries on 18, 22, 26 April “Deaths don’t merit a mention from Bush” (John Ibbitson, pg.A7)

During five public appearances on 18 April, U.S. President George W. Bush failed to offer condolences to the people of Canada or to the families of four Canadians killed by U.S. friendly fire. He did send a written letter of condolence to Prime Minister Chrétien during the afternoon of 18 April. – See entries on 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006

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“Canada to stay in war zone despite deaths” (Shawn McCarthy, Jeff Sallot, pg.A5)

The Liberal government has reiterated its commitment to the military campaign in Afghanistan, even as Canadians mourn the death of four soldiers who were accidentally bombed by a U.S. pilot. In the House of Commons on 18 April, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien offered condolences to the families and friends of the four victims, all members of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Defence Minister echoed the same message as the Prime Minister, reminding Members of Parliament that Canadians are in Afghanistan for good reasons. – See entries on 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May,14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006

Saturday, 20 April “Bush apologizes to Canadians: ‘I wish we could bring them back’” (John Ibbitson, Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

As criticism in Canada grew toward his seeming indifference, U.S. President George W. Bush offered his public condolences yesterday to the families of Canadians killed and injured by U.S. friendly fire. Many Canadian politicians were upset that Bush did not offer his condolences earlier. – See entries on 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 20 June 2003, 16 September 2006 “Remains of soldiers will arrive at Trenton” (Krista Foss, pg.A10)

The bodies of four Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan arrive this morning at 8 Wing Canadian Forces base in Trenton, Ont., to be transported to towns across Canada where they will be buried by their families. Prime Minister Chrétien and other senior politicians will be at Trenton when the military plane lands. Funerals will follow. – See entries on 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006

Monday, 22 April “85% want U.S. to pay for tragedy” (Wallace Immen, pg.A1)

Eighty-five per cent of Canadians believe the federal government should demand that the United States pay compensation to the families of soldiers killed in Afghanistan last week, a national poll suggests. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 29 April, 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006 “Canada remains an afterthought in defence plans” (Hugh Winsor, pg.A6)

Canada took too long to react to the U.S. Northern Command plan and when Canadians did finally react they did so in a bipolar way. Therefore, the author suggests, Canada lost its ability to

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negotiate and participate in the U.S. plan which will proceed whether Canadian officials give consent or not. – See entries on 18, 19, 26 April – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 23 April “Eggleton's mind made up about probe, MP says” (Daniel Leblanc, Paul Koring, pg.A4)

Defence Minister Art Eggleton is being accused of prejudging the outcome of the inquiry into the death of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan after he said he doesn't think his troops made any mistake leading up to the tragedy. This comes after the Canadian inquiry began on 22 April. Eggleton holds that the Canadian troops had the adequate equipment and training to avoid tragedies like this from occurring. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 14 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006

Wednesday, 24 April “Canada hails her fallen soldiers” (Mark MacKinnon, pg.A1)

A solemn goodbye ceremony for the four soldiers killed on 17 April took place at Kandahar airfield on 23 April. The entire Canadian contingent stood at attention and saluted during the nation’s first of such ceremonies in Afghanistan. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006

Thursday, 25 April “Ottawa to dump much debated antiterrorism bill” (Daniel Leblanc, Steven Chase, pg.A9)

Ottawa is killing a controversial terrorism bill that was introduced in haste last year to give broad powers to the government in times of crisis. Bill C-42 will be replaced by a new legislative proposal that will take into account widespread criticism on issues such as the creation of military zones around sensitive sites. A number of critics had said the bill went too far in allowing the government to create new regulations with no parliamentary oversight.

Friday, 26 April “Canada tarred again as haven for terrorists” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Canada will once again be painted as a terrorist haven when the widely watched television news show 60 Minutes tells Americans on April 28 that their northern neighbour has serious problems in its immigration system.

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“Canadian soldiers face risks under U.S. rule, report argues” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A10)

In an integrated North American command, U.S. generals might be less inclined to put their own troops in harm’s way, and more likely to use Canadians for the dangerous missions, says the report by Michael Byers, a Canadian who teaches international law at Duke University in North Carolina in a report released on 25 April commissioned by the Simons Centre for Peace and Disarmament at the University of British Columbia. – See entries on 18, 19, 22 April, 1 May

Monday, 29 April “'We have brought them home'” (Jill Mahoney, pg.A1)

On 28 April a memorial for the four soldiers killed in a friendly fire incident on 17 April took place at Edmonton’s Skyreach Centre. Over 16,000 people attended including the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, the Prime Minister and Chief of Defence Staff. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 April, 13, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006

Tuesday, 30 April “Britain will give Afghans PoW status; Canada won't” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Canadian soldiers will continue to turn captives in Afghanistan over to the United States, the Department of National Defence said, despite Britain's decision not to do so in most cases and instead turn them over to the interim government in Kabul as unlawful combatants. “CSIS, RCMP will be given airline data” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8)

In a new terrorism bill on 29 April, the federal government gave itself powers to monitor the air travel of Canadians to weed out terrorist and criminal suspects. Under Bill C-55, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP will be able to obtain passenger lists from airlines to flag security risks, identify travel patterns of potential terrorists, and alert local police to the presence on a specific flight of anyone wanted on an outstanding warrant for a serious offence. The lists will also be used to determine which flights are to be protected by armed air marshalls. Critics said the government is still giving itself too much arbitrary power, while not focusing its measures on the right targets. – See entries on 28 November 2001, 30 April, 2, 18 May

3.5 May 2002

Wednesday, 1 May “Eggleton to end pact’s secrecy” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

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Defence Minister Art Eggleton said on 30 April that he is set to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding negotiations on closer military co-operation with the United States. He was responding to opposition attacks suggesting that Canada is willing to surrender quietly its sovereignty by placing troops under U.S. command. He is to make an announcement shortly. The U.S. wants Ottawa’s answer by mid-May. – See entries on 18, 19, 22 April

Thursday, 2 May “Canadian troops set for new Afghan operation” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Hundreds of combat-ready Canadian troops have been airlifted to Bagram air base as a large, British-led allied force is assembled for a possible operation in eastern Afghanistan. Two companies of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry—about half the Canadian fighting force in Afghanistan—are believed to be involved in the operation along with a similar number, about 250, of British Marine Commandos and several companies of U.S. infantry from the 101st Airborne Division. No further details were released. – See entries on 1, 12 April, 25, 31 May “Privacy watchdog sounds alarm” (Kim Lunman, pg.A4)

Canada’s Privacy Commissioner said on 1 May that a proposed new federal law to increase air- travel security could turn the country into a police state. George Radwanski criticized the new provisions in Bill C-55, which give the RCMP and CSIS unrestricted access to the personal information on all Canadians on domestic and international flights. Opposition politicians share similar concerns over Bill C-55. – See entries on 28 November, 13 December 2001, April 30, 18 May

Friday, 3 May “PM urges Canadians to embrace tolerance” (Ingrid Peritz, pg.A5)

Prime Minister Chrétien used a Liberal party fundraiser on 2 May to appeal for greater racial tolerance nationwide. This was in response to a spike in racial tension and conflict in Canada after the 11 September attacks and the more recent conflict in the Middle East surrounding Arafat. – See entry on 21 September 2002 Saturday, 4 May “Canada, EU plan military co-operation” (Brian Laghi, Jeff Sallot, pg.A6)

Canada and the European Union are near a deal for Canadian soldiers to take part in any future EU-led peacekeeping missions to police trouble spots where the United States may not want to go. Under the proposal, Canadian soldiers would serve under European commanders in traditional peacekeeping roles: monitoring ceasefires, guaranteeing the security of civilian populations and helping rebuild war-ravaged regions. Canadian, European and U.S. personnel fill such a role in the Balkans, but U.S. President George W. Bush has said he prefers that his country not take on

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any more such assignments. The matter is expected to be discussed next week when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien attends a Canada-EU summit meeting in Spain. “Helicopter choice likely put off” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Ottawa's promise to announce the winner of the $2.9-billion race to replace its aging Sea King helicopters before year-end is unachievable because of new delays in the tendering process, industry officials say, putting the procurement process more than a month off schedule thus far. – See entry on 21 May

Monday, 6 May “Decision looms on Afghanistan operation” (Mark MacKinnon, pg.A9)

Brigadier-General Michel Gauthier, the commander of Canada’s war effort in Afghanistan, said on 5 May that a decision will soon be made on whether to prolong Canada’s presence in Afghanistan beyond the current six-month commitment. The current troops are scheduled to pull out in August and a choice is being made whether not to replace the tour or wrap up the mission. – See entries on 7, 11 May

Tuesday, 7 May “Ottawa ponders role in Aghanistan” (Heather Scoffield, pg.A16)

Canada is capable of renewing its military mission in Afghanistan without having to pull troops out of the Balkans, but the government may have to reconsider the size and nature of the rotation, Defence Minister Art Eggleton said on 6 May. Ottawa will decide by 17 May. – See entries on 6, 11, 16 May “Canadian troops believe graves those of bin Laden bodyguards” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A16)

More than 300 Canadian troops, along with special forces and Afghan military forces, landed at several different sites on a mountain deep in the Tora Bora region on 4 May. They discovered a large cemetery in a village called Ali Khayle where they found remains believed to be 25 of Mr. bin Laden’s personal bodyguards killed in an American air strike last December.

Saturday, 11 May “Eggleton ponders reduction of Bosnia troops” (Canadian Press, pg.A7)

Canada may reduce its peacekeeping strength in Bosnia by about 250 soldiers, but that would not necessarily make it easier for it to extend its military mission in Afghanistan, Defence Minister Art Eggleton said on 10 May. – See entries on 6, 7 May

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Monday, 13 May “Canadian troops acted properly during fatal exercise, report finds” (Steven Chase, Jill Mahoney)

Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan conducted themselves by the book during an April live-fire training exercise that saw four die in a U.S. “friendly-fire” bombing, a military inquiry is expected to announce in its interim report this week. It will say that Canadian ground troops acted properly and complied with all requirements on April 18 when a U.S. fighter pilot mistakenly dropped a 225-kilogram bomb on the soldiers, killing four and wounding eight. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 14, 29 September 2002, 20 June 2003, 16 September 2006

Wednesday, 15 May “Ottawa to introduce high-tech crime bill” (Eric Anderssen, pg.A7)

The federal government will introduce new high-tech crime legislation this fall giving police wider access to the electronic information held by Canadian phone companies, banks and Internet providers. The legislation will make it possible for police agencies to force corporations to preserve billing information and e-mail trails and hand them over on demand. “‘Conclusive’ report on bombing deaths likely in June” (Jill Mahoney, pg.A15)

The censored interim report released yesterday by the inquiry investigating the bombing deaths of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan sheds no new light on the tragedy. However, retired General Maurice Baril, who is presiding over the four-member board, assured Canadians he will have his full report ready in six weeks. Defence Minister Eggleton and others decided to sever much of the interim report because of operational security. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13 May, 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 16 September 2006

Thursday, 16 May “Afghanistan still has need of soldiers, general says” (Canadian Press, Associated Press, pg.A15)

Just as Canadian troops here anxiously anticipate an announcement from Ottawa about returning home, U.S. General Tommy Franks indicated that the coalition will have a presence in Afghanistan for as long as it takes to fight terrorism. In a speech to coalition troops at the Kandahar airport yesterday, Gen. Franks singled out Canadians for their contribution. – See entry on 6 May, 22, 24 May

Saturday, 18 May “Liberals to blast PM on defence spending” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

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Liberal and opposition MPs are preparing to release a hard-hitting report that will challenge the federal government’s funding of the military and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s refusal to buy heavy-lift airplanes for Canadian troops. In what is expected to be a unanimous report released before the end of the month, the defence committee of the House will tell the government that the troops are stretched to the limit and that there is a need for immediate action and increased budgets. – See entry on 8 November 2002, 11 December 2002, 27, 31 May “MacAulay misled public, privacy commissioner says” (Kim Lunman, pg.A12)

Canada’s Solicitor-General has misled the Canadian public with “half-truths and assumptions” about new security legislation, the federal privacy watchdog charged yesterday. Privacy Commissioner George Radwanski blasted a defence of Ottawa's antiterrorism bill by Solicitor- General Lawrence MacAulay. It was the latest exchange in a continuing war of words between the Liberal government and the privacy commissioner over the proposed law that would give police access to airline passenger lists. – See entries on 28 November 2001, April 30, 1 May

Tuesday, 21 May “Sea Kings short on self-defence, crews said” (Dean Beeby, pg.A6)

Sea King crews returning from the Persian Gulf last summer warned the Canadian military that the aging helicopters require self-defence systems when operating in the troubled region, a newly released report indicates. This adds further fuel to the fire that Minister Eggleton should have acted quickly to seek out a replacement for the aged machines, especially now that they are being used alongside naval assets in the Gulf region. – See entry on 5 May

Wednesday, 22 May “Ottawa takes fire for ending mission” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Defence Minister Art Eggleton announced yesterday that Canada's 850 ground troops will be pulled out of Afghanistan at the end of July because the country's underfunded military is stretched too thin. Eggleton said Ottawa is withdrawing 850 infantry soldiers in late July and early August even though the Pentagon wanted to keep the Canadians in Afghanistan longer. Canada will replace 40 commandos from the elite Joint Task Force 2 with a fresh contingent of about the same size. Opposition MPs and analysts blame the years of Liberal neglect of the armed forces. – See entries on 6, 16 May

Friday, 24 May “Troops to stay in Kabul 6 more months, UN says” (Canadian Press, pg.15)

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The UN Security Council voted unanimously yesterday to keep international troops in Kabul for another six months after June 20, but rejected pleas from Afghanistan’s leaders to expand the force throughout the battered country. – See entry on 16 May

Saturday, 25 May “Coalition captures 55 al-Qaeda suspects” (Brian Laghi, Alison Dunfield, pg.A13)

Canadian soldiers, thought to be part of the JTF-2 contingent, took part in a one of the largest raids in Afganistan since the beginning of the war on terrorism on 24 May, detaining suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda members in the process. The eight-hour raid led to the capture of 55 people at a compound in southern Afghanistan, west of Kandahar, a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla., said. A similar raid north of Kandahar earlier this month resulted in the capture of 30 suspected militants.

Monday, 27 May “Chrétien drops the axe” (Shawn McCarthy, Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

Eggleton ousted from cabinet as contract for ex-girlfriend revealed Boudria shuffled from Public Works after failed bid to clean up department.Two ad-agency reports that cost Ottawa $116,000 are now missing. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien scrambled to contain spreading political trouble for his government yesterday, dropping his embattled defence minister, Art Eggleton, from cabinet and removing Don Boudria from the sensitive Public Works portfolio. Eggleton was forced to resign and did so by disagreeing with the Prime Minister on his choice in his resignation letter. – * Deceptive headline “How Canada's military may best be deployed” (Editorial, pg.A14)

The Editors of The Globe write that deployment will help Canadian policymakers provide the armed forces with adequate training, pay and equipment. They note that in a country as wealthy as Canada, there is no excuse for anything less. – See entry on 28, 31 May

Tuesday, 28 May “MPs challenge McCallum to raise defence spending” (Daniel Leblanc, Steven Chase, pg.A1)

Ottawa has to raise its annual military budget to at least $16-billion from $12-billion over the next three years to gain some respectability among its defence partners, a committee of the House will recommend this week to the new Defence Minister, John McCallum. The report, which will be released Thursday morning, is entitled Facing Our Responsibilities: The State of Readiness of the Canadian Forces. It has the support of the Liberal, Canadian Alliance, NDP and Conservative

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members of the Commons defence committee. The Bloc Québécois will issue a dissenting report calling for a smaller increase in spending. – See entries on 2 March, 31 May, 25 October, 13 November

Thursday, 30 May “50,000 soldiers to get pay increase” (Steven Chase, pg.A7)

More than 50,000 Canadian soldiers will see their pay increase between 4 and 4.5 per cent after an announcement from Ottawa yesterday.

Friday, 31 May “Raise defence spending, committee says” (John Ward, pg.A10)

MPs belonging to the Commons defence committee called for increased spending of $2-billion a year in each of the next three years, bringing the defence budget to $18-billion, compared with the current $12-billion. Among other things, the committee recommends that the army should get more money for combat training; the JTF-2 antiterrorism commando unit should expand; the reserves should get more money and attention; the navy should get three new, Canadian-built transport ships for strategic sea-lift duty; the navy’s four aging, Tribal-class destroyers should be replaced; the air force should get heavy-lift transport planes. – See entries on 2 March, 18, 31 May, 25 October, 13 November “Forces set 50 Afghans free, decide to keep five” (Nahlah Ayed, pg.A18)

Dozens of Afghans captured by Canadian and U.S. forces in a raid last week were dropped off in a soccer field yesterday after investigators concluded they are not the senior Taliban and al-Qaeda whom the forces were seeking. Officials kept five others. – See entries on 1, 12 April, 2, 25 May

3.6 June 2002

Monday, 3 June “Chrétien fires Martin” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Citing irreconcilable differences, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien yesterday dumped his popular finance minister, Paul Martin, as his government lurches from crisis to crisis. Replacing him is Deputy Prime Minister John Manley, who adds the powerful Finance portfolio to an already heavy load as Mr. Chrétien’s de facto chief operating officer. – See entry on 27 May

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Tuesday, 4 June “Antiterror treaty passes without Canada on-side” (Reuter News Agency, pg.A10)

Restrictions in Canadian law led Canada to withhold its approval from an antiterrorism treaty agreed to yesterday by the Organization of American States. The Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism, which U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell hailed as the first new international pact of its kind since the 11 September attacks, is intended to bolster Washington’s global campaign against terrorism. It commits nations from across the Americas to share intelligence, freeze assets of terrorist organizations and co-operate in prosecutions.

Saturday, 8 June “Canada to cut troops in Bosnia“ (Jeff Sallot, pg.A6)

Attending his first meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Defence Minister John McCallum said on 7 June that Canada will draw down its Bosnian contingent to about 1,200 troops from 1,700 by year end. Over all, NATO plans to cut troop numbers in Bosnia by about one-third, leaving 12,000 soldiers in the Balkans for 2003. Some RCMP officers may be sent to the region.

Thursday, 13 June “U.S. ties put Canada at risk, CSIS says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A12)

Canada’s close military alliance with the United States makes it a possible al-Qaeda terrorist target, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service says. In a report to Parliament on 12 June, CSIS says Canada has moved beyond being used by terrorists strictly for logistical and support activities to becoming a possible area for preparation of terrorist attacks. – * Deceptive headline

Friday, 14 June “Canada not a terror haven: Powell” (Rod Mickleburgh, pg.A1)

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday firmly rejected claims, often heard on both sides of the border, that Canada is a haven for terrorists. He said that there is no credible evidence for such a claim and that if there are terrorists in Canada that they will be brought to justice. “Pilot unaware troops he hit were U.S. allies” (Lois Abraham, pg.A10)

The U.S. pilot who dropped a bomb that killed four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan in April did not know the troops on the ground were members of the U.S.-led coalition, his lawyer says. He believed that he acted correctly according to the information he had available. – See entries 18,19, 10, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 20, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 20 June 2003, 16 September 2006 “Karzai’s plans include Afghan truth commission” (Mark MacKinnon, pg.A13)

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Hamid Karzai was officially elected President yesterday by a landslide vote at the country’s emergency grand council, known as a loya jirga. He is to hold the post until full elections in 2004. – See entries on 11, 12 October 2004

Wednesday, 19 June “Ombudsman criticizes heartless officers” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A5)

Canadian Forces Ombudsman André Marin released his annual report on 18 June and found that the treatment of lower-ranking personnel in the armed forces is abysmal. The report quickly won the endorsement of John McCallum, the new Defence Minister, who said his department will take whatever corrective measures are required to root out insensitive commanders and officers who mistreat subordinates.

Thursday, 20 June “Britain to withdraw troops from Afghanistan” (Alan Freeman, pg.A10)

A contingent of 1,380 British troops currently fighting alongside U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan will not be replaced when they return home this summer, as Britain follows Canada's lead in withdrawing from a major role in Operation Enduring Freedom. “Behind the bombing of Canadian troops” (Editorial, pg.A16)

Although the joint U.S.-Canadian military inquiry’s report on the incident has yet to be officially approved and released, leaked information printed yesterday by The New York Times suggests the F-16 pilot violated the procedure he had been taught to follow, and dropped his laser-guided bomb before he had received word on whether the people on the ground were enemy forces. – See entries on 18,19, 10, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 20 June 2003, 16 September 2006

Friday, 28 June “Military base needs more funds, senator says” (Canadian Press, pg.A8)

Canada’s largest military airbase at Trenton, Ontario needs new planes and more staff to meet enhanced security standards, the head of the Senate committee on national security and defence, Colin Kenny, says. “U.S. pilot ignored 2 orders” (Daniel Leblanc, Associated Press, pg.A1)

Retired general and former Chief of Defence Staff, Maurice Baril, has condemned the actions of a U.S. fighter pilot who was twice told to hold fire two months ago, but still dropped a bomb that killed four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. Many things went wrong on the evening of the deadly error, according to a report by Gen. Baril, released yesterday in tandem with a report on a parallel U.S. investigation. Blame is attributed to the pilot’s rushed decision. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 14 June, 14, 20 September 2002, 2 January 2003, 20 June 2003, 16 September 2006

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3.7 July 2002

Tuesday, 2 July “Canadians launch hunt for terrorists” (Nahlah Ayed, Associated Press, pg.A10)

Operation Cherokee Sky will see troops sweep province in search for al-Qaeda fighters. Canadian soldiers descended on unsearched Afghan territory near the Pakistani border in an ambitious terrorist hunt unlike any the coalition here has mounted to date. No further details are known except that dozens of military vehicles are involved. – See entry on 5 July “Afghanistan needs a larger security force” (Editorial, pg.A14)

The editors of The Globe note that Afghanistan needs a larger security force, as explained by Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, on a number of circumstances. They suggest that Canada regroup after August 2001 and go back to Afghanistan with a stronger, more able contingent.

Wednesday, 3 July “Government sends aid to assist Afghanistan” (Kim Lunman, pg.A6)

Canada is spending $13.75-million for reconstruction efforts and development in Afghanistan, Susan Whelan, the Minister for International Co-operation, announced on 2 July. The money is part of $100-million for humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan pledged in the federal budget last December. – See entry on 3 December “Navy nets surprises in hunting terrorists” (Brian Laghi, pg.A8)

Canadian naval vessels in the Gulf region have intercepted several ships smuggling goods and narcotics to other nations since the beginning of their deployment in fall 2001.

Friday, 5 July “Afghan foul-up thwarts Canadians” (Nahleh Ayed, pg.A10)

A Canadian mission aimed at flushing suspected terrorists out of hiding in Zabul province was halted after Afghan military taking part in the operation didn’t follow the original plan. Operation Cherokee Sky, Canada’s largest combat mission to date in Afghanistan, is being hailed as a success for establishing the antiterrorist coalition's presence in an area of the country that has so far gone largely uninspected. But the complex mission, which involved the lion’s share of the Canadian battalion on the ground here, did not turn up any Taliban or al-Qaeda. The Afghan military forces were unable to identify any Taliban members and failed to complete a sweep of the village that they had initially promised. – See entry on 2 July

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Saturday, 6 July “New defence systems lacks ability to talk to allies” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

The Armed Forces are buying a $60-million communications system that is designed, in part, to reduce the risk of friendly fire accidents. But the system is not compatible with equipment used by U.S. and other allied forces, a federal report says.

Thursday, 11 July “Status quo not working, Forces seek clear direction“ (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

The Canadian Forces must find new and cheaper ways to fight because the military can’t expect “windfall” budget increases, says General Ray Henault, Chief of Defence Staff. But the military wants the government to give clear direction on what it expects the Canadian Forces to do and how much money it will have with which to do it over the next five to 10 years. “Bin Laden plans strikes on U.S., Web site say” (Paul Koring, pg.A11)

Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is alive and planning more attacks against American targets, spokesmen linked to the militant Islamic organization said on 10 July and U.S. President George W. Bush acknowledged that the threat of terrorist strikes remains real. In an audio recording released on a militant Islamic Web site, Suleiman Abu Ghaith, who has long been considered a key al-Qaeda spokesman, said that Mr. bin Laden is alive and that U.S. military efforts to crush the organization have failed. – See entry on 15 July, 12 August

Monday, 15 July “Canadian narcotics trade aids terrorists, RCMP say” (Dene Moore, pg.A6)

A portion of the $20-million (U.S.) worth of illegal hashish imported into Canada annually financed terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to the RCMP. More than 100 tonnes of hashish is brought into Canada every year, according to a confidential RCMP report obtained under the Access to Information Act, most of it is from Afghanistan and Pakistan. – See entry on 13 August “Bin Laden, Omar believed to be alive” (Agence France Press, pg.A12)

Osama bin Laden and Mullah Mohammed Omar are alive and planning new strikes, German and Afghan intelligence officials said on 15 July. – See entries on 11 July, 12 August

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Tuesday, 16 July “Navy nets al-Qaeda suspects after foggy gulf chase” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

The Canadian navy handed over two suspected al-Qaeda members to U.S. forces over the weekend after a dramatic, high-speed chase in which the destroyer HMCS Algonquin caught a fleeing speedboat at night. It was the first capture of suspected terrorists by a coalition warship since the start of the war in Afghanistan. In addition, it was the first time that Canadians handed over prisoners to U.S. forces since the controversial capture of al-Qaeda suspects by special forces in January.

Tuesday, 23 July “Canada, U.S. beef up border security teams” (Alison Dunfield, pg.A4)

To help target terrorism and to oversee movement, five new Integrated Cross-Border Enforcement Teams have been established, Solicitor-General Lawrence MacAulay said pm 22 July. The teams include police, immigration and customs officers from both countries. They will work together with enforcement agencies from all levels of government. – See entry on 26 November “Army needs time to recoup, Brigadier-General says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

The Canadian army would ideally need a year to recoup before it goes back to Afghanistan or into any other major foreign deployment, Brigadier-General Vince Kennedy said on 22 July.

Saturday, 27 July “Soldiers easing back to normal life” (Scott Radway, pg.A7)

Roughly 850 Canadian soldiers of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry battle group who have landed or will land this week on the island of Guam in the western Pacific. Instead of sending the troops from the war zone straight home to their families, the military has opted to detail them for up to a week of civilian life on Guam’s sandy, white beaches to readjust to society.

Monday, 29 July “Cheering crowd welcomes troops” (Time Cook, pg.A4)

The first of Canada’s returning soldiers from Afghanistan arrived in Edmonton on 28 July. For the soldiers, it was their first time on Canadian soil in six months. For their families and the rest of the country, it was the first chance to welcome home troops from a war zone in 50 years. – See entry on 10 August

Tuesday, 30 July “A brave tradition continues” (John McCallum, pg.A11)

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Defence Minister, John McCallum, praised the efforts of Canada’s troops returning from Afghanistan in a pubic letter.

3.8 August 2002

Thursday, 8 August “Give Iraqi leader a chance to co-operate, Graham says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A14)

Saddam Hussein is “extremely dangerous,” but the Iraqi dictator’s offer to hold talks about allowing UN weapons inspectors back into his country is a positive step that should be followed up, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said on 7 August. Mr. Graham and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien denied that Canada is facing pressure from Washington to sign on to a U.S.-led military expedition to oust Mr. Hussein. Mr. Graham said after a cabinet meeting that Canada would be loath to join any military operation against Iraq that lacks United Nations authorization. – See entries on 5, 6, 9 September “Chrétien urged to help avert war against Iraq” (Paul Koring, pg.A14)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is being urged by opposition MPs and a former United Nations weapons inspector to dispatch a special Canadian envoy to Baghdad in the growing effort to stave off a U.S. attack on Iraq. – See entries on 5, 6, 9 September

Saturday, 10 August “Edmonton welcomes ground troops back home” (Jill Mahoney, pg.A7)

As many as 15,000 people waved Canadian flags, sported yellow ribbons and gathered in downtown Edmonton to welcome home members of the Third Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry battle group that returned last week from a gruelling six-month deployment in Afghanistan as well as those who were killed on duty. – See entry on 29 August

Monday, 12 August “Bin Laden escaped alive, Newsweek says” (Canadian Press, pg.A9)

Newsweek magazine reported in its 19 August issue that, while under U.S. fire, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden escaped the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan on horseback last December with 28 people. The entourage travelled into Pakistan and back to the Afghan mountain stronghold Shahikot over five days, the magazine said. Newsweek’s source was a professional guide who said he led bin Laden’s contingent during some of the trip. – See entries on 11, 15 July

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Tuesday, 13 August “Canadian drugs fund terrorism, official says” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

A top U.S. official says violent Middle Eastern groups are reaping the profits of an illicit cross- border drug trade—one involving a cold-medication ingredient that is bought legally in Canada before it is cooked up into illegal street drugs south of the border. Canada figures in the alleged scheme because, compared to the United States, it has relatively lax controls on a chemical called pseudoephedrine. The RCMP says it has no evidence of these claims. – See entry on 15 July “Baghdad arsenal still serious threat, Manley declares” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A11)

The Canadian and U.S. governments rejected Iraqi claims on 12 August that Baghdad is not trying to build an arsenal of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. They maintain that Iraq poses a huge security threat. – See entries on 5, 6, 9 September

Friday, 16 August “Canadian officials dismiss lifting of Iraqi boycott” (Canadian Press, pg. A11)

Iraq has lifted its boycott on Canadian wheat and other goods, a gesture Canadian officials quickly dismissed as having little practical effect. Trade was broken off in early 2001 because of Ottawa's support for U.S. air raids.

Monday, 19 August “Caucus narrowly backs PM” (Stephen Chase, Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

A slim majority of Liberal MPs—55 per cent of the government caucus—have affixed their names to a declaration of support for Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in a bid by loyalists to marginalize leadership dissent before a key caucus meeting this week. This comes after attacks from across the political spectrum on Chrétien’s competence. – See entry for 22 August Thursday, 22 August “Chrétien’s long goodbye” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

Jean Chrétien will step down as Prime Minister in February of 2004, giving himself 18 months to carve out his final legacy amid a potentially long and divisive leadership race. – See entry for 19 August

Wednesday, 28 August “Canada, U.S. near troop deal” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

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Washington and Ottawa are close to a deal allowing U.S. soldiers to cross the border and operate on Canadian soil in the event of a terrorist attack. The proposal, revealed by Defence Minister John McCallum on 27 August, would likewise let Canadian troops take part in antiterror operations south of the border. The plan, which is in the final stages of negotiation, would for the first time allow U.S. and Canadians ground troops to serve under the other forces’ command in North America—but only under strict guidelines on a case-by-case basis. – See entry on 29 August

Thursday, 29 August “Plan joint troop action in detail, experts warn” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A11)

The Canadian government was warned by opposition MPs and academics yesterday to carefully guard its sovereignty as it gears up for increased military cooperation with the United States. Overall, military analysts were pleased with the news that Canada is close to a deal with Washington on troop deployments across the border in the case of an emergency. However, some experts warned that Canada has to negotiate a watertight agreement to prevent the U.S. military from abusing its might. In addition, there were also calls for public consultation before any deal is signed. – See entry on 28 August

Friday, 30 August “Bin Laden still has money, UN says” (Evelyn Leopold, pg.A10)

Despite initial success in freezing the bank accounts of al-Qaeda associates, a new United Nations report criticizes the continuing effort as sloppy and uncoordinated and says Osama bin Laden still has enough money to operate. The report surfaced pm 29 August as the United States joined Italy in adding 25 businesses and individuals to a UN list of more than 200 whose assets are to be frozen around the world.

Saturday, 31 August “Ports remain vulnerable to terror threats” (Victor Malarek, pg.A1)

Officials charged with inspecting suspicious cargo at Canada’s ports claim they are regularly subjected to intimidation to prevent them from doing their job. A year after 11 September, Canada’s three major seaports—Halifax, Montreal and Vancouver—remain seriously compromised by organized crime and are an open “soft target” for terrorist infiltration, police, intelligence and customs officers warn in a report published by the Organized Crime Agency of British Columbia.

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3.9 September 2002

Wednesday, 4 September “Senate panel urges tighter ports security” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Canada has to tighten security at hundreds of ocean ports that offer unsupervised entry points for potential terrorists, a Senate committee said yesterday. The nine-member committee, led by Colin Kenny, said that if criminals can bring drugs or people illegally into the country, there is also a fear that they can smuggle bombs and other dangerous material through ports. – See entry on August 31

Thursday, 5 September “Canadians oppose Iraq war role” (Christine Boyd, pg.A16)

Slightly more than half of Canadians do not want to send troops to support the United States if it attacks Iraq in an effort to overthrow President Saddam Hussein, a survey by Ipsos-Reid suggests. Fifty-four per cent of Canadians interviewed said they do not think the country's armed forces should be involved if the United States takes military action against the Middle Eastern country, as opposed to 44 per cent who agree with such a move, according to the survey conducted last week for The Globe and Mail and CTV television. – See entries on 6, 9, 10 September, 18 January 2003

Friday, 6 September “PM ready to take on Bush over Hussein” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien says he is ready to argue with U.S. President George W. Bush next week about the wisdom of going to war to topple Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Before agreeing to provide political or military support for an attack against Iraq, Ottawa will demand proof from the United States that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, can launch them and intends to do so to terrorize others, Mr. Chrétien said on 5 September. – See entries on 9, 10 September, 2, 3 October

Monday, 9 September “Bush set to pressure PM on Iraq” (Paul Koring, Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

With Britain now solidly backing U.S. President George W. Bush’s campaign to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, U.S. efforts to win support turn today to Canada—the other ally that likes to boast of being America’s best friend. But Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has shown no sign that he will deliver the kind of unequivocal support offered on the weekend by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Mr. Blair expressed “total determination” to deal with Iraq and said he believes other leaders will follow once they hear Mr. Bush make his case. Today, during a

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meeting in Detroit that was originally intended as a forum for hashing out border issues, Mr. Bush will lay out his argument for rapid and tough international action to topple the Iraqi regime, including a pre-emptive military strike if necessary. So far, Mr. Chrétien has been unmoved by Washington's claims that Baghdad's alleged poison-gas and germ-warfare stockpiles. – See entries on 6, 10, 25 September, 2, 3 October, 31 January 2003, 6, 22 February 2003, 7, 8, 17, 18 March 2003.

Tuesday, 10 September “Don’t act alone, PM tells Bush” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien gave U.S. President George W. Bush a history lesson on Canadian support for the United Nations yesterday, and told him that Canada would not support unilateral U.S. action against Saddam Hussein. In a 45-minute private session, Mr. Chrétien told Mr. Bush that he must get approval from the UN to attack Iraq. – See entries on 6, 9 September, 2, 3 October

Wednesday, 11 September “Grief and high alert” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Anti-aircraft missile batteries ringed Washington; some U.S. embassies closed, and military bases increased readiness after the President ordered the United States to high alert yesterday, a year after al-Qaeda’s terrorist strikes. In Canada, officials tried to play down the possibility of threats, saying only that security measures had been increased for air travel for the rest of the week, fighter jets will be in a heightened state of alert and there will be more police patrols at some embassies and consulates overseas. “Alliance urges PM to support hit on Iraq” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A10)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is wrong to wait for a United Nations decision before supporting military strikes against Iraq, the Canadian Alliance said on 10 September. The Alliance is weary of the verification abilities of the United Nations. – See entry on 10, 11, 12 September

Thursday, 12 September “PM says U.S. attitude helped fuel Sept. 11” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien says the United States and the West must shoulder some of the responsibility for last year’s terrorist attacks on New York and Washington because of their wealth and exercise of power in the world. In a CBC interview taped in July and aired in the evening of 11 September 2002, Mr. Chrétien suggested that the root causes of the 11 September attacks were global poverty and an overbearing American foreign policy. Chrétien attended memorial services in New York City on 11 September. – See entry on 17 September

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– *Deceptive headline “Bush rallies US. for fight” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

In a nationally televised speech last night from Ellis Island, Mr. Bush finished a day of remembrance with a harsh warning that the United States was ready to step up both its fight against terror and its determination to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. – See entry on 9, 13 September, 29, 31 January 2003, 6, 22 February 2003, 7, 8, 17, 18 March 2003

Friday, 13 September “Bush gives ultimatum to Iraqis” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

The United Nations Security Council has been forced to consider authorizing a new war against Baghdad, after U.S. President George W. Bush issued a powerful ultimatum on 12 September to order the return of weapons inspectors to Iraq. In a closely watched appearance before the General Assembly, Mr. Bush said military action against Iraq will be “unavoidable” if Baghdad continues to defy UN orders to prove to the world that it is not building nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. – See entries on 9, 10, 12, 17 September “Ottawa lauds UN approach” (Jeff Sallot, pg.13)

Canada is heartened that the United States is not acting unilaterally on the Iraq “crisis” and has taken the issue to the United Nations, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said on 12 September, suggesting a softening of Ottawa’s position. But it is too early to say whether Canada would join a UN-sponsored coalition with the United States to use military muscle to force Iraq to co-operate with weapons inspections, he said. – See entry on 10, 11 September, 2 October

Saturday, 14 September “U.S. military slammed for deaths of soldiers” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Massive problems in relaying basic information between and within ground and air forces in Afghanistan contributed to a fighter pilot recklessly bombing Canadian troops, killing four and wounding eight. Canadian and U.S. inquiries yesterday released accounts of the April 17 incident that found crucial flaws in communications throughout the U.S.-led air operation. On numerous occasions, officers who planned flight missions over Afghanistan were swamped with so much data that they did not include important information in the briefing documents given to pilots and air controllers, both reports said. Even the information transmitted to the pilots was not always fully read, or, in certain cases, read only in the plane at night. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 16 September 2006 “Reports blast U.S. pilots, say protocol was ignored” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

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Major Harry Schmidt, the U.S. pilot who bombed Canadian troops in Afghanistan in April 2002 was at fault, the Canadian inquiry found. The report cited that the pilot moved too quickly and prematurely while poorly evaluating the situation. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 14, 28 June, 20 September 2002, 20 June 2003, 16 September 2006

Tuesday, 17 September “PM links Sept. 11 to ‘failed states’” (Miro Cernetig, pg.A13)

The carnage at New York’s ground zero and the spread of terrorism internationally is linked to the grinding misery of failed nation states and the poor, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told the United Nations on 16 September, expanding on his idea that developed countries should build up the Third World in order to battle terrorism. – See entry on 12 September “Iraq scrambles to avert war” (Miro Cernetig, pg.A1)

In a bid to stave off a military strike by the United States, the Iraqi government invited the United Nations last night to send weapons inspectors back to the country, a move Washington rejected, apparently as quickly as it was made. The U.S. is aiming for disarmament, not inspections, officials said. Ottawa reacted favourably, hoping that Iraq’s good will be proven to become legitimate. – See entries on 9, 10, 12, 13 September, 27 December

Friday, 20 September “Military court to hear charges against pilots” (Associated Press, pg.A7)

A military court will hear involuntary-manslaughter and aggravated-assault charges against two Illinois Air National Guard fighter pilots involved in the mistaken bombing of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. – See 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24,29 April, 13, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 14 September 2002, 20 June 2003, 16 September 2006

Wednesday, 25 September “Blair’s Iraq dossier gets cool reception from allies” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

Setting the stage for a fierce international debate, British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned yesterday that Iraq's Saddam Hussein is developing weapons of mass destruction, but the detailed set of allegations was dismissed by allies of Britain and the United States as insufficient grounds for war. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien joined French President Jacques Chirac and Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji in expressing caution about the British dossier on Iraq, even as U.S. President George W. Bush was strongly endorsing it. – See entry on 9 September

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Thursday, 26 September “Canada will commit troops to NATO strike force” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A6)

The Canadian government vowed yesterday to contribute hundreds of troops to a planned 20,000- strong NATO strike force for use when an ally has been attacked, even though this would further strain the country’s overstretched armed forces. Speaking from a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Poland, Defence Minister John McCallum said he agrees with the American move to modernize the 53-year-old military alliance. But critics said Canada will have to pump billions into its military budget to live up to this most recent commitment and fulfill other military duties.

3.10 October 2002

Wednesday, 2 October “Canada backs U.S. on Iraq” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

The Liberal government has endorsed U.S. and British demands for military action against Iraq if Saddam Hussein fails to comply with proposed tougher UN resolutions on weapons inspections, and has indicated Canada could provide military support for such an attack. In an emergency debate on Iraq on 1 October, senior cabinet ministers spelled out for the first time Ottawa’s support for a military strike against Iraq, if necessary. Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham called on the United Nations Security Council to approve a resolution to require Iraq to accept full and unfettered weapons inspection, and to set out the consequences if it does not.

- See entries on 6, 9, 10 September, 3, 4, 8, 11 October, 15 November

Thursday, 3 October “Canadian forces deemed ready for strike on Iraq” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A12)

Canada could make a significant contribution to a United-Nations-sanctioned attack on Iraq despite the budget crunch in the Armed Forces, Defence Minister John McCallum said on 2 October. The Liberal government acknowledged this week that Canada may send troops to Iraq as part of a UN mission if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein does not fully co-operate with weapons inspectors. Mr. McCallum emphasized that no decision has been made on whether Canada would get involved in military action in Iraq if it comes to pass. But he said the Canadian Forces could provide a military contingent similar to the one that helped fight the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. That involved more than 2,000 army, navy and air force personnel.

- See entries on 2, 4, 8, 11 October, 15 November

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Friday, 4 October “Canadian role limited on Iraq, critics say” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A9)

Defence Minister John McCallum is making a hollow promise when he says Canada could make a “significant” contribution to a UN-sanctioned attack on Iraq, critics said on 3 October. Opposition members and outside experts said Canadian Forces could offer only a token contribution to any coalition show of force and even that would be difficult to sustain.

- See entries on 3, 8 October

Tuesday, 8 October “Canada needs U.S. arms to fight Iraq, expert says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A9)

The United States might have to supply the weapons, but Canada almost certainly would join a military campaign against Iraq, a U.S. government consultant on North American defence says. Dwight Mason, who retired this summer as co-chairman of the Canada-U.S. Permanent Joint Board on Defence, said Canada could contribute planes but might have to depend on the United States for the bombs. He said Canada would be hard pressed to send soldiers because the army is stretched so thin.

- See entries on 3, 4, 11 October

Friday, 11 October “‘We will do our duty’ on Iraq, PM says” (Paul Koring, Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

The U.S. Congress and more foreign allies saluted and fell into step on 10 October, marching to President George W. Bush's drumbeat for war if necessary to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. In Washington, the House of Representatives voted a solid 296-133 in support of a tough resolution authorizing President Bush to wage war even without UN Security Council legitimacy unless Baghdad disarms. Early this morning, the Senate also approved the resolution after soundly defeating procedural delaying efforts yesterday. In Ottawa, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, who as opposition leader, opposed Canadian military participation in the 1991 Persian Gulf war, said Canada would be duty bound to answer Washington's bugle call this time, if the UN Security Council authorizes the use of force. Backroom discussions at the UN are ongoing.

- See entry on 2 October - * Deceptive headline

“State of Canadian military worries U.S., Cellucci says” (Steven Chase, Jeff Sallot, pg.A11)

The United States is pressing Canada to increase its defence budget, but Ottawa says any new money for security cannot be spent simply on military hardware. The long-standing debate

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between the two allies was stirred again on 10 October when U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci said Washington is worried about the dwindling number of Canadian troops and the capability of their equipment.

- See entry on 8, 25, 26 October, 21 November

Wednesday, 16 October “Chrétien and Chirac dispute U.S. allegations” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A10)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien agrees with French President Jacques Chirac that the United Nations should concentrate on disarming Iraq and not cloud the issue by attempting to link Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to al-Qaeda, a senior Canadian official said on 15 October. Mr. Chrétien and Mr. Chirac discussed the Iraqi crisis at length in a telephone conversation Monday in advance of a summit meeting they will attend this week in Lebanon. The UN Security Council is to debate the Iraqi crisis this week.

Friday, 25 October “McCallum to seek defence boost” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A13)

In his first major speech as Defence Minister today, John McCallum is expected to depart from his traditional position and say he needs more money to hire troops as well as to buy modern new equipment. Speaking before the Toronto Board of Trade, Mr. McCallum will lay out his priorities for the military after five months as the head of the Department of National Defence. His goal will be to make a case for increasing the $12-billion annual defence budget.

- See entries on 8, 11, 26 October

Saturday, 26 October “McCallum seeking money for Forces, modern equipment” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Defence Minister John McCallum says that he will cut administrative fat and outdated weapon systems out of the Canadian Forces, and acknowledged that he is looking for money for more troops and to buy modern equipment. In a well-received speech in Toronto on 25 October, Mr. McCallum acknowledged that convincing Canadians and the rest of the federal government to spend more on the military will be a massive task. In making his case to the public, he stated that the country’s sovereignty depends on a bigger and better-equipped military.

- See entries on 2 March, 28, 31 May, 8, 11, 25 October, 8, 13 November

Thursday, 31 October “Canadian teen held at Guantanamo” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

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Sixteen-year-old Omar Khadr has become the first Canadian known to be held at the U.S. military compound for Taliban and al-Qaeda suspects in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, a source has told The Globe and Mail. The teenager, who was born in Canada and went to school in Toronto and Ottawa, is said to have thrown the grenade that killed a U.S. medic in Afghanistan. The United States had held Mr. Khadr at Bagram air base in Afghanistan for months, but he is now imprisoned at the U.S. Navy base on the Caribbean Island.

- See entries on 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010

3.11 November 2002

Friday, 8 November “Military short $100-million, DND says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

The Department of National Defence is trying to obtain more than $100-million in extra funding to make ends meet this year, The Globe and Mail has learned. DND is negotiating with Finance Canada and other central agencies for emergency cash this fiscal year to make up for a shortfall in the Canadian Forces operations budget. This was caused by unforeseen operational circumstances. – See entry on 25 October

Saturday, 9 November “Chrétien praises UN resolution” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A17)

The Liberal government welcomed a tough new UN resolution on Iraq's weapons program, but ministers refused to say whether Canada would participate in a military strike if Iraq refuses to comply. In a statement on 8 November, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has one last opportunity to disarm as the United Nations is demanding, or he will face the consequences. But neither Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham nor Defence Minister John McCallum would commit Canada to military action even if the UN Security Council authorizes it.

Monday, 11 November “Canadians split over future role of military“ (Doug Saunders, pg.A1)

Canadians overwhelmingly want to see more money spent on the armed forces and are emotionally attached to the country's military history, but this Remembrance Day finds them deeply divided over the military's role, a new poll finds. Like Defence Minister John McCallum, most Canadians want to see military spending increased—75 per cent agreed with him that the budget of the Canadian military needs to be increased, a number that rises to 82 per cent if Quebec is excluded. The poll was conducted by Ipsos-Reid and sponsored by The Globe and Mail and the Dominion Institute, an organization promoting national history. Half of Canadians believe

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the military's role should be expanded. But the other half were divided as to whether a reduced military should become a peacekeeping force or an elite special-operations unit. It surveyed 1,002 adult Canadians over two days last week, with results considered accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Wednesday, 13 November “Terrorist tape names Canada” (Peter Cheney, pg.A1)

A new audiotape attributed to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden warns of attacks on Canada and other Western nations, and represents an extraordinary threat to the security of this country, terrorism experts say. In the audiotape, broadcast yesterday by the Arabic-language television station Al-Jazeera, a voice reported to be Mr. bin Laden’s praises a recent string of terrorist strikes and warns of attacks against a number of countries that have supported the United States in its war on terrorism. Other countries named for invading Afghanistan include the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Australia. A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said the specific threat to Canada does not change the government's commitment to fighting terrorism. – See entries on 14 November “Keep troops at home, senators say” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

Canada’s cash-strapped troops should stay out of Iraq, the Balkans and anywhere else for the next 2 years, a Senate committee on defence said on 12 November led by Colin Kenny. In a controversial report, Mr. Kenny said the Canadian Forces not only need an extra $4-billion a year now, but also 30 months at home to train, buy new ships and planes, and get back into respectable shape. The committee said Canada needs 75,000 troops, up from 52,000 at the moment. – See entries on 2 March, 28, 31 May, 25 October

Thursday, 14 November “Canada won’t be cowed by threats, Manley says” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

An apparent al-Qaeda threat against Canada will serve only to strengthen the resolve of Canadians to fight international terrorism, Deputy Prime Minister John Manley said on 13 November. But the threat did not prompt the government to issue a security alert. He said the government has long operated on the assumption that Canada could be a target of terrorists and has undertaken a series of measures to strengthen security. – See entry on 13 November “How Canada reacts to a direct threat” (Editorial, pg.A20)

The editors of The Globe outlined bin Laden’s message (see entry for 13 November) and demanded that the government allot adequate resources to defend Canada. – See entry on 13 November

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Friday, 15 November “U.S. wants Canadian troops for Iraqi war” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Canada will be asked for military support if force is ultimately needed to disarm Iraq, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says. Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said he thinks it won’t come to war and that under strong international pressure, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein will back down and will co-operate with United Nations weapons inspectors. While Washington hopes for a peaceful solution, if military power is needed, Powell suggested that in light of bin Laden’s new tape (see 13 November), Canada and other allied nations are all threatened—not just America. Neither Powell nor Graham explored what military assts Canada could actually provide during the meeting. – See entry on 2, 3 October, 19, 20 November

Monday, 18 November “UN inspector sees ‘opportunity for peace’” (Miro Cernetig, pg.A8)

United Nations weapons inspectors land in Baghdad today, preparing for a search stretching from the desert to the secret palaces of Saddam Hussein in the effort to determine whether the Iraqi dictator is amassing an arsenal of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons. The team has been given unrestricted access to the country. – See entries on 19, 20 December

Tuesday, 19 November “Bin Laden still alive, U.S. finds” (Peter Cheney, pg.A1)

The White House has acknowledged that a voice released on an audiotape last week (see November 13) was almost certainly that of Osama bin Laden, and that the al-Qaeda leader appears to be alive, raising questions about the biggest, most expensive manhunt in world history and the future of the U.S.-led war on terror. The al-Qaeda leader had not been heard from since 9 November 2001, when he was videotaped eating dinner with other suspected terrorists and exulting at the success of the 11 September operation. – See entries on 11, 15 July, 12 August “U.S. seeks Canada’s help in event of Iraq war” (Erika Tusten, pg.A17)

The United States has sent a formal letter to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, asking whether Canada would contribute in the event of a war with Iraq. The letter arrived in Ottawa before Parliament had a chance to debate whether Canada should participate in any war with Iraq. The Prime Minister’s Office is looking at its options. – See entries on 2, 3, October, 15 November, 9 January 2003

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Wednesday, 20 November “U.S. asks about JTF2 for Iraq war” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

The U.S. government wants to know whether Canada can contribute its ships, planes, light- armoured vehicles and JTF2 special forces, among other assets, to a potential strike against Iraq. As part of initial contacts with about 50 of its allies, the Bush administration has asked what each could offer if current diplomatic efforts to disarm Iraq fail and the U.S. military leads coalition forces to oust President Saddam Hussein. – See entries on 21 September, 15, 28 November, 9 January 2003, 8 December 2005

Thursday, 21 November “Unsolicited U.S. advice on defence irks McCallum”

In Prague on 20 November for a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Defence Minister McCallum and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien hinted that defence spending will rise in the next budget. But responding to U.S. President George W. Bush’s call for NATO allies to modernize their armed forces, Mr. McCallum said he doesn't want Washington's advice when he is battling in cabinet for more cash. President Bush made it clear that some alliance members have simply avoided pulling their weight, although he did not name Canada specifically. – See entry on 11 October – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 26 November “The long arm of the new U.S. security: agency will reach far into our sphere” (Barrie McKenna, pg.A3)

U.S. President George W. Bush tapped Tom Ridge yesterday to head up the newly created Department of Homeland Security, which will eventually have 170,000 employees and a budget roughly one-third the size of that of the entire Canadian federal government. Some tentacle of Mr. Ridge’s department will touch both the lives of the 300,000 people who cross the border every day and the livelihoods of those who depend on access to the massive U.S. market. From snowbirds to softwood lumber, he will be the go-to guy for the Canadian government. According to The Globe, he will also have a say in which security and political matters should be discussed with Canada and which should not. – See entry on 26 September 2001, 23 July – * Deceptive headline

Thursday, 28 November “McCallum wants to tell story of JTF2 in Afghanistan” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

Canada's JTF2 special forces are on their way back from Afghanistan, and Defence Minister John McCallum said yesterday he hopes to break with a military tradition of secrecy and tell their story

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to Canadians. Chief of Defence Staff General Ray Henault said JTF2 is taking an “operational pause” to reconstitute for possible future missions. McCallum believes that Canadians should be proud of the work that JTF2 did in Afghanistan. – See entries on 20 November, 21 September, 8 December 2005

3.12 December 2002

Tuesday, 3 December “Canada offers $11.3-million to rebuild Afghanistan” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A13)

Canada has pledged $11.3-million to help the government of war-torn Afghanistan create a new national army and rebuild the legal system. Ottawa said it would give $4-million through the United Nations to disarm former fighters, demobilize militias and irregular forces, and reintegrate veterans into civilian society. Another $3.5-million was promised to help Mr. Karzai’s government reform the judicial system, while $3.8-million more would be channelled through the United Nations’ Law and Order Trust Fund for the training of police officers. The money is to come from $100-million that Canada has pledged to help rebuild Afghanistan over the next several years. – See entry on 3 July

Friday, 6 December “Canada open to missile-shield discussions” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

Canada is “quite prepared” to talk with the Americans about the creation of a North American missile shield now that the two countries have signed a deal to co-operate on the land and sea defence of North America. The U.S. government is trying to design a system to shoot down incoming missiles from “rogue states,” and would like the support of allies such as Canada. Defence Minister McCallum and Foreign Affairs Minister Graham are exploring the plan in concert with U.S. officials. – See entries on 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12,16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

Wednesday, 18 December “First stage of missile shield gets go-ahead” (Barrie McKenna, Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

With an eye on rogue states such as North Korea, U.S. President George W. Bush has ordered the U.S. military to make the first pieces of its national missile shield combat-ready by 2004. The announcement prompted a sharp warning from Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham, who fears the decision could be the first step in an arms race in space. Canada had initially opposed the missile shield, arguing that it would trigger a renewed global arms race. But Ottawa has softened that stand recently, with Mr. Graham saying yesterday that Canada is prepared to talk with the United States about its plans so long as space weapons are not part of it. It isn’t yet clear what, if

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any, co-operation the United States may want, but Mr. Graham said he welcomed the President’s commitment to continuing consultations with Canada and other allies. – See entries on 6, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12,16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004 “On the policy road to Baghdad” (Jeffery Simpson, pg.A23)

Marc Grossman, the U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, spent a day in Ottawa to question Canadian officials about its willingness and ability to deploy to Iraq if needed, following up to earlier questions posed by President Bush and Defence Secretary Rumsfeld. Canada made no firm commitments of any kind. – See entries on 15, 19 November

Thursday, 19 December “Declaration full of holes, Powell maintains” (Barrie McKenna, pg.A14)

The United States and Britain have determined that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s tell-all weapons report is full of holes, but they aren’t yet ready to go to war, bypassing UN-led efforts to disarm Iraq. – See entry on 18 November, 20 December

Friday, 20 December “U.S. must prove its case on Iraq, Graham says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A18)

The United States can’t simply assert that Iraq is lying about its weapons programs and expect the rest of the world to back a new war against Baghdad, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham says. The United States will have to produce evidence of violations of the latest United Nations disarmament resolution, Mr. Graham said yesterday. – See entry on 19 December

Saturday, 21 December “U.S. envoy sure Canada will join NMD plan” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A25)

U.S. ambassador Paul Cellucci says he expects Canada will eventually be persuaded to join U.S. plans for a national missile-defence system, and he rejects Canadian concerns that the system would lead to the placement of weapons in space. A Canadian delegation is set to go to Washington to discuss the plan. – See entries on 6, 18 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12,16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

Friday, 27 December “Iraq preparing for war with U.S.” (Mark MacKinnon, pg.A1)

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While insisting that UN inspectors have found no proof of banned weapons, Iraqi officials have ordered the country’s militias to begin war games and told citizens to start stockpiling food, signalling that Saddam Hussein's regime may now see a conflict as inevitable. A month before they are to submit a final report that could trigger a second war in the Persian Gulf, United Nations weapons experts visited six more sites in and around Baghdad yesterday. The officials have not yet given any indications of their findings. – See entry on 17 December, 2 January 2003

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4 2003

4.1 January 2003

Thursday, 2 January “Death of 4 soldiers voted top news story” (Scott White, pg.A7)

In a busy year when headlines talked of Olympic hockey gold, unthinkable killings in British Columbia and the drawn-out resignation of the Prime Minister, the deployment of Canadian troops to Afghanistan—and the death of four of those soldiers last April—has been chosen as the top Canadian news story of 2002 in the annual survey of newspaper editors and broadcasters by The Canadian Press and Broadcast News. Survey participants indicated the first Canadian combat casualties since the Korean War touched a nerve with people across Canada and brought a whole range of military issues to the forefront in a way that hasn't happened in decades. – See 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24,29 April 2002, 13, 15 May 2002, 14, 28 June 2002 “Threat of war terrifies Iraqis, Canadian peace activists say” (Jason Markusoff, pg.A12)

More Canadians are preparing for a peace mission to Iraq later this month after a Vancouver group returned from the country recently with tales of fear and bombing. The antiwar activists plan to leave from Ottawa on 30 January as the U.S. military continues its buildup in the Middle East for a war that many observers anticipate will begin in February. The protestor believes that the Canadian government thinks that the lives of Canadians are more important than those of Iraqis. Approximately 40 Canadians are in Iraq despite travel advisories. – See entries on 27 December 2002, 18, 20 January

Saturday, 4 January “The case of the five vanishing suspects” (Peter Cheney, Victor Malarek, pg.A1)

By the middle of this week, they had starred in hundreds of newspaper and television reports and had been on the lips of everyone from U.S. President George W. Bush to Senator Hilary Clinton, who announced at a press conference that five dangerous terror suspects had entered the United States through Canada. However, there was no proof to back this up. More and more, the author alludes, Canada is being blamed by American politicians for relatively weak security—even in cases where the security threat itself is fake. – See entry on 1 February

Tuesday, 7 January “Canada tells U.S. it supports UN bid to disarm Iraq” (Daniel Leblanc, Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

Ottawa replied with a vague and non-committal letter to a specific American request for a military contribution in the event of war against Iraq. While the U.S. administration referred to

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specific Canadian assets in a call for possible military assistance last November, the Canadian response sent in December simply contained general support for United Nations sanctioned efforts to disarm Iraq. While neither letter has been made public, Canadian officials said the message in Ottawa’s response is that Canada will continue to work within the UN framework. Even though U.S. Forces are on a war footing, Canadian officials said it is too early to discuss military strikes and a potential contribution by the Canadian military. – See entries on 15 November 2002, 19, 20 December 2002, 10, 11, 16, 24 January

Thursday, 9 January “Canada to negotiate with U.S. on troops for Iraq” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A6)

Canada will boost its military readiness for a war against Iraq through negotiations with the United States, to determine the ships, planes and troops that would be deployed. While the Canadian government hopes for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, it is entering a new phase. A meeting in Washington is expected on 9 January between Defence Minister John McCallum and U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The meeting will explore what assets would be needed on the behalf of Canada in the case of war in Iraq. – See entries on 15, 20, 28 November 2002

Friday, 10 January “Canada may fight without UN support” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Canada will help wage war on Iraq if the UN mandates the use of force, and even if there is no UN Security Council resolution, Canada may join a U.S-led military coalition to oust Saddam Hussein, Defence Minister John McCallum said on 9 January after a meeting with U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. McCallum said that Canada would make the choice when the time comes. – See entries on 15 November 2002, 19, 20 December 2002, 7, 11, 16 January – * Deceptive headline

Saturday, 11 January “Some Liberal MPs leery of joining war on Iraq without UN” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

Defence Minister John McCallum went “too far” when he said Canada could join a war against Iraq without the support of the UN, the head of the foreign affairs committee of the House said on 10 January. Liberal MP Bernard Patry said Mr. McCallum should have conducted broader consultations at home and with European countries before announcing a shift in Canada's policy toward Iraq. Before Mr. McCallum made his comment two days ago in Washington, the Canadian government had always insisted on United Nations approval for any military campaign to disarm the regime of Saddam Hussein. Foreign Affairs Minister, Bill Graham, echoed the statements of McCallum on 10 January. – See entries on 15 November 2002, 19, 20 December 2002, 7, 10, 16 January

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Thursday, 16 January “PM scolds McCallum on Canada’s role in Iraq” (Shawn McCarthy, Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien moved to quell a caucus revolt yesterday by upbraiding Defence Minister John McCallum for his suggestion that Canada could fight in Iraq without UN authorization. Mr. Chrétien said Canada is committed to the United Nations weapons-inspection program, and suggested the country will go to war only with UN approval, although he did not explicitly rule out Mr. McCallum's scenario. But he publicly undercut his Defence Minister for answering a hypothetical question in Washington with the response that Canada could join the Americans in a war on Iraq without UN approval. McCallum says that he has learned the risk of answering speculative questions. – See entries on 15 November 2002, 19, 20 December 2002, 7, 10, 11 January

Saturday, 18 January “Canadians oppose war in Iraq” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

As thousands of Canadians march today to protest against military action in Iraq, a poll suggests that two-thirds of Canadians oppose Canada’s involvement in any attack not sanctioned by the United Nations. About 62 per cent of people surveyed by Ipsos-Reid for The Globe and Mail and CTV said Canada should provide military assistance for action against Iraq only if the UN, not just the United States, decides that is required.

Just 15 per cent said Canada should join the United States if it invades Iraq on its own. A greater number—18 per cent—said they would oppose any Canadian participation, even if the UN gave the go-ahead. About 72 per cent of respondents said Iraq is not truthful in listing its weapons of mass destruction, but more than half disapproved of the U.S. effort to remove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. – See entries on 5 September 2002, 2, 20 January. – * Deceptive headline

Monday, 20 January “Tens of thousands join in weekend: of global antiwar demonstrations” (Dawn Walton, pg.A6)

On Saturday 18 January, tens of thousands of Canadians braved freezing temperatures in cities across the country to denounce a looming call to arms by the United States, which is determined to root out weapons of mass destruction that it believes Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is hiding. In Ottawa on Saturday, police counted at least 2,500 people who assembled at Parliament Hill and marched to the Department of National Defence headquarters. Some protesters staged a “die-in” in front of the U.S. embassy. In Toronto, an estimated 10,000 people marched through city streets on Saturday, listening to speakers despite a lingering cold snap and peacefully passing by the U.S. consulate. Protest organizers in Montreal counted approximately 20,000 participants in the largest peace demonstration the city had seen since the Vietnam War.

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– See entries on 2, 18 January “Bin Laden friend disavows terrorism” (Catherine Taylor, pg.A8)

Mohammed Jamal Khalifa was a close friend of Osama bin Laden’s during their younger years. He is accused by some to have helped plan the 1993 attack on the World Trade Centre, but says that he is a victim of false allegations and circumstantial evidence. In his first interview with a major Western paper, he condemned al-Qaeda and bin Laden’s actions saying that if he could stop the organization, he would.

Tuesday, 21 January “The War on Terror: Canadian says he was handpicked by bin Laden” (James Hookaway, Jay Soloman, Wall Street Journal, pg.A4)

Mohammed Mansour Jabarah, a Canadian citizen who was raised in St. Catherines, was handpicked by Osama bin Laden in 2000 to oversee terrorist attacks against U.S. and Israeli targets in Southeast Asia. After the attacks on 11 September, he was responsible for the coordination of the attacks at a Bali nightclub that killed 200. After, he was arrested in Oman and sent to Canada and then to a prison in Northeastern United States. The details of his story and relationship with bin Laden were reported.

Thursday, 23 January “Pressure rises for Bush to slow down on Iraq war” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

French and German officials stood side-by-side on 22 January, claiming that Washington best pursue all avenues before invading Iraq. Support on the homefront is also slim, as revealed by a newly released poll of Americans. “Ottawa announces new port security” (Kevin Cox, pg.A7)

The federal government announced a $172.5-million package of marine security initiatives to help combat organized crime and possible terrorist activity in Canadian ports. The package includes new X-ray scanning systems for marine containers, expanded surveillance of Canadian waters and screening of dockyard workers as well as ships' passengers and crews.

Friday, 24 January “PM to Bush: Hold off on war” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien says the United States has not yet made the case for war with Iraq, and that he has told U.S. President George W. Bush that Canada does not want the United States to attack without a UN mandate. Arguing that United Nations weapons inspectors should be given more time, a skeptical Mr. Chrétien said yesterday he is not afraid to part company with Canada’s closest ally if the United States attacks Iraq without the backing of the UN Security Council. – See entries on 15 November 2002, 19, 20 December 2002, 10, 11, 16 January

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Tuesday, 28 January “Tories, NDP press PM for decision on Iraq” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A10)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien returned to the House yesterday facing demands that he clarify his government's position on its willingness to go to war against Iraq with or without a new UN mandate. On the day that the United Nations received its first formal inspections report, Mr. Chrétien said the weapons inspectors need more time to resolve the Iraq crisis peacefully. Despite repeated efforts by NDP, Progressive Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs to nail down the government’s policy, Mr. Chrétien dodged direct questions yesterday about what circumstances might prompt the government to join a United States-led military coalition against the Iraqi regime. Mr. Chrétien reiterated the government's hope that Iraq will comply with UN Security Council demands to end chemical, nuclear and biological weapons development. – See entry on 30 January, 11, 12, 13 February

Wednesday, 29 January “Bush girds U.S. for war” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Mr. Bush girded Americans for a war they may soon fight largely alone during the annual State of the Union speech on 28 January. He said Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein has shown “utter contempt for the United Nations” by continuing to lie, cheat and avoid destroying chemical weapons and germ-warfare programs. Although Mr. Bush promised proof of Mr. Hussein’s deception, he offered none, saying only that it would be unveiled next week. He also said Mr. Hussein has had links to the al-Qaeda terrorist network, but did not provide details. He added that the war on terrorism is being won. – See entries on 9, 11, 12 December 2002, 31 January, 6, 22 February, 7, 8 March, 17, 18 March – * Deceptive headline

Thursday, 30 January “Canada's position on Iraq divides cabinet” (Shawn McCarthy, Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Liberal cabinet ministers are sharply divided over Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s response to a looming war in Iraq, with a minority urging Canada to indicate more strongly its support for U.S. President George W. Bush. Sources said yesterday that the small but vocal minority, led by Finance Minister John Manley, said in a cabinet meeting this week that Canada has to be seen as more supportive of its principal ally. The majority backed Mr. Chrétien's more cautious approach, which focuses on the United Nations. In a closed caucus meeting yesterday—the morning after Mr. Bush issued a virtual call to arms over Iraq—Mr. Chrétien told Liberal MPs that UN weapons inspectors must be given more time to do their work. Like their cabinet colleagues, members of the Liberal caucus are divided on Iraq, though the majority appear to be unwilling to march into a war without UN authorization. In an emergency debate in the Commons last night, Foreign Minister Bill Graham said Canada will not be stampeded into war with Iraq by the United States, or by critics here who feel the Chrétien government is too timid. – See entry on 28 January, 11, 12, 13 February

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Friday, 31 January “Bush starts countdown to Iraq war“ (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

A decision on war to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is weeks, not months away, U.S. President George W. Bush said on 30 January, setting a clock running for diplomacy’s last chance—a deadline that was quickly rejected by Canada. Instead, Canadian officials urged patience and that an invasion of Iraq should not be set by a timeline. – See entries on 12 September 2002, 6, 22 February, 7, 8, 17, 18 March

4.2 February 2003

Saturday, 1 February “U.S. faults Canada for letting drugs across border” (Paul Koring, Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

Ottawa’s belated efforts to throttle massive and illicit shipments to the United States of a chemical used to make illegal narcotics were called inadequate on 31 January by President George W. Bush, adding yet another irritant to growing border disputes. While praising Canadian police, the White House faulted Ottawa for failing to crack down on soaring exports—likely more than 100 tonnes annually—of pseudoephedrine, a key chemical component of methamphetamine, which is also known as speed. This comes after Washington recently accused Canada of allowing terrorists into the U.S. – See entry on 4 January “Concern over optics clogs aid flow for Iraq” (Timothy Appleby, pg.A14)

Hunger, disease, a mass flight of refugees and staggering rebuilding costs—a blizzard of recent forecasts from the world’s major aid agencies warn of a humanitarian disaster in the event of an attack on Iraq. Yet little money for aid has materialized, in part because of collective reluctance to give the appearance of endorsing a war.

Wednesday, 5 February “Canadian troops may not go to Iraq, but to Afghanistan” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A10)

Federal officials are developing a plan for Canada to contribute to a war with Iraq by providing soldiers to relieve U.S. troops in Afghanistan, far away from the political problems of the main conflict. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has been on the phone to allies in recent days to discuss the Iraq crisis. He has made no final decision on what role the Canadian Forces might play, sources said. – See entry on 13 February

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Thursday, 6 February “Powell’s dossier on Iraq fails to sway key players” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Armed with spy photos and taped radio intercepts to prove Iraqi duplicity, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell confronted a mostly skeptical UN Security Council on 5 February and set the stage for a showdown among world powers over the timing and legitimacy of waging war against Iraq and its President, Saddam Hussein. In a wide-ranging and often dramatic presentation, Mr. Powell used declassified U.S. intelligence in his effort to show that Baghdad still has weapons of mass destruction and is thwarting the United Nations by lying, burying evidence of its arsenal and moving outlawed warheads to escape detection. But from first reactions, his performance swayed none of the key players at the UN, with only Canada among America's reluctant allies seeming to dance closer to the Bush administration’s position. Foreign Affairs Minister Graham said that Powell made a convincing presentation of Iraq’s intent. – See entries on 12 September 2002, 31 January, 22 February, 7, 8, 17, 18 March – * Deceptive headline “Liberal caucus ordered to cool anti-U.S. talk” (Jane Taber, Jeff Sallot, pg.A9)

Deputy Prime Minister John Manley warned a divided Liberal caucus yesterday to tone down anti-American rhetoric. The admonition went unheeded by some dovish backbenchers who later grumbled that Washington is pushing Canada and its other allies toward war with Iraq. Mr. Manley sounded his cautionary note during the private national caucus meeting after hearing from some MPs, the majority of who wanted to ensure there would be military action in Iraq only under the auspices of the United Nations.

Saturday, 8 February “Overstretched military likely to get $2.4-billion” (Shawn McCarthy, Simon Tuck, pg.A1)

With war looming in Iraq, Finance Minister John Manley is set to inject $800-million a year, or a total of $2.4-billion over three years, into Canada's cash-strapped military, senior government sources said yesterday. Mr. Manley, who confirmed yesterday that he will introduce his first budget on Feb. 18, will announce the new military spending along with Defence Minister John McCallum's commitment to reallocate $200-million of his existing budget to high-priority items, sources said. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has acknowledged that Canada's military is stretched too thin and has promised additional resources in the coming budget. “Canadians oppose U.S. stand, poll says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A15)

According to a Globe and Mail/CTV News poll, two-thirds of Canadians strongly oppose a unilateral U.S. war to topple the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. A 60-per-cent majority says Ottawa should provide military support for a U.S.-led campaign against Iraq only if it is authorized by the United Nations. An additional 18 per cent told Ipsos-Reid pollsters that they oppose Canadian military support for the U.S. alone or with the UN. – See entries on 22 March, 7 April, 16 June, 19 July

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Tuesday, 11 February “Canadian will run Persian Gulf naval task force” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Ottawa and Washington have agreed that a senior Canadian officer will command all allied naval warships, aside from the U.S. aircraft carrier and its close escorts, in the Persian Gulf south of Kuwait and extending through the Strait of Hormuz. Commodore Roger Girouard assumed command on Friday of the new Task Force 151, which will be responsible for escorting ships, intercepting and boarding suspect vessels and guarding against attacks on shipping. Although the hugely expanded area of navy operations comes as the Pentagon readies a massive U.S.-led coalition for war against Iraq, the tasks so far assigned to the Canadian-commanded naval task force remain part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the name assigned to the Afghanistan campaign to smash al-Qaeda and catch fleeing terrorists. – See entries on 14, 23 February “War plans leave NATO deeply split” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was plunged on 10 February into its most serious rift since the Cold War as France, Germany and Belgium vetoed the start of military planning to protect Turkey in case of a war with Iraq. Both U.S. President Bush and Defence Secretary Rumsfield rebuked at the nations for their actions. – See entries on 17, 20 February, 3, 4, 17 March “Chrétien faces caucus revolt over Iraq” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A11)

Reading the dovish mood of his caucus on the Iraq crisis, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said on 10 February the United States must have a UN mandate before it can launch an attack. Backbencher MPs, most notably John Bryden, said that they would give a vote of non-confidence if Canada joins Washington’s coalition of the willing without a mandate from the UN. – See entries on 12, 13 February, 28, 30 January

Wednesday, 12 February “Liberals break ranks on Iraq vote” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

The federal government voted against its stated position on Iraq on 11 February, defeating a motion that would allow Parliament to consider sending troops only if military intervention is authorized by the United Nations. Four Liberal backbenchers broke with their government, however, and voted for the Bloc Québécois motion. Seven other Liberal MPs were absent. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien suggested the Liberals opposed the Bloc motion merely on procedural grounds because the decision to send troops overseas is an executive decision, not one for the full House of Commons. The opposition can try to defeat the government on a confidence motion in the House, he said, only after the government makes a decision on whether to deploy. But Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe said the Liberals showed their true colours by defeating his party’s motion. – See entries on 12, 13 February, 28, 30 January

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Thursday, 13 February “Canada takes Afghan mission” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Canada will deploy about 3,000 troops in Afghanistan over one year, a move that makes a major commitment of ground forces to a war in Iraq virtually impossible. Mr. McCallum said the non- combat mission to provide stability and security in the Afghan capital of Kabul will be reflective of Canadian values, while keeping up with the war on terrorism. Canada will be sending two consecutive six-month rotations of about 1,500 troops starting in the late summer to work with other international forces as part of the United Nations-mandated International Security Assistance Force. Mr. McCallum has spoken with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about the mission, which aims to provide stability in a key part of the world, and the two agreed on Canada's role. – See entry on 23 January, 28, 22 February, 24 April “Ottawa bans three radical groups” (Peter Cheney, pg.A23)

Three radical groups suspected of using Canada as a fundraising conduit have been placed on a list of organizations banned under Canada’s new antiterrorism legislation. The newly banned groups are Abu Sayyef, an Islamic extremist group viewed as an al-Qaeda affiliate and based in the Philippines; the Palestinian radical group known as the Abu Nidal Organization, and Sendero Luminoso, or Shining Path, a Maoist organization that has waged a long-running guerrilla war in Peru.

Friday, 14 February “Ottawa assailed as being too blasé on security” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

The federal government on 13 February faced opposition charges that it is being complacent about security in Canada as the United States and Britain beef up antiterror defences with highly visible measures like guarding airports with tanks. Liberal cabinet ministers dismissed calls for Canada to follow suit with heightened security, charging that the opposition was engaging in fear mongering. “Navy will pitch in if war starts in Iraq” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A10)

The federal government announced on 13 February that it is sending a third warship to the Persian Gulf, stating for the first time that the navy will collaborate with coalition forces in the event of a war in Iraq. The HMCS Iroquois destroyer will sail within 10 days to join two Canadian frigates in the area. If war breaks out, the Canadian warships will, at the very least, start escorting civilian ships such as tankers in co-operation with other allied navies, which would be critical to the war effort. – See entries on 11, 23 February

Monday, 17 February “U.S.-British campaign falters” (Marcus Gee, pg.A1)

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The Anglo-American campaign to disarm Iraq's Saddam Hussein is in serious trouble. The last few days have seen two major setbacks for the British and the Americans. At a meeting of the Security Council at the United Nations, France, Germany, Russia and China lined up against any early use of force against the Iraqi regime. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin got a hearty round of applause when he argued that weapons inspectors should be given more time to disarm Iraq peacefully. Then, on 15 and 16 February, came massive antiwar protests around the world. The sizes of the demonstrations were extraordinary. Something like 750,000 marched in London, the biggest peace protest the United Kingdom has ever seen—much bigger than anything in the Vietnam War, and not a single shot has yet been fired. Rome had an estimated one million protesters; Berlin, Madrid and Barcelona had more than half a million. – See entries on 11, 17, 20 February, 3, 4, 17 March “Rallies give war cold shoulder” (Carolyn Abraham, Jane Armstrong, pg.A6)

International rallies on the weekend of 15 and 16 February against the pending U.S. invasion of Iraq attracted thousands of Canadians. Estimates this weekend suggest more than 80,000 demonstrators paraded peacefully in Toronto from downtown past the U.S. consulate. The story was the same in Montreal, where close to 150,000 gathered.

Tuesday, 18 February “McCallum defends Afghanistan deployment” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

Defence Minister John McCallum said on 17 February that top military officers had been aware for weeks of Canada's plan to deploy soldiers to Afghanistan. Mr. McCallum was responding to allegations by the opposition that his government had given only a five-minute warning to the Canadian Forces about the announcement. – See entry on 13, 22 February “Canada signs on to help Iraqi war victims” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A11)

Canada has joined a group of about 30 UN-member countries that have started contingency planning to provide humanitarian aid for Iraqi civilians if there is a war.

Thursday, 20 February “PM aims to broker Iraq deal” (Jeff Sallot, Miro Cernetig, Barrie McKenna, pg.A1)

Canada is spearheading an 11th-hour effort at the United Nations to secure a deal among the major powers that would set a deadline for Iraq to disarm, spell out clearly what happens if it doesn't and possibly save the UN from ripping itself apart over the threat of war. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has been floating the proposal in recent days in a series of phone calls to government leaders in Germany, Russia, France and Mexico, which hold Security Council seats, as well as Italy and Australia, which have become key U.S. allies in the buildup to war. Sources said a deadline no later than mid-April for Iraq to comply was being considered as a way of pleasing both the U.S. administration and those nations, led by France and Germany, firmly opposed to military action. Mr. Chrétien spoke yesterday with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany, which currently chairs the Security Council.

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– See entries on 11, 17, 20 February, 3, 4, 17 March

Friday, 21 February “Defence chief vetoes buying transport planes” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Defence Minister John McCallum has rejected a pet project of the Canadian Forces to buy $3- billion in jumbo transport planes, a senior defence source told The Globe and Mail yesterday. Instead, he is supporting a deal where NATO would purchase the same planes and share them as coalition opportunities present themselves. McCallum sees other military needs that are more pressive than strategic lift, such as advanced information and communications equipment for the Army. – See entry on 1 March “Canada seeks allies for new UN deal” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A9)

Canada and other countries worked diplomatic channels furiously on 20 February to influence the shape of a new UN resolution for the disarmament of Iraq being drafted by Britain and the United States. The plan would lay out a verification process attached to a timeline whereby Iraq could legitimately prove that it is disarming itself. The plan is being pursued as Washington and London plan to announce that Iraq is further violating the demands of the Security Council.

Saturday, 22 February “Blix gives March 1 deadline” (Shawn McCarthy, Campbell Clark, Timothy Appleby, pg.A1)

UN weapons inspectors have given Iraqi President Saddam Hussein what may be his last chance to avoid war, with an unequivocal demand that his regime destroy the very missiles it may need to defend itself against a U.S. invasion. Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix ordered Iraq to destroy scores of missiles with a range that violates limits set by the United Nations. In a toughly worded, four-page letter to the Iraqi ambassador at the UN, Mr. Blix gave a March 1 deadline for Iraq to begin the demolitions—the same date he is due to present his next report to the UN Security Council. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien again on 21 February reassured a nervous public that Canada would not go to war without UN authorization, only to have his officials insist he was keeping his options open. Meanwhile, Canada ordered all its non-essential personnel and families of diplomats to leave embassies and missions in Israel, Syria, Jordan and the West Bank. – See entries on 12 September 2002, 31 January, 6 February, 7, 8, 17, 18 March “Forces seek assistance from NATO” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A12)

The Canadian Forces will need the help of NATO to pull off the coming mission to Afghanistan and even then the large-scale deployment will slow planned reforms to the army, Canada's top general, Ray Henault, said on 21 February. Specifically, Hanault said that Canada is short of properly trained soldiers. NATO has contributed to the current Dutch and German deployments in Afghanistan, but there is a growing push on the world stage to get the organization to oversee the mission by the time the Canadians get there in six months. NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said NATO wants to increase its role in Afghanistan.

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– See entries on 13, 18 February

Monday, 24 February “Video to offer rare glimpse of secretive Joint Task Force 2” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

The Canadian Forces promise to demystify the work of their highly secretive Joint Task Force 2 commando troops with a short video to be released in the near future. The video is expected to be a baby step toward increased transparency and to encourage Canadians to support the work of the unit that was done in Afghanistan, though there is no immediate plan for further information to be released on the special forces.

Tuesday, 25 February “Hussein defies UN inspectors” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein opposed UN weapons inspectors yesterday, flatly rejecting their finding that new Al-Samoud 2 missiles violate range limits and creating another confrontation that could rapidly lead to war. Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix ordered Iraq last week to begin destroying the missiles and all components by Saturday and to prove its compliance before 7 March, when he reports to the United Nations Security Council on Iraq's progress in destroying its weapons of mass destruction. A negative report would strongly support the U.S. call for military action. Prime Minister Chrétien said that Hussein should be given several weeks to comply. – * Deceptive headline “Canadian crew ships out to perilous waters” (Kevin Cox, pg.A3)

HMCS Iroquois departed Halifax on 24 February to head to waters near Iraq in the Arabian Sea where it will serve as the coalition’s communications hub. About 30 sailors were on board. – See entries on 11, 14 February

Wednesday, 26 February “U.S. already has backing for Iraq war, Chrétien says” (Shawn McCarthy, Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has endorsed the White House position, expressed on 25 February by President George W. Bush, that the United States and its allies can launch a war in Iraq without another Security Council resolution. In the House of Commons on 25 February, Mr. Chrétien said it would be preferable if the United Nations Security Council passed a second resolution endorsing military action if Saddam Hussein does not quickly declare and destroy weapons of mass destruction. But Mr. Chrétien noted that UN Resolution 1441, passed unanimously by the Security Council last fall, threatens Iraq with “serious consequences” if it does not co-operate with inspections. Ottawa has urged the Security Council to clarify Resolution 1441 by outlining specific failings that Mr. Hussein must address within a specific period of time.

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Thursday, 27 February “Bush scorns Canadian proposal” (Barrie McKenna, Shawn McCarthy, pg.A13)

George W. Bush has dismissed as worthless procrastination a Canadian proposal to give Saddam Hussein until the end of March to disarm. In phone calls on 26 February to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham, the U.S. President and Secretary of State Colin Powell bluntly told their Canadian counterparts they have little interest in granting the Iraqi leader any new deadlines. – * Deceptive headline

Friday, 28 February “Copter lost power during takeoff” (Kevin Cox, pg.A4)

The destroyer HMCS Iroquois is slowly steaming back to port with a damaged Sea King helicopter chained to its deck only days after it departed Halifax for the Arabian sea. The 40-year- old copter was hovering about 10 metres above the deck of the Iroquois on the Grand Banks yesterday morning after takeoff. Its crew of four people was making final preparations for a training flight when the aircraft suddenly lost power in one engine and smashed into the deck.

4.3 March 2003

Saturday, 1 March “PM, Bush clash over changing of regime” (Brian Laghi, Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The White House said on 28 February that it wants Saddam Hussein ousted even if Baghdad disarms, a stand that immediately provoked a sharp response from Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, who said the United States cannot just wander the world changing regimes it doesn’t like. Mr. Chrétien, on an official visit to Mexico, reacted with dismay when told of the White House’s unflinching insistence on regime change. “Afghanistan-bound Forces scrambling for transport” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A9)

The Canadian Forces are unsure how to deploy troops to Afghanistan since they lack the Boeing C-17 heavy lift cargo planes that are thought to be the most effective vehicle for sending troops and supplies around the world. – See entry on 21 March

Monday, 3 March “Chrétien asks France to bend its position on Iraq war” (Brian Laghi, pg.A8)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has asked France to find common cause with smaller countries on the United Nations Security Council struggling to resist U.S. pressure to support war with Iraq.

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Senior Canadian officials said yesterday that Mr. Chrétien phoned French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac on Saturday asking him to move a little toward the position of smaller nations such as Chile and Mexico, which are under U.S. pressure to vote for a resolution in the Security Council making the case for war. – See entries on 11, 17, 20 February, 4, 17 March

Tuesday, 4 March “Canada’s idea takes centre stage as key UN nations meet over Iraq” (Paul Knox, pg.A1)

A key meeting of UN Security Council members last night failed to agree on a Canadian proposal for averting a devastating UN split over U.S. plans to invade Iraq. The 10 elected members of the Security Council discussed tweaking Canada's formula by pushing back its deadline for Iraqi disarmament. But diplomats said they had not found a way to bridge the gap between council camps led by the United States and France. The 10 members met on 3 March to hold the votes the United States needs to approve its resolution authorizing war against Iraq by the required nine votes. If passed, France, Russia or China would have to use their veto power to scuttle the resolution. – See entries on 11, 17, 20 February, 3, 17 March

Thursday, 6 March “U.S. sticks to its guns in UN rift” (Paul Koring, Paul Knox, pg.A1)

The Bush administration stated clearly on 5 March that it is ready to take on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by itself, as it brushed aside diplomatic threats from key European powers and belittled a surprise statement from the United Nations' chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, that Iraq is showing signs of disarmament.

Friday, 7 March “Bush readies world for war” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

President George W. Bush used a rare, prime-time news conference on 6 March to prepare the United States for war in Iraq and warn an increasingly reluctant world that nothing short of Saddam Hussein’s downfall would stop him. He also said that he would force a vote next week at the United Nations on a new resolution to sanction the war. – See entries on 12 September 2002, 31 January, 6, 22 February, 8, 17, 18 March

Saturday, 8 March “Showdown at the UN as U.S. sets March 17 deadline” (Paul Knox, pg.A1)

At the United Nations on 7 March, the United States and its allies gave Iraq a March 17 deadline to avoid war by showing it is handing over weapons of mass destruction. Diplomats said a vote could come as early as Tuesday on a revised resolution containing the 10-day ultimatum, which says Iraq must turn over all existing documents relating to destroyed weapons.

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– See entries on 12 September 2002, 31 January, 6, 22 February, 7, 17, 18 March, 15 December

Monday, 10 March “Bush has already triumphed over Iraq, PM says” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A5)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told a U.S. audience on 9 March that the United States has already won its bid to disarm Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and should pull back from its goal of regime change.

Wednesday, 12 March “Canada and U.K. compete to end UN impasse” (Paul Knox, pg.A1)

Britain and Canada floated competing proposals on 11 March to break a UN Security Council deadlock on Iraqi disarmament and avoid a U.S.-led war against President Saddam Hussein. The British plan was reported to give Iraq a short deadline, possibly 10 days, to show its commitment to abandoning banned weapons programs. The proposal would include stiff tests to prove large quantities of arms have been destroyed. Canada suggested giving the United States and Britain explicit authority to launch a war without a further decision by the United Nations Security Council in return for extending the deadline for Iraqi compliance into next month.

Friday, 14 March “Canada brokering new deal” (Paul Knox, Paul Koring,pg.A1)

Paul Heinbecker, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, is attempting to broker a “new” deal with members of the Security Council to avoid war with Iraq. No details were released. “McCallum signs off on combat role in Iraq” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

The federal government has authorized a small group of Canadian soldiers to fight on the ground with American units if the United States invades Iraq—even if Canada does not technically join the war. A small group of Canadian Forces members involved in exchange programs are part of the U.S. military machine that has massed along the Iraqi border, and they will be allowed to participate in combat if war breaks out. This creates a situation whereby Canadian military personnel may fight alongside U.S. forces in a war that Ottawa has specifically refused to join. – See entries on 15, 27 March, 1, 2 April

Saturday, 15 March “Military units should be recalled, critics say” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A6)

Ottawa must immediately recall Canadian military personnel who, as part of exchange programs with U.S. and British forces, are part of the massive prewar buildup along the Iraqi border, Canada’s three opposition parties said on 14 March. – See entry on 14, 27 March, 1, 2 April

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Monday, 17 March “Today is ‘moment of truth’” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

U.S. President George W. Bush has told the world it will face its “moment of truth” on 17 March on Iraq, as he challenged France, Russia and other United Nations Security Council members to decide whether they want to back a military threat against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein or idly watch a U.S.-led war to oust the dictator. – See entries on 12 September 2002, 31 January 2003, 6, 11, 17, 20, 22 February 2003, 3, 4, 7, 8, 18 March 2003 “Canadian funds to aid Afghanistan” (Canadian Press, pg.A4)

Canada will pledge $250-million in new aid to Afghanistan over the next two years. The amount is the largest single-country commitment ever made by the Canadian International Development Agency, through which the aid will be dispensed to support reconstruction programs in the war- torn country. – See entry on 9 April 2002

Tuesday, 18 March “Washington: Bush says ‘tyrant’ will fall” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Saddam Hussein has until tomorrow night to flee into exile or face the overwhelming military might of the world's sole superpower, U.S. President George W. Bush warned last night in an ultimatum that will define his presidency and reshape the Middle East. “The United States and other nations did nothing to deserve or invite this threat. But we will do everything to defeat it,” Mr. Bush said in a sombre 15-minute speech from the White House Cross Hall. He promised Iraqis that “the tyrant will soon be gone and the day of your liberation is near” and he urged Iraq’s military commanders and ordinary soldiers not to fight “for a dying regime.” Mr. Bush said he was giving the Iraqi dictator and his sons only 48 hours to leave Iraq because the “regime will not disarm so long as Saddam Hussein holds power.” – See entries on 12 September 2002, 31 January 2003, 6, 22 February 2003, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20 March, 5 July, 15 December “Ottawa: PM rejects war without the UN” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien declared on 17 March that Canada will not join the United States and Britain in waging war against Iraq, even as Canadian warships remained in the Persian Gulf together with a number of troops serving with U.S. and British forces. Mr. Chrétien rebuffed the U.S. and British position—saying there is no need for war now because Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein already faces enormous pressure to disarm. “Canadians advised to leave Jordan, Kuwait and Israel” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A10)

The Department of Foreign Affairs called on Canadians on 17 March to leave Jordan, Kuwait and Israel over the growing threat of war in Iraq.

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Wednesday, 19 March “War isn’t justified, PM says” (Shawn McCarthy, Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien toughened his antiwar message on 18 March, even as the Bush administration vented its displeasure at its northern neighbour. He clearly stated that the U.S.’s pending war with Iraq is unjustified. His deputy prime minister, John Manley, stated that Canada has the right to have a differing opinion from the U.S. and that there would be no backlash towards Canada. “Naval role vital now, McCallum declares” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

Mr. McCallum had the tough task of explaining Ottawa's decision to maintain three warships and about 1,000 military personnel in the potential war zone, despite the Canadian government’s official policy to stay out of a war. Mr. McCallum acknowledged that Canadian warships will escort U.S. and British vessels sailing up to the northern edge of the Persian Gulf to wage that war. Mr. McCallum said the Canadian ships, in the area for Operation Apollo, will also help vessels on their way to the war zone, namely in the Straight of Hormuz. – See entries on 11, 14, 23 February “Iraqi dictator vows to fight, not flee” (Paul Koring, pg.A8)

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein vowed on 18 March to fight rather than flee—a decision the Bush administration immediately said was the dictator's "final mistake.” Apparently unfazed by Washington's dire threats and clad in a military uniform, Mr. Hussein appeared on Baghdad television only hours after U.S. President George W. Bush issued an ultimatum to the Iraqi leader and his sons to leave the country by the evening of 19 March. – See entry on 15 December “Canada’s Iraq policy: Inconsistency ho!” (Editoral, pg.A22)

The Globe’s editors accuse Prime Minister Chrétien of being inconsistent with his decision about not to support the U.S. led offensive in Iraq, citing that he backpedaled on enforcing the military consequences facing Iraq as the 17 March deadline neared. – * Deceptive headline

Thursday, 20 March “War on Iraq begins” (Geoffery York, pg.A1)

The United States aimed cruise missiles and F-117 stealth bombers at the Iraqi leadership as dawn broke on 20 March in Baghdad, signaling the start of the assault on the regime of Saddam Hussein. The first signs of war came just before 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) on 19 March—6 a.m. Baghdad time—as anti-aircraft fire and air sirens were heard in the Iraqi capital. In a short televised address, U.S. President George W. Bush warned that the war would involve hardship for American forces, but guaranteed that nothing short of victory would be accepted. – See entry on 19, 21 March, 15 December, 5 July

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“Protests launched across Canada” (Kevin Cox, pg.A10)

Some Canadians used banners, balloons and boycotts in public but futile last-minute protests against the United States’ march to war against Iraq. Labour organizations and peace activists opposed to the war acknowledge they are frustrated that a worldwide outcry against the campaign did not slow down the buildup to bombing. But they say they will put their frustration and war anxiety into demonstrations and peace camps as long as the campaign lasts. – See entry on 31 March

Friday, 21 March “U.S. had right to attack, PM says” (Brian Laghi, pg.A13)

Prime Minister Chrétien assured Canadians that the U.S. had the right to attack Iraq in the name of security, despite Canada’s wish to avoid participation in the conflict. – See entry on 20 March

Saturday, 22 March “PM’s Iraq call backed by 66%, poll reveals” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A15)

Despite harangues from opposition leaders of all stripes, Jean Chrétien’s decision to keep Canada out of the war in Iraq is endorsed by a solid majority of Canadians, a new poll suggests. Two out of three of those surveyed by Ipsos-Reid for The Globe and Mail and CTV approved of his handling of the situation; 54 per cent said U.S. President George W. Bush had done the wrong thing. – See entries on 8 February, 7 April, 16 June, 19 July “Ottawa quiet on U.S. request to seize Iraqi assets” (Karen Howlett, John Partridge, pg.B5)

The federal government gave no sign on 21 March whether it would comply with a U.S. request to seize all Iraqi assets in the country. The United States has seized $1.74-billion (U.S.) in already frozen Iraqi assets held in U.S. bank accounts and has called on other nations to take similar action or risk losing access to the country’s financial system.

Monday, 24 March “Mulroney rakes Liberals for war stand” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A11)

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney has blasted the government’s decision not to participate in the Iraqi war, saying Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has “repudiated” Canada’s traditional allies.

Tuesday, 25 March “Ottawa backs fall of Hussein, Graham says” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A12)

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Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said the Liberal government now supports the United States' desire to get rid of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, even though it opposes launching an invasion to achieve that regime change.

Wednesday, 26 March “The latest from Ottawa: Ousting Hussein is wrong” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien disavowed Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham’s remarks that Canada wants to see regime change in Baghdad. Now, the government is saying that a regime change is not an acceptable policy option under the United Nations charter. – * Deceptive headline “U.S. rebukes Canada” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

Washington's ambassador to Canada has delivered the sternest public rebuke by a U.S. representative since the Trudeau era, saying Americans are upset at Canada’s refusal to join the war in Iraq and hinting there could be economic fallout. At a breakfast speech on 25 March to the Economic Club of Toronto, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci said there is much disappointment about Canada’s refusal to join the United States in its efforts to depose Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Prime Minister Chrétien responded that Canada is a sovereign country capable of acting as it wishes. – See entry on 27 March

Thursday, 27 March “White House consulted Cellucci on rebuke” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci was delivering a rebuke straight from President George W. Bush’s White House this week when he complained of Canada's refusal to participate in the war in Iraq. Despite Liberal government assurances that the Bush administration had accepted the Canadian decision gracefully, U.S. officials say Mr. Bush and his advisers are furious, not only with the decision to stay out of the battle but also with what they say is the anti-American rhetoric that Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has tolerated. – See entry on 26 March “Six Canadians are in battle zones, despite Ottawa's hands-off policy” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A13)

The Globe has confirmed that six Canadian Forces members on exchange programs with coalition troops are serving in battle zones in Iraq, despite Ottawa’s official policy of staying out of the war. – See entries on 14, 15, 27 March, 1, 2 April

Friday, March 28 “PM denies Canadians in combat positions” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A2)

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Prime Minister Chrétien reiterated in question period on 27 March that Canada is not at war with Iraq even though a few Canadians on military exchanges are playing a minor role in Iraq and are not in combat positions. – See entry on 1 April “MPs call for tribunal to try Hussein” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A10)

In a rare show of unanimity, the House adopted an opposition motion on 27 March calling for the creation of a tribunal to bring Mr. Hussein and other Iraqi officials to court on charges of genocide, war crimes and other serious human-rights offences—if they are captured alive. The motion is an expression of the view of the Canadian government and Parliament, but has no force in itself. Government officials, however, say it will be forwarded to UN Security Council members, who do have authority to establish special tribunals, such as those dealing with war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and genocide in Rwanda.

Monday, 31 March “Supporters of war take to the streets in Canadian cities” (Jane Armstrong, pg.A9)

After months of antiwar protests across the country, Canadians who support the U.S.-led war on Iraq staged their own rallies on 29 and 30 March. In Ottawa, Winnipeg, Red Deer, Alta., Calgary and Vancouver, hundreds of chanting and costumed demonstrators voiced disgust and anger at Canada’s decision to remain on the sidelines. They waved U.S. flags and carried placards that denounced President Saddam Hussein's regime and took shots at Prime Minister Jean Chrétien for his failure to back the U.S.-led coalition. – See entry on 20 March

4.4 April 2003

Tuesday, 1 April “McCallum praises Canadians in Iraq” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A14)

According to Defence Minister, John McCallum, the handful of Canadian soldiers on the ground in Iraq are serving their country and deserve Canadians’ thanks, even though Canada has refused to join the war. He also assured the House of Commons that the six soldiers are either in low risk supply or logistical roles. – See entries on 14, 15, 27 March, 2 April

Wednesday, 2 April “More Canadian officers may be heading to Gulf” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

Prime Minister Chrétien said that 31 additional Canadian officers are expected to head to the Persian Gulf as part of an exchange program with U.S. forces, fuelling the increasingly bitter dispute between the government and the opposition over Ottawa's policy on Iraq.

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– See entries on 14, 15, 27 March, 1 April

Saturday, 5 April “Canada should have been clearer in backing coalition, Manley says” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A18)

Deputy Prime Minister John Manley conceded on 4 April that the government should have made its support clearer for coalition forces in Iraq—while accusing Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen Harper of inflaming anti-Canadian sentiment in the United States.

Monday, 7 April “Canadians split on war, poll finds” (Kim Lunman, pg.A7)

Canadians are evenly divided over the U.S.-led war in Iraq as the third week of the military action begins, and slightly more than half say it’s time for the country to step in and help the coalition forces, a new poll says. Support for the United States is higher outside Quebec, where only 29 percent of those surveyed expressed support for the war, compared to 54 per cent in the rest of Canada, according to a CTV/Globe and Mail poll released on 6 April. Support has increased: When the United States invaded Iraq last month, polls reported only 40 percent in favour of the invasion and 60 percent opposed. – See entries on 8 February, 22 March, 16 June, 19 July

Wednesday, 9 April “Chrétien defends MPs who speak out on war” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

In a speech in the House of Commons on 8 April, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien sought to mend fences with the United States over Iraq, but business leaders and even some senior members of his government felt his effort fell short. Critics were concerned that the Prime Minister's speech in the House of Commons dwelt too much on defending the government and not enough on expressing support and solidarity with the United States now that war is under way. Even Deputy Prime Minister John Manley felt the speech was not conciliatory enough, sources said. “A new Canadian dies fighting for U.S. in Iraq”(Kelly Patrick, pg.A1)

Corporal Bernard Gooden, who immigrated to the Toronto area from Jamaica in 1997, a 22-year- old tank gunner with the U.S. Marines, is the first Canadian to be killed in combat in the war to oust Saddam Hussein. “Ships told not to hand Iraqis to U.S.” (Brian Laghi, pg.A11)

The commander of Canadian warships in the Arabian Gulf says he has been ordered not to hand Iraqi soldiers or civilians over to the United States should his forces capture them on the high seas. But he added that if a senior member of the Iraqi government was captured, then a decision from Ottawa would be sought.

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Thursday, 10 April “Canada will help rebuild Iraq” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A8)

Susan Whelan, Minister for International Co-operation, said Canada’s immediate priority in Iraq is to get food and other necessities to those who need it most. Canada has already pledged $100- million for humanitarian assistance. Prime Minister Chrétien is already in talks with other Western governments about post-war Iraq, specifically concerning matters of development and governance. – See entry on 29 April, 27 August 2004 “Iraqi ambassador disappears” (Brian Laghi, pg.A18)

Mamdouh Mustafa, Iraq’s diplomat to Canada, is nowhere to be in found in Ottawa after coalition forces took control of the Presidential palace in Iraq. – See entries on 20 March, 15 December

Saturday, 12 April “Mounties could be sent to Iraq” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A5)

With the fall of Iraq’s leadership, Jean Chrétien has offered RCMP officers for a peacekeeping mission in Iraq if needed. They will likely train new Iraqi police officers and be involved in postwar Iraq. – See entry on 3 May

Monday, 14 April “Won’t wait on UN in aiding Iraq, Manley says” (Simon Tuck, pg.A7)

Canada will not wait for UN approval to get involved in the reconstruction of war-ravaged Iraq, contrary to the federal government's approach to the proposed invasion of that country, says Deputy Prime Minister John Manley. – See entry on 29 April

Monday, 21 April “DND seeks list of ways to aid Iraq” (Brian Laghi, pg.A6)

Defence Minister John McCallum has asked his generals for a series of options on how the Canadian military can take part in the rebuilding of Iraq. A spokesman for Mr. McCallum said on 13 April that, although the military already has significant commitments in the war on terrorism, the department has been asked to look at ways in which it can help now that the war in Iraq is in its mop-up stage. – See entries on 24, 29 April, 6 September

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Thursday, 24 April “Ottawa rules out Iraq peacekeeping option” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A13)

The federal government has ruled out deploying any military units to Iraq to help maintain order or provide emergency assistance despite a U.S. request for Canadian troops. Cabinet, however, is considering a plan to send Canadian police officers to Iraq to train a new civilian police force, the sources say. Officials took the military option off the menu of possible postwar contributions to the Iraqi reconstruction effort for both practical and political reasons, the sources say. Namely, the Canadian Forces simply does not have adequate capacity to contribute forces to Iraq on top of an upcoming tour in Afghanistan. – See entry on 13 February, 29 April

Saturday, 26 April “DND sends four teams of planners to Kabul” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A16)

The Department of National Defence is sending four reconnaissance teams to Europe and Afghanistan to plan for this summer's deployment of troops to the Afghan capital of Kabul. Overall, about 50 military and civilian personnel will look for answers to the questions that are still hanging over the deployment of about 3,000 troops for a year, beginning in the late summer. – See entries on 13 February

Tuesday, 29 April “Ottawa flexible on missile plan” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A8)

Cabinet ministers say the government may drop its long-standing opposition to U.S. plans for ballistic missile defence, a policy shift that would begin to close a gap with Washington on North American security issues. Recent statements by Defence Minister John McCallum and Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham indicate that Ottawa will soon be discussing the issue at the cabinet level; signaling a new height of North American security integration with the U.S. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 2, 8, 12,16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004 “Ottawa plans to help rebuild Iraq” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A12)

The federal government is set to approve the deployment of police, prison guards and legal experts to help rebuild the criminal-justice system in postwar Iraq. The government is also considering dispatching three Canadian air force transports to deliver food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies, and a small unit of military engineers to help dispose of land mines and unexploded bombs. The Canadian commitment to the reconstruction of Iraq is the latest sign that Ottawa and Washington are trying to get bilateral relations back on track after the federal government refused to participate in a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Details are expected to be announced shortly. – See entry on 10 April, 3, 15 May, 27 August 2004

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4.5 May 2003

Friday, 2 May “New antiterror power unused, report says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Police have yet to use the tough antiterrorism powers awarded in a 2001 bill that was passed shortly after the 11 September attacks. While immigrant and civil-liberties groups complained at the time that Ottawa was giving too much power to police, the Justice Department released a report yesterday saying the RMCP has not yet used powers of pre-emptive arrest or investigative hearing. – See entry on 19 December 2001 “Canada rejects any weapons in outer space” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A10)

Canada will continue to oppose the concept of military weapons in outer space even if Ottawa joins the United States in a ballistic-missile defence program, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said on 1 May. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 8, 12,16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

Saturday, 3 May “Canadians to join U.S.-led team in Iraq” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A10)

The United States is including Canadian experts on a team that is drawing up plans for a postwar criminal justice system in Iraq. Two RCMP officers, a Justice Department official and an expert from Corrections Canada will join a U.S.-led team. – See entry on 12, 29 April, 3, 15 May

Tuesday, 6 May “Canadian troops headed to Afghanistan” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

The first rotation of 1,800 Canadian troops into Afghanistan later this year will come from Petawawa, Ont., and operate under a German commander, government officials said on 5 May. The second six-month rotation will be commanded by a Canadian, with troops likely to come from Valcartier, Que.

Thursday, 8 May “PM shelves decision on U.S. missile defence” (Daniel Leblanc, Shawn McCarthy, pg.A4)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien put off yesterday a decision on Canada’s role in the United States’ controversial national missile defence system, as his MPs called for delay and his own Foreign Affairs Department acknowledged the program could destabilize the world. The final decision is now months away.

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– See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 12,16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

Monday, 12 May “Canada should say yes to missile defence” (Editorial, pg.A14)

The editors of The Globe contend that it is in Canada’s national interest to approve the pending missile defence program with the United States. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8,16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

Thursday, 15 May “Canada pledges more money for Iraq” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A11)

Canada is sending $200-million in humanitarian aid and reconstruction money to Iraq and plans to reopen its embassy in Baghdad soon. The money is in addition to $100-million that was pledged earlier this year. – See entries 10, 29 April, May 3

Friday, 16 May “Graham backs missile shield” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

As the federal government clearly indicated it will launch discussions with the United States on the missile-defence project, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said during a debate in the House that playing a role in the defensive scheme would require little of Canada. He went on to say that claims that the U.S. will weaponize space have been overblown and therefore Canada should participate in the plan. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

Saturday, 17 May “Terror bombers strike at Morocco” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Terrorist bombs tore through central Casablanca on the night of 16 May, killing at least 20 people in four separate but closely timed attacks that struck Western and Jewish targets. It was the second series of nearly simultaneous co-ordinated terrorist attacks in less then a week, suggesting that the radical Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda maintains a deadly capacity to inflict death and destruction despite a U.S.-led global war against international terrorism. “Canada recalls one of three warships in Gulf” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

The Canadian Forces are recalling one of their three ships from the Persian Gulf at mid-mandate and considering going down to one vessel in the area by the summer. The frigate HMCS Regina

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will start sailing back to Canada over the weekend, after completing three months of a planned six-month mission in the war on terrorism. That will leave HMC Ships Iroquois and Fredericton to provide security in the area, protecting civil and military vessels and seeking terrorists. The vessel is returning home because there is less of an operational need for it in the region. – See entries for 11, 14, 23 February, 19 March

Friday, 23 May “Army to replace tanks, Defence Minister says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

Canada will replace its Cold War arsenal of 140 tanks with a new generation of military vehicles as soon as possible, Defence Minister John McCallum said on 22 May. The minister said the Forces are looking at the Stryker, the newest member in a series of eight-wheeled armoured vehicles already in use by the U.S., Canadian and other armies. “Canada, U.S. join forces to halt funds for terrorism” (Lindsey Arkley, pg.A9)

Canada and the United States are to conduct joint investigations into several organizations suspected of channelling funds to terrorists. The investigations would involve an RCMP officer on a 12-month assignment at the FBI's terrorist financing section in Washington, said the head of the section, Special Agent Dennis Lormel.

Friday, 30 May “Ottawa to move on missile defence” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

The Liberal government caught its backbenchers and key supporters by surprise yesterday with the announcement that it is opening negotiations with the United States for possible Canadian participation in a controversial ballistic missile defence system. Defence Minister John McCallum rose in the Commons to announce the decision to proceed with negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement by the fall. McCallum reiterated the government’s opposition to space weapons. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12, 16 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

4.6 June 2003

Wednesday, 4 June “U.S. tip led to Ottawa's Beirut ban” (Colin Freeze, Jacquie McNish, pg.A1)

Ottawa decided to revoke Air Canada's new licence for direct return flights to Beirut after U.S. intelligence agencies expressed concern that planes coming from Lebanon could be used in suicide hijackings. Sources say the concerns, based on impressions of lax airport security, were passed to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, which independently checked them out and passed its findings on to federal cabinet ministers. – See entry for 3 June

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“Missile defence gets boost in House” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

Thirty-eight Liberal MPs voted against a motion on Canadian participation in the proposed U.S. antimissile shield yesterday, sending a strong message to the government to act with caution on the controversial project. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12,16, 30 May, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004 “Afghan peace mission over budget, Manley says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Canada's coming peacekeeping mission to Afghanistan is already over budget, Finance Minister John Manley said on 3 June. Mr. Manley said there is no final number for the cost of the mission, planned for August, but said it will likely be more than the $200-million set aside in the last budget.

Thursday, 5 June “Canada lifts sanctions imposed against Iraq” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A15)

The federal government formally lifted economic sanctions against Iraq on 4 June and encouraged Canadian companies to look for opportunities to help rebuild the war-ravaged country. The move simplifies the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Iraq and allows Canadians to send money to family members there.

Friday, 6 June “Iran, Libya and Syria aid terrorists, CSIS says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A7)

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service told Parliament on 5 June that Iran, Syria and Libya sponsor terrorism and try to infiltrate Middle Eastern and Islamic expatriate communities in Canada. In an annual threat assessment, CSIS for the first time officially named foreign countries as state sponsors of terrorism. CSIS also said threats are posed by other forms of “religious extremism,” state-sponsored terrorism, secessionist violence and domestic extremism.

Monday, 9 June “Kabul blast shows al-Qaeda still in business” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A9)

A recent suicide bombing in Kabul that killed four German peacekeepers and wounded 31 in Kabul is merely the latest evidence of the lasting reach and influence of Osama bin Laden's al- Qaeda network. Experts say that al-Qaeda is stronger and more difficult to demobilize than originally thought.

Wednesday, 11 June “Forces set up camp in wild West Kabul” (Victoria Burnett, pg.A10)

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A Canadian Forces advance engineering team from Kingston, Ont., now faces the task of turning a rubble-strewn stretch of land on the edge of West Kabul into a small town for the first deployment of 1,800 Canadian troops who will arrive in August to take over responsibility for patrolling the Afghan capital, which is currently in German and Dutch hands. In the past two weeks, they've erected tents for 250 soldiers, installed showers, put in a mess hut, set up satellite dishes and got the television working. Canada will take command of the patrol contingent of the International Security Assistance Force under Operation Athena. – * Deceptive headline

Friday, 13 June “NATO overhaul boosts U.S. role” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A11)

NATO boosted its ability to act far beyond Europe and North America yesterday with a major restructuring that includes cutbacks at headquarters in Belgium and a stronger presence in the United States. Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are planning missions in faraway places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, while stepping away from their Cold War focus on the defence of Europe. The new U.S.-based command will oversee the modernization of the world's largest military alliance, pushing for robust and rapidly deployable capabilities in the fight against terrorism and other modern threats. More importantly, it will also allow for an increased role in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Monday, 16 June “Majority supports Chrétien on Iraq, poll finds” (Kim Lunman, pg.A12)

Seventy-one per cent of those surveyed for an Ipsos-Reid CTV-Globe and Mail poll said that based on the current knowledge of the situation in Iraq, the Liberal government was justified in not supporting the U.S. government and its coalition in the military action to topple Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. – See entries on 8 February, 22 March, 7 April, 19 July

Thursday, 19 June “Five groups added to antiterror list” (Canadian Press, pg.A10)

The federal government has banned five more groups, including the International Sikh Youth Federation, alleging that they have engaged in terrorist activities. The others include Babbar Khalsa and Babbar Khalsa International and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

Friday, 20 June “U.S. pilots given light penalties in deaths” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Major William Umbach will simply get a reprimand and his flying partner, Major Harry Schmidt, will face a light set of administrative penalties for the late-night bombing last year that left four Canadian soldiers dead. The U.S. military announced on 19 June that it would not have recourse

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to courts-martial against the F-16 pilots, saying that any punishment will be meted out through non-judicial means. The Canadian government approved the U.S. decision, but there was rekindled anger in some of the victims' families. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April 2002, 15 May 2002, 14, 28 June 2002, 14, 29 September 2002, 16 September 2006 “Canadians in Bosnia to lose their gear” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8)

The Canadian Forces are stripping the bulletproof gear from troops serving in Bosnia to equip soldiers heading to Afghanistan later this year. The Forces don’t have enough ballistic plates, which fit in the soldiers' special bulletproof—frag—vests. Without the plates, the vests offer protection against shrapnel from artillery and mortar fire, but not direct rifle and machine-gun fire.

Monday, 30 June “Worn-out navy says it’s taking a ‘pause’ for a year” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Tired and broke, the Canadian navy is slowing down for a year, cutting back on major training exercises and delaying a return to NATO’s Atlantic fleet, senior officers say. The navy needs downtime after sending 16 of its 18 ships, and 97 per cent of its 4,100 seagoing sailors, to the Persian Gulf since the start of the war on terrorism in late 2001. With a lack of funding and of rested personnel, officers say they are unable to take on a major international mission in the coming months. Canada now has only the frigate HMCS Fredericton in the Persian Gulf, down from three warships in the area earlier this year. HMCS Calgary is the last ship scheduled to go there for a six-month tour in the late summer.

4.7 July 2003

Saturday, 5 July “Hussein lives, ready to resist, tape says” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

Just a day after Washington offered a US$25-million reward for the capture of Saddam Hussein, the Arabic satellite station Al-Jazeera broadcast an audiotape purportedly from the deposed Iraqi president, who urged Iraqis to resist U.S. occupation. U.S. authorities immediately said they would test the tape for authenticity but its broadcast across the Arab world was just the kind of news the Americans didn’t need at a time when their troops in Iraq are coming under increasingly frequent and bloody attacks from insurgents. – See entry on 20 March, 15 December

Thursday, 10 July “Commander wants his troops to stand out” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Instead of donning their new tan-coloured uniforms, Canadian soldiers will be decked out in their more noticeable—and sometimes ridiculed—dark-green outfits in Kabul this year in a conscious

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bid to stand out from the crowd and other Western troops. Major-General Andrew Leslie, who will lead the mission to Afghanistan, said he wants Canadian soldiers to be a visible presence in the capital city. – See entry on 1 May 2004 – * Deceptive headline

Thursday, 17 July “Canadian troops see potential for danger in new Afghan mission” (Mark MacKinnon, pg.A1)

Canada formally began its second deployment in Kabul, Afghanistan on 16 July with the International Security Assistance Force looking to stabilize a new regime this time rather than to root out remnants of the old one. Although the military deployment has often been labelled a peacekeeping mission, the 300 personnel already on the ground say they know well that there’s no peace to keep yet, and that they’ve planted their flagpole in potentially dangerous territory. Many observers feel the country is sliding back into chaos, with an international reconstruction effort that has fallen far short of expectations, a return to clashes between rival warlords, and the continuing weakness of the government of Hamid Karzai. Most troubling, the Taliban has made something of a comeback of late, conducting a series of guerrilla-style strikes against U.S. and Afghan forces around the country, apparently at the behest of fugitive leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. Although the Canadian mission will be confined to Kabul, it too has seen flashes of violence. Last month, an ISAF bus, carrying German troops, was attacked by a suicide bomber, leaving four dead. – See entry on 22 July, 12 August

Saturday, 19 July “Al-Qaeda agent fingers Montrealer, CSIS says” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A6)

A Montrealer who was arrested this spring and accused of being an al-Qaeda sleeper agent has now been fingered by Abu Zubaydah, a close adviser to Osama bin Laden now in U.S. custody, Canadian intelligence officials allege. The revelation, outlined in a declassified briefing document filed on 18 July in Federal Court, is a damning allegation against the Moroccan-born Adil Charkaoui. The brief, prepared by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, says that top al- Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah has said he saw Mr. Charkaoui in Afghanistan in 1993 and perhaps again in 1997-98. This would suggest Mr. Charkaoui was involved with radical militants in Afghanistan as far back as a decade before his arrest and two years before his arrival in Canada. “Canadians skeptical of Iraq war, polls shows” (Wallace Immen, pg.A12)

More than 70 percent of Canadians believe the U.S. military has become mired in a Vietnam-like situation in Iraq that will lead to increasing casualties, an Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll released on 18 July indicates. – See entries on 8 February, 22 March, 7 April, 16 June

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Tuesday, 22 July “Tension greets Canadian troops in Kabul” (Mark MacKinnon, pg.A8)

Even though Canadian troops have yet to begin their patrols as part of the multinational peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, there have already been a handful of security scares, a top Canadian officer said on 21 July as the main group of soldiers began to arrive in Kabul. Colonel Marc Pouliot, who headed an advance team of 323 soldiers that is now preparing to leave as 1,800 troops who will carry out the year-long mission roll in, said there have been several nervous moments during the three months that his team has been in the capital. For example, on at least two occasions, Hercules planes carrying Canadian troops and equipment into Kabul from the Persian Gulf have kicked into emergency mode—firing off chaff and flares to distract attackers—after their systems detected that the aircraft were being targeted from the ground. The tension is high. – See entry on 17 July

Friday, 25 July “Ottawa has doubts about plot allegation” (Colin Freeze, pg.A10)

Canadian government officials have reacted with skepticism to a magazine report that said al- Qaeda terrorists plotted to blow up a U.S. target in Ottawa. An article in the current issue of The New Yorker asserts that Syrian intelligence officials have helped U.S. law-enforcement agencies thwart many al-Qaeda plots, and even “helped the United States avert a suspected plot against an American target in Ottawa.” Foreign Minister Bill Graham says he is unaware of any such plot against U.S. interests. Other Canadian government sources say accounts of an Ottawa terrorist scheme are news to them.

4.8 August 2003

Friday, 1 August “McCallum avoids Iraq in U.S. letter” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

Defence Minister John McCallum skirted the delicate issue of Iraq in an open letter to Americans on 31 July published in the Washington Times. He pointed out that while Canada cares deeply about the joint defence of North America, the Canadian Forces are too small to do anything beyond their current mission in Afghanistan. Mr. McCallum did not make any reference to the situation in Iraq, which created considerable tension in Canada-U.S. relations earlier this year. However, he made it clear that the Canadian army is unable to supply troops in that part of the world. – See 2 August

Saturday, 2 August “Mr. McCallum’s letter” (Editorial, pg.A14)

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The editors of The Globe dissect the momentum of Defence Minister McCallum’s letter published on 31 July in the Washington Times and found the lack of a compelling rationale for why Canada did not go to Iraq. – See 1 August

Tuesday, 5 August “Afghanistan attacks rise, but who is behind them?” (Mark MacKinnon, pg.A8)

Attacks on the rise in Afghanistan and the U.S. blames the Taliban operatives. The author argues that there is an increasing proliferation of suspects which could be linked to the attacks, hinting that the nation is perhaps more complex and fractured than originally thought.

Wednesday, 6 August “14 dead in Indonesian bombing, Canadian banker among injured” (Geoffery York, pg.A1)

A massive car bomb in Jakarta's business district has killed at least 14 people and left nearly 150 injured, dealing a heavy blow to the antiterrorism battle in Southeast Asia at a crucial moment in the campaign. The explosion struck with devastating force outside the downtown Marriott hotel on 5 August, in a district of embassies and businesses where many diplomats and other foreigners work. Among the dead is a Dutch banker, while a Canadian and two Americans were among the injured. “Deadline for Canadians to join 9/11 suit looms” (Canadian Press, pg.A5)

Families of the 25 Canadians who died in the terrorist attacks of 11 Septenber 2001, have only one month left to join a massive class-action lawsuit filed last year on behalf of the families of American victims. The $1-trillion lawsuit, filed 15 August 2002, seeks to cripple those it contends financed the plot, including the Sudanese government, some members of the Saudi royal family, and a number of banks and charities.

Thursday, 7 August “Canadian tortured, Syrian group says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Maher Arar, a Canadian software engineer imprisoned in his native Syria, is being tortured, a prominent Syrian exile group says. The London-based Syrian Human Rights Committee says Mr. Arar, 32, has been beaten severely and subjected to electric shocks. Canadian officials say they have made renewed demands to visit Mr. Arar, who has not been seen or heard from since April. – See entries on 3 November 2005, 21 September 2006,10 August 2007

Friday, 8 August “Manley contender for top job at NATO” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

NATO diplomats are touting Deputy Prime Minister John Manley as a leading contender to become the next secretary-general of the military alliance. Diplomatic sources say Mr. Manley’s

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name emerged in recent informal discussions in Brussels among representatives of the 19 North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries. No Canadian has ever held the post in the alliance’s 54- year history.

Tuesday, 12 August “Canadians needed to stabilize Kabul, general says” (Brian Laghi, pg.A12)

The commander of Canadian forces in Afghanistan said his troops should stay in Kabul to stabilize the city rather than expand their role outside it. Maj.-Gen. Leslie’s comments came as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization took command on 11 May of the 5,000-strong peacekeeping force, the first time in its 54-year-history that the organization steps beyond the bounds of Europe. The Afghan government of Hamid Karzai has already made calls on the International Security Assistance Force to expand its role beyond Kabul to stabilize other parts of the country. – See entry on 17 July, 18 August

Monday, 18 August “What should NATO do in Afghanistan?” (Editorial, pg.A12)

Afghanistan is NATO’s first mission outside of North America, note the editors of The Globe. They question the original foundation of the alliance and its relevance in Afghanistan. – See entries on 17 July, 12 August

Wednesday, 20 August “Massive blast rips UN’s HQ in Iraq” (Orly Halpem, pg.A1)

A massive truck bomb ripped through UN headquarters in Baghdad on 19 August, killing at least 17 people, including a Canadian aid worker and the UN's top envoy to Iraq, in a late-afternoon attack that shattered a fresh international mission to the country and raised fears of renewed warfare. The bombing was the worst ever attack on a UN operation. “Second Canadian dies in Baghdad blast” (Colin Freeze, pg.A12)

Two Canadians were killed in the blast at the UN office in Baghdad on 19 August. Gillian Clark, of the Christian Children’s Fund, and fellow Canadian Christopher Klein-Beekman, a Unicef worker, also died and five other Canadians were injured.

Friday, 22 August “Kabul greets Canadian troops” (Hamida Ghafour, pg.A9)

Local populations greeted Canadian Forces with enthusiasm in their early peacekeeping missions in Kabul in recent days, despite ongoing instability in the area.

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Saturday, 23 August “19 terror suspects arrested, fear grows of Canadian 9/11” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

The arrest of 19 Toronto-area Pakistanis by antiterrorism agents prompted officials to fear the worst on 22 August and call for security reviews of Canada’s flight schools, private colleges and nuclear reactors. The concern was raised after the news broke that a group of immigrant students and refugee claimants were rounded up last week in co-ordinated raids by Immigration Canada and the RCMP. The men arrested on Aug. 14 in the early-morning hours have not been charged with any crimes. They are accused only of violating the Immigration Act through behaviour that authorities regard as suspect. Agents suggest that the pattern of the group’s activities resembles that of the 19 hijackers who struck U.S. targets on 11 September 2001. The detained men’s ages range from 18 to 33, and a document filed in a detention hearing says they shared apartments in groups of four or five. The document says one of the men has taken three years to do a one-year flight-school course, and one of the school's flight paths was over Pickering nuclear-power generators, east of Toronto. – See entry on 26, 27, 28 August, 23 August 2006, 26 September 2008, 6 May 2009, 15, 19 January 2010

Wednesday, 27 August “Bin Laden agents among 19 arrested, lawyers say” (Colin Freeze, Marina Jimenez, pg.A2)

Canadian government lawyers suggest that some of the 19 men arrested in the Toronto area this month in an immigration raid are agents of Osama bin Laden, but admit their investigation is still in its infancy. The RCMP is not commenting on the investigation. – See entries for 23, 28, 30 August, 4 September

Thursday, 28 August “Adjudicator frees suspect, disputes terrorist scenario” (Colin Freeze, Marina Jemenez, pg.A1)

An immigration adjudicator has called into question Ottawa’s assertions about 19 detained men by ordering one of them freed from jail on 27 August, ruling that there is not enough suspicion to keep the individual in custody. – See entries for 23, 27, 28 August, 4 September

Saturday, 30 August “Case of 19 terrorists starts to unravel” (Colin Freeze, Marina Jimenez and Victoria Burnett, pg.A5)

The case of the terrorists among us began to unravel almost as soon as the detention reviews began, with the RCMP and Citizenship and Immigration Canada distancing themselves from the idea that the men posed a clear threat to security. The RCMP, which is just beginning to sift through 25 boxes of files and 30 computers seized in the raid that netted the 19 men, said this

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week there is no evidence that Canada’s national security is at risk. Immigration officials underlined that they are investigating only the possibility of such threats. Both agencies contend that national security is not at risk. – See entries for 23, 27, 28 August, 4 September, 6 May 2009, 15, 19 January 2010

4.9 September 2003

Thursday, 4 September “Third man released in Toronto terror probe” (Claire Gagne, pg.A16)

A third suspect, Muhammed Naeeem, from the Toronto terrorism plot was released yesterday in an immigration probe that has one lawyer questioning the Immigration and Refugee Board’s credibility. – See entries on 27, 30 August

Friday, 5 September “U.S. terrorist advisory targets Canadian flights” (Estanislao Oziewicz, Steven Chase, pg.A1)

Al-Qaeda is planning to hijack commercial airliners flying over or near the United States for use in kamikaze-style attacks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned on 4 September—a prospect that would put Canada directly in the terrorist network's sights. Most of the flights that meet the Homeland Security Department specifications originate north of the border—the advisory excluded flights landing in the United States. Instead, the department is concerned about flights that take off and land in other countries but whose paths take them near enough to U.S. soil to launch an attack. – See entry on 26 September

Saturday, 6 September “Warnings of terrorism put Canada on guard” (Steven Chase, pg.A17)

Canada is taking new U.S. warnings of possible airplane hijackings extremely seriously because this country also could be targeted by such a terrorist attack, John Manley, the federal minister responsible for cross-border security relations, said in an interview on 5 September.

See entry on 11 September 12 May 2005 “No plans yet to send troops to Baghdad, Graham says” (Hamida Ghafour, pg.A18)

Canada does not have plans to deploy soldiers to Iraq—even under a new United Nations mandate—because of its peacekeeping commitments in Afghanistan, the Balkans and other hot spots, Foreign Minister Bill Graham said on 5 September. – See entry on 21 April, 11 September

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Tuesday, 9 September “Canada-U.S. relations better, Cellucci says” (Canadian Press, pg.A8)

Mr. Cellucci and Michael Kergin, the Canadian ambassador to the United States, told the annual meeting of New England governors and Eastern Canadian premiers that relations between the two countries are now in good shape in light of efforts in Afghanistan and support roles in Iraq including navy and aid efforts. – See entry on 1 September, 21 May 2005

Wednesday, 10 September “Canada, NATO may do more in Afghanistan” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A11)

Canadian peacekeepers and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops might extend their mandate beyond Kabul to bring stability to other parts of Afghanistan, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said on 9 September. – See entry on 27 September “Canadian envoy, 35, on the job in Kabul” (Hamida Ghafour, pg.A12)

Canada’s first permanent diplomat to Afghanistan, Christopher Alexander, arrived in Kabul two weeks ago at a pivotal point in the country's history. Mr. Alexander believes Canada is in a lead position to help the country because of its status as a soft power. Canada is spending $250-million in 2004 on aid to the country and taking an integrated approach to its reconstruction. Canada has sent 1,900 soldiers to patrol the streets of Kabul, but military officers are also involved in the critical task of reforming the corrupt, Tajik-dominated Defence Ministry. He said his goal is to get Canada on the radar of Afghans.

Thursday, 11 September “Manley urges firm security ties with U.S.” (Drew Fagan, pg.A10)

The 11 September terrorist attacks permanently changed the border relationship between Canada and the United States, and the federal government needs to respond by considering greater institutional ties with U.S. security organizations, Deputy Prime Minister John Manley argues. On the eve of the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Mr. Manley suggested in an interview that even the kind of co-operation he has built with Tom Ridge, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, may ultimately be insufficient to protect Canadian interests because it leans too much on their close personal ties and not enough on permanent bilateral links. – See entries on 6 September, 12 May 2005 “Iraq situation critical, Graham says” (Paul Koring, pg.A20)

After meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Foreign Minister Bill Graham told reporters that Iraq’s demise into violence and conflict must be reversed before it slides into being a key region for harbouring terror.

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– See entry on 6 Spetember “Full protection sought under missile shield” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8)

Canada is seeking guarantees that its territory will receive the same protection as the United States if it joins the creation of a multibillion-dollar missile shield. While Canada will likely make only a small contribution to the missile-defence program, Defence Minister John McCallum said a crucial issue is ensuring “the protection afforded to Canadians is no less than the protection accorded to Americans.” – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12, 16, 30 May, 4 June 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

Friday, 12 September “Canadian troops in Kabul on alert after nighttime rocket attacks” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A21)

At least two rockets were fired at Canadian and other peacekeeping troops in the Afghan capital on 11 September, the second anniversary of the 11 September attacks, but no one was hurt, a military spokesman said. The 1,950 Canadian troops in Kabul went on “the highest state of alert” for several hours after the nighttime attack before returning to their normal state of readiness, said a spokesman for the Canadian contingent serving as part of the NATO-led International Security and Assistance Force. It was the first attack since Canadian troops arrived in August. – See entry on 13 September

Saturday, 13 September “Canadian injured in Kabul rocket attack” (Hermida Ghafour, pg.A14)

Canadian troops in the Afghan capital were on a high state of alert on 12 September after at least two rocket attacks on military bases, including one that injured a Canadian civilian worker. A 24- year-old contract worker from Vancouver was the sole casualty. He was five metres away from the explosion, lying on a cot in a newly erected kitchen tent, when he was hit by shrapnel in his lower back. – See entry for 12 September

Monday, 22 September “Chrétien backs Annan bid to reform UN” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A13)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien arrives on 22 September for the opening of the UN General Assembly determined to push for an expansion of the United Nations' ability to intervene militarily in countries that fail to protect their own citizens. While much of the focus here remains on U.S. efforts to gain international support for reconstruction in Iraq, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has his own agenda, including reform of the UN both internally and with how it operates in the world. A key component of that reform is an expansion of the UN's ability to embark on humanitarian intervention in countries in which genocide or ethnic cleansing is occurring.

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Friday, 26 September “Musharraf says bin Laden is alive and travelling freely” (Jeff Sallot, Drew Fagan, John Stackhouse, pg.A1)

Osama bin Laden is alive, has been moving freely between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and appears to have enjoyed a groundswell of anti-American passions in the region since the war in Iraq, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said yesterday on his first official visit to Canada. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Gen. Musharraf cautioned that it may take years to catch the al-Qaeda leader, despite a full-time hunt by Pakistani and U.S. intelligence agencies. – See entries on 11, 15 July, 12 August “Terror suspects pose no risk” (Marina Jimenez, pg.A12)

In a dramatic reversal, Citizenship and Immigration Canada no longer believes that several Pakistani men and a pilot from India who were detained in a recent immigration raid are a security risk or a danger to the public. The men were arrested under a new section of the Immigration Act that allows people to be detained if there is a reasonable suspicion they pose a risk to Canada’s security. CIC alleged the men could be terrorists based on a pattern of suspicious behaviour, including: immigration violations; registering at a bogus institution called the Ottawa Business College in order to prolong their stay in Canada; Mr. Rehman’s flight patterns over the Pickering, Ont., nuclear power plant, and his apparent inability to finish his training course; and the fact that one of the men had an associate that named an al-Qaeda fundraising group on a letter of reference. – See entries on 4 September “Canadian aid to turn site of Taliban defeat into school for 1,100” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A15)

In Qal’ay-eh-Moslem just south of the Canadian military base in Kabul, there is an old Soviet army headquarters that will soon become a school. And here is where the Canadian army, under Sgt. Najlis's watchful eye, will pour about US$200,000 into reconstruction, two-thirds of it money from the Canadian International Development Agency. Canadian soldiers will launch a reconstruction project here, as well, largely with CIDA money provided in the $250-million Ottawa has allotted to Afghan reconstruction over two years. – See entry on 9 April 2002

Saturday, 27 September “Afghan leader expected to seek more peacekeepers” (Hamida Ghafour, Jeff Sallot, pg.A24)

Afghan President Hamid Karzai will sit down with Prime Minister Chrétien on 27 September in Ottawa. Karzai is expected to make the case for adding more Canadian peacekeeping troops, and extending the one-year commitment to the multinational mission that is largely seen as essential to the President’s political and personal survival. – See entry on 10 September “Afghanis await a new cabinet for additional Canadian help” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A14)

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Afghan President Karzai, whose interim government's very survival depends on the security provided by foreign troops, said Saturday that he would like Canadian troops to remain “until Afghanistan stands on its own feet in regard to its own security institutions.” There are concerns that during the transition of the Liberal Party that Ottawa is unable to make any long-term guarantees to Afghanistan.

4.10 October 2003

Friday, 3 October “Canada to press on in Kabul” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Mournful but unbowed, Canadian soldiers kept patrolling the dangerous streets of Kabul after a powerful explosion blew up a much-criticized unarmoured jeep on 2 October, killing two soldiers on board and wounding three others. The incident raises questions about the use of the light Iltis jeeps in the volatile capital of Afghanistan, as the aging vehicle offers little protection against mines. While the investigation has just started, officials suspect that a large mine or shell had been freshly placed on the narrow sandy road in the foothills surrounding Kabul. Canadian combat engineers equipped with mine detection devices had inspected the track in the previous 24 hours. Canada will stay the course of the mission. – See entries on 6, 7 October “U.S. warned Canadians not to use flimsy jeeps” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The unarmoured Iltis jeep carrying two Canadian soldiers killed in an explosion in Kabul was deemed inadequate for patrolling outside military bases in Afghanistan by a top U.S. commander more than a year ago. At that time, Canadian troops served in Afghanistan under U.S. command and the Americans provided armoured HMMWVs (known as Humvees) to the 3rd Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Canadian troops currently in Afghanistan, however, are serving under NATO command and are using their own vehicles. – See entries on 6, 10 October “Chrétien calls dead soldiers heroes in war on terror” (Mark Hume, Jane Taber, Shawna Richer, pg.A4)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien praised Canadian soldiers for their heroism on 2 October and said he still wants to visit them in Kabul despite a road explosion that killed two soldiers earlier in the day. Liberal Party leader hopeful Paul Martin said that Canada should not re-evaluate its mission in Afghanistan. “Defence Minister reaffirms commitment” (Sandra Cordon, pg.A7)

The deaths of two Canadians serving in Afghanistan won’t change the mission or lessen the resolve of soldiers in the war-torn country, Defence Minister John McCallum and other military officials said.

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Monday, 6 October “We will say farewell to them with respect” (Jonathan Fowlie, pg.A1)

On 5 October, the bodies of Canadian soldiers Sergeant Robert Alan Short and Corporal Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger arrived at CFB Trenton. They were met by family, friends, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Defence Minister John McCallum. – See entries on 3 October “Old land mine killed Canadians, Afghan says” (Hamida Ghafour, pg.A8)

The device that killed two Canadian soldiers patrolling the outskirts of Kabul was an old explosive, and not a deliberate attack on Canadians, an Afghan intelligence official said on 5 October. – See entries on 3 October

Tuesday, 7 October “Peacekeeping to expand beyond Kabul” (Hamida Ghafour, pg.A7)

NATO will expand its peacekeeping force beyond Kabul, just as a Canadian commander is set to take charge, in a move many Afghans applaud as the first step toward long-lasting stability in the lawless provinces. The plan, announced in Brussels, could have Canadian Forces move to regions under threat from a Taliban resurgence, largely to protect reconstruction efforts. Defence Minister John McCallum said it is unlikely Canadian forces would be involved initially in the expansion, though he will discuss options with fellow North Atlantic Treaty Organization defence ministers when they meet on 8 October in Colorado Springs. – See entries on 10, 27 September “Afghan bombing terrorist act, Russian says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A6)

The deadly bombing of a Canadian jeep in Afghanistan was a deliberate act, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said on 6 October. Mr. Ivanov said that the intelligence community has picked up clear evidence that terrorist groups have been planning attacks against Western troops. – See entry on 3 October

Wednesday, 8 October “Canadian troops in Kabul to rely less on light jeeps” (Hamida Ghafour, Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Canadian Forces in Afghanistan are using more armoured vehicles and fewer of the controversial Iltis jeeps as evidence emerges that a terrorist antitank mine killed two soldiers on 2 October. – See entries on 10 October, 14, 28 January

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Friday, 10 October “Military reassessing its vehicle needs for Afghanistan” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A12)

The Canadian Forces are scrambling to reassess the number of armoured vehicles they need for the remaining 10 months of their mission in Afghanistan, and will likely send more to Kabul shortly. The commander of the Canadian battle group in Afghanistan, Lieutenant-Colonel Don Denne, sent a blunt message yesterday that his soldiers won’t keep doing as many patrols in light, unarmoured Iltis jeeps. Defence Minister John McCallum is open to hearing what the Canadian Forces require to ensure that they can do their job. – See entries on 8 October, 14, 28 January

Tuesday, 14 October “NATO force in Afghanistan to expand beyond Kabul” (Associated Press, pg.A22)

The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution yesterday expanding the force led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Afghanistan beyond Kabul. The resolution, drafted by Germany, authorizes an expansion of the 5,500-strong International Security Assistance Force, which includes nearly 2,000 Canadians, and which is currently confined to the capital area. – See entry on 10, 27 September, 14 October, 17 November

Friday, 17 October “Pakistan on the hunt for Canadian who escaped raid on al-Qaeda hideout” (Reuter News Agency, pg.A2)

Pakistani security agencies are still trying to track down Egyptian-born Canadian Ahmed Said Khadr, a self-described aid worker who escaped a recent raid near the Afghan border, according to intelligence officials there. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010 “Troops in Afghanistan getting more vehicles” (Canadian Press, pg.A10)

Canada is flying 15 more armoured vehicles to Afghanistan within two weeks to address what Major-General Andrew Leslie says is a growing threat to Canadian troops patrolling the capital. The decision was made on 16 October, two weeks after two Canadian soldiers were killed when their light vehicle hit a mine.

Wednesday, 22 October “McCallum blueprint gives army big boost” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

Defence Minister John McCallum has drawn up plans to cut almost $100-million at military headquarters in Ottawa while putting a new focus on the army—favouring it in new spending over the navy and air force. Mr. McCallum’s plans include a proposal to spend $600-million to

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buy new armoured vehicles for the army and a possible boost in the number of soldiers. A bigger army would help Canada meet the greatest demand on its military: international missions like the ones soldiers currently are part of in Afghanistan and Bosnia. The proposal for new armoured vehicles comes as the military is being criticized over the deaths of two soldiers whose unprotected Iltis jeep hit a land mine in Afghanistan. “Terrorist threat on rise in Kabul” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A13)

A “new species” of terrorist has infiltrated Kabul, posing a growing threat to Afghanistan’s already shaky security situation, said German Lieutenant-General Goetz Gliemeroth, commander of the International Security Assistance Force. Intelligence reports suggest they are primarily Arabs from Saudi Arabia and Yemen, or that they come from the Russian republic of Chechnya. Many have been caught or killed in operations along the rugged mountainous border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda operatives are believed to be hiding, Gen. Gliemeroth said.

Tuesday, 28 October “Confusion plagued Canada's war effort” (Paul Knox, pg.A1)

Inadequate planning, command confusion and supply foul-ups plagued the Canadian Forces during the first year of support for the U.S. counterterrorism campaign, an internal military report says. Vaccines were ruined through mishandling; some troops were not trained to protect themselves against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; and diplomatic support from the Foreign Affairs Department was weak, it says. The blunt “lessons learned” document says Canada lacked a national military objective, other than backing U.S. forces, when it decided to send troops, warships and aircraft to Afghanistan and the Arabian Sea. Personnel and equipment were offered—and accepted—without knowing whether they would be useful or how long they would be needed, says the report prepared by the lessons-learned section in the office of the deputy chief of defence staff. The report was completed in April but has not received wide circulation outside the Canadian Forces.

Wednesday, 29 October “Measures to prevent terror strike inadequate” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

Two years into the war on terrorism, top federal agencies are still unprepared for “big, bad moments” such as a sneak nuclear or bio-chemical attack at a Canadian port, a Senate report that will be released on 29 October says. The Senate committee on national security and defence has found that central government agencies are not adequately staffed to co-ordinate efforts to prevent major terrorist attacks in Canada. Meanwhile, on-the-ground agencies, such as the Coast Guard and the Canadian Forces, are too disorganized and underfunded to deal with a catastrophe. The Senate committee is focusing its attention on scenarios involving terrorists using boats armed with nuclear or bio-chemical devices, and navigating into Canadian waters without encountering any resistance. – * Deceptive headline

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Thursday, 30 October “Ottawa urged to expand military, improve U.S. ties” (Kim Lunman, pg.A4)

The federal government must expand the Canadian military by one-third to ensure national security and improve diplomatic ties with the United States, a new report to be released on 30 October says. The report, compiled by the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute, calls on Ottawa to increase the number of troops to 80,000 from 60,000 and the number of reservists to 40,000 from 30,000.

Friday, 31 October “Canadians to help train Afghan army” (Canadian Press, pg.A6)

A small group of Canadian soldiers has been seconded to the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom to help turn Afghanistan's disparate, fledgling army into a cohesive fighting force. The members of Combined Joint Task Force 180 live at a U.S. base in northern Kabul, mentoring veteran fighters and recruits in the national army on the finer points of combat. – See entry on 28 July 2004

4.11 November 2003

Thursday, 6 November “Iraqi leader blasts Canada, reaches out to neighbours” (Orly Halpem.pg.A19)

The new president of the U.S.-appointed interim Iraqi Governing Council chastised Canada yesterday for not having entered the war to rid Iraq of Saddam Hussein

Monday, 10 November “Seven Canadians injured in deadly Saudi explosion” (Alan Freeman, Heather Scoffield, pg.A1)

At least seven Canadians were among more than 120 people injured in the latest bombing attack in Riyadh, which killed at least 17 people and which U.S. and Saudi officials blamed on al- Qaeda terrorists.

Monday, 17 November “Expand Forces role, Canadian in Kabul urges” (Canadian Press, pg.A10)

A Paul Martin government should consider expanding the role of the Canadian Forces to build on its successes in Afghanistan, according to Chris Alexander, Ottawa’s envoy to Kabul. – See entry on 10, 27 September, 14 October

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20 November “Canadian camp targeted” (Canadian Press, pg.A24)

A tip given to a Canadian Forces patrol thwarted a rocket attack against Camp Julien on 19 November just as Defence Minister John McCallum began a two-day visit to Afghanistan. Two 107-millimetre rockets were found in a nearby palace, aimed directly at the camp, as Mr. McCallum arrived in Kabul, according to Major Jamie Morse, the deputy commanding officer. For several hours everyone in the camp—including Mr. McCallum—was ordered into reinforced concrete bunkers while the threat was investigate.

4.12 December 2003

Friday, 5 December “Powell appeals for help in Kabul” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A18)

The United States urged its NATO allies on 4 December to take on a wider and more aggressive role in Afghanistan and Iraq, suggesting Europe's help is needed to bring stability to the two main fronts in the war on terrorism. Canada has also been pushing members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to commit to Afghanistan, particularly to finding replacement troops to take over the Canadian mission in Kabul, which ends in August. Thus far, many NATO countries have been reluctant to join either conflict. – See entry on 14 October, 10 December

Wednesday, 10 December “PM urges quick action on Afghanistan” (Alan Freeman, pg.A4)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said yesterday that the situation in Afghanistan is becoming more “complicated” and that there’s a need to find a country willing to replace the 2,000 Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan when their mandate ends next August. Canada has been urging members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to commit replacement troops, but many members of the organization have been reluctant to take over the Canadian-led mission in Kabul. – See entry on 5, 26 December “Martin government to unveil public-safety department” (Campbell Clark, Hugh Winsor, Drew Fagan, pg.A4)

The Paul Martin government is planning to unveil a sweeping new public-safety department that will add public-health functions and disaster response to policing and border security, sources say. The new department, designed to pull together a wide variety of security functions, will be touted as a restructuring needed to meet the complex demands of a post-September 11 world.

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Monday, 15 December “Martin hails capture as Ottawa's tone shifts” (Drew Fagan, pg.A1)

Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was captured on 14 December. On 15 December, President George W. Bush will call Ottawa and congratulate Mr. Martin on becoming Prime Minister. Mr. Martin will be able to offer heartfelt congratulations of his own about the “excellent news,” as he put it on 14 December, of U.S. troops' success in tracking down the former Iraqi dictator. – See entries on 8, 19, 20 March, 5 July

Friday, 26 December “Canadian troops won't fight Taliban” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A9)

Speaking from the capital, Kabul, Chief of the Defence Staff General Ray Henault dismissed speculation that Canadian troops are set to embark on a mission to hunt Taliban or al-Qaeda operatives. He said that other countries within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will take on that mission. For now, the Canadians will keep working as part of the International Security Assistance Force.

- See entry on 10 December

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5 2004

5.1 January 2004

Saturday, 3 January “Clarkson gives troops in Kabul a pep talk” (Terry Pedwell, pg.A11)

Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson wrapped up a four-day visit to Afghanistan on 2 January, meeting with aid workers and soldiers high atop a mountain in the centre of Kabul. Before her departure aboard a Canadian Forces C-130 Hercules, Ms. Clarkson urged Canadians to remember the dangerous jobs being done by their soldiers in Afghanistan.

Thursday, 8 January “Soldier’s plea touches off avalanche of aid to Kabul” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

A Canadian soldier in Afghanistan wrote home last summer and suggested that his family should send some toys for the children. It was quite surprising when today in Kabul a convoy of trucks arrived laden with 14 tonnes of toys, blankets, clothing, school supplies, gum, diapers and thousands of other supplies.

Monday, 12 January “Afghan fighters relinquish weapons to security force” (Associated Press, pg.A8)

A phase of the disarmament process in Afghanistan began yesterday as dozens of Mujahedeen fighters turned over their weapons to the International Security Assistance Force near Kabul. About 180 hard-core resistance fighters brought AK-47s, rocket launchers and numerous other weapons to the 7th Division Afghan militia headquarters, once a training camp for al-Qaeda terrorists.

Wednesday, 14 January “Army soon will have just 500 available troops” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

By September, the Canadian army will have only 500 troops available for deployment. Last year’s sudden deployment to Afghanistan was the last straw after years of cutting corners, senior commanders told David Pratt last month as he assumed his new position as Defence Minister. “New jeeps to arrive in Kabul months ahead of schedule” (Canadian Press, pg.A8)

The Canadian army in Afghanistan will take delivery of the first 60 new replacements for the much-maligned Iltis jeep in February, months ahead of schedule, military officials revealed on 13 January. – See entries on 8, 10 October, 28 January

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Friday, 16 January “Ottawa eyes talks on missile shield” (Daniel Leblanc, Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

The federal government said on 15 January that a missile attack against Canada is of low risk; but that a North American agreement on a U.S.-led missile shield needs to be reached nonetheless. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12, 16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 23 February, 29 April, 10 November 2004

Monday, 19 January “Huge blast rocks Baghdad on eve of key meeting at UN” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

A massive suicide truck bomb exploded outside the American headquarters in Baghdad on 18 January, killing at least 20 people and injuring dozens more. The blast came on the eve of a key visit to the United Nations by the U.S. administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, who will carry a message from the Bush administration urging greater UN involvement in the handover of power to Iraqis.

Wednesday, 21 January “Canadian spy drone crashes” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A14)

The Canadian Forces still have high hopes for their spy-plane program even though the fourth— and last—unmanned aerial vehicle crashed in Afghanistan on 20 January.

Saturday, 24 January “Martin forgives Iraq’s $750-million debt” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

Prime Minister Paul Martin announced on 23 January that Canada will forgive $750-million in Iraqi debt as he pushed for changes at the United Nations, including possible modifications to the voting system that currently favours industrialized countries. – See entry on 10 April

Tuesday, 27 January “Canadian troops attacked in Kabul” (Associated Press, pg.A1)

Three Canadian soldiers were injured in the Afghan capital on 27 January in what police officials said was a suicide attack. Major Kevin Arata of the NATO-led security force confirmed only that three Canadians were hurt. There were unconfirmed reports that one of them was killed.

Wednesday, 28 January “Taliban kills Canadian, and 'there will be more'” (Daniel Leblanc, Carlotta Gall, pg.A1)

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The Taliban vowed further attacks against Western forces in Afghanistan on 27 January after claiming responsibility for the suicide bombing that killed a Canadian soldier and an Afghan teenager in Kabul. The dead soldier is 26-year-old Corporal Jamie Brendan Murphy of Newfoundland, who was 10 days away from returning home. Three other Canadian soldiers and eight Afghans were injured in the blast. – See entry on 5 February, 21 February “Military defends use of unarmoured jeeps” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8)

The Canadian Forces' use of unarmoured vehicles in Afghanistan came under scrutiny once again on 27 January after a suicide bomber killed one soldier and injured three others who were out on patrol in controversial Iltis jeeps. Canadian officers and military experts said that the use of the frail, aging jeeps was in no way responsible for the tragedy. – See entries on 8, 10 October 2003, 14 January

Thursday, 29 January “Threats force Western troops to alter tactics in Afghanistan” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8)

Canadian and other Western troops in Afghanistan, faced by rising violence, abandoned foot patrols and the use of open-top jeeps as of 28 January, using only armoured vehicles to venture outside their camps.

Friday, 30 January “NATO urges Ottawa to maintain Afghanistan presence” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A8)

As the body of Canadian Corporal Jamie Murphy was returned home from Afghanistan, and the families of seven American soldiers learned of the deaths of their loved ones, NATO’s top official called on Ottawa and Washington yesterday to keep troops in the dangerous, war-ravaged country. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the new Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, said he hopes Canada will maintain some sort of military presence in Afghanistan—even if at a reduced level—beyond the scheduled return of a 2,000-soldier contingent in August.

5.2 February 2004

Thursday, 5 February “Taliban say Canadian was suicide bomber” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

The suicide bomber who killed Canadian Forces Corporal Jamie Murphy of Conception Harbour, Nfld. in January, was a Canadian citizen, the son of al-Qaeda operative Ahmed Said Khadr, according to a Taliban spokesman who spoke yesterday from Afghanistan. – See entries on 28 January, 21 February “G7 vows to increase Afghanistan aid” (Heather Scoffield, pg.A10)

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The seven most industrialized countries have pledged to increase aid to Afghanistan in March, in a way that will produce meaningful change within three months. After a two-day meeting of finance ministers and central bankers in the luxury beach city of Boca Raton, Fla., the G7 also called on all creditor countries to forgive the debts of Afghanistan and Iraq. Canada has already forgiven Iraq’s debt. – See entries on 10 April 2003, 24 January

Tuesday, 16 February “Troop vehicle hits Afghan, mobs threaten Canadians” (Canadian Press, pg.A5)

Canadian reconnaissance troops in Afghanistan were forced to ready their weapons when they were confronted by two angry mobs on 25 December after their vehicle struck a pedestrian on a crowded Kabul street, inflicting minor injuries. The soldiers, members of the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment battle group, eluded one, then set up to fire warning shots as the second group prepared to assault them with rocks, a report obtained by The Canadian Press says.

Thursday, 19 February “Afghan elections likely delayed” (Canadian Press, pg.A17)

Afghanistan’s national elections, scheduled for June, will likely be delayed amid lagging voter registration and security concerns, a United Nations envoy and the Canadian commander of international troops acknowledge.

Saturday, 21 February “Troops capture suspect in Afghanistan” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A5)

Canadian troops were involved in a raid last month to capture terrorist suspects in Afghanistan, including one believed to have laid the mines that killed two soldiers last year. The Canadians were working alongside Afghan police when they raided two compounds near the Canadian military base, detaining several people and confiscating a military-like arsenal, including rocket- propelled grenades, machine guns and land mines. The arrests occurred Jan. 26 as part of what was called Operation Whirlwind. – See entries on 28 January, 5 February.

Monday, 23 February “Canada may host U.S. missiles” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Canada is talking to Washington about the use of Canadian soil for stationing interceptor rocket launchers and radar stations as part of a continental ballistic missile defence program. Defence Minister David Pratt said on 22 February that Canada is considering making some of its geography in the north available in lieu of a major cash contribution if the federal government decides to join the American program. Until now, federal officials have said that Canadian

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participation in the U.S. program probably would not involve Canadian territory or a cash contribution. Pratt may be shifting his stance.

- See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12, 16, 30 May, 4 June 2003, 16 January, 29 April, 10 November 2004

5.3 March 2004

Friday, 12 March “‘Mass murder’ in Madrid” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

Spain was ripped apart by its own version of 11 September on 11 March when a series of bombings shattered commuter trains and railway stations across Madrid, killing 192 people and injuring more than 1,400. The attacks were first blamed on Basque separatists but may have been the work of al-Qaeda. Ten bombs, which some reports said were carried in backpacks, exploded within a span of several minutes during rush hour, turning rail carriages into twisted steel and covering platforms with corpses and human remains. Rescue workers reported hearing the eerie ringing of cellphones on the bodies of the victims as desperate relatives tried to contact their loved ones. Al-Qaedea seems to be responsible. – See entry on 18 March

Saturday, 13 March “Reserves’ role to include tackling terrorist threats” (Canadian Press, pg.A5)

Canada's army reserves will be trained and equipped as a homeland defence force that could respond to terrorist threats, including chemical, biological and nuclear attacks. It’s just one part of an expanded role for the reserves that will see the part-time soldiers forge deeper links with civil authorities, including police and firefighting forces, said Major-General Ed Fitch, commander of the Land Force Reserve Restructure project.

Thursday, 18 March “Multiheaded al-Qaeda has adapted” (Paul Koring, pg.A15)

Last week’s bombings in Spain, coming after similar strikes ranging from Bali to Istanbul and Riyadh to Mombassa, underscored the undiminished capacity of al-Qaeda and its extremist affiliates to conduct major terrorist operations despite the continuing pursuit of its leaders, the toppling of the Taliban regime and a massive overhaul of global security since 11 September, 2001. – See entry on 12 March

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Friday, 19 March “EU, Canada unite to fight terrorism” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A9)

Canada and the European Union pledged to strengthen co-operation in the fight against terrorism yesterday, using Canada-U.S. border security arrangements as a model for Europe. Further, the EU states will mimic Canada-U.S. information sharing platforms.

5.4 April 2004

Thursday, 1 April “Ottawa ‘unready’ for attacks, report says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

The federal government’s primary emergency-preparedness agency isn’t really prepared to do much in actual emergencies, the Senate’s national security committee led by Colin Kenny says. Lives are put at risk because Canada is underprepared despite threats of terrorist attacks and natural disasters. The committee report, produced after a two-year-study, for example says that Health Canada has 1,600 caches of emergency medical supplies stored around the country, but the federal department keeps the locations secret from local firefighters, police and health authorities who might need the equipment in an emergency. “Afghanistan garners $8.2-billion pledge to bolster rehabilitation” (Matt Surman, pg.A12)

It was recently announced that international donors pledged US$8.2-billion over the next three years to help rebuild Afghanistan and smooth its transition to democracy after its President appealed for help to curb private militias and the drug trade. Canada has pledged $250-million from 2005-2009 to be administered through the Canadian International Development Agency. – See entry on 26 September 2003, 22 May 2006

Friday, 9 April “Kidnaps intensify Iraq strife” (Lea Keath, pg.A1)

Shia militia forces held all or part of three southern Iraqi cities, and insurgents unveiled an ominous new tactic on 8 April, seizing a Canadian aid worker and a host of other foreign hostages. Officials and family confirmed that Fadi Ihsan Fadel, a Canadian who was working for the U.S.-based International Rescue Committee, had been abducted in the central Iraq town of Kufa. – See entries on 17, 19 April

Wednesday, 14 April “Canadian soldiers help to capture terrorism suspect” (Paul Koring, pg.A12)

A high-ranking terrorism suspect has been captured in a late-night raid by a heavily armed joint Afghan-Canadian team, North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials said on 13 April in Kabul.

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More than 100 heavily armed Canadian soldiers in armoured vehicles supported Afghan police in the raid on a rural compound in Charar Asiab, west of the city, but orders from Canada's top general in Afghanistan prevented Canadian journalists from observing.

Thursday, 15 April “Martin boosts defence spending” (Kevin Cox, pg.A4)

The Canadian military was given another mission in Afghanistan and a $7-billion plan to buy new equipment by Prime Minister Paul Martin on 14 April, but will have to wait to find out its long- term role in the world. Mr. Martin won prolonged applause yesterday from hundreds of soldiers in a drill hall at CFB Gagetown, a major army training base near Fredericton, as he announced that Canada will extend its presence in Afghanistan and will send 800 soldiers and air force personnel to the region in August. Canada’s current military commitment to the 34-country international security force was scheduled to end in August, but Mr. Martin said Canadians are needed to assist in Afghanistan’s recovery and to ensure that it cannot be used as a base for terrorists. – See entries on 8, 25, 26 October 2002, 21 November 2002, 28 April

Saturday, 17 April “Canadian hostage released” (Tu Thanh Ha, Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Canadian officials scrambled to remove a freed Canadian aid worker from the besieged Iraqi city of Najaf on 16 April as his Montreal family wept tears of joy and relief at the news of his release. The ordeal began more than a week ago when insurgents who accused him of being an Israeli spy abducted him from a residence owned by his Unicef-funded agency. It ended yesterday when his captors handed him over to the militant Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the holy city in the southern part of the country. – See entries on 9, 19 April, 6 May

Monday, 19 April “Attack not random, Fadel says” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A1)

The men who abducted Fadi Fadel tortured him to make him say he was an Israeli spy, even though they understood he was a Canadian humanitarian worker. In interviews with The Globe and Mail, Mr. Fadel recalled that his captors knew exactly who he was. The captors beat him until he would say on camera that he was an Israeli spy. – See entries on 9, 17 April.

Wednesday, 28 April “Ottawa unveils security plan to beef up defences” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A5)

The federal government rushed out a $690-million national security plan yesterday on the eve of Paul Martin's first trip to Washington as Prime Minister. The money, to be spent over five years,

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is intended to tighten security at seaports and computer data centres, make it more difficult to forge Canadian passports, allow security agencies to hire more officers, improve the analysis of intelligence, and make it easier for agencies to operate alongside each other during a crisis. The biggest chunk, $308-million, goes to maritime security. Officials say the money will improve the ability of the Canadian Forces, the Coast Guard, the RCMP and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to operate together and with U.S. counterparts along the coasts. Another $99-million will be spent on equipment to speed up the process of comparing fingerprints of suspects with the RCMP’s database of prints. The RCMP, CSIS and other security agencies will get $137-million to hire and train more officers. About $10-million has been allocated for the digitizing of passport photos to prevent forgery. – See entry on 15 April

Thursday, 29 April “Martin government will sign Bush’s missile-warning program” (Drew Fagan, pg.A1)

The Martin government has agreed to sign on to an aerospace early-warning system for North America, smoothing the path for almost certain participation in the U.S. missile defence shield— but the Liberals had hoped to keep it under wraps until after a federal election expected in June. Sources say that the Bush administration has been pressing Ottawa for a decision on the warning technology, a crucial stage in Washington’s timetable for beginning deployment of missile defence systems in California and Alaska this fall. Ottawa's decision means that the warning technology, an expansion of an existing system and designed to track incoming missiles, will be operated by NORAD, the joint military organization that has its headquarters in Colorado. Otherwise, responsibility would have gone to a U.S. military command, likely sidelining NORAD in the overall missile defence program—including decisions on the launching of missiles if North America is attacked. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12, 16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 10 November 2004

Friday, 30 April “U.S. pushes Canada to exploit terror laws” (Barrie McKenna, pg.A10)

The Bush administration has faulted Ottawa for not using its legal powers against known terrorist groups, including Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda and an array of regional groups. In its annual report card on global counterterrorism efforts, the U.S. State Department notes that Canada’s 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act has not been used against any of the 34 terrorist groups now banned under the law. The report also says Canada is missing opportunities to crack down on terrorists because of its privacy laws, limited police resources and cumbersome criminal procedures. – * Deceptive headline

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5.5 May 2004

Saturday, 1 May “Tan is the new green for peacekeepers” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A12)

All 2,300 Canadian soldiers deployed on NATO’s peace-support mission in Afghanistan’s bustling capital adopted the motif yesterday, shedding the relish-green uniforms that distinguished them from other nations’ brown-clad forces. – See entry on 10 July 2003

Thursday, 6 May “Captured Canadian released” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A18)

Iraqi kidnappers have released Canadian Naji al-Kuwaiti and he will soon be home, federal officials said on 5 May as they struggled to get the word out that Canada is not part of the U.S.- led occupation force. Mr. al-Kuwaiti, a 64-year-old businessman from Mississauga, was released Tuesday after a week in captivity. Officials say they are uncertain whether Canadians in Iraq are being targeted because they are foreigners or because hostile groups there mistakenly believe Canada is part of the U.S.-led military coalition that occupies the country. – See entry on 17 April

Friday, 7 May “McLellan, CSIS clash on al-Qaeda” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Ward Elcock, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, warned on 6 May that al- Qaeda terrorists will inevitably try to attack Canadians, a prediction that was almost immediately contradicted by Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, who scrambled to reassure the public there is no known specific threat.

Friday, 14 May “Now is the time to reach out to the Muslim world” (Bill Graham, pg.A19)

Foreign Minister, Bill Graham, wrote a call for Canadians to reach out to the Muslim world and to reject the widely spread notion that ties all Muslims with extremism. He proposed that Canada take the current opportunity to reach out to the Muslim world.

Saturday, 15 May “Watchdog links Canadians to 2 Afghan deaths” (Rhéal Séguin, pg.A6)

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A JTF-2 Canadian Forces unit based in Afghanistan may have been involved in a 2002 incident involving the mistreatment and killing of an elderly man and in causing the death of a child, says Human Rights Watch in a recently published report.

Thursday, 27 May “Ottawa plays down U.S. warning” (Jill Mahoney, pg.A12)

Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan said on 26 May that there is “no reason to believe” that al-Qaeda has a cell of operatives in Canada, after the United States issued a warning about an apparent plot to attack U.S. targets this summer by a group of suspected terrorists that includes two Canadian citizens.

5.6 June 2004

Saturday, 5 June “Canada not giving up on the project” (Estanislao Oziewicz, pg.A17)

Canada remains committed to its $14-million contribution to an ambitious Afghan disarmament program that has run into serious problems, which aims to disarm and retrain Afghans. The Canadian International Development Agency said on 4 June that Canada and four other countries financing the United Nations program knew that “there would be many challenges” that would be confronted in disarming a country that has lived through decades of war. A CIDA representative said that the plan is moving forward and that Canadian will continue its support.

See entry on 26 September 2003 – *Deceptive headline

Thursday, 10 June “U.S. seeks NATO’s help in Iraq” (Barrie McKenna, pg.A17)

Desperate to relieve battle-weary U.S. forces, George W. Bush called on NATO on 9 June to do more in Iraq, possibly including policing part of the country and training a new Iraqi army. Prime Minister Paul Martin, meanwhile, said Canada doesn't have any more troops to commit—either inside or outside the 26-country NATO military alliance.

Thursday, 17 June “Sept. 11 investigation alleges new Canadian connections” (Colin Freeze, Paul Koring, pg.A1)

U.S. investigators provided fresh evidence yesterday of Canadian ties to 11 September terrorism, identifying a former Montrealer as a key al-Qaeda recruiter and a second man as a prospective pilot for a second wave of attacks. A report prepared for the U.S. commission probing the events of 11 September 2001, said Mohamedou Ould Slahi persuaded four Arab militants in Germany to

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travel to al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan in 1999. Three of them later piloted hijacked airliners in the attacks, which killed more than 3,000.

Saturday, 19 June “Canada says no to leaving troops for Afghan election” (Canadian Press, pg.A14)

Ottawa has turned down a request from the U.S. State Department to delay withdrawing 2,000 Canadian troops from Afghanistan this summer in order to support security efforts during the upcoming election in Afghanistan. – See entry on 29 June

Tuesday, 29 June “Troop pledges for Afghanistan fall short amid wave of violence” (David Brunnstrom, pg.A28)

Afghanistan urged NATO to deploy troops where they are most needed to protect the election in September, as alliance pledges fell short of hopes and a wave of violence underscored the country's lack of security on 28 June. At a summit in Istanbul, NATO vowed to strengthen its peace force in Afghanistan by taking command of four military-civilian reconstruction teams in the north and sending a quick-reaction force of up to 1,000 to Kabul. It seems as though Canadian troops will not stay until the election on 26 September; but that they may return to Afghanistan in 2005 to support a provincial reconstruction team. – See entry on 19 June

5.7 July 2004

Monday, 5 July “Don’t underestimate the threats of al-Qaeda” (Editorial, pg.A12)

The editors of The Globe criticize both Americans and Canadians for becoming complacent when threat levels are raised by U.S. officials. They note that North Americans have shamefully forgotten the strong threat that al-Qaeda still poses.

Saturday, 24 July “Unit hit by friendly fire returning to Afghanistan” (Canadian Press, pg.A5)

About 40 troops from the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry will be part of a task force that will start leaving in the next week for the Afghan capital of Kabul to support the Afghan elections taking place in September. – See entry on 26 July

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Monday, 26 July “Departing soldiers expect safer Afghanistan mission than first time around” (Rob Drinkwater, pg.A7)

The Globe corrected itself and said that the actual number of troops being redeployed to Afghanistan to support the country’s election is 60. – See entry on 24 July

Wednesday, 28 July “Long-term troop training ahead in Afghanistan” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A5)

Defence Minister Bill Graham is expected to sign an agreement next week committing Canadian army trainers to Afghanistan through 2008, the first long-term undertaking Ottawa has made in the war-ravaged country. Until now, Canada’s role in the U.S.-led training program has been ad hoc, based solely on Ottawa’s relatively short-term commitments to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. – See entry on 31 October 2003

5.8 August 2004

Saturday, 7 August “Scaled-back presence doesn't end commitment, general says” (Kim Lunman, pg.A5)

Canada is scaling back of its troops in Afghanistan as it plans to bring home soldiers from Bosnia and Haiti—meaning the number of Canadians deployed around The Globe will have dwindled by about two-thirds. Operation Athena in Afghanistan is one of Canada’s biggest commitments, with more than 2,000 soldiers involved. Most are from bases in Quebec and are being sent home this month as their six-month mission ends. They will be replaced in Kabul by 700 Canadians, while another 200 will serve in other regions in Afghanistan. Lieutenant-General Rick Hillier, outgoing Canadian head of security forces says that Canada will continue to do what it can to help Afghan citizens. – See entry on 24 August, 22 September

Tuesday, 10 August “More than 100 Canadian troops back from Afghanistan mission” (Canadian Press, pg.A4)

More than 100 Canadian soldiers returned home safely from Afghanistan on 9 August after ending a six-month mission in the war-torn country.

Tuesday, 24 August “Canadian Forces to get 5,000 new troops” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

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For the first time since the end of the Cold War, the Canadian Forces will increase in size, adding 5,000 troops to match Prime Minister Paul Martin's ambitions for a robust peacekeeping force that can be dispatched quickly to foreign trouble spots. Chief of Defence Staff General Ray Henault said on 23 August the number of people in uniform will go up by 5,000 over the next several years, bringing total strength of the regular forces to 65,000. – See entry on 7 August, 22 September

Friday, 27 August “Canada gives $20-million to election effort in Iraq” (Agence France Press, pg.A6)

Canada has unveiled a $20-million grant on 26 August to the United Nations account for organizing elections in Iraq in January – See entries on 10, 29 April 2003, 25, 30 November, 7 December

5.9 September 2004

Wednesday, 22 September “Afghanistan to get troops, PM says” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A11)

Prime Minister Paul Martin has signaled his government will send troops back to Afghanistan next year to provide security for regional reconstruction teams that will be operating in the more dangerous countryside outside the capital of Kabul. After meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the United Nations in New York, Martin said, “we have a major commitment in Afghanistan; we are playing a major role, and we do not intend to abandon that role. So obviously, that is the next step and we intend to play our part.” Details of this commitment were not released. – See entry on 24 August, 7 August, 11 December

5.10 October 2004

Monday, 11 October “Effort to overturn Afghan election collapsing” (Hamida Ghafour, pg.A9)

Opposition candidates’ bid to overturn Afghanistan's election was fizzling last night as dissenters began backing down on demands that the historic vote be declared void. The government set up an independent commission on 10 October to investigate claims of widespread fraud and incompetence that had threatened to undermine the previous day’s otherwise relatively successful proceedings. Millions of jubilant voters headed to the polls, and violence threatened by the Taliban did not materialize, but the event turned toward chaos when the 15 candidates challenging President Hamid Karzai demanded that the election be cancelled because the nitrate ink used to stain voters’ fingers and prevent them from voting more than once could be easily

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wiped off. They also charged that thousands of ballot boxes were being stuffed in Mr. Karzai’s favour. Yet some international monitoring organizations called the vote fair and valid. – See entry on 12 October

Tuesday, 12 October “Challengers back Afghan election probe” (Hamida Ghafour, pg.A16)

A bid by opposition candidates to nullify the weekend’s historic Afghan presidential election was averted on 11 October when the leading challenger agreed to back an independent inquiry into allegations of fraudulent voting. Yunus Qanooni, President Hamid Karzai’s main rival, backed off demands that Saturday’s vote be declared void because of complaints about the indelible ink used to mark voters’ fingers. He said he would accept the results after the investigation is completed. – See entry on 11 October

Saturday, 16 October “New task force to fight cyberterror” (Canadian Press, pg.A13)

A high-level national task force is being assembled to help Canada steel its defences against potential cyberattacks by terrorists. Communications Security Establishment chief Keith Coulter noted the panel of private- and public-sector officials will help the country catch up to the United States in securing cyberspace.

5.11 November 2004

Wednesday, 10 November “Deadline looms on continental defence project” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

The minority Liberal government will have to decide by year’s end whether to renew the mandate of a joint Canada-U.S. military planning group, which has been working on an ambitious project that could bring the armies and navies of both countries under a single command for North American defence. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12, 16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April 2004 “It’s decision time on missile defence” (Editorial, pg.A22)

As the deadline for Canada to join the U.S. continental defence plan nears, the editors of The Globe suggest that Prime Minister Martin take the lead and try to convince Canadians that the plan is worthwhile while diminishing support for the Conservative opposition’s refusal of the plan. – See entries on 6, 18, 21 December 2002, 29 April, 2, 8, 12, 16, 30 May, 4 June, 11 September 2003, 16 January, 23 February, 29 April 2004

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Thursday, 18 November “Henault wins senior NATO job” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A6)

Chief of the Defence Staff General Ray Henault was elected to the top military position in NATO on 17 November. He was chosen to become the chairman of the military council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, edging out his Danish counterpart in a secret ballot for a three-year mandate as the alliance’s chief military adviser.

Thursday, 25 November “Canada aims to have role in Iraq election, PM confirms” (Campbell Clark, pg.A4)

Canada has offered to do “whatever is required” to ensure fair elections in Iraq and the Palestinian territory, Prime Minister Paul Martin said yesterday, confirming Canada’s offer to play a role in Iraq’s parliamentary election. His government is in talks to determine what role it will play in the Jan. 30 vote, but Mr. Martin said the details have not yet been worked out. It is too soon to say whether Canada will train election scrutineers or place Canadian election monitors on the ground in Iraq. – See entries on 27 August, 30 November, 7 December

Tuesday, 30 November “Canada may have no role in Iraq” (John Ibbitson, pg.A4)

Canadian election experts and foreign officials will not, as originally anticipated, be training Iraqis in the art of conducting a free and fair vote. Nor will Canadians be participating as observers in the Iraqi vote on 30 January. – See entries on 27 August, 25 November, 7 December

5.12 December 2004

Wednesday, 1 December “The cozy summit” (Brian Laghi, Jeff Sallot, Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

U.S. President George W. Bush used his first official visit to Canada yesterday to try to repair frayed relations between the two countries, but made no apologies for invading Iraq or for his controversial plan to build a missile-defence shield for North America. But Bush did praise Canada for its work in Afghanistan and support for peace in Iraq. No further or speculative details of Canada’s role in either country was announced by Martin or Bush.

Tuesday, 7 December “Ottawa shifts role in Iraq vote” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

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Canada will spearhead an international effort to set rules that would determine whether the coming Iraqi election is free and fair. Chief electoral officers, or their representatives, from up to 20 countries will attend a conference later this month with Elections Canada as host. – See entries on 27 August, 25, 30 November

Thursday, 9 December “National security in peril, report says” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A6)

A Senate report that points to inadequate defence budgets, vulnerable airports, insufficient intelligence and a “toothless coast guard” says Canadians are relying on luck when it comes to national security and defence. It specifically points to poor co-ordination for emergency preparedness, insufficient staffing of intelligent agencies, a weak coast guard and the insecurity of Canadian ports.

Saturday, 11 December “New Afghan mission likely for Canadian troops” (Canadian Press, pg.A22)

Canadian soldiers will likely return to the southern Afghan region of Kandahar next summer to take over operation of a provincial reconstruction team from the U.S. military, an official said on 10 December. An official announcement is expected early next year.

- See entry on 22 September

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6 2005

6.1 January 2005

Thursday, 13 January “Overarching intelligence committee urged in report” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A7)

The federal government should establish a permanent, U.S.-style investigative committee to oversee all Canadian intelligence gathering, and that of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in particular, a soon-to-be-released parliamentary report recommends.

Monday, 17 January “‘Can do’ general right choice for Forces” (Hugh Winsor, pg.A7)

General Rick Hillier has been appointed Canada’s new Chief of Defence Staff by Prime Minister Paul Martin. – See entry on 21 April, 16 April 2008

Thursday, 27 January “PM set to reshape foreign aid” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A1)

The Martin government is poised to enshrine the army as Canada’s pre-eminent military service, and sharply reduce the number of countries to which it gives foreign aid, while boosting international spending in areas where it believes it will have the greatest impact, sources say. The new foreign policy review will be unveiled before the federal budget. – See entry on 21 April

Monday, 31 January “Iraqis defy insurgents” (Borzou Daragahi, pg.A1)

Iraq's majority Shiites and autonomy-minded Kurds turned out in huge numbers yesterday for a historic vote less than two years after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, shrugging off long lines and more than a dozen insurgent attacks in an election that received cautious praise around the world and rave reviews in Baghdad and Washington. Canada’s chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley also applauded Iraq.

6.2 February 2005

Monday, 7 February “Canada might train Iraqi troops, but not in their country” (Brian Laghi, pg.A4)

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Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew said that Canada plans to participate in the reconstruction of that country, and that doing so may include using the Canadian Forces to train its military. However, he appeared to rule out the possibility that Canadians would go to Iraq to do it. Instead, Canada would only do so in a neighbouring nation. – See entry on 8 February

Tuesday, 8 February “Canada won't send troops to Iraq, Martin says” (Brian Laghi, pg.A8)

Prime Minister Martin responded to reports that U.S. President George W. Bush will ask the Canadian government for a few dozen troops to take part in the reconstruction of the country’s army, and affirmed that Canadian soldiers would not step foot in Iraq thereby keeping the ruling made in 2003 to not go to Iraq. – See entry on 7 February

6.3 March 2005

Tuesday, 15 March “U.S. war on terror fortifies al-Qaeda, CSIS official says” (Colin Perkel, pg.A10)

The U.S.-led war on terrorism has made al-Qaeda an even more dangerous organization, says the deputy chief of counterterrorism with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Initially after the 11 September attacks, allied response diminished the ability of al-Qaeda to launch any further attacks; but it problematically signaled other affiliated groups that they must take over the fight. Since then, al-Qaeda has rejuvenated and grown according to the source.

Friday, 18 March “Ministers to join U.S. in terrorism exercise” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A7)

Canadian cabinet ministers and other senior officials have agreed to participate this spring in the largest homeland security exercise ever conducted by the United States, a simulation of two simultaneous anthrax attacks.

Tuesday, 22 March “Canada in Brief: Shots fired at Canadian convoy in Afghanistan” (Canadian Press, pg.A11)

No one was injured when a Canadian vehicle was shot at while returning from a patrol in Kabul on the weekend, the military said yesterday in a statement from the Afghan capital.

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6.4 April 2005

Monday, 18 April “Rights, and then what?” (Editoral, pg.A12)

The editors of The Globe advocate deportations of terrorist suspects. Pointing at a recent report from Human Rights Watch which condemned Canada, the editors argue that democracies have a right to provide citizens during the war on terrorism—and they could, unfortunately, involve the deportation of others back to their home nations where they may be tortured. – See entry on 12 January 2002, 21 September 2006

Thursday, 21 April “A defence plan likely to withstand any attack” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A5)

The defence portion of the Liberal policy statement—pledging to bulk up the army, streamline the command structure and invest in new equipment—was announced this week and is receiving much acclaim. The plan is likely to withstand a pending election. At National Defence Headquarters, General Rick Hillier, the chief of the defence staff, is moving ahead with the confidence of a soldier with marching orders he expects will remain substantially intact. The plan establishes Canada Command to coordinate domestic military operations. The special forces will receive increased capabilities; an army company will be specially trained to deal with chemical/biological/nuclear weapons; and more equipment for training and transport will be made available. It will increase military spending by $12.8-billion over the next five years. – See entry on 17 January, 21 May

6.5 May 2005

Thursday, 12 May “Canada’s doing its part on security, Ridge says” (Canadian Press, pg.A14)

Former U.S. homeland security secretary Tom Ridge has rejected American complaints that Canadian security and immigration systems are lax. Instead, Ridge praised Canada as an able partner in guarding the world's longest border. – See entries on 6, 11 September 2003

Friday, 20 May “Rejuvenated army poised for overseas missions, Hillier says” (John Ward, pg.A5)

General Rick Hillier, Chief of Defence Staff, said on 19 May that the army has recovered from the stress built up during more than a decade of unending overseas deployments and is ready to handle and sustain new assignments. But it won't return to the days when deployments multiplied

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to unsustainable levels. He told the Commons defence committee the navy has also caught its breath after a long series of missions. The air force, though, is still reorganizing. A year ago, the military said the army was played out and couldn't take on another task without rest. The government has committed the army to an expanded role in Afghanistan, although details are not available. Hillier said that Canada will be able to deploy two commitments of up to 1500 soldiers by fall 2005 and winter 2006. – See entry on 21 April

Saturday, 21 May “Ottawa negotiating to keep secret base” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Ottawa is secretly negotiating a long-term agreement with the United Arab Emirates to allow hundreds of Canadian soldiers to remain deployed in the Persian Gulf country for years in support of military operations in Afghanistan. The location of Camp Mirage—on a desert air base near Dubai, the UAE's second-largest city—is classified. Official references in government documents and websites refer to it only obliquely, or more frequently as “location undisclosed.” However, thousands of Canadian soldiers have passed through its base and its location is less of a secret. The existence of Camp Mirage, and the talks toward a permanent arrangement, underscore Canada's emerging commitment to keep forces in Afghanistan for years.

Monday, 23 May “Canadian embassy a terror target, report says” (Carolyn Abraham, pg.A11)

Canada's tiny embassy in Cambodia has been named as one of the first targets of a suspected terrorist group planning attacks against Western diplomatic missions, according to a report published today in a daily paper down under, The Australian.

6.6 June 2005

No articles identified through search terms.

6.7 July 2005

Thursday, 7 July “Forces brace for Taliban attacks” (Terry Pedwell, pg.A8)

Canadian soldiers heading for Afghanistan are being prepared for direct combat with Taliban fighters as insurgents promise more—and more sophisticated—attacks on foreign troops. The 250-strong provincial reconstruction team, or PRT, will be deployed beginning in two weeks. It has undergone heightened training, their commanders well aware of the recent dramatic increase in the threat of violence against them. The troops, mainly from Edmonton, will take over patrols in and around Kandahar from a U.S. team that was attacked by a suicide bomber less than a

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month ago. Four soldiers were injured. Afghan and U.S. officials warn that such attacks will likely escalate in the coming weeks as the country prepares for September elections. – See entries on 8, 29 July, 10, 11, 17 August

Friday, 8 July 7/7/05: Rush-hour carnage in London (Doug Saunders, pg.A3)

A long period of tranquillity in Europe’s largest city came crashing to an end on 7 July as a grievous series of rush-hour bomb blasts killed at least 38 people. It was a long-anticipated attack that made the world aware that mass terrorism is no longer a dormant threat and triggered a renewed global investigation into radical Islamist networks. The grisly attacks wounded hundreds of people in four co-ordinated attacks over a period of 50 minutes inside underground subway tunnels, and then on a double-decker commuter bus. – See entries on 12, 22 July 2005 “Troops expecting casualties, Hillier says” (Bill Currie, pg.A6)

Canadian troops face a “probability” of casualties in the coming months because they will engage in direct combat with the Taliban and possibly even Osama bin Laden in the lawless southern regions of Afghanistan, says Chief of the Defence Staff General Rick Hillier. – See entry on 7, 29 July, 10, 11, 17 August “Canada ramps up security measures for transit systems” (Gloria Galloway, Katherine Harding, pg.A8)

Security was increased on mass-transit systems across Canada yesterday as organizations responsible for national safety went on heightened alert after the blasts that killed dozens of commuters and others in central London. Using a protocol developed after the Madrid bombings in 2004, Canadian security and police forces immediately heightened vigilance and security of all transit hubs. – See entries on 12, 22 July 2005, 17 June 2006

Tuesday, 12 July “Security minister warns Canada to stand on guard” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Canada is as vulnerable to terrorist attacks as London, Madrid and New York, Public Security Minister Anne McLellan said on 11 July as she warned Canadians against a misguided sense of complacency. General Rick Hillier, Chief of Defence Staff, last week warned Canada is stepping up operations in Afghanistan because “hotbeds for supporting terrorism” remain there and al- Qaeda will “probably attempt to prosecute attacks here in Canada” if left unchecked abroad. Leaders of the spy service Ms. McLellan oversees have said that a terrorist strike in Canada is no longer a question of “if” but “when.” – See entries on 8, 22 July 2005, 17 June 2006

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Saturday, 16 July “What Canada’s Muslims feel they must do” (Marina Jimenez, Michael Valpy, pg.A7)

The Muslim Canadian Congress, Canadian Islamic Congress, and Canadian Islamic Ihya Foundation all issued statements following the attacks on London on 8 July to condemn such acts of terror on behalf of Islam. “Gen. Hillier explains the Afghan mission” (Editorial, pg.A16)

Over the next few months, 2,000 troops will head to Afghanistan, where fighting still rages with remnants of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Some of the Canadians, among them members of the elite Joint Task Force 2, may be involved in direct combat in the southern mountains, where their job will be to hunt down and kill insurgents. Further, Canada is threatened and should stand together to thwart the efforts of such extremists—and this starts with pressing on at home and supporting Canada’s troops abroad.

Tuesday, 19 July “Harper vows to combat terrorism” (Paul Koring, pg.A3)

A Conservative government in Canada would move aggressively to step up efforts in the war on international terrorism and create a single office to oversee Canada's spy and security forces, Opposition Leader Stephen Harper promised in a speech to right-wing fellow travellers gathered in Washington on 18 July.

Friday, 22 July “Canadian transit put on heightened alert” (Joe Friesen, Michael Den Tandt, pg.A3)

Rail and transit networks across Canada were put on heightened security alert by the federal government yesterday even as Public Security Minister Anne McLellan acknowledged it is virtually impossible to protect mass-transit systems from a determined terrorist attack. – See entries on 8, 12 July 2005, 17 June 2006

Friday, 29 July “Imams promise PM to help root out extremism” (Oliver Moore, pg.A4)

Canada's leading imams promised Prime Minister Paul Martin on the night of 28 July that they would help root extremists out of the Muslim community. According to someone who was in a closed-door meeting with the 19 imams from across the country, the issue of Canada's foreign policy was raised and the decision to stay out of the U.S. invasion of Iraq was praised. Mr. Martin drew attention to a declaration from the imams last week that denounced terrorism, calling it “a very important statement.” “Canadians touch down in Kandahar” (Terry Pedwell, pg.A6)

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Around 80 troops touched down at a U.S. military base just outside Kandahar aboard two C-130 Hercules military aircraft. They are part of what will be a 250-strong provincial reconstruction team, or PRT, the first such team Canada has sent to Afghanistan. Over the next couple of days, the remainder of the soldiers will arrive and be given a chance to rest after their long journey from Western Canada. – See entries on 7 July, 10, 11, 17 August

Saturday, 30 July “Canada may be targeted, PM warns” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Paul Martin warned Canadians on 29 July that the country could fall victim to a terrorist attack but said Canadian troops must continue the fight in Afghanistan even if it antagonizes those who would carry out such a crime. Canadians “should be under no illusion that Canada, along with the rest of the world, are [not] targets for terrorists,” Mr. Martin said.

6.8 August 2005

Tuesday, 2 August “Gagetown soldiers ship out for Afghanistan mission” (Canadian Press, pg.A5)

About 200 soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown are scheduled to depart this week as part of Canada's mission in Afghanistan. Some of the soldiers began flying out of Fredericton airport last night. The troops will be relieving colleagues serving in Operation Athena, Canada's contribution to the International Security Assistance Force. The soldiers will work alongside representatives from the Canadian International Development Agency, the Foreign Affairs Department, the RCMP and non-governmental organizations. Last week, a planeload of soldiers left Edmonton for Afghanistan to take part in a six-month mission to restore order and rebuild the Kandahar region's damaged infrastructure.

Saturday, 6 August “No-fly list in the works, Transport Minister says” (Shawna Richer, Simon Tuck, pg.A5)

The federal government will implement a controversial no-fly list similar to the one used in the United States to keep suspected terrorists off commercial airplanes next year, but remains concerned about a U.S. demand for lists for all flights over neighbouring airspace. – See entry on 19 June 2007

Wednesday, 10 August “Forces fortify Afghan base” (Terry Pedwell, pg.A5)

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Soldiers are fortifying the compound that is home to Canada's new provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan, braving the Kandahar heat to further prevent attacks from Taliban and al-Qaeda insurgents. – See entries on 7, 29 July, 11, 17 August

Thursday, 11 August “Canadians take over Kandahar patrols” (Terry Pedwell, pg.A10)

Canadian troops have began patrols in the area surrounding the base of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team and will continue to do so in high numbers until the national elections on 18 September. – See entries on 7, 29 July, 10,17 August

Wednesday, 17 August “Maple Leaf flies in Kandahar” (Terry Pedwell, pg.A13)

Canada formally took command yesterday of a provincial reconstruction team in Kandahar, taking over a compound used by Americans as their base during the past two years. – See entries on 7, 29 July, 10, 11 August

Monday, 22 August “Canada’s bridge to Kandahar” (Bill Graham, pg.A13)

Defence Minister Bill Graham wrote the following in an open letter to explain Canada’s new purpose in Afghanistan, focusing in Kandahar. Defeating terrorism and rebuilding failed states requires determination, complex solutions and a clear understanding of the risks. The professional competence, operational experience and cultural sensitivity of our troops position Canada to make an important contribution to the rebuilding of Afghanistan. Fundamentally, that is why the Canadian Forces have been in Afghanistan for more than three years, and are now undertaking new missions in that country.

6.9 September 2005

Friday, 16 September “Canadians brace for Afghan violence” (Graeme Smith, pg.A11)

Two Canadian soldiers were injured by an explosion while on patrol around Kabul on the night of 15 September as warlords and religious radicals target foreign troops and other symbols of authority in the days before Afghanistan's historic parliamentary elections. With the election only days away, Canadian troops are preparing for more violence.

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Saturday, 17 September “Canadian commandos taking out Taliban” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A13)

Canadian JTF-s special forces soldiers in southern Afghanistan have killed Taliban and al-Qaeda rebels in multiple operations over recent months as they work secretly in small units, military sources say. – See entries on 20, 28 November 2002, 21 September, 8 December 2005

Wednesday, 21 September “Canadian Forces offers first peek at JTF2 mission in Afghanistan” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A19)

Brigadier-General Mike Ward broke with a tradition of secrecy in the Canadian military by providing for the first time a small amount of information on an ongoing Joint Task Force 2 mission. He explained that JTF-2 forces continually work to protect the Afghan government and to ensure that progress is made in the region by any means necessary to achieve their operational objectives. – See entries on 20, 28 November 2003, 17 September, 8 December 2005

Friday, 30 September “McLellan outlines disaster strategy to cabinet” (Bill Curry, pg.A9)

Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan outlined in cabinet yesterday how the government will move ahead with the country's long-discussed disaster-mitigation strategy. The strategy discussed by cabinet would include funding projects aimed at limiting damages to urban centres in the event of floods or earthquakes. It also focused heavily on the defence component and domestic security.

6.10 October 2010

Tuesday, 11 October “Ottawa demands greater wiretap access” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

The federal government is demanding that the telecommunications industry build a wiretapping capacity into their networks that would allow authorities to conduct round-the-clock surveillance on the e-mail, Internet or phone use of more than 8,000 people at a time, sources say. In essence, the bill would require telephone, wireless or Internet-service providers to gradually build into their networks a capacity to duplicate their clients' Internet and phone use and transmit the data to the police.

Wednesday, 26 October “Cool rhetoric, Rice urges Canada” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

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During U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, visit to Ottawa she commended Canadians work in Afghanistan and efforts in Iraq.

6.11 November 2005

Thursday, 3 November “Canada urged to investigate its alleged role in torture” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A11)

Canada needs to publicly investigate allegations its officials may be complicit in the torture of Canadian citizens in the Middle East, the United Nations Human Rights Committee says in a report that criticizes federal anti-terrorism measures. But there is no need for a public inquiry, says Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, cabinet’s antiterrorism chief. She refuses to say whether Ottawa has conducted internal investigations of the cases. The organization is concenered that Canada cooperated with organizations who are known to use torture, referencing the case of three Canadians being sent to Syria for interrogation—Maher Arar being one of them. – See entries on 7 August 2003, 21 September 2006, 10 August 2007

Tuesday, 8 November “Canadian charged in U.S. soldier’s death” (Alan Freeman, Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Omar Ahmed Khadr, the Toronto-born teenager who is the only Canadian held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, has been formally charged with a series of crimes including murder of a U.S. soldier and membership in al-Qaeda. The Pentagon announced yesterday that Mr. Khadr, who recently turned 19, will be tried by a military commission for throwing the grenade that killed Sergeant 1st Class Christopher Speer of the U.S. Army during a battle in Afghanistan in July, 2002. Two Afghan militia members were also killed and several U.S. soldiers were injured in the same incident. Mr. Khadr was the only militant to survive. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010

Thursday, 10 November “Suicide bombers rip through Amman hotels” (MackMacKinnon, pg.A1)

Suicide bombers struck a trio of Western hotels in Jordan's capital Amman yesterday, raising suspicions that the Iraqi terrorist network headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had carried out its first major attack outside that country's borders. At least 57 people were killed and more than 115 others were wounded in the three near-simultaneous attacks on the Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels.

Monday, 14 November “Afghanistan’s election results finally released” (Sayed Salahuddin, pg.A12)

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Final results of Afghanistan's legislative elections show several former commanders of military factions, three old Taliban officials, women activists and several ex-communists won seats in the new parliament. The results of the 18 September vote for the 249-seat lower house, or Wolesi Jirga, and councils in all 34 provinces were finally released this weekend after being delayed by a slow count and accusations of vote fraud. President Hamid Karzai has no political party and stayed out of the fray, although several supporters, including two relatives, won parliamentary seats.

Friday, 25 November “Canadian soldier dies in Afghan road mishap” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A13)

One Canadian soldier was killed and four were seriously injured on 24 November when their light armoured vehicle flipped over while on a routine patrol of the highway between Kabul and Kandahar, Afghanistan. Private Braun Scott Woodfield, 24, of Victoria, died in the crash, which the Department of National Defence termed “strictly a road accident.” – See entry on December 2

Monday, 28 November “2 Canadian aid workers held in Iraq” (RhéAl SéGuin, pg.A1)

Two Canadians were among four Western aid workers kidnapped in a violent neighbourhood in western Baghdad on 26 November and the Canadian government agreed to withhold information about them in an effort to protect their safety. – See entry on 3 December

Wednesday, 30 November “Canada hands over Camp Julien” (Stephen Thorne, pg.A16)

In the spring of 2003, Canadian military engineers moved onto the site on the southwest edge of Kabul, levelled it, gravelled it and began turning it into Camp Julien, the envy of every military in Afghanistan. On 29 November the last of the Canadians left, leaving the facility to the Afghan government. The soldiers—680 of them—are on their way to Kandahar to support ongoing Canadian operations.

6.12 December 2005

Friday, 2 December “Driver won’t face charge in Kandahar crash” (Canadian Press, pg.A2)

No charges will be laid against the driver of an armoured vehicle that rolled over and killed a soldier near Kandahar, Afghanistan, on 24 November, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service said on 1 December.

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– See entry on November 25

Saturday, 3 December “Captors threaten to kill peace activists in Iraq “ (Jill Mahoney, pg.A18)

The danger to four peace activists kidnapped in Iraq intensified on 2 December as their captors threatened to kill them unless all prisoners in U.S. and Iraqi detention centres are released this week. – See entry on 28 November

Monday, 5 December “Canadian soldier hurt by suicide bomber” (Noor Khan, pg.A16)

A suicide attacker blew himself up on 4 December in a failed assault on a Canadian military patrol in the volatile former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, slightly injuring one soldier. The Canadian soldier was treated for a minor injury above his eye and has since returned to duty.

Thursday, 8 December “Three JTF2 soldiers wounded; secrecy shrouds Afghan attack” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A18)

Three soldiers from the Canadian military’s elite JTF2 commando unit were wounded in action against Afghan rebels earlier this week, but operational security prevents any details of the engagement from being made public, the Department of Defence said on 7 December. – See entries on 20, 28 November 2002, 17, 21 September 2005

Tuesday, 13 December “‘The truth dawned as the smoke cleared and I wiped the engine oil from my face and the blood from my nose. A roadside bomb had struck our G-Wagon.’” (Tim Albone, pg.A1)

Three Canadian soldiers and a freelance writer, Tim Albone, were injured yesterday when a bomb exploded near their vehicle in Afghanistan.

Thursday, 22 December “New terror charges laid against Ottawa man” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

New charges filed in Ottawa on 16 December reveal the specifics of the government's case against Mohammad Momin Khawaja, who was arrested in 2004 as Canadian and British police staged co-ordinated antiterrorism raids against nearly a dozen suspects. The charges filed in court last week say that Mr. Khawaja was involved in several aspects of an alleged al-Qaeda-style conspiracy, a scheme that was ultimately thwarted.

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7 2006

7.1 January 2006

Monday, 16 January “Three Canadian soldiers badly hurt in car bombing” (Martin Mittelstaedt, Thomas Coghlan, pg.A1)

Authorities are investigating whether Canadians were the target of an attack that killed a diplomat on 15 January in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and injured three soldiers—two of them critically. Glyn Berry, the 59-year-old director of Canada's Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and the top Canadian diplomat in the Kandahar region, died when an explosives-laden car swerved into the jeep in which he was travelling. The jeep was part of a multi-vehicle military convoy escorting him from a meeting with an Afghan political leader. The blast also wounded infantry soldier Private William Edward Salikin, 22; combat engineer Corporal Jeffrey Bailey, 26; and medic Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, 38, all based in Edmonton. MCpl. Franklin lost part of his left leg and broke his right leg, his wife said yesterday, but the injuries to the others were not known last night. Two Afghan civilians were killed and at least nine were injured, Afghan officials said. A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the strike. – See entries on 17, 18 January, 20 March 2007 “Victim called ‘a guy made for difficult assignments’” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Canadian diplomat Glyn Berry was killed in an attack on a convoy which also injured three Canadian soldiers on 15 January. The 59-year-old, British-born director of the Canadian reconstruction team in the region had been in Afghanistan since this past August, leaving his post as political counsellor at the Canadian mission at the United Nations in New York for the more risky tour in the war-ravaged country. – See entries on 17, 18 January, 20 March 2007

Tuesday, 17 January “Canada’s necessary role in dangerous Kandahar” (Editorial, pg.A20)

The editors of the The Globe praised the life and work of slain diplomat Glyn Berry—a man who believed firmly in Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. They reminded Canadians of the risks of the mission and the rationale for the mission in the first place—to stop Afghanistan from being a haven for terrorists. – See entries on 18 January, 1, 3 March

Wednesday, 18 January “A struggle for Canadian hearts and minds” (Estanislao Oziewicz, Katherine Harding, pg.A13)

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The events on 15 January have provided a “stomach check” for Canadians by reminding them that there are real risks to the operations in Afghanistan, and that Canada and Canadians are faced with real threats. The death of Glyn Berry, it seems, has encouraged many more people within the bureaucracy to support reconstruction efforts in the country. – See entries on 16, 17 January – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 24 January “Kandahar blast rattles Canadian convoy” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A23)

Canadian troops here came under attack on 23 January for the second time in less than two weeks when a bomb exploded within metres of a convoy patrolling the outskirts of this former Taliban stronghold. No one was injured in the blast, which left a crater more than one-third of a metre deep and one metre wide in a concrete road.

7.2 February 2006

Wednesday, 1 February “U.S. soldiers in Baghdad open fire on Canadian” (Joe Friesen, pg.A2)

A vehicle carrying four members of a Canadian diplomatic mission in Iraq was fired on by U.S. forces inside Baghdad’s Green Zone on 31 January. No one was injured in the incident. The vehicle was reportedly carrying Stewart Henderson, the Canadian chargé d’affaires in Iraq.

Thursday, 2 February “Leaders sign Afghan aid compact” (Hamida Ghafour, pg.A15)

Leaders from Afghanistan joined Western politicians to welcome more than US$10-billion in pledges for aid aimed at helping the war-ravaged country get back on its feet—although it was only half the amount requested. Canada did not pledge any new money, although deputy minister of foreign affairs Peter Harder conveyed a message from prime-minister-designate Stephen Harper that Canada would “stay the course” with its mission. Canada previously committed $200- million (Canadian), which is to be paid in instalments until 2009. – See entries on 10 April 2003, 1 April 2004

Friday, 10 February “Canadians escape serious injury” (Canadian Press, pg.A11)

Four Canadian soldiers escaped with bumps, bruises and a concussion after a roadside bomb exploded next to their light armoured vehicle in southern Afghanistan on 9 February, part of an escalating campaign by insurgents resisting U.S.- and NATO-led forces.

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Thursday, 16 February “Two Canadian soldiers hurt in vehicle rollover” (Canadian Press, pg.A16)

A Canadian soldier was in hospital in Germany yesterday after a vehicle rollover in Afghanistan. Two other soldiers, including a second Canadian, were treated at local military facilities. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening, officials said.

Friday, 17 February “Two Canadian soldiers injured in Afghanistan road accident” (Canadian Press, pg.A14)

Two more Canadian soldiers have been injured in a road accident in Afghanistan, this time after a collision between a light truck and an armoured vehicle yesterday, military officials said.

Monday, 20 February “Canadians in Kandahar face grenade attack” (Les Perreaux, pg.A6)

Insurgents firing rocket-propelled grenades attacked fresh Canadian troops at an outpost in southern Afghanistan several days ago in a first test of their resolve under fire. Canadian troops returned fire. No one was hurt in the exchange. It was the first skirmish between Canadians and anti-coalition forces since the military beefed up its presence in southern Afghanistan, officials said. “Tories plan new defence pact with U.S.” (Paul Koring, pg.A12)

Canada’s new Conservative government is poised to sign a new North American defence treaty with the United States, extending and expanding the existing NORAD pact, according to officials in both countries familiar with the negotiations. Further details will be announced by the new Defence Minsiter, Gordon O’Conner, later this week.

Thursday, 23 February “Afghanistan needs help for 10 years, NATO nations told” (Paul Koring, pg.A16)

Canada and other NATO nations need to be ready for a long, dangerous commitment to Afghanistan, said General Ray Henault, chairman of the alliance’s military committee. – See entry on 1 August, 27 February, 1 March

Friday, 24 February “Majority opposed to Afghan mission” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

A robust majority of Canadians say they would opt against sending troops to Afghanistan and would like to see parliamentarians have the opportunity to vote on the issue. The poll found that 62 per cent of Canadians are against sending troops to Afghanistan, while only 27 per cent are in

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favour. Furthermore, 73 per cent of those surveyed said parliamentarians should have the chance to vote on deployment. – See entry on 27 February, 14, 15 March

Monday, 27 February “Minister won’t support vote on troops in Afghanistan” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A4)

Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan aren't looking for a fight but will defend themselves, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor says, admitting he’s got a big selling job ahead of him to explain why the troops are there. While he agreed to frequently update members of parliament on the mission, he will not consent to allow a vote in the House of Commons on this issue. – See entry on 20 March “Should Canada lead the fight in Afghanistan?” (Gordon O’Connor, Ujjal Dosanjh, Claude Bachand, Dawn Black, pg.A15)

Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor, Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh, Bloc defence critic Claude Bachand, and NDP defence critic Dawn Black each wrote columns in The Globe and Mail. They all essentially agreed that Canada should do its part, but were more hesitant to extend its mission in Afghanistan, being doubtful that Canadian values could be upheld in the operation. They slammed the minister for not allowing a debate in the House of Commons on the issue. This view was especially voiced by Dawn Black, who was far more skeptical than the others of O’Connor’s intention – See entries on 23, 24 February, 1 March, 14, 15 March

7.3 March 2006

Wednesday, 1 March “Political luminaries push Ottawa for torture probe” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

Prominent figures from across all political lines want the new Conservative government to investigate the cases of three Canadian men who say Ottawa was complicit in their arrest and brutal torture in the Middle East. Former Tory prime minister Joe Clark; his external affairs minister, Flora MacDonald; former NDP leader Ed Broadbent; Warren Allmand, who was the minister in charge of national security agencies in Pierre Trudeau's government; and former Liberal foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy are among those who have signed an appeal to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to reopen the three cases. – See entries on 1 March 2006, 31 May 2006, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

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“Canadian takes charge of coalition in Kandahar” (Michael Den Tandt, Campbell Clark, pg.A7)

Canadian Brigadier-General David Frasier formally assumed command of the international coalition in southern Afghanistan on 28 February as U.S. military officers warned of renewed insurgent violence in the months ahead. – See entries on 23, 27 February, 3 March

Friday, 3 March “Afghan mission: 10 years” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Canada needs to be in Afghanistan for the long haul, according to General Rick Hillier, who says the mission is part of an international reconstruction effort that will take at least a decade—and probably a lot longer. He also refuted the stipulation that there is a need for an exit strategy. This news came the day after that Canada’s tenth soldier was killed in Afghanistan since 2002 while six other Canadian soldiers were injured when their light-armoured vehicle crashed outside the city. – See entries on 23, 27 February, 1 March, 16 March

Saturday, 4 March “Attack injures 5 Canadians in Kandahar” (Michael Den Tandt, Tim Albone, pg.A4)

Five Canadian soldiers were injured yesterday, one seriously, when a suicide bomber in a car full of explosives attacked a heavily armoured convoy that was carrying a military board of inquiry investigating a similar attack in January. The attacked was on highway 4 between Kandahar City and Canada’s provincial reconstruction team which is now being dubbed “IED alley.”

Monday, 6 March “Military rethinks Afghan tactics” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A1)

The Canadian military says it is reviewing how it operates in Afghanistan, after its first week in charge of coalition troops in the southern part of the country ended with an axe attack on an officer during a meeting with villagers and the return home of the remains of two soldiers killed in a traffic accident. Captain Trevor Greene, 41, was flown to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, where he was in serious but stable condition yesterday after a man surged from a crowd and swung an axe at the back of the officer's unprotected head. In a sign of respect, the officer had removed his helmet and put down his rifle as he sat down Saturday to discuss reconstruction needs with tribal elders in Shinkay, a village 70 kilometres north of Kandahar. Other Canadian soldiers immediately shot and killed the attacker. A gunfight erupted but no other Canadians were hurt.

Friday, 10 March “Troops flex muscle in Taliban stronghold” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

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Hundreds of Canadian troops have moved deep into Taliban insurgent territory north of Kandahar, Afghanistan, as an early show of force. The troops, fresh to the Afghan theatre of operations, are trying to quickly establish freedom of movement over a wide swath of territory and to flush out Taliban fighters. The Canadian units, accompanied by Afghan government forces, are also trying to win the confidence and support of local villagers who might be able to help identify Taliban hideouts, officials say.

Saturday, 11 March “Bomb blast shakes Hillier’s convoy” (Les Perreaux, pg.A11)

Canada’s top soldier, General Rick Hillier, had just finished an amiable chat with an Afghan village elder yesterday when a roadside bomb blasted a dark plume into the sky about 800 metres away, damaging a Canadian Bison armoured vehicle. He was then whisked away into another vehicle to be taken back to a forward operating base.

Monday, 13 March “Harper’s Surprise Afghan Visit “ (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

Stephen Harper made a top-secret military landing in conflict-torn southern Afghanistan on 12 March, pledging to boost support for soldiers facing the heightened prospect of terrorist attacks while trying to rebuild the country. The trip is Mr. Harper’s first foreign visit since the 23 January election and is being used to both bolster troops that have come under recent attacks and boost domestic support for the mission. – See entries on 14, 15 March

Tuesday, 14 March “We won’t run away, PM vows” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

During a visit to Kandahar, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that that he will not abandon the Afghan mission at the first suggestion of difficulty. In a speech aimed at both soldiers in camp and Canadians at home, the Prime Minister told troops that Canada will not be easily scared away from the mission aimed at stabilizing Afghanistan. Although the Conservatives have not decided whether or not the mission will be extended, Harper certainly prepared the ground for an announcement for a longer Canadian role in Afghanistan. – See entries on 23, 27 February 1, 13, 15 March “Canadians get behind deployment” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A1)

Canadians' views have shifted sharply in support of the Afghan military mission even as troop casualties have mounted over the past three weeks, a new poll suggests. A modest but clear majority—55 per cent of respondents to a nationwide poll taken for The Globe and Mail and CTV over the past four days—now broadly support the decision to send troops to Afghanistan. Only 41 per cent oppose the deployment.

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Wednesday, 15 March “PM warns Afghans of dissent in Canada” (Brian Laghi, Bill Curry, pg.A1)

While visiting Afghanistan, Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned Afghan President Hamid Karzai on 14 March that Canada's desire to keep troops in Afghanistan cannot be guaranteed if opposition parties at home resist. – See entries on 23, 27 February 1, 13, 14March

Thursday, 16 March “Hold fast on Afghanistan, Powell tells Canadians” (Canadian Press, pg.A8)

During a speech on 15 March dealing with Canada-U.S. relations, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell warned Canadians that they should prepare from a long military campaign in Afghanstan and reject calls to set a timeline for the mission. – See entry on 3 March

Monday, 20 March “Liberals back Tories on Afghan mission, reject calls for vote” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A4)

The Liberals appear to be lining up solidly behind the Conservative government over the mission in Afghanistan, rejecting NDP calls for a parliamentary vote on the matter – See entry on 27 February

Tuesday, 21 March “Afghans need Canadians now, ambassador says” (Steve Mertl, pg.A8)

Afghanistan’s ambassador to Canada, Omar Samad, says he was shocked to hear protesters demanding Canadian troops pull out of his country and saying it was better off under the Taliban. Speaking in Vancouver at the Fraser Institute, he assured Canadians that Afghans need their support. – See entry on 12 April

Friday, 24 March “Free, with help from Canada” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

The work of a secret team of Canadian soldiers, police officers, spies and diplomats in Baghdad came to a successful conclusion yesterday in a raid that rescued two Canadians and one Briton who had been held hostage for almost four months, federal officials say. The entire Canadian team, numbering at times more than 20, has been on the ground in Baghdad, working quietly since shortly after the kidnappings on 26 November. – See entry on 27 November 2005

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Wednesday, 29 March “Canadian soldier killed in firefight” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A1)

A Canadian soldier was killed and three others wounded early this morning in what appears to have been a prolonged and vicious firefight with the Taliban. Private Robert Costall, a member of the First Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, died while defending his fellow soldiers. He was the 11th Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan.

7.4 April 2006

Saturday, 1 April “Canadians scrap weekly bazaar to send message” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A14)

About 9,000 soldiers from eight countries live at Kandahar Airfield. Each Saturday, local vendors set up shop to sell various goods to the soldiers. However this week there will be no bazaar because of increased attacks on the airfield. By cancelling the bazaar, it is believed that forces will send a message to the local population: if you want our business, don’t attack us.

Friday, 7 April “To achieve the purpose of the Afghan debate” (Editorial, pg.A14)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has reversed course and agreed to hold a parliamentary debate on Canada's military mission in Afghanistan. The debate, which will take place in the next week, will only be a “take-note” debate meaning that there will be no vote at the end of it and it will be relatively short. It will allow the government to defend its position and allow for the oppositions to ask questions to the government. It is unclear what effect, if any, the debate will have on the decision of the government. – See entry on 27 February, 20 March, 11 April

Tuesday, 11 April “NDP demands answers on Afghanistan” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A4)

The parliamentary debate regarding the future of the Afghan mission took place during the evening of 10 April. The New Democrats cast doubt last night on whether Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan can succeed and demanded that any extension beyond next winter be put to a parliamentary vote. The Liberals stood with the Conservative government closely except to say that if the circumstances of the mission changed significantly, that the party would expect a house debate. Bloc Québécois MP Claude Bachand stressed the importance of continuing debate on the issue. – See entry on 27 February, 20 March, 7 April

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Wednesday, 12 April “Afghan envoy asks Canadians to stay” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A6)

Afghan Ambassador Omar Samad made a blunt plea for an extended Canadian military commitment to his country on 11 April, saying it is too soon to discuss exit strategies. He was speaking in response to the remarks made in the House of Commons debate on 10 April. – See entry on March 21

Thursday, 13 April “Canadians soldiers brace for attack by 100 Taliban, officer says” (Graeme Smith, pg.A19)

At least 100 Taliban fighters are lying in wait among the hills and poppy fields where Canadian soldiers have started patrolling night and day, says the commander of Canada's battle group in southern Afghanistan. These concerns apply to the Sangin district of Helmand province and is based on an uneasy calm in the region over the last two weeks.

Monday, 17 April “Taliban are snubbed in their hometown” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Upon returning to one of their home villages of Sangisar, Taliban insurgents were confronted with a heavy Canadian and Afghan military force. Over forty Taliban were killed. Canada suffered no casualties but six Afghan police were killed.

Thursday, 20 April “Bomb injures two Canadians in southern Afghanistan” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A16)

Two Canadian soldiers were wounded in southern Afghanistan on 19 April when Taliban insurgents detonated a roadside bomb against their Bison armoured vehicle, the Defence Department said. The Taliban have claimed responsibility.

Monday, 24 April “The path from Gumbad led only to death” (Graeme Smith, pg.A5)

Just outside of Gumbad, 75 kilometers north of Kandahar City, four Canadian soldiers were killed with an explosive device on 23 April. Everybody inside died instantly, except the driver who was later declared dead at a military hospital. The crew had been Corporal Matthew Dinning, Bombardier Myles Mansell, Lieutenant William Turner and Corporal Randy Payne. Other soldiers in the convoy instantly suspected the blast was remote-controlled, perhaps because it appeared timed deliberately to hit the vehicle with the lightest armour. “West waging war on Islam, bin Laden says” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A13)

In a broadcast aired on 23 April Osama bin Laden accused Western countries of waging a “Zionist-crusader war against Islam,” and urged Muslims to take up the fight in Sudan and Israel.

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Warning of further terrorist attacks, Mr. bin Laden blamed the populations of Western countries for supporting leaders who have attacked Muslims in the Middle East and Africa. “Honouring the fallen” (Gordon O’Connor, pg.A16)

Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor mourned with Canadians the loss of four more Canadian soldiers. He also ensured that for every Canadian killed in Afghanistan from present day forward, many flags tied to DND and the flag on the Peace Tower will fly at half-mast.

Tuesday, 25 April “Bombs tear apart Sinai resort” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Three bombs tore through crowded tourist spots at a popular Egyptian seaside town on the night of 24 April, killing at least 23 people—including a German child and two other foreigners—in the third co-ordinated terrorist strike against a Sinai resort in less than 18 months. No one claimed responsibility. The attacks came a day after the release of Osama bin Laden’s most recent recording.

7.5 May 2006

Wednesday, 3 May “Defence spending gets boost, big purchases not addressed” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A16)

In unveiling the budget on 2 May, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty unveiled a modest defence- spending package, offering the hard-pressed Canadian military $1.1-billion in new spending over the next two years. Furthermore, the thick budget booklet made absolutely no mention of Afghanistan. This will obviously hinder Canada’s capacity to purchase new strategic airlift planes and coastal ice breakers. – See entry on 31 August

Tuesday, 9 May “Tory NORAD agreement wins approval of House” (Bill Curry, pg.A10)

The first international agreement signed by the Conservative government was approved by the House of Commons last night, as MPs voted 257-30 to approve a new NORAD pact to renew Canada’s membership with the bilateral organization.

Wednesday, 10 May “We support you, MacKay tells troops” (Geoffery York, pg.A12)

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay made a whirlwind tour of two Canadian army bases in Kandahar on 9 May, giving pep talks to the troops and boasting of progress in the rebuilding of the country.

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– See entry on 11 May

Thursday, 11 May “Afghan mission could grow, MacKay says” (Geoffery York, pg.A4)

Canada's risky mission in Afghanistan could take longer than expected, forcing the extension of its military deployment beyond the current February deadline, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said after meetings in Kabul on 10 May. – See entry on 10 May

Tuesday, 16 May “Ottawa to debate extension of military mission” (Bill Curry, pg.A16)

The Conservative government will ask MPs on 17 May for approval of a two-year extension to Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan. – See entries on 17, 18 May “Blast injures 2 in Afghanistan” (Geoffery York, pg.A16)

Two Canadian solders were injured in southern Afghanistan on 15 May. The soldiers were in an armoured vehicle heading toward the Canadian forward operating base in Gumbad when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. Their injuries are not life-threatening, but they were taken by helicopter to the air base in Kandahar for treatment.

Wednesday, 17 May “Canada asked to lead in Kabul” (Jane Taber, pg.A1)

Canada has been asked by NATO to consider taking over the command of the entire Afghanistan mission in 2008, a senior government official says. This request, as well as a NATO meeting scheduled for next week in which the future of the Afghanistan mission will be discussed, is in part behind the government's sudden decision to hold a vote tonight on whether to extend Canada's commitment to the mission by two years, according to the official. – See entries on 23 February 16, 18 May, 1 August

Thursday, 18 May “Death clouds Afghan debate” (Michael Den Tandt, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper pulled off another high-stakes political victory last night when the House of Commons voted by a slim margin to extend the Canadian military mission in Afghanistan until February of 2009. The motion passed with 149 votes in favour and 145 against. During a six-hour special debate, a succession of MPs from the three opposition parties said Mr. Harper was wrong to force a decision on the issue now, with 10 months to go in the current

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deployment. During the day, Captain Nichola Goddard had been killed in a firefight with Taliban forces west of Kandahar city. She was the 17th Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan and was the first female to have died. – See entry on 20 May

Saturday, 20 May “Canadians helped thwart Taliban raid” (Geoffery York, pg.A16)

As many as 300 Taliban fighters from three provinces were mobilizing for a bold attack on the provincial governor in Kandahar when they were confronted by Canadian and Afghan troops this week in the battle that killed Captain Nichola Goddard, according to Afghan sources who gave reports to Canadian officers at the battle scene. Until now, the Taliban have operated mostly in villages and rural districts, but local residents believe that the Taliban are advancing closer to Kandahar and could be preparing a major attack on the city. – See entry on 18 May

Monday, 22 May “Canadian program presents alternative to Taliban” (Geoffery York, pg.A1)

Canada’s new aid program, created by CIDA, is an unprecedented exercise in consulting Afghans on their own needs and priorities. It aims to rebuild the shattered authority of Afghanistan's local governments, giving people control of their own schools and clinics, and making the Taliban a much less attractive option. Further, the military sees the plan as a major counterinsurgency tool. Apparently, the tribal elders who listened intently to the plan were supportive of the idea. – See entry on 11 June 2008 – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 23 May “Bombs kill Afghan villagers” (Geoffery York, pg.A1)

At least 17 civilians—and perhaps 25 or more—were killed in the coalition attack on Taliban forces yesterday and at least 15 civilians were injured in Southern Afghanistan. Twenty Taliban insurgents were confirmed killed, the coalition said in a press release, but the rebel toll could be as high as 50. Canadian troops were not involved; but the nationality of the troops who did launch the attack remained undisclosed. – See entries on 24, 25, 30 May

Wednesday, 24 May “Coalition to probe bombing of villagers” (Geoffery York, pg.A1)

The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan has bowed to mounting pressure for a full investigation into the deaths of at least 17 civilians during a coalition bombing attack in Canada's

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area of operations in southern Afghanistan. The civilian deaths sparked outrage in Afghanistan and Canada on 23 May. Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced that he was calling for a “full explanation” from the coalition commander, U.S. Lieutenant-General Karl Eikenberry. – See entries on 23, 25 and 30 May “New NATO role leaves U.S. force largely in charge” (Paul Koring, pg.A16)

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization will take responsibility for a big chunk of southern Afghanistan some time this summer, but even when that happens, U.S. troops will remain the largest, most powerful force in the country, will shoulder the bulk of combat operations, and will remain under separate U.S. command. – See entries on 23 February, 16, 18 May, 1 August

Thursday, 25 May “U.S. military apologizes for killing civilians” (Graeme Smith, Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

The U.S. military has offered an apology, compensation and a personal explanation from the highest-ranking U.S. officer in Afghanistan, trying to quell anger over the latest air strike to kill civilians. Stephen Harper assured Canadians that Canada had nothing to do with the bombing. – See entries on 23, 24, 30 May

Friday, 26 May “Canadian troops scuttle costly vehicle” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canadian soldiers hit by a powerful roadside blast 75 kilometres north of Kandahar were forced to destroy their $3-million LAV-3 light armoured vehicle on 25 May rather than leave it to fall into Taliban hands. Five soldiers and one interpreter were injured in the explosion and were flown to the Canadian military hospital at the Kandahar airfield by U.S. ambulance helicopter. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening, and five of the six soldiers were healthy enough to call their families immediately, a military spokesman said. Heat from the blast caused ammunition in the LAV-3 to explode in intervals, making it too dangerous to secure. Canadian troops had to explode the vehicle to protect the advanced technology inside of it from ending up in the hands of the Taliban.

Tuesday, 30 May “Anti-U.S. riots rage in Kabul” (Tim Albone, pg.A1)

Simmering anti-American sentiment erupted in the streets of Kabul on 29 May when a fatal crash involving a U.S. military convoy sparked the worst riots the city has seen since the fall of the Taliban, with thousands of protesters hurling rocks, smashing shops and attacking aid agencies. Authorities, taken by surprise by the ferocity and scale of the protests, declared a curfew last night as hundreds of Afghan army troops and NATO peacekeepers in tanks were deployed around the city to contain the riots that raged all day across the capital. By day’s end, at least 14 people were killed and 140 injured, according to a tally of local hospitals by Agence France-Press.

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“Five Canadians hurt in Taliban ambush” (Graeme Smith, pg.A13)

Using grenades and machine guns, Taliban forces injured five Canadians in a night time ambush on their vehicle where troops were resting the night of 29 May. The crew sped away to safety and received medical treatment.

Wednesday, 31 May “Troops told Geneva rules don't apply to Taliban” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Canadian troops in Afghanistan have been told the Geneva Conventions and Canadian regulations regarding the rights of prisoners of war don’t apply to Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters captured on the battlefield. That decision strips detainees of key rights and protections under the rules of war, including the right to be released at the end of the conflict and not to be held criminally liable for lawful combat. This choice was disseminated by Lieutenant-General Michel Gauthier, who commands the Canadian Expeditionary Forces Command and thus oversees all Canadian Forces deployed abroad. – See entries on 1 March 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

7.6 June 2006

Friday, 2 June “Taliban to Canadians: Get out or face death” (Colin Freeze, pg.A15)

On 1 June a senior Taliban military commander has issued a stark warning to Canada: Get out of Afghanistan and stop acting like Americans, or we will kill your soldiers “one by one.” He said, “our main enemy is the United States. As for Canada and the other countries, we have no historical enmity with them,” the official known as Mullah Dadallah said in an interview broadcast this week by the Al-Jazeera network. “But if they want to come here as fighting forces, we will view them just as we view the Americans. . . . America is the big snake that wants to bite everybody.” The military commander, a Taliban spokesman for more than a year, went on to say, “Our advice to Canada and Britain is to refrain from defending the American propaganda. . . . If they return to where they came from, and withdraw their forces from here, we will not view them like the Americans.”

Saturday, 3 June “General defends detainee policy” (Graeme Smith, pg.A13)

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Brigadier-General David Fraser, Canada’s top military commander in southern Afghanistan, says he feels comfortable with the way detainees are treated after Canadian soldiers hand them over to Afghan authorities, despite one estimate that nearly a third of them are abused or tortured. Prime Minister Harper also defended the policy stating that Canada has ensured that Afghan officials uphold Canadian international commitments. – See entries on 1 March 2006, 31 May 2006, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Monday, 5 June “Plot targeted Peace Tower” (Timothy Appleby, Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

A Toronto-based terrorism plot was foiled on 2 and 3 June by a massive police operation. The operation was so complex and tightly shrouded that everyone involved—including all the roughly 400 police officers who scooped up the 17 suspected Islamic extremists Friday and Saturday— had to sign the Official Secrets Act [sic; this Act was replaced by the Security of Information Act in 2001] , pledging total discretion. Targets of the alleged plot included political and economic symbols such as the Parliament Buildings and Peace Tower in Ottawa, along with the CN Tower and Toronto Stock Exchange in Toronto. Named in the charges are Fahim Ahmad, 21, of Toronto; Zakaria Amara, 20, of Mississauga; Asad Ansari, 21, of Mississauga; Shareef Abdelhaleem, 30, of Mississauga; Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, of Mississauga; Mohammed Dirie, 22, of Kingston; Yasim Abdi Mohamed, 24, of Kingston; Jahmaal James, 23, of Toronto; Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, of Toronto; Steven Vikash Chand (alias Abdul Shakur), 25, of Toronto; Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, of Mississauga; and Saad Khalid, 19, of Mississauga. – See entries on 6, 7 June, 8 July

Tuesday, 6 June “Charges hint at varying roles” (Murray Campbell, pg.A1)

A clearer picture of the alleged terrorist plot in Canada emerged on 5 June as details of the charges faced by the suspects arrested last week indicated different levels of involvement, with some key players accused of building bombs and others merely of attending training sessions. All 12 of the adults arrested Friday and Saturday in the Greater Toronto Area face charges of conspiring to stage a terrorist attack, but only six of them were charged with plotting to set off a bomb. Nine of those arrested face charges of receiving training from a terrorist group, but just four were indicted for allegedly recruiting people and providing training. At the same time, Prime Minister Stephen Harper called U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday to thank him for the co- operation of his officials. – See entries on 5, 7 June, 8 July

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Wednesday, 7 June “The Allegations: Shocking revelations as terror suspects appear in court” (Joe Friesen, pg.A1)

The startling revelations include purported plans to bomb power plants in Southern Ontario and take control of the CBC building in Toronto. The targets were on a shortlist the group had allegedly discussed in brainstorming sessions, before deciding on three: an unspecified Canadian military base, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service building in downtown Toronto. A plan to storm the House of Commons, take politicians hostage and behead Prime Minister Stephen Harper is among the sensational allegations to emerge yesterday after 15 men and youths charged in an anti-terrorism sweep appeared in court. – See entries on 5, 6 June “Canada to spend $3.5-billion on Afghan effort” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A15)

Canada will spend more than $3.5-billion by 2009 to help Afghanistan rout the Taliban and restore peace and security, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said on 6 June. The total expenditures by Canadian taxpayers to date in the war-torn country amount to $2.3-billion, Mr. MacKay told the Commons defence committee late yesterday afternoon. That comprises $1.8- billion in defence spending and another $500-million in additional expenditures, including humanitarian assistance and democratic renewal. Canada has promised to provide troops and security through to 2009. That will cost an additional $1.25-billion, Mr. MacKay said. The Canadian International Development Agency will spend another $310-million between now and 2011. – See entry on 21 December

Thursday, 8 June “Terror funds on Ottawa’s hit list” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

The federal government plans to unveil legislation this fall to strengthen its ability to fight terrorism financing and money laundering. The legislation will include some aspects of a consultation paper that made several recommendations on the issue last year, including closer monitoring of potentially suspicious dealings in Canada’s burgeoning northern diamond industry. It will also build on the powers implemented by the Anti-Terrorism Act which was passed after the attacks on 11 September 2001.

Monday, 12 June “Rights of detainees goes before top court” (Kirk Makin, pg.A1)

A three-day appeal with the Supreme Court of Canada—the first major constitutional test of laws aimed at rooting out terrorists—starts tomorrow and is expected to yield a blueprint for how the court sees fundamental human rights stacking up against the fear of terrorist attacks. At the heart of this week's legal challenge are immigration security certificates that have been used to detain five suspected terrorists—Adil Charkaoui, Mohamed Harkat, Hassan Almrei, Mahmoud Jaballah and Mohammed Mahjoub—for several years. The controversial process permits secret court

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hearings, undisclosed evidence and indefinite incarceration—provisions once anathema to Canadians, but which the federal government is defending as indispensable weapons against modern terrorists. – See entries on 1 March 2006, 31 May 2006, 3 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Tuesday, 13 June “Two Canadian soldiers wounded” (Graeme Smith, pg.A19)

Two Canadian soldiers were seriously injured yesterday morning during a fight to regain control of key districts near Kandahar city. During the large firefight, the men were taken back to Kandahar Airfield listed in serious condition.

Thursday, 15 June “Mission cranks up the pressure” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

The largest military operation since the overthrow of the Taliban kicks into high gear this week in Afghanistan with as many as 11,000 troops—including 4,000 Canadian, British and U.S. combat troops—launching a massive push into the insurgents' strongholds in the jagged foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains. Officials say Operation Mountain Thrust will take advantage of a surge in strength among the foreign troops as thousands of NATO personnel arrive and 3,000 U.S. soldiers prepare to leave at the end of the summer, as part of a planned handover to international forces. The operation will include roughly 3,000 members of the Afghan National Army, alongside 7,000 soldiers from the ranks of Canadian, Australian, British, U.S. and other international forces already stationed in southern Afghanistan. Air strikes on targets in the area began on 15 May.

Saturday, 17 June “Planes, trains, ports to face tighter security” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A2)

Airline passengers’ bags will be scrutinized more thoroughly, railway security will be bolstered and port workers will face more strenuous background checks under a series of new federal measures to combat terrorism on public transit. The measures will cost the government $254- million over two years and are part of the $1.4-billion that was included in the May budget for boosting national security. – See entries on 8, 12, 22 July 2005

Monday, 19 June “Taliban said to be planning attack on Kandahar city” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

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There are signs that insurgents in Afghanistan are planning to attack Kandahar city, an indication the Taliban still threaten the provincial capital after weeks of fighting nearby. Fighters are making preparations for an assault inside the city limits in the next three to four months, according to two sources with connections to the Taliban.

7.7 July 2006

Saturday, 1 July “Two Canadians injured as base in Kandahar hit” (John Cotter, pg.A15)

A Taliban rocket exploded at a tent complex inside the main coalition base in Kandahar during the night of 30 June, wounding 10 people including two Canadians soldiers, one of them critically.

Saturday, 8 July “Mosques reaching out to public” (Omar El Akkad, pg.A9)

Responding to the media spotlight cast on Canadian Muslims after 17 men and youths were arrested last month on suspicion of hatching a terror plot, various religious organizations are trying to generate goodwill toward Islam. Muslim organizations in the Greater Toronto Area are expanding the attempt, inviting non-Muslims to get better acquainted with the faith. – See entries on 10 October 2001, 15 December 2001, 5, 6, 7 June, 16 July 2005, 8 July 2006, 1 January 2007

Monday, 10 July “Canadian dies in Afghan battle” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A1)

Canadian Corporal Tony Boneca was shot and killed in the Panjwei district west of Kandahar several days ago. After a two day pursuit of the Taliban, he was wounded in a firefight with Taliban members and died shortly thereafter while being carried from the front lines.

Wednesday, 19 July “Get tougher on terrorism, FBI director tells Canada” (Colin Freeze, pg.A6)

Speaking at a policing conference in Toronto on 18 July, FBI director Robert Mueller urged Canada to keep classified information classified, keep intelligence flowing south and toughen antiterrorism laws—or else, he said, Canada risks becoming a “haven” for extremists who could strike at the United States. – See entries on 3 October 2001, 17 December 2001 “Another fine mess in Afghanistan” (Jeffery Simpson, pg.A15)

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About 600 Canadians are fighting with U.S., British and Afghan soldiers in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan against Taliban populations. Within that province, they have concentrated in the Sangin region; there are as many soldiers and police officers as there are residents. Helmand faces many of the same difficulties of Kandahar province, and therefore Canadian troops frequently participate in conflicts in the region—although, as Jeffery Simpson points out— Canada does not necessarily have the capacity to be spread between Helmand and Kandahar.

Thursday, 20 July “Support for Afghan mission falls sharply in new poll” (Brian Laghi, pg.A4)

A new poll for The Globe and Mail/CTV News found that 41 percent of those surveyed— including 54 percent in Quebec—believe Canadian troops should be brought home now, while 34 percent say Canadians should remain in Afghanistan for a limited period of two years or more. Twenty-one percent say Canadians should stay for as long as it takes to stabilize the country. Similarly, 48 percent said the effort in Afghanistan was going worse than expected. Only 12 percent said it was better, while 35 percent said things were about the same. A declining number of Canadians said they support sending the troops. Of those surveyed, 39 percent backed the idea, down from 55 percent in March, around the time Mr. Harper visited the country. Fifty-six percent now oppose the mission, up 15 percentage points from March. – See entry on 6 September

Monday, 24 July “Intense clashes with Taliban temper troops’ steely spirit” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A1)

Corporals Francisco Gomez and Jason Patrick Warren were killed and eight other Canadians were wounded on 22 July when their Bison truck encountered an explosion caused by a intentional collision with a small car packed with explosives and driven by a suicide bomber. Eight locals were killed and many more injured. This came at the end of three weeks of intensive fighting involving 600 Canadian soldiers.

Monday, 31 July “Base attacked” (Canadian Press, pg.A5)

Canadian soldiers came under attack west of Kandahar yesterday at Forward Operating Base Wilson, close to where troops have encountered heavy fighting with Taliban forces over the past few weeks. In the past few days, they have faced numerous rocket and other attacks near southern Afghanistan's infamous Highway One, in an area known as ambush alley.

7.8 August 2006

Tuesday, 1 August “NATO takes control” (Fisnik Abrashi, pg.A10)

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NATO took over command of insurgency-racked southern Afghanistan from the United States yesterday, and the top general, British Lieutenant-General David Richards, warned that he will “strike ruthlessly” against Taliban rebels when necessary. – See entries on 23 February, 16, 18 May, 8, 9, 29 September, 9, 31 October, 18, 28 November

Friday, 4 August “The bloodiest day yet” (Tim Albone, Terry Pedwell, pg.A1)

Four Canadians were killed and 10 injured on 3 August. Three of them died in what one soldier described as a well-planned ambush. The first attack yesterday came at 4:20 a.m., when a LAV III hit a roadside bomb, killing Corporal Christopher Jonathan Reid, 34, of Truro, N.S., and injuring another soldier who was in good condition last night.About three hours later, a second LAV hit what is believed to have been a pressure-activated mine, flipping it over and inflicting injuries on three Canadians. Only one was hurt badly enough to be taken to hospital, and he was said to be in good condition. The deadliest attack on Canadians came at about 12:30 p.m. yesterday when the troops were out of their vehicles and chasing insurgents on foot. Sergeant Vaughan Ingram and Corporal Bryce Jeffrey Keller were killed, along with another soldier whose name had not been released. Six other soldiers were injured in the battle, but the most seriously wounded was an Afghan national acting as their translator. The injured were taken to the British hospital in neighbouring Helmand province. A suicide bomber also hit a market in the same area, killing 21 civilians in an attack Afghan police say was meant to target Canadians. But no Canadians were hurt in that blast. “Opposition urges review of Afghan mandate” (Jeff Sallot, Campbell Clark, Gloria Galloway,pg.A10)

Canada’s mission in Afghanistan has turned from peacekeeping to combat and must be “refocused,” Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh said on 3 August. He argued that the mission was never supposed to be a combat one and that Canada should therefore discuss its role with the new NATO leadership. – See entry on 15 August

Tuesday, 15 August “Dosanjh has it wrong about the Afghan task” (Editorial, pg.A14)

The editors of The Globe charge that Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh has his facts incorrect. His own government made it clear that this was not just a peacekeeping mission. Its ministers told Canadians quite clearly that there would be fighting and there would be deaths, but that the goal of stabilizing Afghanistan and giving its people a chance to live a decent life was worth the risk. – See entry on 4 August

Monday, 7 August “His sacrifice will not be forgotten” (Dawn Walton, Tim Albone, pg.A4)

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MCpl. Arndt, 32, was riding in a G-wagon about 35 kilometres south of Kandahar as part of a convoy moving supplies to a Canadian base at Spin Boldak on the border with Pakistan when it slammed head-on into a civilian truck loaded with cattle. Three others were injured in the incident, including Cpl. Jared Gagnon and Cpl. Ashley VanLeuween, who arrived yesterday at the military medical facility in Landstuhl, Germany. Since April, 2002, 24 Canadian soldiers— and one diplomat—have been killed in Afghanistan.

Thursday, 10 August “Canadian soldier killed six days into Afghan tour” (Jeff Sallot, Omar El Akkad, pg.A1)

Military police believe the death yesterday of a Canadian soldier, Master Corporal Jeffrey Scott Walsh, who had been in Afghanistan just six days may be the result of a gun accident during a routine patrol. The soldier, who had just begun a six-month tour of duty, is the sixth Canadian to have died in Afghanistan in the past seven days. MCpl. Walsh is the 26th Canadian -- 25 soldiers and one diplomat -- to die in the line of duty in Afghanistan since 2002.

Friday, 11 August “Audacious bomb plot foiled in Britian; homegrown terrorist cell suspected; tough new rules imposed on air travel” (Doug Saunders, pg.A1)

The spectacular airline suicide-bombing plot that British police say they thwarted on 10 August appears to have been the work of a cell of English-born youths who were considered a remote threat until they suddenly began preparing to blow up a dozen jetliners within 48 hours. Officials from London Metropolitan Police said on 10 August that they had monitored the movements and activities of the group of 24 men, aged 17 to 35. Most of the suspects came from Pakistani families, although two of them were reportedly white British men who had recently converted to Islam. The men are alleged to have been planning to board between five and 12 airliners bound for New York, Washington and Los Angeles, probably leaving on 11 August.

Saturday, 12 August “Suicide strike kills Canadian” (Celeste Mackenzie, pg.A2)

A Canadian solider died in Afghanistan yesterday when a suicide bomber plowed an explosive- laden car into a military convoy, ending a long week of loss for Canada's military. The bomber in a white Toyota Corolla drove into a NATO convoy on the main road linking Pakistan with the southern Afghan province of Kandahar The soldier, who has not been named, was the seventh Canadian killed in little more than a week and the 26th to die since the mission in Afghanistan began.

Friday, 18 August “Taliban seek talks to end warfare with Canadians” (Graeme Smith, pg.A11)

Taliban fighters are seeking talks with international players in southern Afghanistan, marking a new phase in the diplomatic efforts to end the bitter warfare between Canadian troops and

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insurgents. Peace Through Strength, a government-funded mediation agency, has been quietly sending delegations from its Kandahar office to Taliban commanders in recent months with offers of amnesty, Afghan officials say. Those talks led to at least three defections by mid-level insurgent leaders, but failed to stop the escalating violence. The insurgents have told PTS negotiators they'd rather talk with the United Nations, believing that negotiations with foreigners are more likely to guarantee them protection from Canadian and other foreign troops operating in Kandahar. However, any UN mediation would require NATO co-operation, but so far the foreign troops have avoided any public admission that they're willing to negotiate with a force they regard as illegitimate. – See entry on 2 June 2009 – * Deceptive headline

Monday, 21 August “Canadians hammer Taliban” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canadian soldiers scored a major victory against Taliban insurgents on the 19 and 20August, pounding their opponents just hours after they took charge of security in one of Afghanistan’s most volatile regions. A heavy barrage from Canada's precision-guided artillery, apparently aimed using remote-controlled aircraft, helped Afghan and Canadian forces kill as many as 72 insurgents and protect a key district near Kandahar. As many as seven Afghan soldiers died in the battle, but no Canadians were injured and no civilian casualties were reported. It was an unusually clear-cut success in the notorious district of Panjwai, where previous battles have killed hundreds of Taliban fighters but also inflicted a deadly toll on local residents, Canadian soldiers and Afghan forces.

Wednesday, 23 August “Suicide bomb kills Canadian” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

On 22 August, a Toyota Corolla veered into a Canadian supply convoy. The car exploded, engulfing a LAV-3 armoured vehicle and a G-Wagon jeep. The blast killed one Canadian soldier, Corporal David Braun of CFB Shilo, Man., and injured three others. An Afghan child also died in the explosion, which set fire to nearby stores and two military vehicles. In the aftermath, two Afghans were shot as they sped towards the military checkpoint where the blast took place. An internal investigation has been launched. “Informant says attacks on Canadians are legitimate in Afghanistan” (Sonya Fateh, pg.A1)

Taliban attacks against Canadian and other foreign troops in Afghanistan are a legitimate response to invasion and the Harper government should bring its troops home, according to the Muslim activist who served CSIS and the RCMP as a key informant inside an alleged Toronto terror plot. This was revealed during an interview on 22 August, echoing his message quite loudly. – See entry on 23 August 2003

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Saturday, 26 August “Taliban blame foreigners for suicide bombings” (Canadian Press, pg.A14)

Faced with a public backlash in the birthplace of their movement, Taliban leaders in Kandahar are distancing themselves from recent suicide attacks. Letters from the province’s purported Taliban military council blame a breakaway faction of Taliban tied with "foreigners" for attacks that have killed Afghan civilians. – See entry on 2 July 2007, 8 September 2008

Wednesday, 30 August “O’Connor lands” (Canadian Press, pg.A12)

With Canada’s deadliest month in Afghanistan drawing near an end, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor touched down on 29 August to launch an attempt to boost troop morale. – See entry on 31 August, 2 September

Thursday, 31 August “O’Connor seeks boost for Afghan forces” (Graeme Smith, pg.A7)

Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor says he wants to send more money and equipment to help Canada’s mission in southern Afghanistan, acknowledging that the security situation hasn’t improved since Canadian troops arrived there in force earlier this year. – See entry on 3 May, 30 August, 2 September

7.9 September 2006

Saturday, 2 September “O’Connor wants Canadian troops in Pakistan” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canadian soldiers should join local forces fighting Taliban insurgents inside Pakistan, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor says, making a tentative first attempt at raising the explosive issue of foreign troops trespassing on Pakistani territory. Mr. O’Connor held meetings with several military and intelligence officials in Islamabad on 1 September in which he urged his counterparts to step up their actions against the insurgents who emerge from hideouts in Pakistan to attack Canadian troops in southern Afghanistan. – See entries on 30, 31 August

Tuesday, 5 September “U.S. error kills Canadian, stalls attack on Taliban” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

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Canadian soldiers were minutes away from launching an attack against the Taliban when a U.S. warplane mistakenly fired on them on 4 September, killing one soldier, injuring more than 30 others and forcing a pause in the Canadian battle plan to purge the Taliban from the restive Panjwai district. The troops had been camping on a hillside near the south bank of the Arghandab River, preparing for their third day of fighting against entrenched insurgents just north of the dry riverbed, when two A-10 Thunderbolt warplanes lumbered overhead. The strike killed Private Mark Anthony Graham, a member of the 1st Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment. Five other soldiers have been sent to other countries for treatment.

Wednesday, 6 September “Troops advance on Taliban” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canadian troops pushed deep into the warren of fields in Panjwai district this morning, hunting Taliban under bright moonlight after enduring hours of co-ordinated attacks by the insurgents. The soldiers crept forward on foot, into terrain so difficult that armoured vehicles could not advance for fear of getting stuck in the rutted fields, irrigation trenches and dry canals. It was the first major incursion by either side in the past 24 hours, in the continuing struggle for control of Panjwai district. Operation Medusa, launched four days ago to control the volatile region southwest of Kandahar city, has settled into a siege, with hundreds of Canadian troops and their allies encircling about 700 insurgents who fiercely defend their foothold near Afghanistan's second-largest city. “The Afghan mission is not a failure” (Omar Samad, pg.A17)

To thwart calls from those in Canada who say that the mission in Afghanistan is misguided or useless, Afghan ambassador Omar Samad wrote an open letter affirming that because of Canadian efforts, the country’s situation is improving greatly. – See entry on 20 July

Friday, 8 September “Canada needs more help fighting Taliban, allies told” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

Canada’s Defence Minister says Canadian troops cannot defeat the Taliban “militarily” in the dangerous southern part of Afghanistan and Canada is shouldering an unduly large part of the mission that has claimed 16 soldiers in the past three months. NATO’s top commander, meanwhile, appears to support Mr. O’Connor’s view that other countries must contribute more. – See entries on 9, 12, 29 September, 9, 31 October, 18, 28 November “Civilian deaths reported in Operation Medusa” (Graeme Smith, pg.A18)

At least 14 civilians have died in bombings of suspected Taliban compounds as part of the Canadian-led offensive against insurgents in the notorious district of Panjwai, according to local officials and villagers.

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Saturday, 9 September “Afghan mission likely to grow” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

More Canadian soldiers will likely be sent to Afghanistan to bolster a reconstruction team in the dangerous southern province of Kandahar and the military is dispatching new types of equipment to aid in the fight with the Taliban. NATO defence chiefs agreed at a meeting in Poland on 8 September that increased resources are needed to tackle a Taliban resistance that they concede was underestimated. Leaders of the alliance are calling on member countries to provide an additional 2,000 to 2,500 troops plus attack helicopters and transport aircraft. – See entries on 8, 12, 29 September, 9, 31 October, 18, 28 November “Canadians, U.S. troops score victory in rural battle” (Graeme Smith, pg.A19)

An estimated 20 Taliban killed in barrage to defend newly won land near Kandahar City while no Canadian casualties were sustained. The land was formerly a Taliban stronghold and was strategically valuable in securing the area around Kandahar City.

Tuesday, 12 September “We must ‘sacrifice’ to stop terrorists, PM says” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

Stephen Harper surrounded himself yesterday with relatives of the victims of the 9/11 terrorism attacks while delivering an emotional appeal aimed at reminding Canadians why their army is fighting in an increasingly controversial war in Afghanistan. Both Harper and Bush sought to remind North Americans of the struggle that Canada and the U.S. have endured over the last five years and why it is so crucial to keep pressing on. – See entries on 8, 9, 29 September, 9, 31 October, 18, 28 November – *Deceptive headline

Saturday, 16 September “U.S. pilot targeted Canadians’ trash fire (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthog pilot who strafed Canadian troops in Afghanistan, killing one and wounding dozens, mistakenly shot a blazing garbage fire just lit by the Canadians, after being told to target a fire at a suspected Taliban position. – See entries on 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29 April, 13, 15 May, 14, 28 June, 14, 20 September 2002 “Canada beefs up Afghan war commitment” (Bill Curry, pg.A15)

Canada is sending a squadron of Leopard tanks and at least 200 more troops to Afghanistan in response to new attacks and tactics from Taliban forces. At least 125 of the troops will be sent immediately from CFB Valcartier to boost security for the troops on reconstruction teams who help build schools, bridges and other humanitarian projects. The squadron of tanks and the soldiers needed to run them will better defend Canadians in direct combat and allow soldiers to “reach out and touch” the enemy, said General Rick Hillier, Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff.

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Tuesday, 19 September “Suicide bomber kills 4 Canadian troops” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

A suicide bomber on a bicycle killed four Canadian soldiers and injured perhaps 25 civilians yesterday, as the Taliban claimed a grisly victory less than one day after NATO forces announced they had seized control of an insurgent heartland. The explosion was part of a series of bombings across Afghanistan that left 19 people dead, giving the Taliban something to brag about as their leaders scrambled to regroup after Taliban fighters retreat from trenches southwest of Kandahar city.

Thursday, 21 September “House apologizes for Arar’s treatment” (Jeff Sallot, Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

The House of Commons apologized unanimously on 20 September to Maher Arar for Canadian involvement in his deportation from the United States and torture in Syria. Furthermore, the government said it has taken the names of Mr. Arar, his wife, Monia Mazigh, and their two small children off a border-watch list that is used to track terrorist suspects. – See entries on 7 August 2003, 3 November 2005, 10 August 2007

Friday, 29 September “NATO to take charge in Afghanistan” (Mark John, Kristin Roberts, pg.A14)

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed on 28 September to take command of peacekeeping across all of insurgency-hit Afghanistan next month after the United States pledged to transfer an extra 12,000 troops to the force. – See entries on 8, 9, 12 September, 9, 31 October, 18, 28 November, 27 January 2007

Saturday, 30 September “Canadian soldier killed by land mine in Afghanistan” (Graeme Smith, pg.A19)

A Canadian soldier died in a huge land-mine explosion on 29 September, hours after Canada’s top military commander arrived in Kandahar with a grim assessment of the situation in southern Afghanistan. The insurgency is rising, the pace of reconstruction is frustrating and the military needs new tactics to combat the Taliban, General Rick Hillier said, promising to give his troops whatever they need to overcome their opponents. Whoever planted the bomb appears to have sneaked into a cluster of villages known as Pashmul, roughly 15 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city, an area the Canadians had carefully cleared of insurgents in a massive operation more than two weeks ago. The dead soldier’s name, age and hometown were not released. Another suffered minor injuries. This brings the number of Canadian personnel killed to 38, including a diplomat.

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7.10 October 2006

Wednesday, 4 October “2 Canadians killed in Taliban ambush” (Jane Armstrong, pg.A1)

Two Canadian soldiers were killed and five others injured on 3 October in a fierce mortar ambush in Afghanistan’s turbulent Panjwai region, an area where Canadian commanders have boasted of decisive victories over Taliban insurgents. The besieged troops were providing surveillance for a road-building crew not far from where Private Josh Klukie was killed last week in a mine explosion. Killed in the twilight attack were Corporal Robert Thomas James Mitchell and Sergeant Craig Paul Gillam, both of the Royal Canadian Regiment based in Petawawa, Ont.

Monday, 9 October “Canada slams NATO’s Afghan role” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

Canada’s Defence Minister is confronting those NATO countries with troops deployed in relatively stable parts of Afghanistan—including Germany, France, Spain and Italy—saying they must lift the restrictions that prevent their soldiers from taking on the more dangerous tasks being shouldered by Canadians. – See entries on 8, 9, 12, 29 September, 31 October, 18, 28 November

Monday, 16 October “Treacherous Afghan road claims 2 more” (Jane Armstrong, pg.A15)

Two soldiers were killed on 14 October while patrolling the increasingly dangerous road construction project where Canadians have become prey for insurgents. Sergeant Darcy Tedford and Private Blake Williamson, both of the 1st Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment, became the fifth and sixth Canadians to die on the four-kilometre stretch of unfinished road since September.

Monday, 23 October “Critics slam Afghan naval mission” (Alex Dobrota, pg.A1)

Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor and Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier devised a plan to use Air Force and Navy members on the ground in Afghanistan. Experts charged against the idea, citing that it would take too long to implement and greatly reduce troop morale. They went on to say—above all else—that it was a sign of sheer desperation on behalf of the Department of National Defence. – See entry on 24 October

Tuesday, 24 October “O’Connor rules out ‘re-rolling’ in Afghan mission” (Alex Dobrota, pg.A4)

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Canada will not throw sailors or air-force members into ground combat in Afghanistan, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor said on 23 October. – See entry on 23 October

Wednesday, 25 October “Canadians go undercover in Afghanistan” (Paul Koring, pg.A19)

Embedded deep inside key ministries of the Afghan government, a handful of senior Canadian officers—all volunteers—are stretching the definition of military assistance. The high-powered, low-key and ambiguously named Strategic Advisory Team is the brainchild of General Rick Hillier, Chief of the Defence Staff. Gen. Hillier, who built a set of personal relationships while he was in Kabul that included President Hamid Karzai, created the concept of a small, experienced team of officers with high-level organizational and management experience and offered it to the Afghan government. The group is emerging from the shadows, although it remains conflicted about developing too public a profile. Too much publicity might compromise the group’s effectiveness, since no government wants to be seen to be responding too closely to the advice of foreign military officers. – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 31 October “More troops at risk, general warns” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

More Canadian soldiers will be killed but the cost in blood must be paid in Afghanistan unless Canadians want to fight Islamic jihadists at home, Brigadier-General David Fraser said on 30 October as he prepared to hand over command of NATO and Canadian forces in war-torn southern Afghanistan. – See entries on 8, 9, 12, 29 September, 9 October, 18, 28 November – * Deceptive headline

7.11 November 2006

Thursday, 2 November “Afghan south is now safer, general says” (Graeme Smith, pg.A20)

Brigadier-General Tim Grant gave his assessment of progress in Afghanistan on 1 November after assuming Canadian command in a modest ceremony at Kandahar Air Field, just hours after a suicide bomber injured three U.S. soldiers in an explosion about 12 kilometres from the base. Regardless, he said security for ordinary Afghans has greatly improved since Canadian soldiers took responsibility for the province of Kandahar earlier this year.

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Wednesday, 15 November “O’Connor on blitz to sell Afghan mission” (Jane Armstrong, pg.A4)

Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor kicked off a cross-country public-relations blitz on the Afghan war by arguing that terrorists must not be allowed back to the country where the Taliban and al-Qaeda once flourished. He warned of the horrors of the Taliban at a speaking engagement in Vancouver on 14 November. He will make similar claims in Calgary, Toronto and Quebec City within the next week. The blitz comes as a large number of Canadians are expressing concern about the Afghan mission and this country's role in it. Fifty-five per cent of respondents who took part in a poll conducted last month by the Strategic Counsel for The Globe and Mail and CTV said the price being paid by Canada is too high.

Saturday, 18 November “Remove restrictions on troops in Afghanistan, NATO chief says” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A6)

The limitations some European countries put on their troops threaten to divide NATO and undermine counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan, NATO Secretary- General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on 17 November while reminding allied nations that the organization is about ensuring mutual security and solidarity. But clearly some of the 26-member countries need to do more, he said via video link from Brussels to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, meeting in Quebec City. Namely, other countries must lift restrictions so that help can be given to Canadian, British and U.S. soldiers. – See entries on 8, 9, 12, 29 September, 9, 31 October 28 November

Monday, 27 November “Suicide bomber kills 2 Canadian soldiers, Afghan police say” (Associated Press, Reuter News Agency, pg.A1)

A suicide bomber detonated himself on the morning of 27 November near a convoy of foreign troops in southern Afghanistan, killing two Canadian soldiers and an Afghan civilian, police said. The attacker drove his car up to the convoy and then blew himself up, said Kandahar provincial police chief Ismatullah Alizai. Another civilian was wounded, and about 15 camels which were with a group of nomads were killed, he said.

Tuesday, 28 November “NATO’s steps to an Afghan win: defence, development, diplomacy” (Stephen Harper, Jan Peter Balkenende, pg.A25)

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende wrote an open letter to explain why allied nations are in Afghanistan, what achievements there have been, and what needs to happen next. Significantly, the letter unveiled the new approach of full defence, development and diplomacy efforts in Afghanistan. They both ratified their commitment to the cause and explained that the international committee will meet shortly and discuss this approach seriously and affirm a blueprint for the future.

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– See entries on 8, 9, 12, 29 September, 9, 31 October, 18 November, 12 January 2007, 27 February 2007 – * Deceptive headline

7.12 December 2006

Friday, 8 December “Canadians escape suicide strike” (Bill Graveland, pg.A21)

A suicide car bomber attacked a Canadian military convoy in Kandahar yesterday, reportedly killing and wounding several civilians but causing no casualties among the Canadians. Military officials said the bomber mistimed the attack.

Thursday, 21 December “Canadian aid” (Rheal Séguin, pg.A3)

The Minister of International Co-operation, Josée Verner, has announced $8.5-million in initiatives to help families in the Afghan province of Kandahar. Canada will contribute $4.5- million to Unicef to provide medical supplies, tents, blankets and educational material for 20,000 people, she said. The funds will also support a measles vaccination campaign for 189,000 children in the region. A $4-million contribution to the World Food Program will help about 31,000 displaced families affected by the war and drought. The initiatives are part of $20-million in non-military assistance set aside for the Kandahar region as part of a 10-year, $100-million-a- year program announced this year by the federal government to help the reconstruction of war- torn Afghanistan. – See entry on 7 June

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8 2007

8.1 January 2007

Monday, 1 January “Muslims pray for Canadian troops” (Caroline Alphonso, pg.A6)

Canadian soldiers who have died in Afghanistan were honoured yesterday in a special Muslim prayer service, believed to be the first of its kind in Canada. Despite their objections to Canada’s role in Afghanistan, the Muslim Canadian Congress, a small, progressive, secular group, organized the service to remember those who have died and to pray for the families of these soldiers. – See entries on 10 October 2001, 15 December 2001, 16 July 2005, 8 July 2006

Tuesday, 2 January “Afghan mission named top story of 2006” (Les Perreaux, pg.A4)

Canadians made a spectacular switch from Liberal to Conservative government in 2006, but a gritty little war half a world away was the overwhelming choice as the top Canadian news story of the year. In the annual poll by The Canadian Press and Broadcast News, the war in Afghanistan easily outranked the Conservatives’ electoral victory by a margin of 91-44. The Canadian soldier was chosen the Canadian Newsmaker of the Year in poll results announced last week.

Monday, 8 January “MacKay presses security, training in Kabul” (Bill Graveland, pg.A1)

Foreign Minister Peter MacKay arrived in Afghanistan yesterday to discuss the contentious Pakistani border security issue as well as the training of the Afghan army and police in order to keep Afghanistan moving forward. – See entries on 20 May 2009, 26 November 2009

Friday, 12 January “Winning hearts and minds, in Afghanistan and Canada” (Estanislao Oziewicz, pg.A12)

After nine months commanding NATO forces in battle-scarred southern Afghanistan, Brigadier- General David Fraser is back home selling the Canadian mission. In his dense media and lecture circuit, the main message, carefully scripted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government, is that Canadian troops are turning back the Taliban and helping to rebuild a shattered and destitute country. In doing so, Fraser is promoting the goal of winning the hearts and minds of Afghans and Canadians in order to achieve the mission.

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– See entries on 12 September 2006, 28 November 2006 – * Deceptive headline

Thursday, 18 January “Taliban plot new offensive on NATO” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

The Taliban have promised another season of death in southern Afghanistan, saying their fighting strength is undiminished by recent NATO attempts to destroy their leadership. The recent arrest of insurgent spokesman Mohammed Hanif turned into a political embarrassment for the Taliban on 17 January, as Afghan authorities distributed video copies of Mr. Hanif's confession. The well- known former mouthpiece for the insurgency described how the Taliban's top leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, hides in the Pakistani city of Quetta with the assistance of that country's Inter- Services Intelligence agency. – See entry on 6 February, 17 February “Accused terror-cell leader was determined to kill, paid informant tells CBC” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

The RCMP’s star witness in a coming terrorism trial appeared on national television on 17 January saying the ringleader of an alleged terrorism plot possessed “total indifference to innocent life.” Mubin Shaikh made many new allegations on CBC’s Fifth Estate. He even went so far as to don military fatigues as he revisited what is alleged to have been a terrorist training camp—in front of the cameras, while re-enacting his real-life role as a paid agent working undercover as an al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist instructor. – See entries on 6 May 2009, 15 January 2010

Monday, 22 January “Afghan mission all about retribution, crowd told” (Canadian Press, pg.A9)

Canada is fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan in “retribution” for the 11 September, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States that killed at least 3,000 people, including 25 Canadians, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor says. During his speech Mr. O’Connor also said Canadian soldiers are in the country because Afghanistan’s democratically elected government wants them there, because Canada has a responsibility to help as one of the world’s richest countries and because the war is in Canada’s own interest. Mr. O’Connor made the comments during a recent symposium attended by about 200 people, many from the military. – See entries on 12 September 2006, 28 November 2006

Thursday, 25 January “Ex-warlord urges Afghans to resist Taliban recruiting” (Canadian Press, pg.A16)

Canadian efforts to pacify a swath of parched farmland west of Kandahar have received a boost from a powerful tribal leader and former warlord. Mullah Naqib, a grey-bearded former

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mujahedeen commander, said he’s urging young, unemployed Afghan men in the districts of Panjwai and Zahri to resist insurgent recruiters.

Friday, 26 January “Bloc wants rethink on Afghan poppies” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A7)

The Canadian government has to work on an international strategy to purchase poppy crops from farmers in Afghanistan in order to stop the heroin trade and end the fighting in the war-ravaged country, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said on 25 January.

Saturday, 27 January “PM appoints point man for Afghan mission” (Campbell Clark, pg.A21)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is moving his foreign-policy adviser into a job as point man for Canada's initiatives in Afghanistan, signalling a shift in the tone of Canada’s efforts in the country toward aid and diplomacy efforts. David Mulroney, a career diplomat, was appointed yesterday as the No. 2 bureaucrat in the Foreign Affairs Department, but also handed responsibility for co- ordinating the Afghan initiatives of all government departments. – See entry on 28 November 2006 “Extra troops to bolster Canadians in Afghanistan” (Graeme Smith, pg.A21)

Thousands of extra troops will stand alongside Canadians to fight an insurgency that grew in military strength and ambition over the past year, NATO’s top commander in Afghanistan, British General David Richards, says. The reinforcements will include a battalion of experienced U.S. soldiers stationed with Canadian Forces at Kandahar Air Field and perhaps 6,000 more soldiers will be brought into the fight. – See entry on 26 September 2006

Tuesday, 30 January “Extended Afghan mission planned, critics say” (Gloria Galloway, pgA7)

Opposition MPs say documents generated by the Department of National Defence prove that the government intends to keep Canadian troops in Afghanistan long after the current commitment to the NATO-led force ends in 2009. A communications plan drawn up by General Rick Hillier, the Chief of the Defence Staff, in May of last year outlines Canada’s “five-year information strategy” for Afghanistan. The opposition charges that the duration of the strategy indicates an intent to maintain a Canadian presence in the war-torn country until 2011. – See entries on 20 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 17, 20 October, 26 December – * Deceptive headline

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8.2 February 2007

Thursday, 1 February “Afghan rebuilding plan fails to meet targets” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A12)

A five-year master plan for the reconstruction of Afghanistan that was compiled one year ago by Afghans and the international community has fallen well short of achieving its first set of benchmarks. The message coming out of a meeting held in Berlin on 31 January to discuss the progress of the Afghanistan Compact is that transition takes time and “state building is a long- term process.” David Sproule, Canada’s ambassador to Afghanistan who attended the two-day meeting of the Joint Co-ordination and Monitoring Board, the body established to ensure that the goals of the compact are met, said just seven of the twelve benchmarks set for 2006 had been completed.

Tuesday, 6 February “Military investigates claim Canadians abused detainees” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The Canadian military has launched an investigation into allegations of detainee abuse by soldiers in Afghanistan, The Globe and Mail has learned. Spokesperson Major Luc Gaudet confirmed yesterday that the military began its probe last week after being informed that the Military Police Complaints Commission—a civilian body formed to investigate complaints against the military— had received a request for an investigation into the treatment of several detainees. The commission is expected to decide within days whether to launch its own probe—a “public interest investigation”—into the allegations. At least one, and perhaps three, Afghan detainees were taken captive near Dukah and appear to have been beaten while in Canadian custody. – See entries on 1 March 2006, 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 “Taliban prepare for new offensive” (Graeme Smith, pg.A12)

Taliban fighters heavily occupy parts of Helmand province and must be confronted, a NATO official says, adding to recent indications that major battles are looming as spring arrives in Afghanistan. – See entry on 18 January, 17 February

Wednesday, 7 February “Hillier orders full inquiry into treatment of detainees” (Paul Koring, Daniel Leblanc, Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

Canada’s top soldier, General Rick Hillier, ordered a full-blown board of inquiry on 6 February to probe detainee treatment in Afghanistan as a political storm shook Ottawa over allegations that

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captives were beaten while in Canadian custody. Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor is also on board with Hillier’s plan. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 “PM outlines broad plan for Canada” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A4)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave a sweeping overview yesterday of the overtures he will make to Canadians in the politically tenuous months ahead, outlining a plan to extend the life of his government with tax cuts, an environmental strategy and a new direction in Afghanistan. He told the House that a new report will be released in the coming weeks that will summarize the progression and purpose of the mission in Afghanistan, and that an important announcement pertaining to the engagement will be made farther down the line.

Saturday, 10 February “A third probe for Afghan abuse claims” (Paul Koring, pg.A20)

The independent Military Police Complaints Commission on 9 February ordered a “public- interest investigation” into possible detainee abuse by Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, the third investigation into the case announced in a week. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Saturday, 17 February “Afghan spring will be deadly, Harper warns” (Gloria Galloway, Karen Howlett, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper cautioned on 16 February that a spring offensive threatened by the Taliban in Afghanistan will be both dangerous and deadly but Canadian forces will not shy away from the fight. Mr. Harper told reporters he has every expectation that the Taliban will launch a renewed attack during the spring and summer. Taliban commanders warned as recently as yesterday that they have deployed 10,000 fighters for a spring offensive of “bloody attacks” against foreign troops in Afghanistan. – See entries on 18 January, 6 February, 20 March

Tuesday, 20 February “Documents show troops will be in Afghanistan in 2011, NDP MP says” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

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The NDP accused the government on 19 February of harbouring a hidden agenda in Afghanistan, pointing to internal documents showing planned rotations for the Canadian Forces in Kandahar into 2011, two years past the current pullout date of 2009. An undated briefing document prepared for Chief of the Defence Staff General Rick Hillier shows plans to send the Royal Canadian Regiment to Afghanistan in February, 2010, and the Royal 22nd Regiment in August of that year. – See entries on 30 January, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 17, 20 October, 26 December “Canadian actions questioned in killings” (Graeme Smith, pg.A15)

Canadian soldiers have fatally shot an Afghan policeman and a homeless beggar during the latest in a series of bloody incidents that have tarnished the reputation of foreign troops in the city. The shooting happened after insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades and smaller weapons at a Canadian convoy, the first such attack within the city limits since Canada took responsibility for security in this dangerous province nearly 12 months ago. The Canadian military said the two people were mistakenly killed in the ensuing gun battle.

Wednesday, 21 February “Canadian military expands probe into prisoner-abuse allegations” (Paul Koring, pg.A16)

The scope of the military’s board of inquiry probing detainee-abuse allegations and the entire process under which Canadian troops turn captives over to Afghan security forces has been expanded. It will now include the entire chain of command up to Lieutenant-General Michel Gauthier, commander of Expeditionary Force Command, who was originally named as the convening authority for the inquiry. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Friday, 23 February “Canadians split on mission, but strongly support troops” (Paul Koring, pg.A18)

Four in 10 Canadians think it’s okay for Canadian soldiers to beat their captives in Afghanistan and nearly two-thirds doubt investigations into alleged detainee abuse will uncover the truth, according to an Ipsos-Reid poll. As three probes into allegations of detainee abuse gear up in both Ottawa and Kandahar, the poll results provide a revealing glimpse of a Canadian public torn over the Afghanistan military mission, yet strongly supportive of the troops. More than a third (37 per cent) of respondents said they believe Canadian troops “are involved with torturing” prisoners. Neither the allegations of abuse, its acceptance among many Canadians, nor the widespread doubts about the investigations have shaken the overwhelming support of 86 per cent of respondents who say the “military is doing a good job in Afghanistan.” – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February

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Saturday, 24 February “Security-law ruling puts Parliament on notice” (Kirk Makin, pg.A1)

The Supreme Court of Canada struck down the key provisions of controversial immigration security certificates on 23 February in a ruling of 9-0 as being grossly unfair to terrorism suspects, and the clock began to tick on a year-long grace period in which Parliament must fashion an acceptable substitute. The historic, unanimous decision left the law in limbo and muddied already unclear waters for the suspects directly affected by this ruling. The federal government will now have to scramble to find a mechanism that better balances civil liberties with national security. – See entry on 5 February 2008

Tuesday, 27 February “Afghan aid package to help teachers, police” (Alex Dobrota, pg.A4)

Looking to quell critics of the Afghanistan mission, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced an aid package on 26 February including $200-million of aid to pay teachers and police officers, revamp the country’s judicial system and help small entrepreneurs in the war-ravaged country. While he called the Canadian-led campaign in Kandahar province a “success of security,” he left the door open to an extension of the military's presence there past 2009. The new funds will be allocated as part of the coming budget, bringing Canada's total aid in reconstruction to Afghanistan to $1.2-billion to be paid by 2011. – See entry on 28 November 2006

Wednesday, 28 February “NATO off course, report concludes” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A9)

Gordon Smith, who was Canada’s NATO ambassador between 1985 and 1990, and a team of experts from across Canada will release a report tomorrow that says the current NATO policies are not on course to achieve the objectives of peace and stability in the country, “even within a period of 10 years.” Dr. Smith, who is also a former deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and is now director of the Centre for Global Studies at the University of Victoria, says recent announcements that will bring NATO's troop complement in Afghanistan to 37,000 will have little impact. In his report, entitled Canada in Afghanistan: Is it Working?, he says that “the most essential goal is to isolate Al Qaeda from the mainstream Taliban and to find incentives to dissuade the Taliban from a commitment to international jihadi violence.”

8.3 March 2007

Friday, 2 March “Pakistan arrests Taliban’s No. 3” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

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Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, the Taliban’s former defence minister, is considered one of the Taliban’s three most senior figures. Pakistani sources told Reuters and The New York Times that he was arrested several days ago. “Canada loses track of Afghan detainees” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The three detainees at the heart of multiple probes into allegations of abuse by Canadian soldiers have disappeared while in Afghan custody, a seemingly grave breach of the Canada-Afghan pact on detainee treatment, The Globe and Mail has learned. That poses significant challenges for the criminal probe and raises new doubts about government assurances that all detainees are properly treated and accounted for. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Wednesday, 7 March “Canadians to fight escaping insurgents” (Joe Friesen, pg.A1)

Canadian troops struck out from Kandahar before dawn on 6 March and rolled to the border of Helmand province as part of a large-scale NATO offensive against insurgents in Afghanistan. Operation Achilles, led primarily by British forces in conjunction with the Afghan National Army and police, is designed to bring stability to the troubled northern region of Helmand where insurgents and drug traffickers have free rein and the Taliban operate a shadow government. A mechanized infantry company with more than 200 Canadian troops is taking part in the initial stage of the operation. – See entry on 12 March “Military probes soldier’s death in shooting on Afghan base” (Joe Friesen, pg.A12)

A Canadian soldier died on the base in Kandahar on 6 March in an unusual shooting incident that's being probed by Canadian military investigators. Corporal Ronald Kevin Megeney, 25, of New Glasgow, N.S., was rushed to hospital in Kandahar early last night Afghanistan time, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Friday, 9 March “Jean makes surprise visit to Afghanistan” (Joe Friesen, pg.A13)

Governor-General Michaëlle Jean, whose titles include Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian military, had been trying for more than a year to visit Afghanistan, but was told each time the security situation was unsuitable. Finally, she made a surprise visit on 8 March, arriving first in Kabul in the morning to meet with President Hamid Karzai, and then flying to the Canadian base at Kandahar. “O’Connor’s untruth on the Afghan pact” (Editorial, pg.A16)

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The editors of The Globe explored Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor’s recent statements where he argued that the International Committee of the Red Cross is tasked with monitoring Afghan- Canadian detainee transfers. Once the Red Cross defended itself and said that they have no jurisdiction over such transfers, the editors write that Canadians were deliberately misled and that they are owed and explanation and apology from the minister. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Saturday, 10 March “Kandahar tribal leader injured in blast” (Joe Friesen, pg.A19)

A prominent tribal leader who helped curb Taliban influence in southern Afghanistan and played a controversial role in securing the release of a suspect in the death of a Canadian diplomat was attacked on 9 March in a roadside bombing outside Kandahar. Mullah Naqib, leader of the Alokozai tribe, was travelling with his two sons when a mine exploded under his vehicle. Mr. Naqib was injured but alive last night. His two sons were also badly hurt, as were his bodyguard, his driver and several bystanders. They were being treated at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization hospital at Kandahar Air Field.

Monday, 12 March “O’Connor surfaces in Afghanistan” (Joe Friesen, pg.A1)

Canadian Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on 11 March to learn more about the treatment of Afghan detainees after coming under fire in Parliament and admitting he was misinformed. He said he plans to meet with the head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission to ensure it is capable of monitoring the treatment of prisoners Canadian troops hand over to Afghan officials. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 2 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 – * Deceptive headline “Taliban, NATO both declaring early victories” (Joe Friesen, pg.A8)

Both sides are claiming early victories in renewed fighting in southern Afghanistan. The Taliban say they are beating back NATO troops taking part in the first major offensive of the year, and the alliance says it is making steady gains. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Jamal, a Taliban sympathizer with close ties to military commanders, said the Taliban have fought running battles with NATO in Helmand during the past six days, but are avoiding direct confrontation. NATO also declared success in the early part of its spring offensive, but acknowledged it had yet to

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expand the secure perimeter around the Kajaki dam, the central objective of Operation Achilles, which was launched earlier this week. – See entry on 7 March

Tuesday, 13 March “Soldier faces life sentence in comrade’s fatal shooting” (Jeff Sallot, pg.A1)

A Canadian soldier was charged on 12 March with manslaughter and negligent performance of duty in the shooting death of one of his comrades during a patrol along an Afghan highway last summer. The death, initially described by officers as a tragic accident, has been under investigation by the military’s National Investigation Service for more than seven months. The NIS said Master Corporal Robbie Fraser, a soldier based at Shilo, Man., faces the two charges in relation to the death of Master Corporal Jeffrey Walsh of Regina. Both men were experienced soldiers with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, a combat-hardened unit deployed to Kandahar last summer as part of the NATO force battling Taliban insurgents.

Thursday, 15 March “Prisoner transferred to Afghans vanished” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

A Taliban fighter captured by Canadians last summer went missing within hours of being placed in Afghan custody. The disappearance, recorded in documents forwarded to The Globe and Mail, underlines the pitfalls in the controversial agreement—signed between Canada and Afghanistan in 2005—to turn over Taliban prisoners to Afghan authorities. – See entries on 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Monday, 19 March “Afghans rejecting Canadian troops for Taliban, survey finds” (Doug Saunders, pg.A13)

Afghan civilians are increasingly turning against Canadian troops and their country’s government and toward support of the Taliban, according to a large-scale survey conducted in southern Afghanistan this month. In a survey released by the Senlis Council think tank, Afghan men in the Canadian-controlled areas of Kandahar province and in the neighbouring British- and U.S.- controlled regions say they are being driven to support the Taliban because of disillusionment with the NATO military effort and poverty created by the continuing conflict. A team of 50 researchers polled 17,000 Afghan men in randomly selected districts in the Kandahar, Helmand and Nangarhar provinces of southeastern Afghanistan between March 3 and March 12.

20 March “O’Connor apologizes to Parliament” (Paul Koring, Alex Debrota, pg.A26)

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Embattled Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor apologized yesterday to Parliament for “providing inaccurate information” about safeguards for prisoners captured in Afghanistan. He took full responsibility for the misunderstanding. – See entries on 6, 7, 10, 21 February, 2, 9, 12, 20 March, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April, 2, 4, May, 19 June, 9 July, 6 November “Hillier predicts renewed attacks” (John Ward, pg.A4)

Spring in Afghanistan will see Canadian soldiers facing renewed attacks by suicide bombers and roadside booby traps, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff warns. Gen. Rick Hillier acknowledged on 27 March that Taliban insurgents will step up their attacks as the weather warms. But he rejected the notion of a Taliban spring “offensive.” – See entries on 18 January, 6, 17 February “Suspect in diplomat’s death speaks” (Joe Friesen, pg.A19)

Pir Mohammed, the only man ever arrested in connection with the suicide bombing that killed a Canadian diplomat, appeared in public for the first time yesterday to proclaim his innocence. Mr. Mohammed was released for the second time Saturday by Afghan authorities, who suspected him of being involved in the January, 2006, attack that killed Glyn Berry, the director of Kandahar’s Provincial Reconstruction Team. The car carrying the suicide bomber was registered to Mr. Mohammed, who is a used-car salesman. He said yesterday that he sold the vehicle to another man before the attack took place. “My request for the Canadian government is not to bother decent people,” he said through translation. – See entries on 16, 17 January 2006

8.4 April 2007

Wednesday, 4 April “Afghanistan police to get RCMP help, Day pledges” (Canadian Press, pg.A12)

Canada is sending 12 more RCMP officers to train Afghan police and will encourage Pakistan to do more to prevent Taliban insurgents from crossing the border, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said on 3 April. During a quick visit to Kandahar, the minister shook hands with Afghan National Police officers and pledged Canada's continued support to make their country more secure. – See entry on 2 August 2005

Monday, 9 April “‘Our hearts ache for them,’ PM says” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

There was an audible gasp and immediate sense of unease among the audience of veterans and dignitaries when Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Canada's latest deaths in combat. The audience had just sat down for a celebratory Easter dinner to mark the 90th anniversary of the

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Battle of Vimy Ridge when Mr. Harper broke the news in a brief, hastily amended speech. “Sadly, today has been a difficult day in Afghanistan,” he told the hushed crowd. “We have learned that an incident has claimed the lives of six Canadian soldiers and injured a number of others.” The Prime Minister had planned to use the speech to evoke parallels between the challenges faced by Canadian soldiers in the First World War and those faced by Canadian troops in Afghanistan. Suddenly, those parallels seemed all too real. “Death of six Canadians shatters Afghan calm” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canada suffered its worst day in battle since the Korean War as six soldiers were killed on 8 April and two injured by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. The powerful strike on their LAV III armoured vehicle marked a stunning end to a relatively peaceful winter enjoyed by the Canadian troops, who had not suffered a death by enemy action in more than four months. The attack also signified the first major salvo from the Taliban in response to Operation Achilles, as thousands of NATO troops roll into Helmand province to confront insurgents openly defying government rule. Four soldiers who escaped the ruined vehicle were taken to a military hospital at Kandahar Air Field. Two were unhurt, one had minor wounds, but the fourth had serious though non-life- threatening injuries and was to be flown to Germany for further treatment. The Canadians were crowded into the LAV III about 75 kilometres west of Kandahar city along the boundary between Kandahar and Helmand provinces when the blast occurred around 1:30 p.m. Soldiers in Afghanistan have long admired the $3.5-million LAV for its ruggedness, praising its ability to withstand anti-tank mines, as well as volleys of grenades, rockets and mortars.

Thursday, 12 April “2 soldiers die in wave of Taliban bombings” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Two more Canadian soldiers died in a wave of Taliban bombings on 11 April, making this the military’s worst week on the battlefield in half a century. Three days after six Canadian soldiers died in a roadside explosion on Easter Sunday, a helicopter thundered into Kandahar Air Field last night and medical crews hurried onto the floodlit tarmac to unload a seriously injured soldier on a stretcher, while another staggered into the military hospital with his arms around two comrades. A second helicopter set down moments later, carrying the two bodies. By the end of the day, three explosions had injured three Canadian soldiers and raised the total of Canada’s war dead in Afghanistan to 53 soldiers and one diplomat. The two soldiers who died are Master Corporal Allan Stewart, 30, and Trooper Patrick James Pentland, 23, both of the Royal Canadian Dragoons based in Petawawa, Ont. Both men are from New Brunswick.

Saturday, 14 April “Deadly ‘IED cell’ aims to disrupt Canadian efforts near Kandahar, officials say” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canadians and their allies are hunting for a group of Taliban bombers who have infiltrated the farmland west of Kandahar from neighbouring Helmand province, military officials confirmed on 13 April. But the insurgents’ strike with an improvised explosive device in Zhari district this week, which killed two Canadians, does not mean the Taliban’s spring offensive has arrived, said

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Lieutenant-Colonel Rob Walker, the battle group commander. Nor does the bombing mean that the security situation in Zhari has deteriorated, he added.

Monday, 16 April “O’Connor envisions conflict lasting 15 years” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

Canada needs to acquire 120 new tanks to deal with another 10 to 15 years of conflicts in Afghanistan and other countries, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor said on 15 April on CTV's current affairs program Question Period, amid opposition concerns that the war is escalating. “When I talk about 10 or 15 years, I'm saying that’s an assessment from defence and government that if we were to go to other ventures like Somalia, or, I don't know, Darfur or whatever,” the new tanks will be needed, he said. He insisted he was not referring specifically to Afghanistan, saying “our commitment militarily is to the end of February '09,” and cabinet wasn’t scheduled to discuss the matter until next year. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 17, 20 October, 26 December – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 17 April “Sparks fly over length of Afghan deployment” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A4)

The federal Conservatives are escalating the conflict in Afghanistan with the purchase of 120 tanks, and harbouring plans to extend the mission beyond 2009, opposition members charged on 16 April. After a two-week parliamentary hiatus that saw eight Canadian soldiers lose their lives in the war-torn country, Liberal, Bloc Québécois and New Democrat MPs returned to Ottawa to accuse the government of sending conflicting messages about the duration of Canada’s involvement in the NATO-led deployment. Tories deny they have secret plans to extend Canada’s involvement past 2009. “Tank the misconceptions” (Gordon O’Connor, pg.A20)

Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor wrote into The Globe to specify that Canada’s military commitment will end in February 2009 and that the recent decision to purchase surplus tanks is to bolster the capability of the Canadian Forces and protect troops, rather than prepare for further warfare in Afghanistan. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Wednesday, 18 April “‘High-value’ detainee rejects al-Qaeda doctrine” (Colin Freeze, pg.A5)

To the United States, he remains al-Qaeda's logistics mastermind: a terrorist trainer and Osama bin Laden intimate, alleged to have been behind an attempt to blow up Los Angeles International Airport before moving on to help bankroll other attacks. Yet Abu Zubaydah describes himself

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differently. At a Guantanamo Bay hearing last month, the “high-value” detainee described himself as a hapless and tortured non-fighter, a travel agent, essentially, who had helped mujahedeen of all stripes enter and leave Afghanistan since the mid-1990s. “I disagreed with the al-Qaeda philosophy of targeting innocent civilians like those in the World Trade Center,” Abu Zubaydah said, according to the declassified transcript of his March 27 status-review hearing released on 16 April.

Thursday, 19 April “Elite soldier killed in mishap” (Graeme Smith, pg.A15)

Canada’s special forces suffered their first death during a mission yesterday, after a soldier fell from a communications tower in an apparent accident. The military did not give the precise time or location of the death, saying only that he was working in Kandahar city and that it was caused by an accident during a routine activity.

Friday, 20 April “Liberals being ‘unfair’ to soldiers, PM asserts” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A4)

The Liberals introduced a motion on 19 April asking Parliament to confirm that Canada’s military deployment in the war-torn country will end in February, 2009, and that the government will “notify NATO of this decision immediately.” Stephen Harper has accused the opposition Liberals of trying to capitalize on the deaths of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. – See entries on 30 January, 20 February, 16, 17 April

Monday, 23 April “From Canadian custody into cruel hands” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Savage beatings, electrocution, whipping and extreme cold: Detainees detail a litany of abuses by Afghan authorities. Afghans detained by Canadian soldiers and sent to Kandahar’s notorious jails say they were beaten, whipped, starved, frozen, choked and subjected to electric shocks during interrogation. In 30 face-to-face interviews with men recently captured in Kandahar province, a Globe and Mail investigation has uncovered a litany of gruesome stories and a clear pattern of abuse by the Afghan authorities who work closely with Canadian troops, despite Canada’s assurances that the rights of detainees are protected. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 “The truth Canada did not wish to see” (Editorial, pg.A18)

All of Canada’s assurances have proven false on the detention of prisoners handed over to the Afghan authorities. The prisoners appear to have been tortured, and Canada is hardly in a position to claim it did not know what was going on. At best, it tried not to know; at worst, it knew and

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said nothing. Among those who gave assurances that the prisoners were properly treated (or who rejected claims of prisoner abuse) are Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and Brigadier-General David Fraser. The editors of The Globe argue that O’Connor needs to explain why Parliament and Canadians should maintain confidence in him. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February, 2, 9, 12, 20 March, 24, 25, 26, 27 April, 2, 4, May, 19 June, 9 July, 6 November, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 24 April “PM defends policy on detainees” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A18)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper ignored growing allegations of torture in Afghan prisons and said on 23 April that Canadian soldiers will keep transferring detainees to local authorities in the war- torn country. He rejected arguments from the opposition and human-rights experts who argue that Canada is breaking international law by exposing prisoners to torture and that Minister of Defence Gordon O’Connor must resign as a result. Instead, the Prime Minister said that Canada’s current agreement with Afghan authorities contains the necessary safeguards after being beefed up by his government. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Wednesday, 25 April “What Ottawa doesn't want you to know” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The Harper government knew from its own officials that prisoners held by Afghan security forces faced the possibility of torture, abuse and extrajudicial killing, The Globe and Mail has learned. But the government has eradicated every single reference to torture and abuse in prison from a heavily blacked-out version of a report prepared by Canadian diplomats in Kabul and released under an access-to-information request. Initially, Ottawa denied the existence of the report, responding in writing that “no such report on human-rights performance in other countries exists.” After complaints to the Access to Information Commissioner, it released a heavily edited version this week. Among the sentences blacked out by the Foreign Affairs Department in the report's summary is “Extra judicial executions, disappearances, torture and detention without trial are all too common,” according to full passages of the report obtained independently by The Globe. – See entries on 6, 7, 10, 21 February, 2, 9, 12, 20 March, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April, 2, 4, May, 19 June, 9 July, 6 November

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Thursday, 26 April “Tories backtrack on monitoring detainees” (Daniel Leblanc, Alex Dobrota, pg.A1)

The Harper government buckled on 25 April and announced it has struck a new deal that provides Canadian officials with full access to the Afghan jails at the centre of the detainee-torture furor. After insisting all week that Canada's policy was adequate with regard to prisoners captured by Canadian troops and handed over to Afghan authorities, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor announced an additional deal to a parliamentary committee and at an improvised news conference afterward. An agreement has just been reached between the Canadian government and the head of the Afghan intelligence service in Kandahar province, where Canadian troops are in charge of NATO operations. The plan allows Canadian troops to enter Afghan detention facilities at any time. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Friday, 27 April “Ottawa stirs storm of confusion” (Daniel Leblanc, Campbell Clark, Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Under fire all week over the explosive issue of Afghan detainees, the Harper government continued to sow confusion on 26 April by saying that Canadian officials have been more active in safeguarding prisoners from mistreatment than previously made known. But officials in Canada and Afghanistan quickly contradicted government suggestions that Correctional Service Canada officials have been monitoring detainees in more than a dozen visits to Afghan jails and that access to the facilities has not been a problem. Two days ago, the government said there was a new deal to provide Canadian officials entry to Afghan jails, but yesterday Prime Minister Stephen Harper said officials have had access all along, and the government was now trying to make a formal deal in writing. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 “O’Connor a liability to a vital mission” (Editorial, pg.A20)

The editors of The Globe suggest that because of Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor’s carelessness in dealing with the detainee torture ordeal that he should be forced to resign by Harper. – See entries on 6, 7, 10, 21 February, 2, 9, 12, 20 March, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April, 2, 4, May, 19 June, 9 July, 6 November

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8.5 May 2007

Wednesday, 2 May “Hillier pushed flawed detainee plan” (Paul Koring, Brian Laghi, Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

The Department of Foreign Affairs was pushed to the sidelines when Canada struck its detainee- transfer deal in Afghanistan, two senior government sources have told The Globe and Mail. The sources blame the Department of National Defence and specifically Chief of Defence Staff, General Hillier, for the mismanagement of the detainee file. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 – * Deceptive headline

Friday, 4 May “Ottawa unveils stringent rules to monitor treatment of detainees” (Campbell Clark, Paul Koring, pg.A4)

Stephen Harper’s Conservative government bowed to a storm of criticism at home and abroad, striking a new deal with far more stringent safeguards on the treatment of detainees transferred to Afghanistan's jails by Canadian troops. The deal, signed in Kabul on 3 May, provides not only direct access for Canadian monitoring—similar to agreements obtained by the British and Dutch—but also guarantees that Afghanistan will notify Canada before any are tried, and that detainees will be kept in a limited number of jails to make monitoring easier. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2 May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Friday, 11 May “Kabul detains Canadian citizen” (Graeme Smith, Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Afghan police have detained a Canadian citizen on suspicion that he attended a militant training camp, sources say, marking the first time in almost five years that a Canadian has been arrested in Afghanistan for possible involvement with the insurgency. Police took the young man into custody at a bus station in Kabul within the past few days, sources say, and Afghan authorities continue to hold him for investigation at a compound belonging to the Ministry of Interior. His name was not released, but he was identified as a 24-year-old of Pakistani origin who previously lived in Calgary. He was carrying a Canadian passport at the time of his arrest. The Foreign

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Affairs Department in Ottawa confirmed that a Canadian had been arrested, and said that embassy staff have consular access.

Friday, 18 May “Ten killed in Kandahar bombings” (Murray Campbell, pg.A15)

Deadly co-ordinated attacks in downtown Kandahar—including one aimed at the provincial governor—killed 10 people on 17 May and raised fears that local residents are increasingly becoming the target of the Taliban insurgency.

Wednesday, 23 May “Pugnacious Musharraf backs talks with Taliban” (Sonya Fatah, pg.A1)

Peace in Afghanistan will not come at the barrel of a gun, Pakistan’s besieged President, Pervez Musharraf, said in a wide-ranging interview in which he suggested talks with the Taliban could be necessary to bring stability to the war-torn country. He highlighted that only the military component of the engagement is currently working, but that there will likely be further opportunities for negotiation between the warring parties. – See entry on 2 June 2009 “Karzai sings Canada’s praises to visiting PM” (Paul Koring, pg.A19)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will visit Canadian troops battling resurgent Taliban extremists today after spending 22 May on an unannounced visit to Kabul, where he was showered with accolades and gratitude from President Hamid Karzai. Mr. Karzai was extended and eloquent in his effusive praise of the Canada’s effort to rebuild Afghanistan.

Thursday, 24 May “No early exit for Canadian forces, Harper says” (Paul Koring, pg.A18)

There will be no early exit for Canada’s fighting forces in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on 23 May before heading home from a two-day visit to the war-ravaged nation, where tens of thousands of foreign troops are battling a fierce Taliban insurgency. The Prime Minister offered the clearest indication yet that the 2,000 Canadian soldiers will be fighting in Kandahar province—heartland of the Taliban—past the mission’s current February, 2009, commitment. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 5,22, 23 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Friday, 25 May “Canadians lead major assault on the Taliban” (Murray Campbell, pg.A23)

Canadian troops today launched their most ambitious assault on the Taliban in nearly two months entitled Operation Hoover. Shortly after dawn, a multinational force including Canadians,

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Afghans, Portuguese and British, began an operation designed to flush out Taliban believed to be in the area near the Arghandab River. Canadian and other coalition forces fell into place on the north bank of the river. Within minutes, the troops began a sweeping operation near Ghundy Ghar, about 14 kilometres from Ma’sum Ghar, in an attempt to drive Taliban forces into an entrenched force of Canadian and other coalition soldiers. This was accompanied by a push by a large number of Canadian tanks and armoured vehicles. As they got into position, one tank was hit by a buried bomb—an improvised explosive devise—as the battle began. The vehicle was immobilized but no injuries were reported. – See entry on 26 May

Saturday, 26 May “Soldier’s death the first among those leading ‘next evolution’” (Murray Campbell, Timothy Appleby, Graeme Smith, Ingrid Peritz, pg.A1)

Amid a major anti-Taliban offensive, Operation Hoover, Canada’s death toll in Afghanistan rose to 55 on 25 May when a soldier patrolling with Afghan troops was killed by an improvised explosive device he stepped on west of Kandahar city. The soldier was identified as Corporal Matthew McCully, 25, a signals operator from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron based at Petawawa, outside Ottawa. Part of Canada’s Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team involved in training Afghan troops in battle logistics, Cpl. McCully was felled by an antitank mine that exploded shortly after the sweep for the Taliban began at dawn. A second Canadian soldier was injured in the blast, as was an Afghan interpreter. – See entry on 25 May

Thursday, 31 May “Canadian dead in NATO helicopter crash” (Associated Press, pg.A8)

A Canadian is among seven soldiers who died when a Chinook helicopter was apparently shot down on the night of 30 May, a U.S. military official said. Initial reports suggested the helicopter was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade, said the U.S. official, who insisted on speaking anonymously because the crash was still under investigation. NATO said there were no survivors. The Taliban have reportedly claimed responsibility.

8.6 June 2007

Tuesday, 5 June “Afghan minister wants Canada to extend mission” (Murray Campbell, pg.A14)

Afghanistan’s Rural Rehabilitation Minister Mohammad Ehsan Zia said on 4 June that the lives of ordinary Afghans are slowly improving, but called on the international community to show a bit of patience. He likened the country to someone trying to run while still tying his shoelaces. Asked whether Canada should extend its mission beyond the February 2009 deadline in place, the minister replied, “Our expectation is that the international community and the Canadian

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government and the Canadian people who have endured sacrifices and casualties in Afghanistan should not leave the job half done.” – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 23 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Tuesday, 12 June “Soldier killed in roadside bombing” (Canadian Press, pg.A17)

The Canadian military says another soldier has been killed in Afghanistan, bringing the total death count to 57. Two other soldiers were wounded in the attack. Trooper Darryl Caswell, 25, of the RCD Reconnaissance Squadron, 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR) Battle Group, died in a roadside bombing yesterday, Colonel Mike Cessford said. The attack happened 40 kilometres north of Kandahar city at 6:25 p.m. local time. CTV reported that it happened in an area not visited by Canadian forces in a while. A large convoy was making its way north. – See entry on 14 June

Thursday, 14 June “Insurgents massing in volatile district” (Graeme Smith, pg.A8)

The district where a Canadian soldier died this week has been infiltrated by Arab and Chechen fighters who form the notorious hard core of the insurgency, a senior military official says. The roadside bombing that killed Trooper Darryl Caswell on Monday was part of a struggle for control of the volatile Shah Wali Kot district, said Lieutenant-Colonel Rob Walker, the battle group commander, describing the area as a sanctuary for foreign militants. Pressure from NATO forces has so far prevented the Taliban from forming into large attack groups of the kind witnessed last year, Lt.-Col. Walker said, but the insurgents have been concentrating themselves in Shah Wali Kot, a vast district north of Kandahar city where the dry flatlands rise into the foothills of the Hindu Kush. – See entry on 12 June

Monday, 18 June “Deadly bus bomb brings carnage to Kabul” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Afghanistan endured its worst day of attacks since the Taliban insurgency began, as a spectacular bombing killed at least 35 people and showered bits of flesh and broken glass over morning crowds at the busiest intersection in the capital. Three soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition and an interpreter were also killed in the afternoon by a roadside bomb outside of Kandahar City. The Taliban proudly claimed the attack a success.

Tuesday, 19 June “Warring sides in Afghan debate set to collide on Quebec streets” (Ingrid Peritz, pg.A1)

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Anti-war protesters will confront Afghanistan-bound troops in Quebec City Friday as a sign of the tension in Canada's most anti-war province. Organizers plan a countermarch to oppose what is intended to be a high-profile send-off parade by the Royal 22nd Regiment at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier. More than 2,000 soldiers of the Vandoos and other regiments are to take part in a support-the-troops parade as part of a public-relations offensive to try to win the hearts of Quebeckers, who consistently show the lowest level of support for the Afghan mission. – See entries on 16 July, 4, 20, 23 August “No-fly list grounds up to 2,000 people” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

As many as 2,000 people have secretly been declared security threats by government officials, including CSIS and the RCMP, and will be denied airplane boarding passes as a result of the Canadian no-fly list that went into effect on 18 June. Critics say the list must be scrapped because it jeopardizes fundamental human rights to privacy, liberty and the freedom of movement. But Transportation Minister Lawrence Cannon says the new program, called Passenger Protect— which passed its first full day yesterday without any problems—has been thoroughly assessed to ensure it does not violate rights guaranteed under the Constitution. – See entry on 6 August 2005 “Deployment tarnished by allegations of detainee abuse, committee reports” (Brian Laghi, pg.A7)

Canada's effort in Afghanistan has been marred by the controversy involving the handover of Afghan detainees and deaths of civilians, the House of Commons defence committee says in a long-awaited report. The committee, which issued the report on 18 June, also called for a debate to take place one year from now to decide whether Ottawa should extend the mission that has already cost the lives of 58 Canadians. The report also says that the army's role is not well understood by the general voting public. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 9 July 2007, 22 September 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 “Taliban, civilians die in fierce battles” (Noor Khan, Associated Press, g.A14)

Teams of newly trained suicide bombers are being sent to the United States, Canada, Britain and Germany, according to evidence contained on a new videotape obtained by ABCNews.com. Teams assigned to carry out the attacks were introduced at an al-Qaeda/Taliban training-camp ceremony held June 9. U.S. intelligence officials, however, described the event as another example of “an aggressive and sophisticated propaganda campaign.”

Wednesday, 20 June “Taliban threat to Canada just a stunt, officials say” (Colin Freeze, pg.A6)

A Taliban commander’s pledge to send hundreds of suicide bombers to Canada and other Western countries is a disturbing but highly implausible publicity stunt, say top security officials

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who are struggling to deal with threats already present in Canada. ABC News obtained footage this week of a reputed Taliban graduation ceremony. In it, a top commander lines up about 300 young training-camp graduates. Then he announces plans to send them on missions to the United States, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom in retaliation for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s presence in Afghanistan. Yesterday, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day called the video a desperation tactic. “The Taliban are aware that our troops cannot be intimidated ... so they are trying, through public-relations means, to worry the hearts of Canadians at home,” he told reporters. He added that while he takes threats seriously, he feels confident that intelligence and border officials could stop any suicide bombers.

Thursday, 21 June

“Bombing kills 3 unprotected Canadians” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Three Canadian soldiers died on 20 June in a brazen bomb attack on their unarmoured all-terrain vehicle during a short trip through a patch of farmland that the troops believed was firmly within their control. The troops were ferrying supplies between checkpoints, making a drive of only a few hundred metres through a warren of grape fields within the comforting shadow of Sperwan Ghar, a hilltop Canadian forward base 35 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city. They were about six kilometres west of the base when the explosion hit at 8 a.m. local time, officials say, killing Corporal Stephen Frederick Bouzane, 26, Private Joel Vincent Wiebe, 22, and Sergeant Christos Karigiannis, all of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.

Friday, 22 June “Stay past 2009, NATO chief urges” (Gloria Galloway, Ingrid Peritz, pg.A7)

NATO's Secretary-General said on 21 June that he realizes the mission his organization is leading in Afghanistan is a hard sell in Canada—especially in a week when three more soldiers have given their lives. However, he went on to say that “please, I would ask, continue to do this, because we have come a long way. Let’s go on and make construction and development possible,” Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters before speaking to an international economic conference. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Saturday, 23 June “Troops won’t stay unless all parties agree, PM says” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who once insisted that Canadian troops will stay in Afghanistan until the job is done, now says the military mission will end in February, 2009, unless the opposition agrees it should be extended. The acceptance that the mission’s lifespan may be limited comes as the Prime Minister faces growing opposition to Canada’s combat role in the Afghan south—a decline in support that has been particularly pronounced in Quebec.

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– See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 22 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

8.7 July 2007

Monday, 2 July “How Taliban exploit civilian casualties” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

The scene of Afghanistan’s latest civilian bombing was still smoking, the injured still moaning in the dust, when villagers witnessed the Taliban’s ability to exploit the carnage for propaganda. Armed insurgents arrived almost immediately at the blasted patch of desert near Hyderabad in Helmand province, villagers say—speaking in grateful tones about the gunmen who helped them recover the bodies and ferry the injured to hospitals. In the two days since the overnight bombing left an unknown number of people dead on Saturday morning, residents say the Taliban have been busy drumming up support in the affected area, offering rudimentary medical care, and even helping journalists arrange telephone interviews with relatives of the victims. – See entry on 26 August 2006, 8 September 2008

Thursday, 5 July “Taliban adopt deadly Iraqi tactics” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Six Canadian soldiers and their interpreter died yesterday as the Taliban continued to launch bold attacks inside zones considered mostly pacified, shifting their tactics toward the kind of bombings that have proved devastating in Iraq. About a dozen military vehicles, Canadian and Afghan, were driving west along a gravel road after finishing a search of a village about 20 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city, when a powerful bomb detonated at 11 a.m. local time. Recent Taliban advances in building more powerful explosives have continually challenged Canada’s ability to protect its soldiers. – * Deceptive headline “Canadian troops will leave in 2009, Dion says” (Alan Freeman, pg.A5)

While mourning the death of six more Canadian soldiers, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion served notice to Prime Minister Stephen Harper that he can forget the idea of persuading the three main opposition parties to agree on extending Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan past February, 2009. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Monday, 9 July “Hillier muzzles military over detainees” (Alan Freeman, Jeff Esau, pg.A1)

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The office of General Rick Hillier, Canada’s top soldier, has halted the release of any documents relating to detainees captured in Afghanistan under the federal Access to Information Act, claiming that disclosure of any such information could endanger Canadian troops. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 22 September 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 10 July “Taliban shift tactics to lure Canadians out of Kandahar” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Taliban attacks in a remote district of northern Kandahar have lured Afghan and Canadian forces into a series of bloody rescue missions in recent days as the insurgents increasingly seize upon the political value of far-flung administrative outposts. Geographically, the region of Ghorak is not of value, but it is of increasing political value. Coalition forces and the Afghan National Police must ensure that it does not fall to the Taliban so that they cannot control any area of Afghanistan once again. “Canada unlikely to launch terror-threat index” (Sean Patrick Sullivan, pg.A7)

A threat-level index like those used in England and the United States would be more likely to sow confusion among Canadians than inform them in the event of a terror threat, an assistant deputy minister with Public Safety Canada said on 9 July at a disaster management conference.

Friday, 13 July “Change tune on war, PM told” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

The Harper government has been told to stop referring to “fighting terrorism” and the 11 September attacks, and to banish the phrase "cut and run" from its vocabulary if it is to persuade a skeptical public that the military mission in Afghanistan is worth pursuing. A public-opinion report says only 40 per cent of respondents across Canada, and almost none in Quebec, support the deployment. To change the perceptions, it recommends putting the emphasis on “rebuilding,” “enhancing the lives of women and children,” and “peacekeeping.” The report to Foreign Affairs was prepared last month by The Strategic Counsel. It paints a bleak picture of weak public support for the military mission, for which the firm blames “unbalanced, mostly negative” media coverage of the war and misperceptions about the mission’s purpose. Only 40 per cent of Canadians support the mission, according to Strategic Counsel data. And the firm says the public views information from Ottawa “through a thick lens of cynicism.” The report continues to explain that much of Canadians believe that most of what the government says is propaganda. – See entry on 19 July

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Monday, 16 July “Vandoos ship out amid skepticism in Quebec” (Rheal Seguin, pg.A1)

About 200 soldiers from the Valcartier military base gathered for their departure to Afghanistan on 15 July. They are the first contingent from a group of 2,500 mostly Quebec-based soldiers, many from the famed Royal 22nd Regiment, or Vandoos, being deployed for their Afghan tour of duty at a time when the mission has become increasingly unpopular among Quebeckers. – See entries on 19 June, 4, 20, 23 August

Wednesday, 18 July “Canadians clash with Taliban near Kandahar” (Graeme Smith, pg.A19)

Canadian troops fought a battle just a few minutes drive from the edge of Kandahar city on 17 July, as the insurgents once again pushed dangerously close to the provincial capital. The firefight did not kill or injure any Canadians or their allies, and it lasted only a few hours. Its location was significant, however, as the gunfire and air strikes tore across farmland only 12 kilometres west of the city limits, near the village of Makuan.

Thursday, 19 July “Tories launch bid to restore anti-terror powers” (Colin Freeze, pg.A4)

The Conservative government is launching a bid to recover controversial anti-terrorism powers as early as this fall—and revive a wedge issue that could force the Liberals into another wrenching internal debate. The Anti-terrorism Act, passed in 2001, bestowed extraordinary powers upon government agents in an attempt to help them thwart terrorist plots. Because these measures treaded on conventional civil liberties, a built-in “sunset clause” meant that Parliament periodically had to vote to renew them. They expired during winter 2007 and had never been used since 2001. “Canadians cool to extending mission” (Brian Laghi, Alan Freeman, pg.A13)

Canadians would be more likely to support extending the military mission in Afghanistan if they were convinced it would protect the rights of women and children, according to a new poll. The results of the wide-ranging poll also suggest that Canadians are ill at ease with the fact that their country’s traditional role as an international peacekeeper is being transformed. Almost two-thirds say Canada’s military role should be to act under the United Nations in a pacification role rather than as a combatant. The poll, conducted by the Strategic Counsel for The Globe and Mail/CTV News, suggests that the best way for Mr. Harper to obtain a consensus to extend the mission would be to argue that Canada has a duty to safeguard the humanitarian gains of Afghan women and children. When asked to list the most important factors in considering an extension, 81 percent of those surveyed listed the rights of women and children. Sixty-eight percent mentioned the likelihood of a terrorist attack on the West, including Canada, as being an important factor. The poll of 1,000 Canadians was conducted 12 to 15 July and is accurate to within 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20. – See entry on 13 July

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Monday, 23 July “O’Connor predicts fast exit from front lines” (Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

As Afghan army is trained for heavier fighting, Canadians will likely start moving to a reserve role according to Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor speaking on CTV’s Question Period on 22 July. He laid out a speedy timetable yesterday for Canada's departure from the Afghanistan front lines, saying up to 3,000 Afghan troops are being trained over the next five months to take over the heavier fighting. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December “Afghan police chief asks Canada to stay” (Martin Ouellet, pg.A4)

Canada would be committing a grave error by pulling its troops out of Afghanistan by 2009, the newly appointed police chief of Kandahar said on 22 July. Sayed Aka Sakib also urged NATO countries to maintain their presence on Afghan soil for as long as it takes to quell the terrorist threat and stabilize the region. – See entries on 30 January, 20 February, 16, 17 April, 5 June, and 31 August

Friday, 27 July “Close call for top Canadian in Kandahar” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

A suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden van into a convoy carrying Canada’s top military commander, Brigadier-General Tim Grant, in Afghanistan on 26 July. After the huge blast, one armoured vehicle lay on its side off the road, but it remains uncertain whether it had been rammed by the suicide bomber or whether the driver managed to avoid the attack and then the top-heavy vehicle toppled as it hit the ditch. Gen. Grant was unhurt. He was travelling in another vehicle. No other Canadians or Afghans passersby were injured.

Monday, 30 July “Training Afghans will take ‘a long while’” (Paul Koring, Erin Anderssen, pg.A1)

Top Canadian military commanders voiced doubts on 29 July about how rapidly the Afghan National Army can shoulder the fighting load—raising the possibility of NATO pressure to extend Canada’s Afghanistan mission past the current commitment that expires in February 2009. In Ottawa, General Rick Hillier seemed to contradict Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor’s optimistic predication that the Afghans would be taking on most of the front-line combat by next spring in Kandahar province, where Canada’s powerful battle group is waging a tough counterinsurgency war against the Taliban. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December, 20 May 2009, 26 November 2009

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8.8 August 2007

Wednesday, 1 August “Too soon for Canada to pull out, Kabul says” (Paul Koring, pg.A11)

Afghan forces are too weak to defend Kandahar and if Canada’s heavily armed battle group were pulled out, efforts to rebuild the war-torn province would collapse, a senior minister in the Afghan government, Mohammed Ehsan Zia, said on 31 July. Fully aware of the debate in Canada over extending the duration of the Canadian military commitment, he said that if Canadian troops were to leave Kandahar now, then “what has been achieved will collapse.” – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Saturday, 4 August “A tough trek begins for the Vandoos” (Alex Dobrota, pg.A13)

The Vandoos made their first trip deep into Taliban territory yesterday, in a tense patrol of two villages north of Kandahar city where insurgents have recently staged a string of ambushes against Afghan government forces. – See entries on 19 June, 16 July, 20, 23 August

Tuesday, 7 August “Karzai dismisses ‘defeated’ Taliban” (Paul Koring, pg.A11)

Afghanistan’s leader, Hamid Karzai, dismissed the Taliban as “defeated” on 6 August in a press conference with U.S. President George Bush, saying the doctrinaire Islamic insurgency poses no threat to his government and has been reduced to terrorizing ordinary Afghans. Despite the insurgency still raging across much of southern Afghanistan and the more than 40,000 foreign troops currently waging war against them, President Karzai said the Taliban is “a force that’s defeated. It’s a force that is frustrated. It’s a force that is acting in cowardice by killing children going to school.”

Friday, 10 August “Ottawa sacrificed Arar to save face with U.S., Syria” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

Justice Dennis O’Connor’s report that outlined the chronology of the Maher Arar case is now available without any caveats. Arar, it seems, was sacrificed to the Americans and then the Syrians because of intense pressure from the Central Intelligence Agency. The federal government refused to disclose this information, which Justice O’Connor wanted to make public, until a Federal Court judge ordered it to, because intelligence agencies will go to any length to avoid identifying each other as sources—especially when faced with a thick national security agenda and immensely complex work being carried out by both agencies.

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– See entries on 7 August 2003, 3 November 2005, 21 September 2006 – * Deceptive Headline “Arar tortured after RCMP handed files over to CIA” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Canada suspected Maher Arar was to be sent to the Middle East to be tortured after the RCMP gave intelligence to the CIA, newly uncensored documents reveal. After a legal fight that pitted the Arar commission against the government, final disclosure of almost all of Mr. Justice Dennis O’Connor’s findings was completed yesterday. Although roughly 500 words remain secret, the new material gives the clearest picture yet of what led to the Ottawa engineer being sent to Syria, where the O’Connor report found he was tortured. – See entries on 7 August 2003, 3 November 2005, 21 September 2006

Wednesday, 15 August “Shuffle marks shift in Afghan approach” (Campbell Clark, Jane Taber, pg.A1)

In a major cabinet makeover, Prime Minister Stephen Harper dropped one member, added a junior minister and switched the posts of eight others, including many top-tier portfolios such as Defence and Foreign Affairs. And he created a new economic policy strongman at the Industry Department by sending trusted lieutenant Jim Prentice there. Mr. Harper moved Gordon O’Connor, blamed for a brittle and contradictory message on the Afghan mission, out of Defence to the low-profile National Revenue post. Nova Scotian Peter MacKay, younger and better known, moved from Foreign Affairs to take his place. That opened room for Quebecker Maxime Bernier to go from Industry to Foreign Affairs.

Saturday, 18 August “Two Canadians hurt in roadside bombing” (Martin Ouellet, pg.A15)

Taliban insurgents struck twice in Kandahar's dangerous Zhari district on 17 August, killing the district chief and his three young children in a suicide blast and injuring two Canadian soldiers with a roadside bomb.

Monday, 20 August “Roadside bomb claims Vandoos rifleman” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A1)

Private Simon Longtin, a 23-year-old rifleman with Charlie Company’s 2 Platoon of the Vandoos was killed when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in the volatile Panjwai district outside of Kandahar on 19 August. – See entries on 19 June, 16 July, 4, 23 August

Wednesday, 22 August “Troops doing ‘fabulous job,’ Bush says” (Alan Freeman, pg.A4)

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Speaking at the closing news conference of an abbreviated North American summit with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Caldero, U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday praised Canadian troops for the “fabulous job” they are doing in southern Afghanistan but gave no hint as to how NATO would cope with the scheduled end of the Canadian combat mission in February, 2009.

Thursday, 23 August “Quebec grieves as two more are slain” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A1)

Two soldiers from the Royal 22nd Regiment of Quebec and their Afghan interpreter were killed yesterday, and two Radio-Canada television journalists injured, when the light-armoured vehicle in which they were travelling hit a roadside bomb. The incident occurred in the volatile Zhari district about 40 kilometres west of Kandahar early on the evening of 22 August in Afghanistan. Another soldier was also hurt. One of the dead was identified last night as Master Corporal Christian Duchesne, based in Valcartier. Reporter Patrice Roy and cameraman Charles Dubois, of the French service of the CBC, were travelling as embedded journalists with Bravo Company of the 3rd Battalion of the Vandoos, as members of the Royal 22nd are called. – See entries on 19 June, 16 July, 4, 20 August

Friday, 24 August “Portion of 401 to become ‘Highway of Heroes’” (Melissa Juergensen, pg.A6)

A stretch of Ontario highway that's become a sombre repatriation route for soldiers killed in Afghanistan, drawing impromptu gatherings of mourners saluting that sacrifice, is set to be renamed in their honour. The 170-kilometre section of Highway 401 between CFB Trenton where the flag-draped coffins of fallen soldiers arrive and the forensics centre in Toronto that receives them has been dubbed the Highway of Heroes.

Thursday, 30 August “Soldier’s death leaves only dreadful possibilities” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A16)

An unidentified Canadian soldier was discovered early yesterday morning, dying of a gunshot wound, in his room at the International Security Assistance Force to Afghanistan, or ISAF, headquarters. Despite efforts of medics to save him, he was pronounced dead about an hour later, at 7:30 a.m. Kabul time. He was the 70th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since 2002, shortly after the fall of the Taliban. ISAF said in a formal statement that enemy action has been ruled out, this because the soldier died within the secure perimeter of the compound. That leaves as options for the cause of the man's death only dreadful possibilities—an accidental, or as it’s called in the military a negligent discharge, foul play, or a self-inflicted wound.

Friday, 31 August “Dion vows snap vote on Afghan deployment” (Campbell Clark, pg.A4)

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Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said his party will use its first opposition day in the fall session to put forward a motion for Canada to notify its allies that it will withdraw from Kandahar in February 2009. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

8.9 September 2007

Monday, 3 September “We’re out by February '09, MacKay says” (Cambell Clark, pg.A1)

Canada has made it clear to its NATO allies that they cannot count on our troops to fight on the deadly battlefields of southern Afghanistan after February of 2009, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said yesterday. “The signal that has been sent already is that our current configuration will end in February, 2009,” Mr. MacKay said in an interview on the CTV television program Question Period. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1, 31 August, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Tuesday, 4 September “Eyes on the battlefield as a night operation unfolds” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A15)

Operation Balye Deweh, also dubbed Operation Light Candle, involving members of the Canadian Forces, Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police took place as an overnight operation recently. It cleared the villages of Mankuan, a dwelling on the Arghandab River, where recent IEDs were thought to be built. The operation was a success and the target was cleared.

Wednesday, 5 September “‘There’s been tremendous progress here,’ Canadian envoy says” (Alan Freeman, pg.A16)

Seventy hand-pumps, 1,000 wells, 100 reservoirs, 650 kilometres of rehabilitated roads. These were just some of the accomplishments Canadian officials listed on 4 September as they briefed journalists on Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. In the first of what are promised to become monthly technical briefings on the Afghan mission, Canada’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Arif Lalani, and three senior officials who would not be named, painted a uniformly optimistic picture of the military and development situation in the country.

Friday, 7 September “Stay the course, NATO urges Canada” (Alan Freeman, pg.A17)

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NATO’s top military officer, General Ray Henault, said that it’s up to Canada to decide whether it wishes to maintain combat troops in Afghanistan, but he added that he hopes the Canadian government will continue its involvement in NATO's Afghan mission beyond February, 2009. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Saturday, 8 September “Bin Laden urges Americans to convert” (Paul Koring, pg.A22)

Fugitive al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden issued an appeal on 7 September to ordinary Americans, inviting them to embrace Islam and reject the military-industrial complex or face endless attacks. In a videotaped message marking the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, he made no new specific threats, but said he understands why Americans have wearied of the wars launched by President George. W. Bush and explained why voters cannot stop them.

Monday, 10 September “Canadians sweep through volatile region” (Graeme Smith, pg.A11)

About 700 Canadian soldiers, with at least 100 Afghan troops and police, swept through Zhari district over the past two days, where the insurgency has grown extremely fierce, searching homes and clearing mines from dirt tracks. They suffered no serious casualties and met only scattered resistance from the Taliban, who had been mounting daily attacks on police outposts and Canadian bases in recent weeks.

Tuesday, 11 September “World risks more attacks if Afghan mission fails, MacKay says” (Chris Morris, pg.A4)

Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Afghanistan’s ambassador to Canada cautioned on 10 September that the world risks more attacks if peace and stability aren't restored in Afghanistan. Mr. MacKay and Ambassador Omar Samad said the price of failure is too high for countries like Canada to consider abandoning Afghanistan before it is ready to defend itself against the forces of terrorism. – See entry on 19, 22 September – * Deceptive headline

Thursday, 13 September “Canadian gets 14 years for funding terrorists” (Colin Freeze, pg.A17)

A Canadian immigration consultant convicted of fraud and supporting overseas terrorism was sentenced on 12 September to 14 years in prison, years after authorities picked him up in 9/11 sweeps around New York. Khalid Awan, a Muslim and naturalized Canadian of Pakistani descent, wasn’t ultimately convicted of any links to al-Qaeda. Rather, U.S. authorities in the Eastern District of New York used a series of elaborate in-prison stings to establish he supported

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a terrorist group of another religion, Sikh militants known in India as the Khalistan Commando Force.

Monday, 17 September “If Canada withdraws from Kandahar, Taliban will run rampant, mullah says” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canada must not be scared away from Kandahar because Afghan forces wouldn’t be capable of stopping the Taliban from overwhelming government towns, one of the region's most prominent tribal elders says. Mullah Naqib is not the first Afghan leader who has pleaded for Canadian troops to stay, but his emotional words are the most pointed example so far of the deep worry among local allies about what will happen after the Canadian commitment expires in 18 months. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 20 October, 26 December

Wednesday, 19 September “Karzai pleads for Canadians to stay” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Afghanistan risks a descent into chaos if Canadian soldiers withdraw from the country too quickly, President Hamid Karzai said on 18 September, warning of dark consequences for his country and the entire world if the foreign troops abandon the fight against the Taliban before the war is finished. In an unprecedented move, Mr. Karzai summoned Canadian journalists to his heavily guarded palace in Kabul and spoke passionately about the need for a renewed commitment of troops after the Canadian mandate expires in February of 2009. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 19, 22 September, 9, 16, 17, 20 October, 26 December

Saturday, 22 September “Canada can’t find 50 Afghan detainees” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canada still can’t account for at least 50 prisoners it captured and turned over to Afghan authorities, several sources say, frustrating efforts to put to rest concerns the detainees were subject to torture. Canadian sources offered a benign explanation for their disappearance, blaming the Afghans’ shoddy record-keeping and suggesting the detainees have likely returned safely to their homes. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

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“Canada must stay the course” (Editorial, pg.A24)

The editors of The Globe write that Canada cannot abandon Afghanistan. According to them, Canadians have made a commitment to the Afghan people and to the international community, and if Canadians believe the governing structures there can be stabilized, Canada is obliged to stay on ethical, humanitarian and practical grounds that relate to Canada’s own national security interests and those of our allies. They go on to say that Canada should extend its military mission until 2011. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, September, 9, 16, 17, 20 October, 26 December

Wednesday, 26 September “Though deadly, Taliban prove ‘weaker than last year’” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Two days of fighting have bloodied Canadian troops west of Kandahar city, but after the intense battles several local officials and villagers say they now believe the Taliban lack the strength they enjoyed in their heartland last year. Canadian and Afghan forces endured ambushes as they expanded their zone of influence into the Panjwai valley with an offensive that kicked off earlier this week, leaving one soldier dead and five injured. Their objective was a familiar swath of farmland, taken and retaken by Canadian troops since they arrived, but they appeared to encounter lighter resistance than during previous fights for the same terrain. Around 4:30 p.m., a mortar shell exploded near Corporal Nathan Hornburg, 24, a reservist who works as an armoured vehicle driver with the King’s Own Calgary Regiment, as he tried to repair a broken tread on a Leopard tank. He died, and another soldier was injured.

Thursday, 27 September “Afghans block highway shouting 'Death to Canada'” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

The death of two Afghan clerics in an overnight raid has ignited an unusual protest against foreign troops and sharply increased the volatility of a district that is critical to Canadian success in southern Afghanistan. Shouts of “Death to Canada!” were heard on 26 September on the main highway west of Kandahar city, as an estimated 300 to 400 protesters voiced their anger against the violent searches of local homes. Neither the Canadians nor other NATO soldiers were involved in the raids, a military spokeswoman said; the only other foreign troops operating in the area belong to U.S. Operation Enduring Freedom, a counterterrorism force.

8.10 October 2007

Tuesday, 9 October “Troops pay police to bolster security” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canada has decided to sidestep the corrupt Afghan government and ensure the safety of Canadian soldiers by paying Afghan police directly, in cash. It’s an attempt to buy stability in the dangerous

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districts west of Kandahar city, where Canadian soldiers stake their lives on the reliability of their Afghan allies. “Liberal Defence Critic Affirms party’s position on ending mission” (Dene Moore, pg.A19)

Liberal Defence critic Denis Coderre arrived in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on 8 October to hear from Canadian troops on Canada's role in the conflict. But Mr. Coderre said that no matter what he hears in the coming days, it won’t change his party’s position calling for an end to Canada's combat mission when the current mandate expires in February, 2009. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 16, 17, 20 October, 26 December

Wednesday, 10 October “Kabul executions spark fresh concern over fate of detainees” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

Canada is seeking assurances from the Afghan government that none of the 15 prisoners executed this week had been transferred by Canadian forces, as human-rights advocates expressed outrage over the decision to end a three-year moratorium on the death penalty. Fifteen men, convicted of crimes including murder, rape and kidnapping, were shot to death by firing squad in only the second execution since the collapse of the Taliban in 2001. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Friday, 12 October “Manley to lead Afghan mission review” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

The Harper government will appoint former Liberal heavyweight John Manley today to lead a five-person panel to decide on the future of Canada's presence in Afghanistan after the 2009 deadline for the current mission expires, sources said on 11 October. The surprise appointment comes a few days before Prime Minister Stephen Harper lays out his plan for the next sitting of Parliament in a Speech from the Throne in which the future of the Afghan mission will be a major component. – See entries on 20 October, 22, 23, 29 January 2008, 25 March 2008

Wednesday, 17 October “Tories look to extend Afghan mission until 2011” (Alan Freeman, pg.A6)

The Harper government has proposed an extension of Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan until 2011, with an emphasis on training Afghan security forces, but wouldn’t say whether the mission would continue to include a combat component. “Our government does not believe that Canada should simply abandon the people of Afghanistan after February, 2009,” it said in the

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Speech from the Throne on 16 October, referring to the current deadline for the Kandahar-based NATO mission. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 20 October, 26 December “Canadian oil terror target, report says” (Jim Bronskill, pg.A12)

Canada’s oil industry represents an “ideologically attractive and strategic target” to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, says an intelligence assessment obtained by The Canadian Press. The multi-agency centre, housed at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, draws on information from a variety of sources to analyze current threats.

Friday, 19 October “Majority of Afghans want foreign troops to stay and fight” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

A strong majority of Afghans approve of the presence of NATO-led troops in their country, including from Canada, and want the foreign soldiers to remain to fight the Taliban and support reconstruction efforts. In a poll of Afghans conducted by Environics Research on behalf of The Globe and Mail, the CBC and La Presse, respondents expressed optimism about the future, strong support for the government of President Hamid Karzai and appreciation for the work being done by NATO countries in improving security.

Saturday, 20 October “Manley’s panel will visit Afghanistan, but plans no public hearings on mission” (Alan Freeman, pg.A6)

The independent panel on the future of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan will not hold public hearings but does plan to travel to the war-torn country and to consult widely with experts. The panel has been asked to finish its work by 31 January, 2008, giving it about three months to research, deliberate and write its report, although the legal mandate extends to 31 March. The panel has recruited a half-dozen federal officials who have been seconded from Foreign Affairs, National Defence and the Canadian International Development Agency. – See entries on 30 January, 30 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23, 30 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 12, 17 October, 26 December, 22, 23, 29 January 2008, 25 March 2008

Thursday, 25 October “Afghan rebuilding a task for a ‘generation’” (Alan Freeman, pg.A1)

Nation building in Afghanistan will take “a generation, if not generations,” NATO’s top official said on 24 October in an interview with The Globe and Mail, underlining the challenge of bringing peace and stability to the war-torn country.

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Friday, 26 October “Afghans need a decade to build their army: Hillier” (Omar El Akkad, Alan Freeman, pg.A20)

Echoing the sentiments of many of his soldiers in Afghanistan, General Rick Hillier said yesterday it will be a decade before Afghanistan is able to field a professional military capable of managing its own security needs.

Wednesday, 31 October “Major clashes as Taliban regain area near Kandahar” (Taimoor Shah, pg.A23)

Several hundred Taliban fighters have moved into a strategic area just outside the southern city of Kandahar in recent days and clashed with Afghan and NATO forces, according to Canadian and Afghan officials. Canadian military officials said Afghan and NATO forces had begun a “large operation” to drive out the Taliban. – See entries on 1 and 2 November

8.11 November 2007

Thursday, 1 November “Taliban invade key district near Kandahar” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

The Taliban have opened a new northern front in their push toward Kandahar city, invading a previously secure district and holding parts of their freshly gained territory in a bloody siege that continued into the night. The insurgents suffered badly during their attack on Arghandab district in two days of bitter fighting that started on Monday evening. Roughly 50 insurgents were killed, and an equal number injured, according to Afghan and Canadian officials. – See entries on 31 October and 2 November

Friday, 2 November “Canadians, Afghans celebrate Taliban retreat” (Graeme Smith, pg.A15)

The Canadian military and their Afghan allies congratulated each other, even holding a triumphant tour of the battlefield, just hours after the Taliban retreated from the heart of a key district north of Kandahar city. Insurgents started falling back from their positions on the north bank of the Arghandab river in the early hours on the morning of 1 November, police officials said.

Saturday, 3 November “Canadian soldier hurt by blast in Afghanistan” (Graeme Smith, pg.A24)

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A Canadian soldier was injured on 2 November when an explosion rocked a Leopard tank in Arghandab district, a region north of Kandahar city where Canadian and Afghan forces pushed back a major Taliban offensive this week.

Tuesday, 6 November “Ottawa overruled on Afghan detainees” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

The Harper government failed in its first attempt to quash legal efforts by human-rights groups to halt the transfer of detainees to local authorities in Afghanistan. In a ruling on 5 November, the Federal Court rejected Ottawa’s argument that a beefed-up deal with the Afghans last May provided detainees all necessary protections against torture. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Wednesday, 7 November “Taliban attacks fuel tactical worries” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

The Taliban are getting increasingly sophisticated as they try to assassinate leaders, analysts worry, after a suicide bomber killed six Afghan parliamentarians among scores of others and rockets landed near visiting Defence Minister Peter MacKay on 6 November. There is evidence that the Taliban were informed of the minister’s whereabouts.

Thursday, 8 November “Khadr’s controversial trial set to start” (Paul Koring, pg.A19)

More than five years after Omar Khadr, then a gravely injured teenager, was carried off an Afghan battlefield, his terrorism trial on charges of murder and conspiracy may finally begin today in a makeshift courtroom on this remote military base on Cuba’s south shore. Mr. Khadr, now 21, may not even appear and complex legal wrangling could, again, scuttle the third attempt to get the first of the controversial military tribunals to get to trial. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010

Monday, 19 November “Troops capture Taliban’s birthplace” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canadian troops pushed the Taliban out of their birthplace in a storm of artillery shells and rockets on the weekend, during a major operation that killed two Canadian soldiers and an interpreter. A roadside bomb exploded under an armoured vehicle carrying troops toward the

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battle in the earliest hours of Saturday morning, killing Corporal Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp, 28, and Private Michel Levesque, 25, and injuring three others. A military interpreter also died in the explosion.

8.12 December 2007

Saturday, 8 December “Afghan, NATO forces target model Taliban town” (Graeme Smith, pg.A22)

Hundreds of villagers fled a mountain valley on 7 December as the thudding of bombs and advancing NATO and Afghan troops signaled a major effort to recapture the Taliban's most visible symbol of power in southern Afghanistan, Musa Qala. Ground operations begin today but it is unclear whether or not the Canadian Forces are part of the mission or not. – See entry on 20 May 2009, 17 November 2009

Monday, 10 December “Canadians open new front against Taliban” (Graeme Smith, pg.A19)

A Canadian-led offensive opened a new front against the Taliban in Kandahar this weekend, adding pressure on the insurgents as they also faced a major attack from NATO and Afghan forces in neighbouring Helmand. Canadian soldiers and their allies advanced on foot into the fields around Zangabad, a village about 40 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city, at daybreak on Saturday. An Afghan military statement later said 10 insurgents were killed in the attack, but a Canadian commander said the number was higher, without giving details. The Canadians made their push into Taliban territory at the same time as British and U.S. forces continue to lead an effort to recapture Musa Qala, a town in northern Helmand province that the insurgents had used as a model for their alternative system of government.

Thursday, 13 December “Canada plans to keep a base in Kandahar until 2015” (Murray Brewster, pg.A21)

The Foreign Affairs Department has developed plans to keep a Canadian provincial reconstruction base in Kandahar until at least 2015, federal officials say. The department has also started recruiting diplomatic staff to fill posts at the base for one-year assignments that stretch beyond Parliament's self-imposed deadline of February, 2009, for an end to the military mission.

Monday, 17 December “Taliban growing sophisticated in using IEDs, Gen. Hillier says” (Murray Brewster, pg.A4)

The Taliban have become more sophisticated in the way they plant roadside bombs in Afghanistan, importing lethal tactics already tested and proven on bloodied U.S. forces in Iraq, says Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff. Rick Hillier. He assured reporters that Canadians have stayed ahead of the curve as much as possible.

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Monday, 24 December “Three Canadians injured in blast” (Colin Freeze, pg.A15)

Three Canadian Forces soldiers were injured on 22 December by an improvised bomb, the first time the army has suffered such casualties in nearly a month. The explosion occurred in Arghandab, a district that the Taliban has long coveted. An improvised explosive device exploded as an engineering team tried to clear a road north of Kandahar. A spokesman for the Forces said an armoured vehicle ensured the soldiers suffered only minor injuries.

Wednesday, 26 December “MacKay pushes need to stay course” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Defence Minister Peter MacKay served up turkey and tourtière to Canadian troops in Afghanistan on Christmas Day, saying they will stay for “as long as [they] can make this contribution.” Mr. MacKay said the length of the mission “will be decided by Parliament in a fair, democratic debate and vote” but made no secret of his minority government's desire to stay until 2011—and possibly a lot longer. – See entries on 30 January, 20 February, 16, 17 April, 24 May, 5, 23 June, 5, 23 July, 1, 31 August, 3, 7, 17, 19, 22 September, 9, 17, 20 October

Monday, 31 December “Roadside blast kills Canadian outside Kandahar” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

One Canadian soldier was killed on 30 December and four others were injured as their convoy was heading back from the front lines for a long-awaited New Year’s break. Gunner Jonathan Dion was the first Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since 17 November and the 74th to die since the mission began.The highway bomb attack occurred about 20 kilometres west of Kandahar as the light armoured vehicle was bringing the soldiers back to the secure base. At the same time, an infantry group marched through Taliban territory and found no battles.

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9 2008

9.1 January 2008

Tuesday, 1 January “Attack on checkpoint kills 16 police officers” (Rahim Fairez, pg.A11)

Taliban militants attacked a police checkpoint in the south and killed 16 officers, officials said on 31 December. Seven Afghan police and soldiers were reported dead elsewhere as Afghanistan’s bloodiest year since the Taliban's ouster drew to a close.

Monday, 7 January “2 Canadians killed as LAV rolls over” (Canadian Press, pg.A1)

Two Canadian soldiers were killed instantly on 6 January when their light-armoured vehicle rolled over during an operation in southern Afghanistan. Military officials have identified one of the victims as Corporal Eric Labbe, 31, a Vandoo from Rimouski, Que. The second soldier’s name is being temporarily withheld at the request of his family. Enemy action was not involved in the incident.

Wednesday, 16 January “Officials reviewing future of Kabul team” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A4)

A team of Canadian military advisers in Kabul will be a victim of its success if it is disbanded, senior Canadian officials said yesterday as they refused to guarantee the survival of the lauded Strategic Advisory Team. At a briefing on 15 January, senior officials insisted that no decision has been made regarding the future of SAT, adding that its existence is being reviewed. “Young soldier took on challenging missions” (Tu Thanh Ha, Rheal Seguin, pg.A16)

Trooper Richard Renaud of his armoured regiment’s reconnaissance squadron died yesterday morning when a makeshift mine struck his Coyote vehicle. His unit, 12e Regiment blindé du Canada, is the armoured wing of the land forces at CFB Valcartier, Que. As a Coyote driver, Trooper Renaud was on a squadron that repeatedly went on scouting missions “outside the wire,” beyond the relative safety of the Kandahar airfield.

Friday, 18 January “Marines will bolster Canadians in Kandahar” (Paul Koring, pg.A15)

Canadian troops in Kandahar will get help - and fewer may get killed—as more than 2,000 battle- hardened U.S. Marines with counterinsurgency training and experience start arriving next month in southern Afghanistan.

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– See entries on 28 August, 1 September

Tuesday, 22 January “Tie Canada’s future in Kandahar to NATO role, Manley says” (Brian Laghi, Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

Canada should tie its future military presence in Afghanistan to getting a pledge from other NATO allies to share the burden, according to recommendations expected in an eagerly awaited report which is to be delivered today. Sources have also told The Globe that a blue-ribbon panel headed by former foreign affairs minister John Manley is not expected to say how long the Canadian presence in the country should last. Canada is currently committed until 2009, and the Harper government is suggesting extending the mission to 2011. Mr. Manley's panel will also level some criticism at the Canadian government for the way the departments of Foreign Affairs and Defence have co-ordinated the effort. – See entries on 12, 20 October 2007, 23, 29, 31 January, 25 March

Wednesday, 23 January “Ottawa must dictate terms to NATO, panel says” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A8)

Canada’s mission in Afghanistan should not arbitrarily end in February of 2009 but the conditions for the continued presence of Canadian troops in the dangerous southern part of the country must be clearly dictated to NATO allies, a much-anticipated report said on 22 January. Former Liberal foreign affairs minister John Manley said the battle against the Taliban can—and should—be won in Kandahar province, but at least 1,000 more soldiers from some other NATO country are needed to reinforce Canada's efforts. However, the report’s recommendations were quickly rejected by the leaders of the federal opposition parties who instead demanded a full withdrawal of troops. Mr. Harper’s staff said he wanted time to review the report carefully before offering a response. – See entries on 12, 20 October 2007, 22, 29, 31 January, 25 March

Thursday, 24 January “Canadian Soldier Killed, Two Injured” (Graeme Smith, pg.A16)

One Canadian soldier was killed and two injured when the light armoured vehicle they were travelling in rolled over an improvised explosive device southwest of Kandahar city on 23 January. The blast occurred about 1:40 p.m. while the soldiers were on a road clearance operation in the Panjwai district in southern Afghanistan. The name of the dead soldier, the 78th to die on the Canadian mission in Afghanistan since it began in 2002 and the fourth this year, was being withheld at the request of his family.

Tuesday, 29 January “Harper backs Manley and vows to press NATO” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

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Prime Minister Stephen Harper embraced the go-big-or-go-home plan for Afghanistan from last week's Manley report, proposing to keep Canadian soldiers in Kandahar until at least 2011 as long as NATO provides more combat troops and helps resolve equipment shortages. Mr. Harper said he will lead a diplomatic effort to secure assurances of help from NATO countries—notably 1,000 additional troops as reinforcements in Kandahar, and medium-lift helicopters, which Canada lacks. – See entries on 12, 20 October 2007, 22, 23, 31 January, 25 March “Detainee fallout: take few, free quickly” (Michael Valpy, pg.A1)

The Canadian Forces are now holding insurgent detainees at their Kandahar Air Force base rather than turning them over to Afghan authorities, are taking fewer prisoners and are quickly releasing some of them. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 – * Deceptive headline

Wednesday, 30 January “PM puts onus on military to explain prisoner policy” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

The military is free to release information about Afghan detainees if it chooses, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on 29 January, as he was criticized for excessive secrecy on how Canadian troops handle their prisoners. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Thursday, 31 January “NATO vows to find more troops for Afghanistan” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

ATO pledged on 30 January to help Canada find the additional troops and equipment for Kandahar that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has set as a key condition for extending the mission of the Canadian Forces. At the same time, Mr. Harper launched his personal diplomatic effort to find allies to deploy 1,000 additional troops and resolve a lack of helicopters and air drones with a phone call to U.S. President George W. Bush. In Brussels, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said Canada's demand will be discussed and the alliance “will play its role” in finding that backup. “NATO thinks Canada is doing a very important and valuable job in Kandahar. We hope Canada will find a way to extend the mission,” he stated. – See entries on 22, 23, 29 January

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9.2 February 2008

Friday, 1 February “Top al-Qaeda commander killed in Pakistan” (Robert Reid, pg.A20)

One of al-Qaeda’s top figures, Abu Laith al-Libi, has been killed in Pakistan, an Islamist website announced on 31 January. Pakistani officials and residents said a dozen people, including seven Arabs, died in a missile strike in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border.

Tuesday, 5 February “Tories, Liberals act on new security legislation” (Daniel Leblanc, pg.A8)

The Conservatives and the Liberals joined forces on 4 February in favour of new legislation on security certificates for terrorism suspects just before a Supreme Court deadline invalidates the old system later this month. In the House of Commons last night, the two biggest parties adopted, with a vote of 191 to 54, a committee report on Bill C-3, and the final vote on the legislation is expected to go through in the same way tonight or tomorrow. – See entry on 24 February 2007

Friday, 8 February “Judge blasts Ottawa on Afghan detainees” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

A Federal Court judge has refused to block detainee transfers, but lambasted the Harper government for failing to put adequate safeguards in place to prevent prisoners from being tortured in the hands of Afghanistan's security forces. Madam Justice Anne Mactavish said she had “very real concerns as to the effectiveness of the steps that have been taken thus far to ensure that detainees transferred by the Canadian Forces to the custody of Afghan authorities are not mistreated.” – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Saturday, 9 February “Afghan debate gets ugly” (Brian Laghi, Bill Curry, pg.A1)

The federal government moved on 8 February to extend Canada's military mission in Afghanistan to 2011, prompting both the Conservatives and the Opposition Liberals to descend into political posturing that could define a coming election campaign. If left unresolved, the gulf between the political parties could lead to a federal election campaign in the coming weeks, as the government declared that its parliamentary motion on the Afghan mission would be considered a vote of confidence.

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– See entries on 12, 13, 15, 22, 26 February, 11 September

Monday, 11 February “Canadians ‘winning’ in Kandahar, general says” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Secret military statistics show that Taliban attacks have decreased in Kandahar’s core districts in the past year, illustrating the success of Canada's new strategy of pulling back its troops into the heart of the province, a top military commander, Lieutenant-General Michel Gauthier, says.

Tuesday, 12 February “Dion camp stands united on Afghanistan” (Jane Taber, pg.A4)

Liberal MPs overcame divisions and united behind Stephane Dion’s position that Canadian troops should stay in Afghanistan past 2009 in a “defensive-security” role (in other words, militarily engage hostile forces only to protect themselves, civilians and development), bringing the party a step closer to a compromise with the Conservatives. The Conservatives have introduced a motion in the House of Commons to extend the combat mission to 2011. The vote on the motion, based on recommendations from a panel chaired by former Liberal deputy prime minister John Manley, will be considered one of confidence in the government. – See entries on 9, 13, 15, 22, 26 February, 11 June, 11 September, 8 May 2009 “Key Taliban leader wounded, captured” (Graeme Smith, pg.A16)

A major Taliban insurgent commander, Mansoor Dadullah, who reputedly organized attacks against Canadian troops and their allies was wounded and captured in Pakistan yesterday.

Wednesday, 13 February “Harper and Dion extend olive branch on Afghan mission” (Campbell Clark, Gloria Galloway, Jane Taber, pg.A1)

The Conservatives and Liberals moved on 12 February toward a compromise on Afghanistan that would give troops a changed mandate after 2009 and allow them to stay in Kandahar until 2011. Both Mr. Harper and Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion made clear they do not want the dangerous mission of Canadian troops in Afghanistan to spark a general election. – See entries on 9, 12, 15, 22, 26 February, 11 September

Friday, 15 February “Let’s define values and goals for the mission that all Canadians can respect” (Stephane Dion, pg.A19)

In an open letter written to the Prime Minister, Liberal leader Stéphane Dion says Liberals are in agreement that we cannot abandon the people of Afghanistan, as there remains much to do to ensure that the stability and governance institutions are in place to allow Afghans themselves to resolve their differences. But Liberals recognize that Canada’s mission has to change. We cannot

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simply continue to extend the same mission indefinitely. That is why we have provided the government with an alternative plan for the future of Canada's mission in Afghanistan. First, the mission must change—NATO must ensure the rotation of new troops into Kandahar so that Canadian troops can shift, in February, 2009, to training of the Afghan National Army and police, and to protection of reconstruction efforts. Second, the mission must end—we must have a clear end date of February, 2011, not a further review date that will lead us down the path of a never- ending mission. And third, the mission must be about more than the military—there is no exclusively military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, so our efforts must be balanced between defence, diplomacy and development. – See entries on 9, 12, 13, 22, 26 February, 11 June, 11 September – * Deceptive headline

Monday, 18 February “Suicide bomb exacts huge toll at Kandahar dogfight” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

The worst attack in Afghanistan’s rising insurgency on 17 February has killed a major police commander and his men, weakening Kandahar’s defences and rattling the confidence of an already frightened city. Most estimates of the dead were far higher than the Interior Ministry’s official count of 65: the hospital registered at least 74; Kandahar’s governor said 80; and local health and security sources put the number at between 105 and 125.

Wednesday, 20 February “CTV freelancer detained at U.S. base in Afghanistan” (Graeme Smith, pg.A15)

Javed Yazamy, 22, served as a translator for the U.S. forces but spent the past two years working primarily for CTV News in Kandahar. He went missing in October when an unknown caller summoned him to Kandahar Air Field and foreign soldiers captured him in the dusty parking lot just outside the main gate. It turns out that he has been detained at a U.S. military base in Afghanistan without charge. – See entry on 28 February

Friday, 22 February “Compromise on Afghanistan muffles election drumbeat” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

The Conservative government has proposed a firm date of July, 2011, for Canadian troops to withdraw from southern Afghanistan, moving closer to a deal with the Liberals and removing one potential trigger for a spring election. But even as Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered compromises on the Afghan mission, he delivered a full-throated call for a strong shooting military and a government willing to deploy it if Canada wants to be taken seriously. He also pledged long-term acceleration of defence spending. A parliamentary motion unveiled by Mr. Harper both bows to Liberal demands for a firm end date to the Afghan mission and accepts Liberal wording that the combat mission must refocus on training and security for reconstruction efforts.

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– See entries on 9, 12, 13, 15, 26 February, 11 September – * Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 26 February “Liberals support Afghan extension until 2011” (Bill Curry, pg.A4)

The Conservative government showered Liberals with praise on 25 February as the two historic political rivals came to terms on Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan. While still seeking clarification on a few points, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion told the House of Commons yesterday his party is ready to accept the government's latest motion to extend the mission through 2011. – See entries on 9, 12, 13, 15, 22 February, 11 September

Thursday, 28 February “Afghan journalist working for CTV being held by U.S. as enemy combatant” (Alisa Tang, pg.A14)

An Afghan journalist working for Canada’s CTV television network in Afghanistan has been designated an unlawful enemy combatant, the U.S. military said pm 27 February. The journalist, Jawed Ahmad, has been held without charge for the past four months at the U.S. military compound in Bagram, 50 kilometres north of Kabul. – See entry on 20 February

9.3 March 2008

Monday, 3 March “Canadian soldier dies days before tour’s end in Kandahar” (Graeme Smith, Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Trooper Michael Hayakaze was just days away from returning home when he was killed on 2 March by a roadside bomb. A member of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse regiment based in Edmonton, he was part of the outgoing rotation of troops due to finish by mid-month. He is the 79th Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan. The explosion hit a convoy driving supplies to an Afghan army outpost, about 45 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city.

Wednesday, 12 March “Soldier’s death not related to combat” (Oliver Moore, pg.A4)

The body of a newly arrived Canadian soldier was discovered on 11 March on the NATO airbase in Kandahar, sparking a lengthy lockdown and a military investigation into the circumstances of his death. “At approximately 2:15 p.m. on March 11th, the body of a Canadian soldier was found in an accommodation room here at Kandahar airfield,” Brigadier-General Guy Laroche told

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reporters in an overnight news conference about 13 hours later. “The soldier’s death is not related to combat.” A subsequent media release from the Department of National Defence ruled out enemy involvement. Brig.-Gen. Laroche said that 22-year-old Jeremie Ouellet was part of the latest rotation of troops to arrive in southern Afghanistan. Bombardier Ouellet, who was from Matane, Que., served with the 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, based in Shilo, Manitoba.

Friday, 14 March “Afghan mission extended to 2011” (Steven Chase, pg.A4)

Parliament voted to extend Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan by two years on 13 March on the condition that allies chip in reinforcements. The vote sends Prime Minister Stephen Harper to next month’s NATO meeting with a mandate to secure this aid or bring the troops home. – See entries on 9, 12, 13, 15, 22, 26 February, 25 March, 3 April, 11 September

Monday, 17 March “Canadian soldier killed on patrol near Kandahar” (Oliver Moore, pg.A1)

A newly arrived Canadian soldier was killed on 16 March while on foot patrol in the volatile Panjwai district southwest of Kandahar city. The soldier, whose name has not been released, died after triggering an explosion around the village of Zangabad, a dangerous area littered with mines and improvised explosive devices. He was brought by helicopter to the hospital at Kandahar Airfield, where he died of his wounds. He is the 81st Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan.

Tuesday, 25 March “We can’t just extend the mission” (John Manley, pg.A15)

The Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan was a roaring success. Of concern, however, is the degree to which the panel's report has been reduced to the simple proposition that Canada should stay in Afghanistan if NATO provides an additional 1,000 troops. If the 2011 date for the withdrawal of Canadian forces is to be met, the government must establish a series of clear milestones to be met between now and then. One thing is certain: Afghanistan’s development and governance challenges will not be fully met by 2011. – See entries on 12, 20 October 2007, 22, 23, 29, 31 January, 14, 25 March, 3 April, 11 June, 8 May 2009

9.4 April 2008

Thursday, 3 April “NATO answers Harper’s request for troops” (Steven Chase, pg.A1)

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NATO allies have answered Canada’s call for troop reinforcements in southern Afghanistan, partly fulfilling Ottawa’s conditions for extending a military mission in one of the deadliest regions of the country. On the eve of a summit of NATO leaders, France agreed to send a battalion—usually 700 or 800 troops—to eastern Afghanistan, freeing American troops to join Canadian soldiers in Kandahar province where the Taliban insurgency is particularly strong. – See entries on 14, 25 March “Plot targeted Canadian flights, U.K. says” (Doug Saunders, pg.A12)

Air Canada flights to Toronto and Montreal were targets of a well-advanced terrorist plot to blow up at least seven jetliners simultaneously over the Atlantic using bombs stored in drink bottles and assembled aboard the aircraft, according to claims by British prosecutors. In August, 2006, a group of 19 British men were arrested in London with a bomb laboratory that had the tools to construct the components of liquid-chemical bombs that would be difficult for airport security to detect, stored in Lucozade drink containers with electronic detonators. Eight of those men, including the alleged ringleaders, are on trial this week. Charges have been dropped against some of the 19, and others are still in the judicial system.

Friday, 5 April “Canadian soldier killed when vehicle strikes IED” (Oliver Moore, Carly Weeks, pg.A16)

A Canadian soldier was killed in Afghanistan on 4 April after the armoured vehicle in which he was travelling struck an improvised explosive device in the notoriously dangerous Panjwai district southwest of Kandahar city, an area rife with violence and Taliban activity. Private Terry John Street, 24, is the 82nd Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since 2002 and the second in less than three weeks. Pte. Street, from the Hull area of Gatineau, Que., was with the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man. He is the eighth Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan this year.

Tuesday, 8 April “Labour-intensive road provides alternative to joining Taliban” (Oliver Moore, pg.A15)

The road snakes down through Panjwai from the capital, a vital but easily sabotaged lifeline to the Canadians scattered throughout this volatile district. The route is notorious for its improvised explosive devices - if there is an IED Alley in this district it is here—and teams sweep daily for bombs. The farthest reaches of the road stretch deep into hostile territory, where resupply missions can be tied down long beyond their planned schedule and fresh food is a treat for soldiers. On 7 April, near one of the Canadian outposts in Panjwai, Kandahar Governor Asadullah Khalid joined local notables and senior Canadian officials to open, officially, a project that will pave part of this road. It’s a plan with three goals: making it more difficult for insurgents to plant IEDs, building a legacy project that will help trade in the region and employing locals who might otherwise become hired guns.

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Monday, 14 April “Bernier outlines modest benchmarks for mission” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier arrived in Kandahar on 13 April with a modest definition of his goals for the Afghan mission. Gone was the rhetoric of his visit six months ago when he claimed success at reducing violence in the province. Taliban attacks continue and Mr. Bernier now says Canada should instead measure progress by setting targets for training Afghan soldiers and police in Kandahar. Further stringent targets were not outlined. – See entry on 15, 21 April “Tories seek injunction to halt detainee hearings” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The Harper government wants to block public hearings by the independent Military Police Complaints Commission over whether Canada turned prisoners over to Afghan security forces knowing they would likely be tortured. Critics from Amnesty International Canada and the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association say that this is an effort to cover up such activities. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010

Tuesday, 15 April “Bernier gaffe ignites diplomatic fire” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

A quiet campaign by Canadian diplomats, who have been working to ease the governor of Kandahar out of his job, was thrown into chaos on 14 April as Canada’s Foreign Minister, Maxime Bernier, shattered months of secrecy and spoke out against the governor in public. Canadian officials initially believed that Mr. Bernier had taken an important step in advancing their agenda over the weekend, when he met privately with President Hamid Karzai and asked him to replace Governor Asadullah Khalid, who has been dogged by accusations of torture and corruption. Calls for the governor's removal have grown louder this year, after The Globe and Mail’s Paul Koring reported on Ottawa’s attempts to conceal allegations that Mr. Khalid was personally involved in the torture of detainees. That promise is now more difficult for Mr. Karzai to keep, according to Canadian and Afghan sources, because Mr. Bernier’s comments yesterday gave the impression of Canadian pressure on a President who is often satirized as a puppet of foreign masters. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 31 March 2010 – * Deceptive headline

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Wednesday, 16 April “Outspoken general bows out with no regrets” (Steven Chase, pg.A13)

General Rick Hillier, Canada’s charismatic and outspoken top military commander, announced he's stepping down after more than three years on the job, saying he’d stayed longer than planned to ensure the future of the military mission in Afghanistan was resolved. He said he is happy with Canada’s progress in Afghanistan since 2002, but acknowledged he’s not satisfied. More than 6,500 Afghans were killed last year—making it by far the most violent since 2001 in the growing Taliban insurgency. – See entry on 7 June

Monday, 21 April “Governor blasts plot to oust him” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Asadullah Khalid says the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring to replace him as Kandahar governor is part of a plot hatched at a military base and represents the latest example of dangerous friction between himself and his Canadian allies in southern Afghanistan. Only the elected government of Afghanistan should make such decisions, Mr. Khalid said, and only the Afghan government should investigate its own corruption cases. – See entries on 15 April, 10 August, 5, 18 December, 6 January 2009, 28 November 2009

Monday, 28 April “Karzai safe after strike by gunmen at Kabul parade” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

President Hamid Karzai and hundreds of his guests scrambled to get away from gunfire and explosions during a deadly Taliban attack on a celebration in the heart of the capital city on 27 April, as a parade showcasing Afghanistan’s military strength turned into the latest display of the country’s fragility. Karzai escaped unharmed. Three people were killed in the chaos: a parliamentarian, a 10-year-old boy and a local Shia leader.

9.5 May 2008

Thursday, 1 May “Canada reaches out to Taliban” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canadian troops are reaching out to the Taliban for the first time, military and diplomatic officials say, as Canada softens its ban on speaking with the insurgents. After years of rejecting any contact with the insurgents, Canadian officials say those involved with the mission are now rethinking the policy in hopes of helping peace efforts led by the Afghan government. The Canadian work on political solutions follows two separate tracks: tactical discussions at a local level in Kandahar, and strategic talks through the Kabul government and its allies. Neither type of negotiation appears to have made progress so far, though efforts are still in the early stages.

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– See entry on 23 May 2007, 3 May

Saturday, 3 May “MacKay says officers misspoke in pushing talks with Taliban” (Murray Brewster, pg.A18)

Members of the Canadian military who have been encouraging low- and mid-level Taliban to talk with Afghan authorities were out of line, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said on 2 May. He suggested that recent overtures by soldiers on the ground to promote dialogue are a step ahead of an international group trying to hammer together a united front against the deadly insurgency. – See entry on 1 May

Wednesday, 7 May “Canadian soldier killed by enemy fire ‘wanted to help others’” (Unnati Gandi, pg.A16)

A Canadian soldier on foot patrol in Kandahar’s troubled western district was killed on 6 May after Taliban insurgents opened fire on the troops, marking the first combat death for the Canadian Forces in nearly eight months. A second soldier was injured during the attack. Corporal Michael Starker, with the Edmonton-based 15 Field Ambulance Regiment, was ambushed while soldiers were trying “to show their presence [and] interact with the local population” in the Pashmul region, a cluster of villages about 15 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city.

Thursday, 8 May “Terror ‘wannabes’ Canada’s biggest threat” (Colin Freeze, pg.A9)

Canada’s top counterterrorism policeman says that of the hundreds of national-security investigations he has open, a handful are keeping him from sleeping at night. RCMP Assistant Commissioner Mike McDonnell didn’t delve into specifics of ongoing investigations, but he did tell a conference in Ottawa yesterday that terrorist “wannabes” in their teens and 20s are among the biggest threats to Canada. – * Deceptive headline

Saturday, 17 May “Suicide bomber as young as 10 hits Canadians” (Murray Brewster, pg.A1)

A boy, possibly as young as 10, was used in a suicide-bomb attack against a joint Canadian and Afghan army patrol in Afghanistan on 16 May. Two Canadian soldiers and two Afghan soldiers were wounded in the attack about 40 kilometres from Kandahar city, the military said.

Monday, 19 May “Taliban gearing up for spring offensive” (Katherine O’Neill, pg.A8)

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Heightened Taliban activity in the last week hints at another active spring for the insurgents in Afghanistan.

Monday, 26 May “Suicide bomber injures four Canadians” (Katherine O’Neil, pg.A11)

On 25 May on the northwest outskirts of Kandahar city, four Canadian soldiers were lightly injured after a military convoy they were traveling in was targeted by a suicide bomber. One young Afghan boy was killed and two other children were injured in the explosion.

Wednesday, 28 May “Defence panel’s visit kept under wraps” (Murray Brewster, pg.A14)

A handful of Canadian MPs on a visit to Afghanistan became part of a tightly managed political show that graphically illustrated the cloud of secrecy that persists over the country’s mission. The trip over the past two days was meant to showcase the changing face of Canada’s involvement for the House of Commons defence committee. It was highlighted by extraordinary restrictions, not all of them aimed at keeping the Taliban in the dark. Journalists embedded with the Canadian army at Kandahar Air Field were barred from covering the politicians until the last few hours of the visit, under an order that came as a surprise to senior commanders on the ground.

Saturday, 31 May “Operation Rolling Thunder ends successfully” (Kathering O’Neill, pg.A18)

Operation Rowa Tander, a top-secret military operation which saw Canadian soldiers engaged in the heaviest fighting so far this year against Taliban militants, has just concluded. Code-named Operation Rawa Tander, Pashto for Rolling Thunder, the joint Canada and Afghan military mission was aimed at disrupting insurgent activity in one of Kandahar province's most dangerous areas, Pashmul. After a two day offensive, coalition troops secured the camp. For many Canadian soldiers, the operation was the first time they've been engaged in combat during this tour, which for most started in February. Up until this week, the Taliban had avoided lengthy gun battles and largely staged one-off attacks, including suicide bombs and roadside bombs.

9.6 June 2008

Tuesday, 3 June “Four Canadian soldiers wounded in attacks” (Katherine O’Neill, pg.A15)

Within minutes, four Canadian soldiers were wounded on 2 June in two separate incidents in the Zhari district, a volatile area southwest of Kandahar. One soldier was hurt around 12:15 p.m. local time when Canadians got into a battle with insurgents during a security operation. Around the same time, three soldiers and an Afghan interpreter were wounded by an improvised explosive device while on foot in a nearby area, according to the military.

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Wednesday, 4 June “Canadian platoon commander shot dead” (Katherine O’Neill, pg.A10)

A Canadian platoon commander leading a foot patrol in Kandahar province’s hotly contested and dangerous Panjwai district was shot and killed yesterday morning, marking the second combat death for Canadian Forces in the past month. Captain Richard (Steve) Leary, 32, who was serving his first tour in Afghanistan, is the second soldier since 6 May to be killed in an ambush.

Friday, 6 June “Al-Qaeda kingpin seeks martyr’s end” (Paul Koring, pg.A19)

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the alleged al-Qaeda mastermind the 11 September 2001 attacks, told a war crimes tribunal on 5 June that he would welcome execution as a “martyr” for his role in holy war. “This is what I wish, to be a martyr, for a long time,” he told a military tribunal at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Saturday, 7 June “Hardened by battle, top soldier has softer political touch” (Steven Chase, Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The Conservatives’ choice, Lieutenant-General Walter Natynczyk, provides Canada with another tough warrior as Chief of the Defence Staff—but one who may step more softly and clash less openly with political masters than did Gen. Hillier. Defence Minister Peter MacKay introduced Gen. Natynczyk to reporters as a “gentleman general,” a phrase that suggests polite, but which the Nova Scotia MP later explained is meant to refer to the soldier's integrity. He will replace Hillier on 1 July 2008. – See entry on 16 April

Monday, 9 June “A soldier’s misstep leaves fiancée, family heartbroken” (Katherine O’Neill, Rod Mickleburgh, pg.A1)

Capt. Snyder, a member of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton, died on June 7 after falling down a deep well during a night patrol in Zhari district of Kandahar province. He was on his second tour of duty.

Wednesday, 11 June “Ottawa doubles aid for rebuilding Afghanistan” (Steven Chase, pg.A15)

The Harper government is doubling the amount of aid to Afghanistan over the final three years of Canada’s military deployment there—for high-profile projects such as dam building—as part of an effort to demonstrate that the costly mission which has claimed 86 Canadian lives is bearing

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fruit. The Tories announced that new development priorities for Afghanistan will include three “signature projects” in Kandahar province, where Canadian soldiers operate: refurbishing the Dahla dam and an accompanying irrigation system to water 10,000 hectares of farmland; building or repairing 50 schools and training up to 3,000 teachers in Kandahar; and vaccinating children in Kandahar as part of an international effort to eradicate polio in Afghanistan by 2009. – See entries on 22 May 2006, 12 February, 1 September, 7 March 2009, 8 May 2009

Saturday, 14 June “Taliban strike frees hordes from prison” (Katherine O’Neill, pg.A1)

Taliban militants pulled off a stunning and well-organized prison break at Kandahar city’s massive jail last night, the Sarpoza Provincial Prison, freeing close to 400 fellow insurgents, along with hundreds of murderers, kidnappers and common criminals. A Taliban spokesman said about 30 insurgents, riding motorbikes, and two suicide bombers were behind the assault. Major Jay Janzen, a spokesman for the Canadian Forces in Kandahar, said Canadian troops, along with Afghan National Security Forces, were dispatched to the prison and had set up a security perimeter in the area. Canada has been funding an upgrade of the prison in recent months. – See entry on 16, 27 June

Monday, 16 June “Freed Taliban infiltrate rural areas” (Katherine O’Neill, pg.A1)

About 400 Taliban militants freed during a spectacular prison break in Kandahar have flooded into nearby restive rural areas patrolled by Canadian troops, and even as far east as Pakistan, according to a senior insurgent commander. – See entries on 14, 17 June

Tuesday, 17 June “Canada plans counterattack as Taliban seize villages” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

The Taliban have seized a dozen villages in a key district of Kandahar, using the chaos after a recent jailbreak as cover for a co-ordinated sweep by hundreds of heavily armed fighters. Canadian commanders met with their Afghan allies in an emergency session late on 16 June at an ornate hall in downtown Kandahar, planning a counterattack that promises to transform the lush fields and orchards of Arghandab district into a battleground in the coming days. Taliban fighters were rumoured to be taunting their opponents by taking leisurely swims in the Arghandab River, and bringing truckloads of ammunition into the district in preparation for a bloody defence of their newly conquered territory after their largest attack of the year. Local officials also described the Taliban conducting patrols, rigging land mines on the roads, destroying irrigation wells and warning villagers to evacuate. – See entries on 14 June

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Thursday, 19 June “Pipeline opens new front in Afghan war” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A1)

Afghanistan and three of its neighbouring countries have agreed to build a US$7.6-billion pipeline that would deliver natural gas from Turkmenistan to energy-starved Pakistan and India— a project running right through the volatile Kandahar province—raising questions about what role Canadian Forces may play in defending the project. To prepare for proposed construction in 2010, the Afghan government has reportedly given assurances it will clear the route of land mines, and make the path free of Taliban influence. – See entry on 20 June “Canadians take back villages seized by Taliban” (Graeme Smith, pg.A14)

Canadian troops and their allies regained at least two villages yesterday in their cautious advance up the Arghandab river valley, securing territory seized by the Taliban during a stunning offensive earlier in the week. – See entries on 17, 21 June

Friday, 20 June “Would help protect pipeline, Canada says” (Shawn McCarthy, pg.A18)

Canadian Forces would support the Afghan National Army in providing security for a proposed natural gas pipeline through war-torn Kandahar if the Afghanistan government asks for help, federal officials said on 19 June. But the Canadian government has not been involved in any planning for the project, including the potential need to protect the pipeline from insurgent attacks, officials added. – See entry on 19 June

Saturday, 21 June “When the smoke cleared in the Arghandab valley” (Graeme Smith, pg.A17)

After two days of intense conflict, the Taliban have left the Arghandab valley. But there is major disagreement about the size of the Taliban force that infiltrated this strategic swath of farmland, why they invaded, and what, if anything, they achieved. Questions remain as to whether or not it is safe for locals to return to the region or not. – See entry on 19, 24 June

Tuesday, 24 June “District free from Taliban, safe for locals to return, Afghan commander says” (Graeme Smith, pg.A14)

The roads of Arghandab district have been cleared of explosives and it is now safe for villagers to return home, a senior Afghan commander says. Thousands of people ran from their villages north

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of Kandahar city last week as the Taliban infiltrated the district and prepared for a bloody confrontation with Canadian and Afghan forces. Even after the fighting had stopped, Afghan officials continued to warn people to stay away because the retreating insurgents had planted improvised bombs in the roads. – See entries on 19, 21 June.

Friday, 27 June “Ottawa to fortify Kandahar prison” (Bill Curry, pg.A4)

Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson announced on 26 June that Canada will spend $4- million beefing up security at Kandahar’s Sarpoza prison, half of it on rebuilding the walls, gates and towers that were blown up in this month’s explosions that freed at least 400 insurgents. – See entry on 14 June

9.7 July 2008

Monday, 7 July “Canadian soldier killed on patrol in Afghanistan” (Staff, pg.A1)

Private Colin William Wilmot, a Canadian medic based in Edmonton with the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry, died in hospital this weekend after being struck by an explosive near a dismounted security patrol in Panjwai district, the military confirmed today.

Thursday, 10 July “Canada’s secret documents on Khadr’s treatment revealed” (Colin Freeze, Omar El Akkad, pg.A1)

Secret documents unsealed late yesterday show for the first time the extent to which the federal government knew of the conditions facing Omar Khadr inside the ultra-secret prison of Guantanamo Bay. Khadr claimed to be tortured to release false information and exhibited some bizarre behaviour. It was also confirmed that his family once lived with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010

Tuesday, 15 July “Priorities shift to Afghan war as U.S. death toll rises” (Jessica Leeder, pg.A1)

For the third month in a row, Afghanistan is proving to be deadlier than Iraq for foreign troops fighting in the U.S.-led war on terror. And as the body count shifts, so has the political attention. The spectacular beginning and grinding occupation in Iraq had for a long time eclipsed the

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longer-running but smaller-scale war in Afghanistan, but there’s now an emerging consensus among the White House and both U.S. presidential candidates that Afghanistan must be a priority. – See entry on 16 July

Wednesday, 16 July “Obama, McCain pledge troops to take on Taliban” (Steven Chase, pg.A12)

Both major contenders for the U.S. presidency vowed yesterday to increase efforts in the Afghanistan war, prompting hope among defence analysts that more American fighting troops and helicopters will be committed to help Canada beat back the Taliban in Kandahar province. For instance, Democratic candidate Barack Obama used a keynote address in Washington to promise he’d end the Iraq war and shift resources to fighting al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. – See entry on 15 July

Friday, 25 July “Afghanistan’s readiness to vote debated” (Graeme Smith, pg.A15)

A year before Afghanistan's scheduled elections, leading watchdogs are already expressing worry about how growing insecurity, government interference and popular disaffection may distort the results. The country’s election commission even raised the possibility this month of delaying the vote if security conditions remain grim. But some election monitoring experts say it’s precisely the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan that makes voting crucial, despite the risks. They are soldiering ahead with their election plans, even as they acknowledge that fair voting may be impossible under the circumstances. – See entry on 22 November 2008

Monday, 28 July “More Canadian troops to be sent” (Graeme Smith, pg.A11)

Canada will contribute an additional 200 soldiers to the Afghan mission later this year, Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson said on the weekend, while on a whirlwind first trip to the war zone. The troop increase had been widely expected since Canada announced it would send helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles to Afghanistan.

9.8 August 2008

Thursday, 7 August “Bin Laden’s driver convicted on terrorism charges” (Paul Koring, pg.A15)

Osama bin Laden’s driver, Salim Hamdan, was convicted on 6 August on terrorism charges in the first full-blown test of the Bush administration’s controversial war-crimes tribunals at

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Guantanamo Bay. But after deliberating over three days, the six officers on the military jury acquitted the Yemeni man of the two most serious charges of conspiracy in helping plot the 11 September, 2001, attacks. He was convicted of multiple charges of material support for terrorism.

Friday, 8 August “Offensive against Taliban under way” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A11)

NATO and Afghan forces have launched a major offensive against the Taliban in the northern part of Kandahar where the insurgents have established a logistical base for their attacks against coalition troops. Canadian soldiers, their NATO allies based in Kandahar and Afghan National Security Forces have moved into the Maywand and Band-E-Timor districts northwest of Kandahar city to drive the Taliban from the wide swath of territory they now control. The operation, dubbed Roob Unyip Janubi—Southern Beast in the native Pashto—also includes British forces from the neighbouring Helmand province. – See entry on 9 August

Saturday, 9 August “Discovery of weapons, drugs and money will cripple the Taliban, military says” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A9)

A major military offensive by Canadians and other forces in the northern part of Kandahar province has turned up ingredients for improvised explosive devices that the Taliban has used to deadly effect. No Taliban fighters were captured during the first five days of what the military has called operation Roob Unyip Janubi—or Southern Beast. The operation is centred on the Band-E- Timor region of the Maywand district of Kandahar, which Capt. Quinlan said is a “logistical node” where bombs are made and sent to other regions. Improvised explosive devices have proven to be the bane of the Canadian effort in Afghanistan. Supply convoys and routine patrols have been targeted, making movement across land dangerous. – See entry on 8 August

Tuesday, 12 August “Soldier killed as Taliban artillery hits Canadian outpost” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A12)

An infantryman was killed by Taliban artillery on 11 August at a remote outpost surrounded by grape fields in the hard-scrabble countryside west of Kandahar city. Master Corporal Erin Doyle, a member of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton, perished at dawn in the type of assault that occurs daily in the isolated combat stations. The volley by the Taliban was returned with artillery fire from the Canadians, and air support from the Kandahar Air Field was called in to finish the task. Military officials say “the enemy was defeated.”

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Thursday, 14 August “Aid workers slain in Afghan ambush” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

Five gunmen armed with assault rifles attacked a U.S. aid organization vehicle in a village near Kabul on 13 August, killing three aid workers, two of them Canadian, and leaving their white SUV pocketed with hundreds of bullet holes. The three women worked for the New-York-based International Rescue Committee, said Melissa Winkler, a spokeswoman for the group. One was a dual U.S.-Trinidadian citizen, one was Canadian and the third was a dual British-Canadian citizen, the IRC said. – See entries on 18 August

Saturday, 16 August “Karzai replaces tainted Kandahar governor” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A15)

The governor of Kandahar, whose firing may have been delayed by a diplomatic slip of the tongue from Canada’s previous foreign affairs minister, has been replaced by a former commander in the Afghan National Army. Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced on 15 August that Major-General Rahmatullah Raufi would be taking the influential position from Asadullah Khalid, who had been linked to torture and corruption. – See entries on 15, 21 April, 5, 18 December, 6 January 2009, 28 November 2009

Monday, 18 August “Taliban to target Canadian civilians” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

The Taliban issued an open letter to Canada on 17 August, saying more Canadian blood will be spilled if the country’s troops are not pulled out of Afghanistan. The broad threat, which was aimed at civilian rather than military targets, came just days after four aid workers, including two Canadians, were gunned down in Logar near Kabul. The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack on 14 August, saying it was an act of revenge. – See entry on 14 August “Ottawa asked to boost civilian security” (Campbell Clark, pg.A9)

A Taliban threat to kill more Canadian aid workers sparked calls for the Canadian government to step up efforts to protect civilian workers in Afghanistan. Some politicians called it a chilling warning, but several also observed that the threat, coming days after two Canadians were killed in Afghanistan, is the type of propaganda tactic that the Taliban have regularly used. – See entry on 14 August

Tuesday, 19 August “Man tied to Canada convicted on terror charges” (Colin Freeze, pg.A8)

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He is said to be an al-Qaeda wannabe whose travels to Canada and beyond helped sow the seeds of terrorism. For aspiring jihadists who sought to learn about building bombs, making poisons or getting training in Pakistan, he was Mr. Fix-It, clearly a man to know. On 18 August, a British jury convicted British citizen Aabid Khan, 23. Mr. Khan and two of his co-accused were found guilty of terrorism offences. Police did not tie them to any specific plot but rather determined them to be inciters and facilitators. Possessing terrorist literature is a crime in Britain and the group was caught with a mini-library at its disposal.

Friday, August 22 “Taliban blast kills three in worst attack on Forces this year” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

An explosion that killed three troops and wounded another west of Kandahar marked a devastating strike against the Canadian Forces by insurgents whose recent attacks have come in rapid succession. Sergeant Shawn Eades, Corporal Dustin Wasden and Sapper Stephan Stock died in the attack on Wednesday. All three Canadian men who died this week were combat engineers with the 12 Field Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, based out of Edmonton. They were on their way to scout a route for future operations.

Monday, 25 August “CSIS wants help from ordinary Muslims” (Colin Freeze, pg.A7)

Toronto’s senior spy has told a group of Muslims he is frightened of potential terrorist attacks on Canadians and wants their help to “de-demonize” Canada’s national-security agencies. Federal agents appear frightened by what they are learning about radicalization and even more frightened by what they don't know. While more dialogue with ordinary Muslims could help pinpoint problems, it can be hard to get the discussion going—especially when what the agents regard as their success stories are often shielded by court-ordered publication bans, and the details of their mistakes are publicly picked apart by federal judges.

Thursday, 28 August “Canada calls for help to protect Afghan districts” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A1)

The top Canadian soldier in Afghanistan conceded on 27 August that two-thirds of the Zhari and Panjwai districts just outside Kandahar city are under the control of the Taliban and said more ground forces are needed to bring security to the province. The United States is widely expected to announce shortly that it will be sending as many as 1,000 soldiers to the dangerous and difficult province where the Canadians are situated. – See entry on 1 September

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9.9 September 2008

Monday, 1 September “800 U.S. troops in Kandahar just the start, MacKay says” (Gloria Galloway, Heather Scoffield, pg.A9)

The arrival of 800 U.S soldiers alongside Canadian forces in Kandahar is just the start of an increase in NATO's presence in the dangerous Afghan province, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said. The top Canadian soldier in Afghanistan announced Saturday that the 800-strong U.S. battalion has officially joined his own forces, almost doubling the number of foot soldiers on the ground in the province that is under Canadian command. The addition of the U.S. troops in the region, with the possibility of more on the way, will free up some Canadian resources to enhance security in the area, train Afghan forces and shift some of their focus to redevelopment, Mr. MacKay said. – See entry on 18 January, 11 June, 28 August

Wednesday, 3 September “Pakistan probes deaths of alleged Canadian militants” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Diplomats in Pakistan are investigating a report that two Canadian militants were killed by a possible U.S. missile attack that blew up a house in a remote tribal region of the country. Canadian Foreign Affairs officials, in conjunction with other agencies, are working with Pakistan to determine the identities of men killed Saturday after villagers said they saw U.S. Predator drones in southern Waziristan. As many as five suspected militants died in the attack, including two Arabs, Pakistan-based reporters said.

Thursday, 4 September “Deadly strike signals surge in Taliban confidence” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

A frontal Taliban assault killed three soldiers and injured five, the worst losses for Canadian troops under direct fire in two years as insurgents grow bolder in their attacks on international forces. Military officials are still investigating how Corporal Andrew Grenon, 23, Cpl. Mike Seggie, 21, and Private Chad Horn, 21, were killed yesterday as they patrolled west of Kandahar city. But they have concluded the soldiers—who were weeks or just days from heading home— weren’t victims of the kind of planted bomb that has inflicted the heaviest toll on Canada’s troops. – See entry on 5 September

Friday, 5 September “Inside the Taliban’s deadly ambush” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

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The ambush that killed three Canadians this week was a carefully planned trap, using an elite team of Taliban fighters and the insurgents’ most powerful weapon to strike in a symbolic location near the scene of Canada's bloodiest battles of the mission. This detailed account of the attack, from a well-informed Afghan government official in Kandahar with strong Taliban contacts, suggests the insurgents were frighteningly organized for the 3 September ambush. – See entry on 4 September

Monday, 8 September “Taliban blast brings military toll to 97” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

A Canadian soldier who saved a comrade's life after a bomb attack two years ago was himself killed by a similar bomb on 7 September, during a patrol at an undisclosed location in the Panjwai district west of Kandahar city. Sergeant Prescott Shipway, 36, was remembered for his gallant actions under fire during a Taliban attack on his previous tour in Afghanistan, as the Canadian military mourned its 97th death of the mission. The improvised explosive device that killed him detonated at 12:30 p.m. local time. Little more information was released, but Brigadier-General Denis Thompson offered some detail about another blast, on June 21, 2006, when one of the sergeant’s colleagues had his legs blown off. “Taliban learning how to win key propaganda battles” (Paul Koring, pg.A13)

The Taliban have proved themselves resilient, if still ill-equipped, warriors, learning from their early defeats and adapting to stage sophisticated attacks, inflicting serious casualties and winning key propaganda battles. – See entries on 26 August 2006, 2 July 2007

Thursday, 11 September “Harper pledges Afghan pullout by 2011” (Campbell Clark, Steven Chase, Jane Taber, pg.A1)

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper pledged on 10 September to withdraw Canadian troops in 2011 from not just Kandahar, but all of Afghanistan, leaving no room for transfer to a safer region of the country. His statement went further than a parliamentary deal he cut earlier this year with the Liberals to pull Canadian forces out of Kandahar in 2011. – See entries on 9, 12, 13, 15, 22, 26 February

Thursday, 25 September “Karzai scolds U.S., allies for killing of civilians” (Paul Koring, pg.A13)

The killing of innocent Afghans by foreign troops imperils the credibility of the United States and its allies in the war against Taliban insurgents, Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai told the United Nations on 24 September.

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Friday, 26 September “Terrorism laws pass their first test as youth convicted in homegrown plot” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

The Canadian Crown has, for the first time, successfully prosecuted a crime designated as an act of terrorism, thanks to the wide net cast by new laws. A 20-year-old man was yesterday found to be an “eager acolyte” to more senior suspects who discussed storming Parliament, and exploding truck bombs in downtown Toronto. Despite the fact there was no evidence that he planned, or even knew about, any specific plot, he was found guilty of participating in a terrorist group. – See entry on August 23, 2003

Monday, 29 September “Kandahar’s top female police officer killed” (Graeme Smith, pg.A10)

Taliban gunmen killed the highest-ranking female police officer in Kandahar, targeting a prominent symbol of women’s rights under the new government. Lieutenant-Colonel Malalai Kakar, 41, was driving to work with her son Farhad, 18, when two insurgents on a motorbike opened fire on them yesterday morning. She was shot in the head and killed, while her son remained in critical condition last night. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which mirrored a pattern of its assassinations in recent years, as the insurgents hit powerful supporters of the Kabul regime.

9.10 October 2008

Monday, 6 October “‘We’re not going to win,’ British commander says of bid to quash Taliban” (Graeme Smith, Doug Saunders, pg.A1)

Britain’s top commander in Afghanistan says the war will not end in victory, the latest indication of soul-searching as Canada’s allies grapple with how to handle the rising power of the Taliban insurgency. The blunt statement from Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith—“We’re not going to win this war”—came just days after a leaked diplomatic cable hinted that the British ambassador in Kabul has a similarly dark forecast. The brigadier suggested that a negotiated settlement will be necessary. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Brig. Carleton-Smith said a “decisive military victory” is not feasible and that NATO should lower its expectations about the outcome of the war. “If the Taliban were prepared to sit on the other side of the table and talk about a political settlement, then that's precisely the sort of progress that concludes insurgencies like this.” – * Deceptive headline

Thursday, 9 October “The Afghan mission: a $20.7-billion tab?” (Campbell Clark, pg.A10)

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The real cost of the Afghan war will reach $20.7-billion before Canadian troops leave in 2011, according to an Ottawa-based foreign affairs organization, the Rideau Institute. That tally includes not only the direct costs of deploying Canadian soldiers and equipment to Afghanistan, but the broader costs of health care, disability payments and the salaries of soldiers. – See entry on 10 October

Friday, 10 October “Afghan mission’s cost much higher than billed” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

Canada’s mission in Afghanistan has cost billions more than what the federal government has reported to the public and it will amount to between $14-billion and $18-billion by the time the troops leave the country in 2011, parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page reported on 9 October. – See entry on 9 October

Wednesday, 15 October “He bet the House, wins minority” (Murray Campbell, Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A1)

Stephen Harper’s gamble to win a majority government came up just short on 14 October as Canadians voted for their third minority government in four years. Mr. Harper’s Conservatives, showing unexpected strength in Ontario, were returned to office with a considerably stronger minority than they won in the 2006 election, a victory that came largely at the expense of the Liberals, whose popular vote was at a historic low. “Harper likely to proceed with full platform” (Steven Chase, pg.A11)

On the surface, another minority government mandate would appear to frustrate Conservative Leader Stephen Harper’s plans to enact all of his $8.67-billion in campaign platform promises. But with Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion's future in question after his party’s loss, Mr. Harper could have free rein if the Liberals abstain on Commons votes. The Tory Leader has already said he would interpret a win as a mandate to proceed with his full platform. Concerning the War on Terrorism, his platform includes allowing Canadian victims to sue the sponsors of terrorism, including states designated as sponsors of terrorism.

Thursday, 16 October “Explosion wounds three Canadian soldiers, one of them critically” (Jessica Leeder, pg.A18)

Three Canadian soldiers were injured on 15 October—one critically—when an improvised explosive device detonated during a routine morning foot patrol in Zhari district, west of Kandahar city. The soldiers were conducting a security patrol alongside members of the Afghan National Army in a rural area that borders the Arghandab River when the bomb went off about 11:30 a.m., said Major Jay Janzen, a military spokesman. The unit was part of the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team program, which pairs NATO soldiers with members of the Afghan National Army to provide training and support. The injured soldiers, whose names were not released, are members of the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ont.

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Wednesday, 22 October “Torture report urges Ottawa to better protect rights” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Canada must ensure the fight against “pernicious” terrorist threats does not compromise the most cherished civil rights, a retired Supreme Court judge warned on 21 October, concluding an investigation into the torture of three Arab-Canadians abroad. Frank Iacobucci held federal security officials “indirectly” responsible for the torture of three Canadians jailed in Syria and Egypt between 2001 and 2004, but also argued the agents had acted mostly conscientiously during a 2001-era investigation aimed at finding al-Qaeda members in Canada. – See entry on 3 November 2005, 10 August 2007

Wednesday, 29 October “It's time to talk to Taliban, envoys admit” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Talking to the Taliban—long dismissed as unthinkable—was endorsed on 28 October by senior envoys from the embattled governments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Even the Bush administration conceded it was considering “reaching out” to reconcile with some elements of the doctrinaire Islamist movement that once harboured al-Qaeda. The fundamental policy shift reflects a stark reality: The raging insurgency in Afghanistan has proved the war may not be winnable militarily and that the resurgent Taliban may need to be included in any far-reaching peace. The announcement that contacts would be sought with the Taliban came at the close of a two-day gathering of elders and prominent figures from Pakistan and Afghanistan. “We agreed that contacts should be established with the opposition on both sides,” said former Afghan foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, who led his country's delegation to the meeting in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. A Taliban spokesperson rejected the idea, stating that foreign troops must leave Afghanistan before talks could take place. – See entry on 18 August 2004, 23 May 2007, 2 June 2009

9.11 November 2008

Saturday, 1 November “NATO to attack Taliban during winter ‘rest’” (Jessica Leeder, pg.A18)

Brigadier-General Denis Thompson, Canada’s top military official in southern Afghanistan, said NATO forces here will rely on “competitive advantage” over the Taliban this winter to push insurgents out of pockets they use as safe havens and reduce perceptions of insecurity in the volatile province.

Tuesday, 4 November “Military sees Obama as key to victory in Afghanistan” (Doug Saunders, pg.A16)

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In normally hawkish military and diplomatic circles, it is being called an “Obama boost:” a widespread belief that the war in Afghanistan may be winnable only if Barack Obama is elected president tonight. To a surprising degree, military and government officials in the United States and Europe have pegged their hopes for victory in Afghanistan or a reduction in violence to Mr. Obama’s ability to win over skeptical European audiences and persuade them to contribute large numbers of troops to a war that is widely seen to be in serious trouble. Amid fast-increasing violence and declining public support in Afghanistan, many top U.S., British and Canadian military commanders and government officials involved with the war say in private discussions that they believe the Afghan war will be lost unless a large number of additional soldiers and civil workers—a number that ranges from 60,000 to more than 100,000—is sent to Afghanistan by the end of next year. – See entries on 5, 14 November, 28 March 2009

Wednesday, 5 November “The first 100 days for the new president” (Paul Koring, pg.A18)

Close Guantanamo Bay’s notorious prisons says Barak Obama who was elected as U.S. President on 4 November. In the coming months he will seek to fix America’s reputation abroad; order tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers to Afghanistan; hurry up the exodus from Iraq; unveil a huge economic stimulus package; and announce a massive overhaul of America’s failed financial watchdogs. – See entries on 4, 14 November, 28 March 2009

Thursday, 6 November “Taliban spurred air strike on civilians, official says” (Jessica Leeder, pg.A1)

Taliban insurgents in a remote village northeast of Kandahar provoked an attack by coalition troops that devastated a wedding party on Monday and resulted in dozens of civilian deaths, the top politician in Kandahar has told The Globe and Mail. Although Canadian troops are responsible for Kandahar province, the Canadian Forces is adamant about its lack of involvement in the attack, which came to light late Tuesday after victims began arriving at Mirwais Hospital.

Monday, 10 November “Taliban say hostage was theirs” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

A violent tug-of-war between insurgents and criminals broke out in lawless districts of Afghanistan as armed factions struggled for control of a Canadian journalist during her kidnapping ordeal, according to Taliban sources. Mellissa Fung, 35, a reporter for CBC television, was released unharmed on Saturday, and details are starting to emerge about the men responsible for keeping her chained and blindfolded in a cave. A Taliban spokesman denied the insurgents held her and Afghan intelligence officials hinted that her captors were criminals. But insurgents from Wardak province, west of Kabul, said their band of Taliban fighters was among the groups that staked a claim to the valuable hostage. She changed hands at least twice, they said, and at least one Taliban fighter was killed in the squabbling over her fate.

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Thursday, 13 November “Vancouver journalist abducted in Pakistan” (Mark Hume, pg.A17)

A journalist from West Vancouver has been kidnapped in the tribal areas of northern Pakistan where she was gathering material for a documentary. Beverly Giesbrecht, a Web magazine publisher in British Columbia who adopted the name Khadija Abdul Qahaar after converting to Islam, was seized at gunpoint on Tuesday while traveling in the Bannu district in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, on the border with Afghanistan. – See entries on 20 November, 24 February 2009, 13, 20, 24 March 2009

Friday, 14 November “Afghan Foreign Minister calls for more troops” (Reuteur News Agency, pg.A20)

More international troops are needed in the south of Afghanistan and they must be ready to fight insurgents, the country’s Foreign Minister said on 13 November. Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta, visiting Britain with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, said international efforts to train the Afghan military to handle security by itself remained vital for the long term, but in the meantime more foreign fighting troops were needed. – See entries on 4, 5 November, 28 March 2009

Thursday, 20 November “Captive Canadian’s fate lies with warlord” (Saeed Shah, pg.A19)

The fate of a Canadian held captive there rests in the hands of warlord Gul Bahadur. A leader of Pakistan's Taliban, he runs much of North Waziristan, the area where Beverly Giesbrecht, 55, disappeared last week and where she is thought to still be held captive. – See entries on 13 November, 24 February 2009, 13, 20, 24 March 2009

Saturday, 22 November “Defence ministers confident Afghan elections can go ahead” (Michael Tutton, pg.A5)

Defence ministers from countries with troops in Afghanistan’s restive southern flank say they’re confident next fall's elections in the country can proceed despite a tide of violence that has continued to rise this year. Nations whose forces have handled the bulk of the fighting in the war- torn southern provinces were represented, with defence ministers from Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands and Estonia for the wide-ranging talks. – See entries on 17, 21, 25, 29 August 2009

Wednesday, 26 November “Karzai demands timeline for victory” (Paul Koring, Graeme Smith, pg.A17)

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned on 25 November that unless Western armies can defeat the Taliban, and provide a clear victory date, then he will be forced to sue for peace with the rebels. “Afghans don’t understand any more how come a little force like the Taliban can continue to exist, can continue to flourish, can continue to launch attacks, with [troops from] 40 countries in Afghanistan, with entire NATO force in Afghanistan, with entire international community behind them, still we are not able to defeat the Taliban,” Mr. Karzai said. “There must be a problem somewhere.” Mr. Karzai’s surprisingly blunt speech to a delegation of UN Security Council ambassadors accused the U.S.-led military forces, including several thousand Canadian troops, of failing to defeat the Taliban despite seven years of combat, of alienating ordinary Afghans and of falling short in their efforts to create an Afghan army and police force able to defend the country. – See entry on 16 October 2001, 5 March 2010

9.12 December 2008

Monday, 1 December “As dust settles, India's tensions deepen” (Stephanie Nolen, pg.A1)

Terrorist attacks in Mumbai launched by the Pakistan-based Islamist movement Lashkar-e-Taiba (Army of the Righteous), which advocates for the end of Indian rule in Kashmir ended on 30 November. Now, India faces a deepening crisis both on its borders and in the heart of its own government in the wake of the audacious and brutal attacks in Mumbai that left at least 174 dead.

Friday, 5 December “Kandahar governor confirms exit” (Graeme Smith, pg.A18)

Major-General Rahmatullah Raufi has confirmed he is leaving his job as Kandahar governor, saying he found himself in conflict with unnamed “powerful people” in the province after less than four months on the job. – See entries on 15, 21 April, 10 August, 18 December, 6 January 2009, 28 November 2009

Saturday, 6 December “Top commander plays down combat milestone” (Graeme Smith, pg.A7)

A large bomb instantly killed three Canadian soldiers on 5 December, marking the 100th military death in Afghanistan and breaking the longest period without a fatality since Canada’s battle group arrived in the dangerous south. Kandahar's violence continues to break records, despite the lower death toll for the latest rotation of Canadian troops; security consultant Sami Kovanen counted 972 insurgent attacks in the province as of 24 November, compared with 630 in the same period last year. Adding to yesterday’s casualties was an earlier bombing that injured two Canadian soldiers, one seriously, in Zhari district at 8 a.m., local time. Only an hour later in a nearby district, the second bomb killed Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson, Corporal Mark Robert McLaren, and Private Demetrios Diplaros. The three soldiers were travelling in an

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armoured vehicle on a routine patrol, as part of an Operational Mentor and Liaison Team that trains Afghan soldiers.

Monday, 8 December “Unmanned aircraft to patrol U.S.-Canada border” (Monica Davey, pg.A12)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection authorities are preparing to launch the first unmanned aircraft patrols along the Canadian border. A Predator B aircraft, delivered to Grand Forks, N.D., on Saturday, will make runs along the northern edge of North Dakota where it meets Manitoba and Saskatchewan using sensors that can provide video and detect heat and changes to landscape, Customs and Border Protection officials said. The first missions, designed to locate people crossing the border illegally or avoiding ports of entry, are expected to start next month.

Friday, 12 December “Canada poised to cede command in Kandahar” (Graeme Smith, Steven Chase, pg.A1)

Canada appears ready to give up its leadership position in Kandahar before its mandate ends in 2011, ceding command to a surge of U.S. troops that will ease the burden the Canadian military shouldered nearly three years ago when it took charge of the province. Canada’s senior officer in Afghanistan suggested Canada may soon take a less prominent role in war-ravaged Kandahar province—comments made on the same day U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates called on Ottawa to extend its mission beyond 2011. – See entry on 1 August 2009

Monday, 15 December “Taliban take hold of vital road” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Three more Canadian soldiers have died along a deadly stretch of highway, raising concerns among Afghan leaders that the vital gateway to Kandahar city is becoming a new Taliban stronghold. The fatal blast on Saturday morning hit the same part of Highway No. 1 where three other soldiers died this month: the route between the city and the nearest village to the west, a ramshackle suburb known as Senjaray. The region has been increasingly infiltrated by Taliban.

Thursday, 18 December “Afghan-Canadian the top choice for governor of Kandahar” (Graeme Smith, Robert Matas, pg.A1)

An agricultural expert from British Columbia is now the leading candidate in the urgent search for a new governor of Kandahar, The Globe and Mail has learned. The post is a key political seat in southern Afghanistan but a dangerous task with little chance of glory. Tooryalai Wesa, 58, of Coquitlam, B.C., was called from Canada to Afghanistan this week to discuss the unusual job offer. The current governor left the post after less than four months in the job, and prominent figures in the country had rejected the position, so President Hamid Karzai appears to have

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reached into the expatriate community and chosen a friend of his family with experience in rural development. – See entries on 15, 21 April, 10 August, 5 December, 6 January 2009, 28 November 2009

Monday, 22 December “MacKay sees risks in U.S. plan to arm tribal militias” (Murray Brewster, pg.A4)

Washington's plan to arm local tribes to take on the Taliban in untamed districts of Afghanistan is possibly “counterproductive” and not something Canada supports, Defence Minister Peter MacKay says. The proposal, which the U.S. military will experiment with as up to 30,000 additional American troops surge into the country next year, has been routinely discussed by NATO defence ministers, most recently at meeting in Cornwallis, N.S. U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates did not push NATO allies to fall in line behind the plan. – See entry on 18 February 2009

Saturday, 27 December “Bomb kills Canadian soldier on ‘very bloody day’” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Canada suffered another loss in the grinding war against Taliban bombers on 26 December with the death of a soldier in an explosion. The blast came only hours after the military claimed a victory with the killing of an insurgent suspected of masterminding deadly bomb attacks on Canadians. The latest blast killed a Canadian soldier, Private Michael Bruce Freeman, and injured three others around 12:45 p.m. local time in Zhari district, about 24 kilometres west of Kandahar city. It happened roughly a dozen kilometres from the stretch of highway where six other Canadians were killed in separate blasts earlier this month.

Monday, 29 December “Blast kills two more Canadian soldiers” (Graeme Smith, pg.A13)

Two more Canadian soldiers were returning to Canada in coffins on 28 December, killed in a flurry of explosions in Kandahar that have left three Canadians dead since Friday. Despite the toll, Defence Minister Peter MacKay predicted an end to the rising violence in Afghanistan, where he was visiting over the weekend. Warrant Officer Gaetan Roberge and Sergeant Gregory John Kruse were killed alongside an Afghan police officer and a local interpreter in the bombing on Saturday morning. Four other Canadian troops were injured in the blast, one of at least seven separate explosions in the districts around Kandahar city since Christmas morning.

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10 2009

10.1 January 2009

Saturday, 3 January “Soldier’s murder charge raises questions about secrecy” (Jane Armstrong, Bill Curry, Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

A Canadian soldier has been charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of an unarmed Taliban suspect, raising questions as to how and why the incident remained secret for 2½ months. Captain Robert Semrau of Pembroke, Ont.—who was tasked with training members of Afghanistan’s army—was charged with “shooting, with intent to kill, an unarmed male,” according to the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service. The move came just six days into the military’s probe. The incident occurred during a period of fierce fighting in Helmand province’s largest city, Lashkar Gah, between the Afghan National Army and Taliban fighters.

Tuesday, 6 January “Taliban claims of success appear exaggerated” (Associated Press, pg.A12)

The Taliban has long exaggerated its military successes, but its figures for 2008 may be the militia's most startling claims yet. The Taliban claims its forces last year killed 5,220 foreign troops, downed 31 aircraft, destroyed 2,818 NATO and Afghan vehicles and killed 7,552 Afghan soldiers and police. NATO’s member countries announce all troop deaths, providing names, ages and hometowns and how the soldiers were killed. According to an Associated Press tally of those announcements, 286 foreign forces died last year in Afghanistan, including 151 U.S. and 32 Canadian troops. – See entry on 12 March 2007 “Kandahar’s new governor gets an earful” (Jane Armstrong, pg.A13)

Kandahar’s rookie governor, an Afghan-Canadian who returned home to help his country, made his first foray to the violent countryside and got an earful in face-to-face talks with his constituents. Insurgents are threatening villagers, schools are closing, the police are thieves and addicts, people are moving to Kandahar city because they don't feel safe in their homes. The list of grievances went on and on, but the response was frequently similar: don’t rely on others to solve all the problems. Tooryalai Wesa, 58, who left comfortable academia in British Columbia to govern one of Afghanistan’s most violent provinces, seemed unperturbed by the litany of war- related grief, and undaunted by the huge expectations for Kandahar’s returning son. – See entries on 15, 21 April, 10 August, 5, 18 December, 28 November 2009 – * Deceptive headline

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Thursday, 8 January “Taliban’s winter offensive claims another victim” (Jane Armstrong, pg.A11)

A roadside bomb has killed another Canadian soldier in Afghanistan as Taliban insurgents—who usually lie low in the winter—step up their attacks on foreign and Afghan security forces. Trooper Brian Good died after the bomb exploded near his armoured vehicle about 35 kilometres north of Kandahar city. The Canadian Forces gave his age as 42. “Captain accused of killing insurgent gets bail” (Steven Chase, pg.A6)

A military judge granted bail on 7 January to Robert Semrau, the Canadian army captain accused of killing a severely wounded Taliban insurgent after an October, 2008, firefight—but lawyers say it's not yet certain he will face trial on the second-degree murder charge laid against him. At Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Judge Lieutenant-Colonel Louis-Vincent d’Auteuil released Captain Semrau on seven strict conditions, including a ban on handling guns, ammunition or other military weapons—even during the course of his military duties. – See entry on 25 March 2010

Thursday, 22 January “Ottawa ‘reassessing’ Khadr’s case, MacKay says” (Omar El Akkad, Daniel Leblanc, pg.A1)

For the first time, the Conservative government is quietly budging from its vehement refusal to act on behalf of Canadian Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr, with Defence Minister Peter MacKay saying the government is “reassessing” its position. In one of his first major orders as U.S. President, Barack Obama called a time-out on the military commissions system, telling military prosecutors to request a 120-day “suspension” of the court cases—a request that Guantanamo judges granted. The suspension not only adds to the uncertainty surrounding Mr. Khadr’s future, but also puts more pressure on the government in Ottawa to change its long-held position that it will not act on the detained Canadian's behalf while a legal process is continuing. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010 “Obama gets started on new Afghanistan strategy” (Paul Koring, pg.A14)

U.S. President Barack Obama, in one of his first acts as commander-in-chief, started shifting America's war-fighting focus yesterday from Iraq to Afghanistan. “We will undertake a full review of the situation in Afghanistan in order to develop a comprehensive policy for the entire region,” Mr. Obama said. In his inaugural address, Mr. Obama said, “We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan.” – See entries on 1 August 2009

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Friday, 23 January “Canadian spy drones set for Afghan takeoff” (Canadian Press, pg.A12)

Canada's newest eyes in Afghan skies are ready for takeoff. The military announced on 22 January the Heron pilotless spy drones that arrived last month at Kandahar Air Field are now set to fly. The drones will help coalition forces ferret out Taliban fighters planting roadside bombs or planning ambushes, said Colonel Christopher Coates, commander of Canada's air wing.

Friday, 30 January “Afghanistan delays presidential vote by three months” (Jane Armstrong, pg.A9)

Afghanistan has delayed its presidential election by three months, saying the country needs time to improve security before going to the polls. President Hamid Karzai, who is facing mounting criticism that his government is weakened and corrupt, is required to step down on 21 May, when his five-year term expires. The election delay sparked opposition criticism that the President is spoiling for a constitutional fight. The Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan announced the move on 29 January, saying it hopes the arrival of additional foreign forces, expected later this year, will help stabilize the country. – See entries on 17, 21, 25, 29 August, 20, 26, 29 October

Saturday, 31 January “Soldier would ‘always be laughing’” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A10)

Sapper Greenfield, 25, died on Saturday morning, the 108th Canadian military casualty in Afghanistan, after a makeshift mine struck his armoured vehicle near the Zhari district, 40 kilometres west of Kandahar City.

10.2 February 2009

Tuesday, 3 February “Canadian’s jihadi videos were free speech, not terrorism, court told” (Les Perreaux, pg.A7)

The accused Maskinongé terrorist created videos with titles such as Jihad Academy and Mujahideen Secrets using a souped-up computer in his basement apartment in the Quebec town. Said Namouh engaged in hundreds of online conversations and produced videos praising violent attacks on U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. He lauded the kidnappers of a British journalist in Gaza and allegedly helped distribute ransom demands. He threatened future attacks in Germany and Austria. In a series of chats in August, 2007, Mr. Namouh planned a trip to Egypt and Germany for a mission involving a bomb attack. In one brief online comment, he proclaimed his expertise in explosives. His handler and alleged co-conspirator sent him $800, suggesting he buy a gun. Mr. Namouh went on trial yesterday in a case that will test whether those video productions and all that talk constituted acts of terrorism or the extreme edges of free speech. Mr. Namouh, 36, is facing four terrorism-related charges, including one count of plotting to set off a

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bomb in Vienna. The three other charges accuse him of contributing to terrorist activities by acting as a propaganda arm for violent Islamists.

Monday, 9 February “Video suggests diplomats in clutches of al-Qaeda” (Geoffery York, pg.A1)

A videotape was just released that apparently shows the disturbing fate of Robert Fowler and Louis Guay, the two Canadian diplomats who were kidnapped in December in the West African nation of Niger. The existence of the video was revealed yesterday in Mali. It appears to confirm that Mr. Fowler and Mr. Guay were taken across the border to Mali after being abducted on a highway near Niamey, the capital of Niger. The video adds further evidence to the theory of al- Qaeda involvement in the kidnapping. The leading theory among the investigators—including Canadian, American and United Nations security specialists—is that the two Canadian diplomats are being held by a cell of al-Qaeda’s branch in North Africa, which is already suspected of masterminding a series of similar kidnappings of Western tourists in Mali, Algeria and Tunisia. – See entries on 25 April, 10 September

Thursday, 12 February “Price tag for security $1-billion, Ottawa confirms” (Bill Curry, Joe Friesen, pg.A10)

Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan confirmed yesterday that security costs for the 2010 Winter Olympics will be in the range of $1-billion, a figure five times higher than original estimates. Keeping the Games safe from disruptions or terrorist attacks is expected to be a massive undertaking, with an estimated 12,000 police, security and military officials on site.

Wednesday, 18 February “Obama's message to Canadians: Alliances matter, ‘dirty oil’ not so much” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

U.S. President Barack Obama is embarking on his first foreign visit to Canada conveying a tone of courtship—hinting that he hopes progress in Afghanistan will convince Canada to keep troops there after 2011, but saying he won’t ask Stephen Harper to commit this week. The U.S. President has said that he will make Afghanistan a top foreign-policy priority, and is set to announce a major troop surge. He has appointed prominent diplomat Richard Holbrooke as his special envoy to Afghanistan and its neighbour, Pakistan. – See entries on 18 May, 5, 30 March 2010 – * Deceptive headline “Afghan militia gears up to fight the Taliban” (Graeme Smith, pg.A16)

The first stages of a plan to raise militias against the Afghan insurgency will involve giving 1,200 assault rifles to local men with little training, according to documents that reveal fresh details about the controversial program. Problematically, Canada has donated millions of dollars for

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programs aimed at disbanding Afghanistan’s illegal militias and recovering their weapons, a process that some observers say has been undermined by the establishment of new armed groups. – See entry on 22 December 2009

Friday, 20 February “Canada to focus on protecting Kandahar city” (Graeme Smith, pg.A11)

The coming influx of American troops will allow Canada to focus on protecting the gateways to Kandahar city, a new senior commander says, leaving U.S. forces to disrupt the insurgency in the dangerous outlying districts. Previous commanders have proudly declared that Canadian soldiers patrol 50,000 square kilometres, securing Kandahar and beyond to the edges of neighbouring provinces. The fresh U.S. troops are expected to consist of a full brigade, part of 17,000 extra soldiers announced for the country this week. – See entries on 20 May, 26 September, 3 December, 29 January 2010

Monday, 23 February “Taliban leader killed” (Canadian Press, pg.A8)

Afghan forces were credited on 22 February with bringing down a Taliban leader who was responsible for directing a campaign of roadside bombings in Kandahar province. Mullah Mahmood was killed during an operation this week near the village of Ghoresh, a NATO official said in a statement. Afghan security forces, backed by NATO troops, surrounded the compound where Mr. Mahmood was said to be hiding. He was given the option to surrender, but apparently chose to attack instead and was killed in the resulting gun battle, a spokesman for the military alliance said.

Tuesday, 24 February “Video emerges of abducted journalist” (Canadian Press, pg.S2)

A videotaped message has emerged from a Vancouver journalist who was abducted last year in northern Pakistan. Beverly Giesbrecht, who adopted the name Khadija Abdul Qahaar when she converted to Islam in 2002, was on a freelance assignment for the Al-Jazeera network when she disappeared Nov. 11. In the segment of the recording aired yesterday on CBC Newsworld, a visibly nervous Ms. Giesbrecht, 52, is flanked by masked men armed with assault rifles. Foreign Affairs says that it is aware of the movie but will not comment in order to protect the safety of the individual. – See entries on 13, 20, 24 March “Canadians blamed for childrens’ deaths in Kandahar” (Graeme Smith, pg.A1)

Several children were caught in an explosion as they scavenged for scrap metal in the barren terrain about 15 kilometres west of the city, Afghan officials said, and many people from the district are convinced the blast was caused by ordnance left over from Canadian exercises one day earlier. The Canadian military has launched an investigation, saying its troops had been test-firing

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artillery and tank cannons, but noting that soldiers are under orders to check carefully after weapons practice for unexploded shells. Two boys have been confirmed dead. – See entry on 3 March

Wednesday, 25 February “Canada won’t seek return of Khadr” (Paul Koring, Omar El Akkad, pg.A12)

Ottawa won't seek the return of Omar Khadr, the only Canadian and last remaining westerner left in Guantanamo, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said on 24 February after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. While the new U.S. President Barrack Obama has pledged to shut down Guantanamo within a year and is urging other countries to help resettle some detainees, the Harper government hasn’t budged from the position it maintained throughout the Bush years. Opposition leaders in Canada and rights groups in both countries have demanded the Harper government seek Mr. Khadr’s return, if only because he was a child soldier, 15 years ago when he was severely wounded in a firefight in Afghanistan where an American special forces soldier was killed. Ms. Clinton did not ask Canada to take Mr. Khadr back, Mr. Cannon said. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010 Saturday, 28 February

“U.S. sets firm date for Iraq pullout” (Steven Chase, pg.A1)

Barack Obama laid out an exit strategy on 27 February for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq within 18 months, marking the beginning of the end of the most divisive American military conflict in a generation. The fixing of a firm end date comes nearly six years after U.S. soldiers first invaded Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein, starting a war that went on to claim more than 4,250 American lives and spark a corrosive domestic debate. But Mr. Obama fell short of delivering the degree of pullout some Democrats expected, saying a substantial contingent—as many as 50,000 Americans—will stay behind to train and advise the Iraqi military. That's roughly one-third of the 142,000 soldiers currently deployed there. – See entry on 28, 30 March

10.3 March 2009

Monday, 2 March “Canada, allies will never defeat Taliban, PM says” (Paul Koring, pg.A9)

Canadian and other foreign armies can’t defeat the Taliban, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in an interview broadcast on CNN on 1 March. “Frankly, we are not going to ever defeat the insurgency,” Mr. Harper said, more than seven years after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan toppled the Taliban regime. Canadian troops have been fighting and dying in Afghanistan since

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2002, but this is the first time the Prime Minister has explicitly said defeating the Islamic extremists can’t be done. Mr. Harper, in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, said that despite sending thousands of soldiers to Afghanistan and suffering more than 100 troop deaths, the “success has been modest” and any gains made could be lost. – See entry on 7 March – *Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 3 March “Evidence clears Canadians in boys’ deaths” (Graeme Smith, pg.A12)

Forensic evidence has removed any suspicion that Canadian munitions killed three children last week, military officials said yesterday, contradicting angry villagers who believe Canadian troops were responsible. – See entry on 24 February

Friday, 6 March “Ten years in NATO—thanks, Canada” (Piotr Ogrodzinski, Karel Zebrakovsky, Pal Vastagh, pg.A19)

Poland’s, the Czech Republic’s and the Hungarian ambassadors to Canada wrote to The Globe to praise Canada for its efforts in helping NATO since 1949, sixty years ago. They hinted that they hope Canada will continue its support for NATO in Afghanistan and other missions.

Saturday, 7 March “Harper defines his vision of victory” (Canadian Press, pg.A6)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says his definition of victory in Afghanistan would be to push back the Taliban insurgency to the point where NATO nations can “kick-start much more effective” development in the war-torn country. “I think that what is realistic is that we would considerably push back the insurgency ... and that we diminish the security threats significantly enough that we can kick-start a much more effective effort on development and aid,” he said after a highway-funding announcement in Berwick, N.S. – See entry on 11 June 2008, 3 March

Wednesday, 11 March “Afghan reporter gunned down in Kandahar city” (Gloria Galloway, Graeme Smith, pg.A13)

A young man, Jawed (Jojo) Ahma, who helped Canadian reporters gather news in Afghanistan and was imprisoned by U.S. forces for nearly a year of self-described “hell” was gunned down yesterday in the centre of Kandahar city.

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Friday, 13 March “Taliban demand $375,000 to free captive Canadian” (Rehmat Mehsud, Mark Hume, pg.A13)

Taliban insurgents active in Pakistan's lawless tribal region have offered to free a Canadian woman, Beverly Giesbrecht, held since November in return for a $375,000 (U.S.) ransom. – See entries on 24 February, 20, 24 March

Friday, 20 March “Taliban threaten to behead Canadian hostage” (Rehmat Mehsud, Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A1)

A Canadian held hostage after she travelled to the lawless tribal belt of northern Pakistan says the Taliban will behead her by the end of the month if a ransom isn’t paid. In a new video provided to The Globe and Mail, Beverly Giesbrecht expresses fear for her life if her captors aren't paid. – See entries on 24 February, 13, 24 March “Largest mission since Korea turns deadly” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A17)

What was billed as the largest operation by Canada's military since the Korean War went exceptionally well for the first three days. Canadian troops, joined by Afghans and U.S. soldiers under Canadian command, tramped through Taliban territory disrupting insurgent supply lines and confiscating the ingredients for improvised bombs. But yesterday, as the four-day mission known as Operation Jaley was winding down and the exhausted troops were returning to the sanctuary of a Canadian base, the Taliban struck back twice with deadly effect. Two separate explosions in different districts north and west of Kandahar city claimed the lives of four Canadian soldiers and wounded eight others. The deaths and injuries marked one of the most devastating single-day losses for Canadian troops since they took over the NATO mission in this province three years ago. All of the soldiers who were killed were members of the Third Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ont., which is due to return home to Canada in the coming weeks. – *Deceptive headline

Tuesday, 24 March “Canadian held by Taliban pleads for her life” (Rehmat Mehsud, pg.A14)

A Canadian held captive by the Taliban for nearly four months has pleaded for her life in a telephone call to The Globe and Mail. “Please, please do something for my release,” said Beverly Giesbrecht, 52, her voice cracking as she spoke briefly yesterday by satellite telephone. Officials with Foreign Affairs Canada have routinely declined comment on Ms. Giesbrecht’s situation, except to say her release is being sought through appropriate channels. – See entries on 24 February, and 13 and 20 March

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Saturday, 28 March “Obama now owns Afghan war and will be judged by it” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

The war in Afghanistan is now Barack Obama’s war, with his announcement on 27 March of a plan to increase American forces there by another 4,000, on top of the 17,000 he has already committed. The deployment comes with strict new benchmarks to measure progress, hundreds of civilian advisers and a major increase in foreign aid. This strategy is Mr. Obama’s response to a war that George W. Bush started and waged for seven years to something worse than a stalemate, with the Taliban and its al-Qaeda allies in control of chunks of the country, with the central government corrupt and dysfunctional and with NATO forces unpopular and discredited by a weary, resentful population. – See entry on 28 February, 30 March – * Deceptive headline

Monday, 30 March “Afghanistan still dangerous, PM says” (Heather Scoffield, pg.A4)

A new U.S. commitment to Afghanistan will give a needed boost to Canada’s troops there, but it won't stem the casualties, Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned. In his first reaction to a recent announcement from U.S. President Barack Obama that the United States plans to send 21,000 more troops to Afghanistan—4,000 more than anticipated—Mr. Harper said the U.S. effort will “take some of the pressure off” Canada’s strained troops. He went on to say, “whether we have casualties or not is often just a matter of luck - being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” – See entry on 28 March

10.4 April 2009

Wednesday, 1 April “International dismay as Karzai backs law ravaging women’s rights” (Doug Saunders, pg.A1)

According to United Nations organizations that have seen it, a law backed by the Karzai government would legalize rape within marriage and would forbid women from going to the doctor or leaving their home without their husband’s protection. Officials from Afghan donor countries are appalled. In Ottawa, Trade Minister Stockwell Day, chairman of the cabinet committee on Afghanistan, suggested that if the reports are true, Canada’s support for the Afghan government will be affected. – See entries on 3, 27 April

Friday, 3 April “Afghanistan’s move to restrict women stuns Ottawa” (Campbell Clark, pg.A4)

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The Canadian government expressed dismay yesterday that Afghanistan’s parliament passed a law undermining women's rights without the knowledge of key government officials or female lawmakers. Afghanistan’s ambassador, meanwhile, cautioned Canadians not to withdraw support from his country, saying that while building democracy is a goal of the mission, it is also intended to establish security and ensure terrorists don't find refuge there. – See entries on 1, 27 April

Monday, 6 April “Afghanistan: U.S. set to take far greater role in the war as NATO nations fail to meet Obama's hopes for boost in troops to match his ‘Afghan surge’ of 21,000 new soldiers” (Doug Saunders, Brian Laghi, pg.A1)

The Afghanistan war is set to become a far more U.S.-dominated project, with Canada and major European participants shifting to a lesser role after NATO countries failed this weekend to meet U.S. hopes for substantially more troops. The United States will be sending 21,000 new troops, most of them combat soldiers, to join the U.S. force of about 38,000 soldiers this year, a huge boost to the current 42-nation fighting force of 58,390 troops. – See entries on 28, 30 March

Tuesday, 14 April “Blast kills Canadian female trooper” (Jessica Leeder, pg.A12)

On a day that was to be reserved for the pomp and ceremony of the Canadian battlegroup’s change of command here, soldiers are instead mourning the death of Canada's 117th casualty in Afghanistan. Trooper Karine Blais, 21, was only the second Canadian female soldier to die in combat. She lost her life around 5 p.m. Sunday in the often mountainous district of Shah Wali Kowt, north of Kandahar City, when the vehicle she was riding in struck a deadly improvised explosive device.

Friday, 24 April “Judge orders Ottawa to seek Khadr’s return” (Omar El Akkad, pg.A4)

In the latest and most direct rebuke of the Conservative government’s stand on the Omar Khadr case, a Federal Court judge yesterday ordered Ottawa to ask Washington for the return of the detained Canadian. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010

Saturday, 25 April “Ex-hostages Fowler, Guay leave Mali en route to reunion with families” (Colin Freeze, Campbell Clark, pg.A7)

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Freed Canadian diplomats Robert Fowler and Louis Guay left Mali yesterday aboard a Canadian government plane bound for Germany this weekend to be reunited with their families. The two men were suddenly freed this week by their al-Qaeda-linked captors after four months of captivity. Two Europeans separately captured by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were simultaneously let go. Reports from Algeria suggest that an unnamed European government paid AQIM factions a multimillion-dollar ransom. While this transaction has not been officially confirmed, countries such as Germany and Austria have been reported to have made similar payments in parallel cases. – See entries on 9 February, 10 September

Monday, 27 April “Didn’t read new law, Karzai admits” (Jessica Leeder, pg.A9)

President Hamid Karzai did not know he was signing a law that would allow men to demand sex from their wives when he put his signature on Afghanistan’s new Shiite Personal Status legislation, he told a group of critics yesterday in Kabul. Mr. Karzai explained to the largely female group that he relies on aides to review most documents he signs and did not read the law, which also limits the conditions under which Shia women can leave the home and requires them to apply makeup when their husbands insist. He has said that he will amend the legislation to comply with human rights standards. – See entries on 1, 3 April

10.5 May 2009

Tuesday, 5 May “Bloodshed to escalate with coming U.S. surge, Taliban says” (Jessica Leeder, pg.A1)

Taliban fighters say they are planning a bloody summer campaign of buried bombs and staged ambushes in rural areas and a rash of multiple co-ordinated suicide bombings and assassinations in urban Kandahar. After two weeks of interviews with Taliban, close observers and Afghan government officials from some of the province’s most troubled districts, a picture emerges of what to expect from what may be the most intense fighting season in years—and places nervous civilians squarely in the crosshairs. “We have new plans, new tactics,” a Taliban logistics director based in the volatile Panjwai district says. – See entry on 28 March

Wednesday, 6 May “Shocking turnaround as accused pleads guilty in Toronto bombing plot” (Christie Blatchford, pg.A1)

Saad Khalid, one of the notorious and now-shrunken group once known as the Toronto 18, abruptly pleaded guilty to participating in a terrorist plot to build and detonate bombs in the country's largest city. Now 22, he pleaded guilty to a single count of participating in a terrorist

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organization “with the intention of causing an explosion or explosions that were likely to cause serious bodily harm or death” or damage property. – See entries on 21 October, 15, 19 January 2010 “Karzai blames West for spread of Taliban” (Paul Koring, pg.A17)

The West's ongoing failure to wipe out bases in neighbouring Pakistan, where jihadists fled after their 2001 defeat in Afghanistan, is to blame for the spreading extremist cancer now threatening both Pakistan and Afghanistan, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on 5 May. “The return of the Taliban is because we did not address the question of sanctuaries in time,” Mr. Karzai said in Washington on the eve of trilateral talks with U.S. President Barack Obama and Pakistan's new civilian President Asif Ali Zardari. – See entry on 8 May

Friday, 8 May “Pakistan declares war on Taliban militants” (Saeed Shah, pg.A1)

Pakistan declared war on its homegrown Taliban militants on 7 May, a defining moment in the country’s struggle with extremism that could have far-reaching consequences for global security. In a dramatic televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced a full-scale offensive against militants who have seized control of the vast Swat Valley, which lies just 160 kilometres from the capital. Islamabad is acting under intense U.S. pressure to squelch the insurgency. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned last month that the situation in Pakistan “poses a mortal threat to the security and safety of our country and the world.” – See entries on 23 May 2007, 6, 22 May “Poll finds 90% want troops home by 2011” (Canadian Press, pg.A4)

Almost 90 per cent of Canadians want the country’s troops out of Afghanistan by the mission's scheduled end date in 2011 or before despite new U.S. commitments to the conflict, a new poll suggests. Forty per cent of those surveyed in The Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll said the troops should be brought back early, while 46 per cent said they should be withdrawn in July, 2011, as approved by Parliament. – See entry on 11 September “PM stresses aid and development over combat” (Jane Taber, Jessica Leeder, pg.A4)

Stephen Harper surprised Canadian troops with a visit to Kandahar on 7 May, expressing more interest in aid and development than in beating back the Taliban, a message that reflected the change in the mission since reinforcements from the United States began arriving. Mr. Harper was immediately whisked into a new Chinook helicopter to view the Dahla dam, Canada's $50- million signature aid project located 37 kilometres northeast of the Kandahar base, which he said will provide drinking water to much of the region. He called the dam an example of the refocusing of the Canadian mission from combat to aid and development. “We’re moving to a mission with better defined civilian objectives,” he said in his remarks to soldiers, many of whom sipped Iced Capps from the Tim Hortons on the base. “... That really is where the future of the mission is going.”

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– See entries on 11 June 2008, 30 March, 23 May

Saturday, 16 May “Tribunal revival sends Khadr back to square one” (Omar El Akkad, pg.A16)

Even after the President of the United States put a halt to his trial and a Canadian judge ordered Ottawa to bring him home, Omar Khadr appeared on 15 May to be right back where he started— once again facing the prospect of a trial before the roundly condemned Guantanamo Bay military commissions. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 30 January 2010, 4 February 2010

Monday, 18 May “Canada could stay beyond 2011, MacKay says” (Colin Freeze, pg.A2)

Canada may well stay in Afghanistan beyond its 2011 military mandate, said Defence Minister Peter MacKay today, as he left a NATO base in Afghanistan where Ottawa is planning to buy up hundreds more beds for next year. As U.S.-led forces and the Taliban brace for what may prove the deadliest summer yet, Mr. MacKay said Canada’s role is changing to delivering aid to city dwellers “rather than simply focusing on holding swaths of land.” – See entries on 18 February, 5, 30 March 2010

Wednesday, 20 May “Ottawa seeking trainers for Afghan army” (Colin Freeze, pg.A15)

According to a “letter of interest” published this month on a federal site, the Canadian government hopes to hire several ex-military officials to instruct the Afghan National Army on how to run their troops in Kandahar. Planned topics include subjects such as battleground intelligence and map reading—and even media relations. The contract gives an insight into Canada’s changing priorities ahead of its soldiers' scheduled 2011 departure. – See entries on 8 January 2007, 30 July 2007, 26 November “Canada to focus on area around Kandahar city” (Colin Freeze, pg.A15)

Canadian officials are planning to direct aid to the most receptive neighbourhoods in and around Kandahar city, leaving out places deemed too far-flung or “empathetic” to the Taliban insurgency. In a briefing on 19 May, officials said past mistakes have taught them to apply a “direct focus on specific, small areas.” The intent is to provide the villages enough security and assistance to allow normal daily life to unfold as the Afghan government intends—something that happens in very few places at present. – See entries on 8 December 2007, 20 February, 26 September, 17 November, 3 December, 29 January 2010

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Friday, 22 May “Ottawa won’t lift ban on arms to Pakistan” (Campbell Clark, pg.A7)

The Harper government moved yesterday to quash Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s assertion that Canada is considering lifting a ban on arms sales to Pakistan, asserting that it has no plan to allow military exports to resume. It appeared to be an embarrassing contradiction of Mr. MacKay, who three days ago told The Globe and Mail that the Conservatives are "contemplating" an end to the 11-year-old ban. – See entries on 6, 8 May “Top court won’t hear appeal on Afghan detainees” (Paul Koring, pg.A17)

The Supreme Court refused on 21 May to consider an appeal from rights groups seeking constitutional protection for Afghan detainees held by Canadian troops who may be transferred to torture. The Defence Department, which fought vigorously to keep details of detainee transfers secret, said in an e-mailed statement that it was “pleased with the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada.” The court’s decision effectively ends the legal effort to extend to prisoners captured on foreign battlefields any protections under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. The rights groups had attempted to argue that the constitution marches with Canadian Forces abroad and it—not only international law such as the Geneva Convention—affords protection to those captured by Canadian soldiers. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010

Saturday, 23 May “Slow start for ‘urgent’ project’” (Colin Freeze, pg.A18)

Canada’s “urgent” infrastructure project in Afghanistan is getting off to a slow start. Nearly one year after the $50-million Dahla dam reconstruction plan was announced by the Conservative government, only the preliminary groundwork has been done. Security is the primary reason why the project is moving so slowly. – See entry on 8 May

10.6 June 2009

Tuesday, 2 June “Canada backs talks between Karzai and Taliban” (Campbell Clark, pg.A5)

Canada says it supports peace talks under way between President Hamid Karzai’s Afghan government and representatives of the Taliban and other insurgent groups, but cautions they will

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have to accept the Kabul government’s authority. Neither Canadian nor U.S. officials are involved in the talks in the United Arab Emirates, although Afghan government officials have said they believe they have the tacit support of the Americans to engage with the insurgents. – See entry on 23 May 2008

Tuesday, 9 June “Slain soldier’s dream was to defend his country” (Ingrid Peritz, Colin Freeze, pg.A14)

Private Alexandre Peloq, friends and family said on 8 June, was a hard-headed colossus who looked after his loved ones and died doing what he believed was his duty. He was killed by a bomb in Panjwai district while on foot patrol, the 119th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan.

Wednesday, 10 June “Canadians cleared in detainee probe” (Josh Wingrove, pg.A12)

Canadian soldiers have once again been cleared of any wrongdoing in their handling of a trio of Afghan detainees, a two-year-long military investigation released on 9 June said. The Board of Inquiry report found “no evidence suggesting that members of the Canadian Forces have mistreated” three detainees captured separately near Kandahar in April, 2006. It’s the third report in under a year to exonerate troops in the treatment of those detainees. Instead, it concluded that troops acted “beyond reproach” and “professionally and humanely.” The report, compiled with 121 witness interviews and other documents, was completed in February but not made public until it was presented in the House of Commons on 9 June by Defence Minister Peter MacKay. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 October 2009, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010

Monday, 15 June “Canadian soldier dies defusing roadside bomb” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Corporal Martin Dubé, 35, is the second Canadian Forces soldier killed within a week by improvised explosive devices during missions intended to neutralize them. The blast also killed an Afghan police officer and wounded a Pashto interpreter, who was rushed by helicopter to hospital. The explosion occurred in the Panjwai district southwest of Kandahar City, the same rural area where Private Alexandre Peloquin, 20, was killed last Monday as he stepped on a bomb. That operation had recovered bombs, detonators and other items that could be used for deadly explosions, but even the planners said it had not neutralized the threat.

Wednesday, 24 June “Military shines a light on Afghan village project” (Colin Freeze, pg.A2)

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Since mid-May, the Canadian Forces have been running an unconventional operation in Deh-e- Bagh, a village just on the outskirts of Kandahar City. Officials hand-picked it as the site of a pilot project that they hope to replicate many times over. What the military calls “Operation Kantolo” has been likened to an “adopt-a-village” program. The idea is that soldiers can rush into a community, secure it, spend several weeks helping along what good works they can, and then move on to do the same in the next village. In Deh-e-Bagh, this has involved the installation of the solar-powered streetlights, the construction of roads, and hiring more than 100 locals for full- time work digging irrigation canals.

10.7 July 2009

Saturday, 4 July “Blast kills soldier, narrowly misses top Canadian commander” (Joe Friesen, pg.A1)

Corporal Nick Bulger’s job was to protect the life of Canada’s top commander in Afghanistan, Brigadier-General Jonathan Vance. On 3 July, Brig.-Gen. Vance’s armoured vehicle slipped past a powerful, buried bomb in the restive Zhari district west of Kandahar City. Cpl. Bulger’s vehicle, travelling just 15 metres behind, wasn’t so lucky: It triggered an explosion that killed the married father of two girls and injured five other members of Brig.-Gen. Vance’s security detail.

Monday, 6 July “Soldier suffering from bomb wounds dies in Quebec City” (Ingrid Peritz, pg.A3)

Master Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud, a New Brunswick native known as Chuck, was critically injured after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan two weeks ago. He slipped into a coma from which he never resurfaced, and died in a hospital in Quebec City on 4 July. He is the 122nd soldier killed.

Tuesday, 7 July “Chopper crash kills two Canadian soldiers” (Colin Perkel, pg.A1)

A helicopter crash possibly caused by mechanical failure claimed the lives of two Canadian soldiers on 6 July, bringing Canada’s death toll from the Afghanistan mission to four in as many days. The crash of the Griffon helicopter at a U.S. forward operating base in Zabul province, about 80 kilometres northeast of Kandahar city, killed Master Corporal Pat Audet and Corporal Martin Joannette along with a coalition soldier from another country. Three other Canadians were hurt; two were able to return to duty, while the third was in stable condition. MCpl. Audet, 38, served with the 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, while Cpl. Joannette, 25, was with the 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment. Both were based at Valcartier, Que.

Friday, 17 July “Canadian’s death adds to July’s bloody toll” (Omar El Akkad, pg.A8)

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A Canadian soldier fell to his death in Afghanistan on 16 July, becoming the fifth Canadian to die during what has been a bloody July for NATO troops in Afghanistan. Private Sébastien Courcy, 26, died around 6 a.m. Kandahar time, while taking part in military operations in the Panjwai district, about 17 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city. The Canadian Forces said that Pte. Courcy was standing on “high ground” during the operation, and fell to his death. Nobody else was injured. The military did not immediately release further information on what caused the fall, or describe the high ground on which the soldier was standing. Support for the war among Canadians is slipping to new lows, poll figures released on 16 June show. When Canada first sent soldiers to Afghanistan in 2002, support for the mission was around 60 percent. Now, the figure is about 34 percent, a poll by EKOS research said. Support stood at about 39 percent earlier this year.

Thursday, 23 July “Afghan child likely killed by Canadian warning shot” (Omar El Akkad, pg.A10)

Canadian soldiers likely killed a young girl in Afghanistan’s Panjwayi district after a single warning shot fired at a motorcycle ricocheted off the ground and hit her instead. Canadian soldiers attempted to conduct first aid on the child, but she died. An hour after the Tuesday incident, another set of Canadian soldiers on patrol in the Dand district, south of Kandahar city, opened fire on a vehicle carrying members of the Afghan national police. The vehicle was travelling towards the soldiers with no headlights, according to the Canadian Forces. One police officer suffered serious gunshot injuries and two others suffered less serious injuries. Canadian troops were conducting a foot patrol in the volatile Panjwayi region around 6:55 p.m. Tuesday when a motorcycle approached them at high speed, said military spokesman Major Mario Couture. The Afghan National Police and the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service have launched an investigation into the incident.

Friday, July 31 “Canadian soldier convicted in fatal shooting of friend” (Oliver Moore, pg.A11)

A Canadian soldier accused of playing a reckless game of “quick draw” in Afghanistan was convicted on 30 July in the shooting death of a close friend and fellow soldier. The fatal shot was fired, the military prosecutor alleged during the court-martial of Cpl. Matthew Wilcox, while the two friends were competing to see who could draw his pistol fastest. The defendant denied that, testifying that he acted in self-defence. A four-member military jury found Cpl. Wilcox, of Glace Bay, guilty of criminal negligence causing death and negligent performance of duty. The more serious charge carries a possible maximum of life in prison. The 24-year-old reservist will be sentenced in September.

10.8 August 2009

Saturday, 1 August “U.S. generals to demand thousands of additional soldiers for Afghanistan” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

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Tens of thousands more U.S. soldiers may soon be needed in Afghanistan to quell the raging Taliban insurgency, top American generals are preparing to tell President Barack Obama. A spate of apparently deliberate leaks—seemingly aimed at preparing public opinion for a second “surge” involving as many as three or four more brigades or 20,000-plus soldiers and Marines— culminated yesterday with several reports saying General Stanley McChrystal, who took command of U.S. and NATO forces in June, wants lots more troops. – See entries on 11 August, 22, 25 September, 4 November, 3 December

Monday, 3 August “Back-to-back bomb blasts kill two soldiers in Kandahar” (Omar El Akkad, pg.A1)

Two bombs detonated in succession—one to stop the convoy, the second designed to kill the troops after they emerged from their armoured vehicle—claimed the lives of two Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan on the weekend in a lethal refinement of the Taliban’s hallmark IED attack. Corporal Christian Bobbitt, 23, and another soldier who cannot be identified because his family has asked for time to notify relatives, were on a refuelling mission near the town of Senjaray in the Zhari district west of Kandahar city on Saturday when their vehicle was hit by an IED explosion at around 3:20 p.m. Kandahar time, the Canadian Forces said. The initial explosion did not penetrate the armoured vehicle’s hull. However after a group of soldiers left the vehicle to do an inspection, the insurgents detonated a second IED, killing Cpl. Bobbitt and the second soldier and injuring a third.

Friday, 7 August “NATO boss wades into Canadian politics with Afghan plea” (Steven Chase, Omar El Akkad, pg.A1)

NATO's new secretary-general is broaching what is apparently the unthinkable in Canadian politics today, urging Ottawa to keep combat troops in Afghanistan past a planned exit date of 2011. But Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s appeal is already meeting stiff resistance from both the Harper government and the Official Opposition Liberals, both of which are unwilling to reopen a debate over this country's future in a war that’s seen 127 Canadian soldiers die and is projected to cost taxpayers more than $11-billion. Mr. Rasmussen, speaking during a tour of Afghanistan yesterday, is the highest profile official to publicly address the disconnect between Ottawa, with its exit strategy, and other NATO allies that intend to continue their missions. “Of course, I’m not going to interfere with domestic politics in individual allied nations, but seen from an alliance point of view, I would strongly regret if that became the final outcome of the Canadian considerations,” Mr. Rasmussen said, when asked about Ottawa's 2011 end date for its combat mission See entry on 15 August, 11 September, 25 March 2010

Tuesday, 11 August “U.S. general vows to put troops in place to secure Kandahar” (Jessica Leeder, pg.A1)

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Signalling a significant change in battle strategy, U.S. General Stanley McChrystal said he will reshuffle troops fighting the drug trade in Helmand province and other remote areas and refocus them on protecting civilians by securing the more heavily populated Kandahar, which the undermanned Canadians have struggled to hold. en. McChrystal said that up to 4,000 more troops already scheduled to deploy to the country could join the 17,000 U.S. troops that plan on flooding Southern Afghanistan. – See entries on 1 August, 22, 25 September, 4 November, 3 December

Thursday, 13 August

“Ottawa aims to undermine extremist schools with aid boost for Pakistan” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

Canada will expand aid to Pakistan, notably to bolster the weak public school system that has left a void to be filled by fundamentalist madrassas, as Ottawa increasingly views the country’s stability as key to success in Afghanistan. In Pakistan on 12 August, International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda pledged $25-million for food, water and emergency shelter for refugees who fled a Pakistani military offensive against Taliban insurgents four months ago. There were also talks of further development. Ms. Oda emphasized aid for public education as a priority. Canadian aid to Pakistan—$43-million in 2007-08—already funds a teacher-training program in Karachi and primary-school education in some rural areas. – See entries on 8, 22 May

Saturday, 15 August “Canada's exit strategy: A ‘more humane’ kind of warfare, commander says” (Sonia Verma, pg.A1)

Brigadier-General Jonathan Vance, the country’s top commander in Afghanistan, says Canada’s combat mission here will end just as crucial momentum is building toward a lasting victory against the Taliban. New Canadian efforts, which echo counterinsurgency tactics used in Iraq, are laying the groundwork for lasting stability. Canadian combat troops, however, won't be around to see it with Ottawa’s current exit strategy for 2011, he said. – See entries on 30 March, 1, 11 August, 22, 25 September, 4 November, 3 December

Monday, 17 August “Karzai labours to seal victory as Taliban vow to kill voters” (Sonia Verma, pg.A1)

Afghan President Hamid Karzai exposed himself to the political risks of a television debate on 16 August, struggling to defend his record against his rivals while answering new threats from the Taliban days ahead of a crucial test for Afghan democracy. The debate and last-minute deal- making coincided with new threats from the Taliban to attack polling stations and kill anyone who casts a ballot. Apart from the potential for violence itself, the Karzai camp fears the Taliban threat could result in a turnout so low as to undermine the credibility of the election, the second since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001. The Taliban have not agreed to a ceasefire in the

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Southern provinces and instead have distributed that claim anyone who votes is an enemy of Islam. – See entries on 30 January, 21, 25, 29 August, and 20, 26, 29 October

Friday, 21 August “Brave voters make their mark, but low turnout at polls puts credibility in doubt” (Sonia Verma, pg.A1)

Millions of Afghans braved Taliban threats to cast their ballot in a crucial presidential election as doubts surged over whether the turnout was enough to deliver a credible result. The election is a crucial test of the strength of Afghanistan’s fledgling democracy against insurgent violence, and a measure of the costly and faltering international effort to bring stability to the country. Incidents of insurgent violence yesterday fell short of fears, but some remote districts reported turnouts of just 10 per cent. There is, however, growing concern that the national turnout will fail to cross a 50-per-cent threshold—a benchmark being privately floated by officials as a minimum to render the results legitimate. Accusations of electoral fraud flew, meanwhile, triggering fears of potentially violent demonstrations in the coming days. International monitors praised the elections as a success but are ready for complaints and accusations of fraud. – See entries on 30 January, 17, 25, 29 August, 20, 26, 29 October “Canadian Forces protect polls” (Sonia Verma, pg.A9)

Canadian Forces in southern Afghanistan succeeded in fighting off Taliban insurgents seeking to attack Kandahar city during the presidential election on 20 August, which saw less violence than initially feared. In a separate incident, soldiers fended off a two-hour attack on a key forward operating base in the Zhari district, battling 50 insurgents without suffering a casualty. Both battles underscored the crucial role played in yesterday's election by Canadian soldiers, who provided backup support at polling stations, but played a much more prominent role behind the scenes in pitched fighting. – See entries on 30 January, 17, 25, 29 August, 20, 26, 29 October

Tuesday, 25 August “Irregularities continue to pile up in Afghan vote” (Sonia Verma, pg.A8)

By the end of the day, workers at Afghanistan’s central Complaints Processing Centre will have registered 790 complaints of election-day fraud, the first wave of grievances to trickle in from far- flung polling stations across the country. Fifty-four of those complaints are considered “top- priority,” serious enough to have a direct impact on the outcome of last week’s election. As preliminary results of the vote are released today, the complaints continue to pile up and could have a decisive bearing on whether Hamid Karzai, or his chief rival, Abdullah Abdullah, can ultimately claim the presidency. Fraud could have marred as many as one in five ballots forcing them to be discounted, according to some officials. – See entries on 30 January, 17, 21, 29 August, 20, 26, 29 October

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Wednesday, 26 August “The Afghan mission was always destined for trouble. It's arrived” (Jeffery Simpson, pg.A17)

On 25 August, five car bombs detonated simultaneously, killing more than 40 people, wounding at least 66 and destroying dozens of buildings in the city of Kandahar, where Canadians are responsible for security. It was a potent signal of how precarious, bordering on out of control, the security situation is there.

Saturday, 29 August “Taliban claim victory over vote” (Sonia Verma, pg.A1)

It may take weeks to determine the ultimate winner of Afghanistan's presidential election, but one camp has already staked an increasingly credible claim to victory: the Taliban. Taliban fighters say they successfully sabotaged the vote without sending in a single suicide bomber. The mere threat of violence suppressed turnout enough to cast doubt on the credibility of the vote, which is being increasingly undermined by allegations of fraud. “It’s like the election didn’t happen at all,” said one senior Taliban commander, who was instrumental in planning the insurgents’ strategy after the their leader, Mullah Omar, ordered the elections disrupted. “We have succeeded in our plan. Even in Kandahar city, most of the people were sitting in their houses. We showed the government could not do a good election,” said the commander for the Taliban, who spoke on condition his name would not be published. – See entries on 30 January, 17, 21, 25 August, 20, 26, 29 October “Canadian found shot on Kandahar airfield” (Sonia Verma, pg.A18)

A Canadian soldier who had just arrived for his tour of duty in Afghanistan was found shot in the abdomen near his sleeping quarters on Kandahar Air Field Thursday morning. While the incident was not combat-related, it was unclear whether the injury was self-inflicted or accidental, military officials said yesterday.

10.9 September 2009

Friday, 4 September “Mock shock-and-awe in Washington: Canada stages Taliban attack to bring U.S. attention to Afghan mission” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

The Taliban will attack an Afghan village set up in the heart of Washington courtesy of the Canadian Forces, who will send in a medic in a dramatic effort to save a civilian crippled by the explosion. At least four times over two days this month, simulated IED blasts will bring the Afghan war—and Canada's combat role in Kandahar—home to Americans if an elaborate scheme based on modern training realism attracts widespread attention, as is hoped. – See entry on 14 September

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Tuesday, 8 September “Canada mourns ‘a fine example’ in Kandahar” (Rheal Seguin, pg.A3)

The highest-ranking Canadian soldier to be killed in action in Afghanistan, Major Yannick Pepin, was among the casualties of a powerful roadside bomb that hit an armoured vehicle on Sunday, which also took the life of Corporal Jean-François Drouin and injured five others. The blast occurred around noon in the Dand district, considered one of the relatively secure areas on a road 14 kilometres southwest of Kandahar.

Wednesday, 9 September “Canadian general to investigate air strike” (Tu Thanh Ha, pg.A13)

The bombing of two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban may have killed as many as 80 civilians. The Canadian general who directs the air war in Afghanistan is assuming his most challenging job yet: unraveling what happened in the province of Kunduz when a nighttime air strike on two hijacked fuel tankers killed what might have been scores of civilians.

Thursday, 10 September “Fowler is home—but Canada’s mission isn’t over” (Colin Freeze, pg.A1)

Canada wants to bring the al-Qaeda militants accused of kidnapping Robert Fowler and Louis Guay out of Africa and into Canadian courts. The test case would showcase the long arm of Canada’s Anti-Terrorism Act. That means that terrorists caught anywhere in the world could theoretically be brought to justice in Canadian courts. – See entries on 9 February, 25 April

Monday, 14 September “Military ordered to scrap plans to stage Taliban blasts in Washington” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

Canada's army has been ordered to cease fire, at least in the heart of Washington, lest it upset jumpy Americans with explosions simulating a Taliban attack. The order, from Defence Minister Peter MacKay, strips much of the realism out of an elaborate military exercise to simulate a Taliban attack in a mock Afghan village to be constructed in the courtyard of the Canadian embassy—all part of an effort to promote Canada's combat efforts in Afghanistan, which are sometimes overlooked or ignored by Americans. – See entry on 4 September

Friday, 18 September “Slain soldier was due home next month” (Gloria Galloway, Rheal Seguin, pg.A17)

Twelve troops were wounded when the armoured vehicle in which they were riding was rocked by a bomb on 17 September. Only Private Jonathan Couturier, 23, succumbed to his injuries. The

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explosion occurred less than two hours before a suicide bomber rammed a convoy of vehicles in the capital city of Kabul, killing six Italian soldiers and 10 civilians. A member of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal 22nd Regiment—the Vandoos—based in Valcartier, Que., Pte. Couturier enlisted in the military in March of 2006, and was deployed to Afghanistan on his first tour of duty last April.

Tuesday, 22 September “Top soldier’s Afghan warning: More troops, or we lose” (Barrie McKenna, pg.A1)

General Stanley McChrystal has warned the U.S. President in a grimly worded memo that the eight-year-old conflict will fail unless he commits more forces within the next year to battle the Taliban insurgency. “Failure to provide adequate resources ... risks a longer conflict, greater casualties, higher overall costs and ultimately, a critical loss of political support,” Gen. McChrystal, who also heads NATO forces in the country, argued in a 66-page document. The Pentagon hasn’t yet spelled out how many more U.S. troops may be needed to get the job done. But experts expect Gen. McChrystal, who was tapped by Mr. Obama to lead the Afghan mission, to seek as many as 36,000 additional combat troops and another 4,000 to train the Afghan army. The Obama administration has already sent 20,000 extra troops to the country. Any new request would be on top of that. – See entries on 1, 11 August, 25 September, 4 November, 3 December

Thursday, 24 September “New Canadian rep in Kandahar eager to engage locals” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A2)

Canada’s new representative in Kandahar, Ben Rowswell, says he and the civilians working for him will regularly do what was impossible just months ago—make trips outside the safety of the military base at Kandahar Air Field to meet with Afghans in their villages. Rowswell wants to engage the Afghan government, security forces and groups promoting a civil society, Mr. Rowswell said. But also, he said, it is critical to “try as much as possible to get in touch with the actual people that are living though this insurgency who can tell us, in better terms than anyone, how to defeat it and how to do the best job to stabilize their country.”

Friday, 25 September “Canada’s top soldier backs coalition build-up” (Paul Koring, pg.A16)

Canaidan Lieutenant-General Walt Natynczyk agrees with McChrystal’s report that calls for a significant increase in troops for Afghanistan. He goes on to cite that already the new U.S. troops in the Souther region of Afghanistan have already had an enormous impact on nearby Canadian troops. – See entries on 1, 11 August, 22 September, 4 November, 3 December

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Saturday, 26 September “Taliban ratchet up fear in Kandahar city” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A19)

A recent report for the Canadian Parliament says the influx of American troops to Kandahar has allowed the Canadian troops to focus their efforts on Kandahar city, which is home to 75 percent of the province’s population, and those villages that are in close proximity. But, despite their efforts, emboldened Taliban fighters are now nightly visitors, especially in the southern and western neighbourhoods that border insurgent strongholds. Many in Kandahar are now threatened regularly by the Taliban and their brute tactics. – See entries on 20 February, 20 May, 3 December, 29 January 2010

Tuesday, 29 September “Top general lambastes locals after Canadian convoy hit by blasts” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A12)

A bomb ripped apart the road less than a kilometre from the model village where Canadians have established a permanent security force, wounding one soldier and infuriating Brigadier-General Jonathan Vance. Vance was infuriated with the people of Deh-e-Bagh for not watching the roads and not warning their Canadian protectors about the bomb. He ordered to convoy to turn around and head back to the village where he called an immediate meeting—or shura—with village elders. After saying that he was upset that no one warned the Canadians, he posed a threat. “If we keep blowing up on the roads, I am going to stop doing development,” Gen. Vance said. “If we stop doing development in Dand, then I believe Afghanistan and Kandahar is a project that cannot be saved.” – See entry on 8 May – * Deceptive headline

Wednesday, 30 September “Insurgent bomb hits bus, at least 30 Afghans dead” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A15)

A bus jammed with Afghan immigrants exploded after running over a bomb buried beside a road west of Kandahar city yesterday, killing at least 30 people, many of them children, and injuring another 39.

10.10 October 2009

Saturday, 3 October “Canadian troops fatally shoot two teens” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A22)

Two teenage boys travelling by motorcycle through the dangerous Panjwai district southwest of Kandahar city were shot and killed Thursday by Canadian soldiers on patrol. Shortly after 6 p.m., they rounded the corner in the hamlet of Pay-e-Moluk and came upon the Canadian soldiers

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conducting a meeting, or shura, near a mosque with village elders. The troops, who were surprised by the sudden appearance of a motorcycle heading toward them at close distance, said they shouted and used visual warnings. They also fired a warning shot. “The driver did not heed the warnings. In fact he accelerated, demonstrating known insurgent protocols. Soldiers then fired shots in order to stop the motorcycle,” Major Vance White, a spokesman for the military, said.

Monday, 5 October “Afghan army will be ready to take on the Taliban without help by 2013” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A11)

The Afghan National Army will be ready to fight the Taliban without the direct help of international forces by 2013, says General Mohammad Zahir Azimi, the chief spokesman for the Afghan military.

Thursday, 15 October “Ottawa warned detainees faced risk of abuse when Afghan mission began” (Steven Chase, pg.A1)

Almost from the start of its big 2006 push into southern Afghanistan, Canada’s senior military and government officials were warned of “serious, imminent and alarming” problems with handing over captured prisoners to that country’s notorious jails. This politically explosive revelation, which emerged on 14 October at an inquiry into whether Canada knowingly put Afghan detainees at risk of torture, shows a Canadian diplomat started red flagging detainee transfers in May, 2006, a full year before Ottawa acted to bolster safeguards for them. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010

Tuesday, 20 October “Ottawa urges Karzai to take democratic course” (Gloria Galloway, John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned Afghan President Harmid Karzai on 19 October that he must respect his country’s electoral laws, after a United Nations-sponsored probe into the presidential election threw out so many fraudulent votes that a new vote now appears inevitable. – See entries on 30 January, 17, 21, 25, 29 August, 26, 29 October, 24 February 2010 “Karzai needs a runoff election” (Editorial, pg.A16)

The UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission yesterday invalidated results from 210 polling stations, denying Mr. Karzai nearly a million votes and reducing his support to less than 50 percent of the vote, according to reports. Under Afghan law, that would mean a runoff election, and the Independent Electoral Commission, the Karzai-dominated body that actually conducts

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elections, ought to accept the ECC’s findings. If the findings are accepted there will be another election next month. – See entries on 30 January, 17, 21, 25 and 29 August, 26 and 29 October, 24 February 2010

Wednesday, 21 October “Videos give public glimpse of Toronto terror plot” (Colin Freeze, pg.A11)

Video evidence released by an Ontario court—after a legal application by The Globe and Mail— shows how an al-Qaeda-inspired cell of “homegrown” Canadian terrorists plotted violence in Toronto. – See entry on 15 January 2010

Monday, 26 October “Why President Karzai accepted a runoff” (Jawed Ludin, pg.A21)

Jawed Ludin, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Canada and a former chief of staff to President Hamis Karzai, wrote to The Globe to explain why President Hamid Karzai accepted a runoff election slated for next month. Firstly, this prevented the rift over the election results from deepening into a full-scale crisis. Karzai realized that a full recount of the suspect votes would, in all likelihood, require at least another month of investigation—an almost intolerable delay in the process both for Afghans and for the international community. Secondly, and more importantly, over the past two months the credibility of the whole process had been damaged beyond repair, so much so that even winning the election would not have bestowed on Karzai the impeccable legitimacy he desired. – See entries on 30 January, 17, 21, 25, 29 August, 20, 29 October, 24 February 2010

Thursday, 29 October “Taliban launch deadly anti-vote campaign” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A19)

The Taliban kicked off a promised bloody countdown to next week’s presidential runoff with a series of audacious attacks in Kabul to try to scare people away from the polls. Before the flames had even been fully extinguished at the Bakhtar guest house—where at least five foreign UN workers and six others, including three suicide bombers who carried out the assault, died— members of the insurgency had claimed responsibility for the carnage. It was, they said, only the beginning of a sustained series of strikes aimed at keeping Afghans from voting in the second round of the presidential elections on 7 November. Two rockets aimed a short time later at the Serena Hotel resulted in less damage and killed no one but caused panic among the guests cloistered in the upscale and heavily fortified building. In both cases, the weapons of the insurgents were aimed at members of the international community, but the message was directed at Afghans. – See entries on 30 January, 17, 21, 25, 29 August, 20, 26 October, 24 February 2010 “IED kills Canadian officer 10 days into mission” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A21)

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Justin Garrett Boyes was leading a foot patrol of Afghan National police through a district heavily populated by Taliban on 28 October when the ground exploded beneath him. Lieutenant Boyes, a 26-year-old father who had just arrived for his second tour of duty in Kandahar 10 days ago, did not survive the blast. Two other Canadian soldiers were injured when the device planted by insurgents detonated at about 9 a.m. They are expected to recover. But Lt. Boyes, the platoon commander for a police mentoring unit based out of the PRT in Kandahar city, was too badly wounded.

Friday, 30 October “Canadians fail to appreciate terrorist threat, CSIS chief says” (Colin Freeze, pg.A4)

Canadians are blind to the threat posed by terrorists who publicly espouse their rights while privately believing in nothing but “nihilism and death,” Canada’s new spy chief says. “We have a serious blind spot as a country,” said Dick Fadden, who was appointed the head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service this summer. Public skepticism about intelligence agencies has built to a point where being an accused terrorist in Canada is now akin to being a “status symbol” in certain quarters, he lamented. The speech on 29 October at a security-intelligence conference amounts to Mr. Fadden’s public debut as a CSIS director.

Saturday, 31 October “Canadian soldier killed by IED less than one week into mission” (Anna Mehler Paperny, pg.A9)

Stephen Marshall, a 24-year-old sapper, had been in Kandahar for less than a week when he was killed by an improvised explosive device while on foot patrol in Panjwai District—the second Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan this week. He was struck just 10 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City on 30 October. There were no other injuries in the blast. The explosion took place just 15 kilometres from the spot where Saskatoon native Lieutenant Justin Garrett Boyes, 26, was killed by an IED on Wednesday morning while on foot patrol with Afghan National Police.

10.11 November 2009

Wednesday, 4 November “Coalition set to adopt Canadian counterinsurgency model” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A17)

The coalition countries, including Canada, have indicated a willingness to follow U.S. General Stanley McChrystal, the head of the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan, as he changes the strategy from a classic “stability operation” to one of counterinsurgency. That means looking at the engagement not as a military mission to eradicate the Taliban, but as an effort to gain the support and assistance of the local population in suppressing the insurgency. It means providing a spectrum of security, good governance and development—and giving the Afghans a reason to prefer what is offered by the government in Kabul to what is being held out by the Taliban. NATO defence ministers met in Bratislava, Slovakia, late last week and endorsed a broad counterinsurgency approach for Afghanistan that

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will require a massive troop buildup of the sort currently being considered by U.S. President Barack Obama. – See entries on 1, 11 August, 22 and 25 September, 3 December

Friday, 6 November “Top general tells troops to start planning Afghan pullout” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

Preparations have begun for the withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan, as the 2011 deadline for that withdrawal draws closer. A Defence Department spokeswoman confirmed media reports that General Walter Natynczyk, the Chief of the Defence Staff, has ordered preparations to get under way that would involve the return of the thousands of troops and their equipment from the troubled country. – See entry on 21 November

Tuesday, 17 November “Canadian operation targets Taliban command post” (Patrick White, pg.A17)

One of the biggest Canadian operations, Operation Hydra, of the entire Afghanistan mission launched this week with barely a shot fired. More than 1,000 Canadian troops and 200 Afghanistan National Army soldiers surged toward the village of Haji Baba, a known Taliban command post south of Kandahar, on Sunday, encountering a single insurgent along with a maze of improvised explosive devices. As tanks, armoured vehicles and foot soldiers moved gingerly toward the village, locals approached them to ask for a shura, a meeting or consultation in many Muslim countries. The advance halted momentarily for the shura. Afterward, residents began pointing out IEDs to Canadian and Afghan forces, according to Canadian Forces Captain Lena Angell. Once secure, the villiage of Haji Baba is slated to be turned into another Canadian “model village.” – See entry on 8 December 2007, 20 May 2009

Thursday, 19 November “All detainees were tortured, all warnings were ignored” (Steven Chase, pg.A1)

The revelation to MPs by Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin, who served 17 months in Afghanistan, is the first-ever testimony by a government official that says the country’s military handed over detainees to certain torture. The Harper government has never admitted it knew this was happening. In his remarks to a parliamentary committee on the Afghan mission, Mr. Colvin also described a startling pattern of indifference and obstruction to his attempts to warn higher- ups of what was happening in 2006 and 2007. He said Canada’s “complicity in torture” ultimately thwarted its military aims in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009,

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10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010 – *Deceptive headline

Friday, 20 November “Under fire, Tories attack Afghan whistleblower” (Steven Chase, Paul Koring, Josh Wingrove, pg.A1)

The Harper government is training its guns on a diplomat whistleblower Richard Colvin who says Canada was complicit in the torture of captured Afghan prisoners, trying to undermine Richard Colvin's credibility as pressure builds to hold a public inquiry into the matter. “There are incredible holes in the story that have to be examined,” Defence Minister Peter MacKay told Parliament on 19 November, even as he rejected opposition calls for a probe into Mr. Colvin’s serious charges that Canada’s soldiers handed over Afghan prisoners with the knowledge they’d likely be tortured by local interrogators. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010

Saturday, 21 November “Gates prepares for Canada’s Afghan pullout” (Oliver Moore, pg.A5)

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the United States is planning how to replace Canada’s fighting role in Kandahar, a crucial security blanket for development workers expected to stay in the Afghan region after the combat withdrawal scheduled for 2011. – See entries on 6, 26 November

Wednesday, 25 November “Whistleblower’s warnings reached Minister’s office” (Steven Chase, pg.A1)

The office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs was sent some of the reports on Afghan detainees written by diplomat Richard Colvin—the first evidence that his warnings about the torture of prisoners who left Canadian hands might have reached Ottawa's political desks. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 21 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 20, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010

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Thursday, 26 November “Hillier: Torture claims were ‘ludicrous;’ lacking in substance” (Steven Chase, Campbell Clark, pg.A7)

Retired general Rick Hillier, who led the military as chief of the defence staff when the Canadian Forces moved into Afghanistan’s deadly Kandahar province in 2006, told a parliamentary committee that memos from diplomat Richard Colvin from mid-2006 to mid-2007 contained no real alarms about torture that would cause military brass to act. Mr. Hillier, insisting the diplomat had no basis for his sweeping claims, ridiculed the allegation that all detainees handed over to Afghans were probably tortured. “How ludicrous a statement is that?” he said. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 21 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 20, 25 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010 “Obama’s plan sees Canadians as rebuilders” (Daniel Leblanc, Patrick White, pg.A17)

The coming U.S. troop surge around Kandahar city will liberate Canadian troops to focus more of their energies on development programs and training of local Afghan forces, Canadian government officials and experts said. – See entries on 20 May, 21 November

Saturday, 28 November “Afghan-Canadian Governor of Kandahar brushes off assassination attempt“ (Patrick White, pg.A23)

The Afghan-Canadian governor of volatile Kandahar province dismissed a bomber’s assassination attempt against him as “nothing” yesterday as he celebrated the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha with relatives and local elders. Tooryalai Wesa’s motorcade was headed to a Kandahar city mosque for Eid prayers yesterday morning when a bomb shattered the window of his armoured vehicle. One bodyguard was taken to hospital with minor injuries and later released.

- See entries on 15, 21 April, 10 August, 5, 18 December, 6 January 2009

10.12 December 2009

Thursday, 3 December “Canadians on front line in battle for Kandahar” (Patrick White, pg.A1)

Canadian Forces will shift their Afghan strategy to create a ‘ring of stability’ around Kandahar. As soldiers move from the countryside to suburban areas and from fortified compounds to platoon houses, they will interact more directly with the population. They will also be more vulnerable to attack. Over the coming months, hundreds of Canadian soldiers will start bedding

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down in Taliban-infested towns and breaking bread with Afghan soldiers on the outskirts of Kandahar city as the troops implement the counterinsurgency tactics of NATO’s commander in Afghanistan, U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal. In fact, Canadian troops have been employing their own counterinsurgency tactics for some time. But the effort will accelerate as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization shrinks Canada's theatre of operations to focus on securing Kandahar city, and U.S. troops flood the country under the surge announced by U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday. The U.S. surge will include the deployment of another 30,000 American troops to the region. – See entries on 20 February, 20 May, 1, 11 August, 22, 25, 26 September, 4 November, 29 January 2010 “Officials alerted to torture risks, reports show” (Steven Chase, Campbell Clark, pg.A7)

At least two other Canadian officials besides diplomat Richard Colvin met with the Red Cross in May and June of 2006 and were alerted that the human-rights monitor was troubled over the risks for abuse facing Afghan prisoners after leaving Canada’s custody. The Colvin reports are heavily censored by the Harper government but The Globe and Mail has learned that the men involved in the get-togethers with the Red Cross in the southern Afghanistan province of Kandahar included a Canadian Forces major and an RCMP officer who trained Afghan police. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19, 20, 25, 26 November 2009,10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010

Thursday, 10 December “In command, in the dark” (Steven Chase, Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

General Walter Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff, admitted yesterday that a prisoner taken into custody by Canadian soldiers was later abused by Afghan authorities during the early months of this country’s military mission in Kandahar. The revelation undermines the Harper government’s attempts to contain a widening controversy over Canada’s handling of suspected insurgents captured in 2006 and 2007. Gen. Natynczyk revealed that he’d been misinformed and that a new report came to light. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 26, 31 March 2010 – *Deceptive headline

Monday, 14 December “Afghans violating detainee-transfer agreement” (Paul Koring, pg.A1)

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An unknown number of Taliban insurgents captured by Canadians and turned over to Afghanistan’s secret police are unaccounted for—a serious violation of the Harper government’s “improved” detainee-transfer agreement and one that may endanger Canadian soldiers. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010

Wednesday, 16 December “Tory boycott halts hearings on transfer of Afghan detainees” (Steven Chase, pg.A4)

The Harper government has effectively suspended parliamentary hearings on allegations that Afghan detainees were transferred to torture—boycotting attempts by opposition MPs to continue a Commons probe of the matter. The move ensures for the time being that there are no more hearings to inflame a controversy that’s set the government back on its heels and begun to cost it support. – See entries on 19, 20, 25, 25 November, 3, 10, 23 December, 12, 31 March 2010

Wednesday, 23 December “Torture issue Afghan problem, not Canadian: PM” (Campbell Clark, pg.A4)

Allegations of detainee torture are about a problem in Afghanistan that is beyond Ottawa’s control, Prime Minister Stephen Harper says. Mr. Harper and his cabinet have been taking a beating since a diplomat told a parliamentary committee that the government ignored warnings that detainees captured by Canadian soldiers were likely tortured after they were handed over to local forces, but Mr. Harper insisted it’s an issue for the Afghans to settle, citing that the problems exist within the Afghan diplomatic and justice system rather than the Canadian diplomatic core. – See entries on 1 March 2006, 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16 December 2009, 12, 26, 31 March 2010

Saturday, 26 December “A family’s grief, a nation’s struggle” (Anna Mehler Paperny, pg.A4)

Lieutenant Andrew Nuttall and an Afghan soldier were killed Wednesday by an improvised explosive device while on foot patrol in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province. The primitive, effective weapon is responsible for an ever-greater percentage of Canadian soldiers’ deaths. The area has become synonymous with insurgent violence. An interpreter was injured in the same blast. Nakhoney, a village about 25 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city, is in an area of the volatile Panjwai district that has become a hot spot for insurgent conflict.

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Tuesday, 29 December “Obama vows to step up the terror fight” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

With al-Qaeda claiming responsibility for the botched Christmas Day attack on an American airliner, Barack Obama took to the airwaves to warn those responsible that they will pay a high price. “We will not rest until we find all who were involved and hold them to account,” the U.S. President said yesterday in a televised statement from Hawaii, where he has been spending his Christmas vacation. “This was a serious reminder of the dangers that we face and the nature of those who threaten our homeland.” Mr. Obama said he had ordered two reviews. The first will examine the flawed watch-list system that identified Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab as a possible risk, but failed to keep him from boarding Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit. Of note, the plane would have likely exploded while in Canadian airspace.

Thursday, 31 December

“A deadly day in Afghanistan” (Sonia Verma, pg.A1)

A massive roadside bomb has killed four Canadian soldiers and a Canadian journalist in a dramatic signal of an upsurge of violence in the crucial battleground around Kandahar city. The blast hit a military convoy patrolling near Dand, considered a relatively peaceful district in the restive south that had been the focus of Canadian counterinsurgency efforts in recent months. The brazen nature of the strike on a road frequently travelled by Afghan civilians and soldiers threatens to undermine gains Canadians had made in the area. Four additional Canadian soldiers and one Canadian civilian official were also injured in yesterday’s IED blast and were airlifted from the wreckage to the military hospital at Kandahar Air Field, where they were in stable condition last night. Michelle Lang, a 34-year-old reporter with the Calgary Herald who had recently been deployed to Kandahar, was travelling in the armoured vehicle with a provincial reconstruction team in Kandahar when she was killed. The Department of National Defence had not yet released the names of the four soldiers killed in the same explosion because of difficulties in notifying next of kin.

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11 2010

11.1 January 2010

Wednesday, 13 January “How fingerprinting campaign is catching bombers” (Steven Chase, pg.A12)

Soldiers from Canada and six other coalition countries scour exploded and unexploded bombs for fingerprints. They share the prints in a database along with other “biometric” information in hopes of finding a match. He said if troops suspect a bomb-making cell is operating in a village in the region, they ask local elders and religious leaders for permission to collect identifying information such as fingerprints and photos. Successful matches have enabled coalition soldiers to capture those who make improvised explosive devices.

Friday, 15 January “Terror plot leader apologizes to Canadians” (Colin Freeze, pg.A10)

The terrorist mastermind of a 2006 plot to bomb Toronto read aloud an “open letter to Canadians” on 14 January, as he threw himself on the mercy of the court. “I am certain that many if not all of you, will never forgive me for my actions,” Zakaria Amara, 24, said during his sentencing hearing. “I have no excuses or explanations. I deserve nothing [less] than your complete and absolute contempt.” He apologized to Canadians generally and Muslims in particular for sowing the seeds of fear and suspicion. “The gravity of damage I caused to you make[s] any apologies inappropriate,” he said. – See entry on 6 May 2009, 19 January

Monday, 18 January “Soldiers gather to pay tribute to ‘father figure’” (Sonia Verma, pg.A6)

Sergeant John Wayne Faught, 44, was killed on Saturday when he stepped on a land mine in the village of Nakhoney, in the Panjwai district. Sgt. Faught was leading a joint foot patrol with a unit from the Afghan National Army in a village that had been considered relatively safe.

Tuesday, 19 January “'Toronto 18’ ringleader sentenced to life in prison” (Colin Freeze, pg.A12)

A Canadian terrorist was sentenced yesterday to life in prison in a precedent-setting judgment in the case of young al-Qaeda-inspired extremists who plotted to blow up their fellow citizens. – See entries on 6 May 2009, 15 January

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Monday, 25 January “In this Afghan province, an ex-warlord's word is law—and he wants a word with Canada” (Sonia Verma, pg.A1)

Atta Mohammad Noor rules the Afghan province of Balkh with strength and vision. In five years he has eradicated poppy cultivation and driven out the Taliban. He’s sowed security that's fuelled stunning economic growth. Mr. Noor has a modest proposal for Canada: “Your country is spending billions of dollars in Kandahar, but you are also losing lives. ... The Taliban are killing your sons, burning your schools and your clinics…If you spent money in my province, where there is safety and security, we can deliver results.” Canada, he believes, should lead the way in his province. Canadian officials did not comment.

Tuesday, 26 January “NATO weighs Taliban truce in plans for Afghan peace” (Doug Saunders, pg.A1)

After hitting southern Afghanistan with tens of thousands of additional soldiers in an effort to weaken a resurgent Taliban, the NATO-led military alliance is considering a plan to end the war by entering power-sharing negotiations with Taliban leaders and former fighters. – See entries on 20 February 2009, 20 May 2009, 2 June 2009, 1, 11 August 2009, 22, 25, 26 September 2009, 4 November, 29 January, 1 February “Soldiers to face a new enemy: belt tightening” (Campbell Clark, pg.A8)

It is the most active Canadian military in a generation—a multi-tasking force fighting in Afghanistan, aiding relief efforts in Haiti, and preparing to send thousands of troops to patrol the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics. Soon, however, the country’s armed forces will have to grapple with a different sort of foe: a punishing federal deficit. Defence Minister Peter MacKay said in Halifax yesterday that there is no doubt the military is currently “firing on all cylinders” and operating at a “very high tempo.” The question remains as to how long this momentum can be sustained. – *Deceptive headline

Friday, 29 January “Canada’s new battle plan: Push beyond the city to ‘break the back’ of the Taliban” (Sonia Verma, pg.A1)

Brigadier-General Daniel Menard, the country’s top commander in Afghanistan, is poised to launch a new offensive ahead of this spring's fighting season that will see Canadian and American combat troops under his command push out from platoon houses around Kandahar city to “break the back” of the Taliban in the surrounding countryside. Brig.-Gen. Menard warned the renewed fight in Kandahar province would be bloody, with the death toll of NATO forces likely to spike as they seek to extend their reach before the situation improves. The hope is that by 2011 that Afghans in the region can lead normal lives. The strategy coincides with a surge of 30,000 U.S. troops that has already begun. – See entries on 20 February, 20 May, 3 December, 29 January 2010

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“The Afgan Endgame Begins” (Doug Saunders, pg.A1)

With surprising unanimity, the countries fighting in Afghanistan have agreed, for the first time in the war's nine-year history, to a set of goals for its conclusion and a rough timetable for withdrawal. The plan, reached at a day-long conference of more than 60 foreign ministers in London on 28 January, replaces a military victory with a political compromise that involves making peace with the Taliban and incorporating its more moderate and “reconcilable” factions into Afghanistan's government—a scenario that many participants, including Canada’s military command and political leadership—have opposed in the past. – See entries on 20 February, 20 May, 1, 11 August, 22, 25, 26 September, 4 November, 29 January 2010 – * Deceptive headline

Saturday, 30 January “Court's Khadr ruling throws down a challenge” (Kirk Makin, pg.A4)

A standoff between the Supreme Court of Canada and the federal government over the repatriation of Omar Khadr has thrust the country into uncharted constitutional waters. In a 9-0 ruling, the court effectively dared the Harper government to ignore its finding that Canada and the United States are violating Mr. Khadr’s right to life, liberty and security under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 4 February 2010

11.2 February 2010

Monday, 1 February “Canadian envoy warns against NATO plan for Taliban peace” (Steve Rennie, Rahim Faiez, Heidi Vogt, pg.A1)

William Crosbie, Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan, told reporters yesterday the gesture of reaching out the Taliban is pointless if others perceive the Taliban as being favoured. “There’s no point developing some kind of a fund to which former insurgents are eligible if we’re not equally providing support to Afghans who are not part of the insurgency now,” he said. – See entry on 26 January

Thursday, 4 February “Ignoring Supreme Court’s Khadr ruling, Ottawa won’t request repatriation” (Kirk Makin, pg.A4)

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On 2 February, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon announced that the government will not ask for Mr. Khadr's repatriation from an American detention centre in Cuba, thereby violating an order from the Supreme Court of Canada. Experts agreed that, while Mr. Khadr’s lawyers can now return to a Federal Court of Canada judge for an order demanding that the government seek Mr. Khadr’s repatriation, there is a strong chance that the Supreme Court would not ultimately uphold it. – See entries on 31 October 2002, 17 October 2003, 17 October 2003, 8 November 2005, 8 November 2007, 10 July 2008, 22 January 2009, 25 February 2009, 24 April 2009, 16 May 2009, 30 January 2010

Wednesday, 10 February “Canada set to join in major Afghan offensive” (Josh Wingrove, pg.A14)

About 30 Canadians are accompanying 250 Afghan National Army soldiers and a 400 American troops northeast of the town in a small-scale preparatory mission, according to reports from embedded American journalists. Such “shaping” missions are meant to support Operation Moshtarak, the looming and highly publicized Western offensive in Helmand province. The joint operation is one of many such exercises in the past week, meant to eliminate Taliban targets ahead of the full-scale “clearing” of two areas: Marjah and the Nad Ali district to the north. They are considered Taliban strongholds. No causalities have yet been reported. – See entries on 15, 16, 17 February

Monday, 15 February “NATO forces face booby-trapped town” (Josh Wingrove, pg.A12)

The strategy was at least straightforward: Before executing a massive attack on Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, NATO would get the word out. Leaflets warning about a looming offensive were dropped in the two target areas: Marjah and Nad Ali. Coalition commanders hoped civilians and Taliban alike would leave, minimizing casualties. The effects of that approach began to come to light yesterday, as NATO and Afghan National Army forces continued their fight to wrest Marjah and Nad Ali from Taliban control one day after launching one of the biggest attacks since the start of the Afghan war. In Marjah, traditionally a Taliban- controlled area and hub in the opium trade, residents stayed in place prompting accidental civilian causalities. Further, the Taliban have come forward and admitted that they had planted many mines and IEDs in the area. – See entries on 10, 16 February

Tuesday, 16 February “Afghan offensive marred by civilian deaths” (Josh Wingrove, pg.A18)

As fighting between Taliban insurgents and Afghan and NATO soldiers entered its third day yesterday in Helmand province, coalition leaders were left handling a series of civilian deaths that threaten to derail popular support for the offensive. In two days, coalition troops have killed as many as 20 civilians in five separate incidents in two Afghanistan provinces.

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– See entries on 10, 15 February

Wednesday, 17 February “Canadians to be ‘tip of the spear’ in Kandahar” (Josh Wingrove, pg.A15)

By late spring or early summer, Canada will be at “the tip of the spear” of NATO’s efforts in Afghanistan, leading a massive push in Kandahar province on the scale of this month’s attacks in nearby Helmand, a top coalition soldier says. Canadian Brigadier-General Craig King, the coalition's director of future plans in Afghanistan's volatile south, said allied forces and government agencies are preparing for an attack that will take place in the coming months, and draw largely from the playbook of this month's assault on Marjah and Nad Ali in Helmand in a bid to push the Taliban from restive pockets in Kandahar province. – See entries on 10, 15, 16 February

Monday, 22 February “Dutch withdrawal could leave key Afghan province vulnerable” (Doug Saunders, pg.A12)

With the collapse of the Dutch government this weekend, its 1,600 soldiers are set to be withdrawn from the Taliban-ridden Afghan south shortly before Canada’s 2,800 troops leave, creating a dangerous military vacuum there, the Netherlands’ Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende warned.

Wednesday, 24 February “Canadian censure for Karzai” (Campbell Clark, pg.A14)

Canada has rebuked Afghan President Hamid Karzai for taking control of a formerly independent body that monitors election fraud—a move that has heightened concerned he is betraying a pledge to tackle the corruption that marred his election last year. Mr. Karzai signed a decree last week giving him the power to appoint all members of the Electoral Complaints Commission. On 23 February, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon called the move “disturbing,” taking a more pointed line than other allies, who stressed that Afghanistan has to set its own elections laws. – See entries on 17, 21, 25, 29 August 2009, 20, 26, 29 October 2009, 30 January – *Deceptive headline

Saturday, 27 February “Expect major offensive in Kandahar: U.S official” (Gloria Galloway, pg.A17)

Canadian commander of coalition forces in Kandahar assured reporters that the city has been significantly stabilized as a result of a ring of security established by his troops. That cordon, Brigadier-General Dan Menard said during a teleconference yesterday from Afghanistan, will make it far harder for the Taliban to escalate their offensive when the days grow warmer and the traditional fighting season begins. He said it would be a difficult fighting season ahead in similar

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operations. An unidentified American official warned that such operations are the way of the future. – See entry on 5 March

11.3 March 2010

Friday, 5 March “Afghan mission turning a corner, Petraeus says” (Sonia Verma, pg.A15)

General David Petraeus, the head of U.S. Central Command, has suggested that Canada is poised to draw down its forces in Afghanistan just as momentum is building toward a decisive victory over the Taliban. Speaking at a defence conference in Ottawa to a mostly military audience on 4 March, Gen. Petraeus declined to comment on the effect that Canada's exit from Kandahar next year will have on NATO’s broader mission in Afghanistan. – See entries on 26 November 2008, 18 February 2009, 27 February, 30 March

Friday, 12 March “Ottawa knew of alternative prison transfer proposal” (Steven Chase, pg.A4)

The Harper government has always insisted it heard no warnings of torture risks facing Afghan detainees in 2006, but documents show that in the same year it was carefully following a NATO campaign to take responsibility for captured prisoners away from the country's notorious intelligence service. A memo obtained by The Globe and Mail shows that in 2006 the federal government was briefed on a lobbying campaign by NATO allies aimed at getting the Kabul government to create stronger safeguards for detainees after prisoner abuses elsewhere. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 18, 26, 31 March 2010

Monday, 15 March “Brazen attacks suggest NATO's warnings are fuelling Taliban” (Sonia Verma, pg.A1)

For months, NATO military commanders have promised a major new spring offensive in Kandahar to decisively defeat the Taliban. However, a series of brazen weekend attacks suggest those warnings may have emboldened the militants, triggering a wave of violence that has left the population terrified and vulnerable before the alliance’s offensive has even begun. Teams of suicide bombers targeted the prison, the police department, a guesthouse and a mosque in a series of co-ordinated blasts Saturday night. By morning, officials had counted 12 explosions, at least 35 dead and nearly 60 wounded. The Taliban claimed responsibility online, describing the attacks as a “message” to U.S. General Stanley McChrystal.

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– See entry on 27 February

Thursday, 18 March “All quiet on the Afghan-detainee front” (John Ibbitson, pg.A4)

The Parliamentary committee examining the treatment of Afghan prisoners resumed hearings 17 March, with nothing on offer but rhetoric. Starved of new information, and stymied by a Conservative government that has relentlessly delayed releases, suppressed information or discredited witnesses—as the occasion warranted—government and opposition members were reduced to chasing their own rhetorical tail. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19, 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 26, 31 March 2010

Tuesday, 23 March “Soldier dies in Edmonton from Afghan injuries” (Ian Bailey, pg.A8)

A Canadian soldier has died in an Edmonton hospital three weeks after he was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device while on foot patrol in Afghanistan. The parents and brothers of Corporal Darren Fitzpatrick, 21, were at his bedside at the University of Alberta Hospital when he succumbed to undisclosed injuries on Saturday. Cpl. Fitzpatrick was critically injured west of Kandahar City on March 6 while on his first operational tour.

Thursday, 25 March “U.S. to press for Canada to keep troops in Afghanistan” (John Ibbitson, pg.A1)

The U.S. government will ask Canada to keep as many as 500 to 600 troops in Afghanistan after this country’s military deployment in Kandahar ends in 2011. Sources inside and outside the government say the formal request is expected toward the end of this year through NATO. The troops would act as military trainers and would most likely be located in Kabul. The deployment would not involve putting Canadian troops in harm's way, but could nonetheless set off a rancorous national debate among Canadians and especially within the Liberal Party. – See entry on 7 August 2009 “Court-martial in insurgent’s death puts ‘soldier’s pact’ to the test” (Steven Chase, pg.A1)

The battle on 19 October 2008 had ended and the Taliban insurgent was disarmed and seriously wounded—badly enough that one onlooker said whether he lived or died was in “Allah’s hands.” But instead of arranging medical attention, Canadian Army Captain Robert Semrau fired two bullets into the insurgent’s body—an act that he later described to a subordinate as a mercy killing of sorts, military prosecutors allege. The court-martial of Capt. Semrau, 36, began in Gatineau on Wednesday. He’s believed to be the first Canadian soldier to face a murder charge for an alleged battlefield killing. He pleaded not guilty.

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– See entry on 8 January 2009

Friday, 26 March “Tories release 2,500 pages of heavily redacted files” (Steven Chase, Bill Curry, pg.A4)

The Harper government answered opposition MPs’ demands for internal details of the Afghan detainee controversy with a blizzard of documents—many censored beyond comprehension. After initially suggesting they would withhold documents until a retired judge reviews the sensitive parts, the Tories on 25 March changed tack—dumping 2,500 pages in the Commons. It was untranslated and uncatalogued, and there were no extra copies on hand—forcing opposition parties and journalists to wait hours for reproductions. – See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010

Tuesday, 30 March “Finally voicing U.S. hopes, Clinton calls on Canada to stay in Afghanistan” (Campbell Clark, pg.A1)

The United States has scrapped pretence and is publicly calling for Canadian troops to stay in Afghanistan past next year, sparking questions over what Canada’s role will be after the 2011 deadline for military withdrawal. On 29 March, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. believes it has made progress with a new strategy and hopes Canada will provide “visible” support. She said that Canadian troops might take on a non-combat role. “We would obviously like to see some form of support continue because the Canadian Forces have a great reputation. They’ve worked really well with our American troops and the other members of our coalition,” Ms. Clinton said in an interview with CTV News. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon insisted there will be no Canadian military mission in Afghanistan after next year’s deadline, but said the government is examining what kind of roles civilian officials will play in delivering aid and development programs. – See entries on 18 February 2009, 18 May 2009, 5 March

Wednesday, 31 March “Top soldiers raised alarm over poor detainee oversight” (Steven Chase, pg.A1)

Colonel Christian Juneau, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, wrote superiors in November of 2007 to protest how little information he was getting from Canadian diplomats assigned to monitor detainees, The Globe and Mail has learned. “The frequency of detainee visit reports is of concern to me,” wrote the senior officer, who required post-handover inspection updates to ensure he wasn't transferring detainees to a “real risk” of torture. The letter undermines Ottawa’s insistence that as of May, 2007, it had fixed the transfer process to address allegations that detainees handed over to Afghan’s notorious intelligence service faced abuse.

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– See entries on 31 May 2006, 3, 12 June 2006, 6, 7, 10, 21 February 2007, 2, 9, 12, 20 March 2007, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 April 2007, 2, 4, May 2007, 19 June 2007, 9 July 2007, 6 November 2007, 29, 30 January 2008, 8 February 2008, 14, 15 April 2008, 22 May 2009, 10 June 2009, 10 October 2009, 19 20, 25, 26 November 2009, 3, 10, 14, 16, 23 December 2009, 12, 31 March 2010 – * Deceptive headline

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DOCUMENT CONTROL DATA (Security classification of title, body of abstract and indexing annotation must be entered when the overall document is classified) 1. ORIGINATOR (The name and address of the organization preparing the document. 2. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION Organizations for whom the document was prepared, e.g. Centre sponsoring a (Overall security classification of the document contractor's report, or tasking agency, are entered in section 8.) including special warning terms if applicable.)

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Canada, the "Global War on Terror" and the Mission in Afghanistan: A Chronology Drawn from the Globe and Mail

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Axani, J.

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Unlimited

13. ABSTRACT (A brief and factual summary of the document. It may also appear elsewhere in the body of the document itself. It is highly desirable that the abstract of classified documents be unclassified. Each paragraph of the abstract shall begin with an indication of the security classification of the information in the paragraph (unless the document itself is unclassified) represented as (S), (C), (R), or (U). It is not necessary to include here abstracts in both official languages unless the text is bilingual.)

This report is a chronology of Canada’s involvement in the “Global War on Terror” and in Afghanistan, with a focus on the military aspect. Developed through the use of articles published in the Globe and Mail newspaper that had either relevant titles or content from September 2001 to 31 March 2010, it intends to create a timeline of Canadian political and military activities during this period based on the reporting of a major Canadian media source. This work was done in support of the DRDC CORA Applied Research Project entitled “Influence Activities Capability Assessment.” This work was conducted simultaneous to the development of two other chronologies: one identical to this study but which employs articles from the National Post newspaper, and the second providing a timeline of Canadian military activities related to the Global War on Terror and the engagement in Afghanistan developed using unclassified source material. The Globe and Mail and the National Post were chosen as the information sources for the two media chronologies because, in general, the two publications tend to possess different editorial stances. The Globe tends to adopt a centrist-left political viewpoint while the Post tends towards a centrist-right stance. This is of course a generalization that does not always hold true but, for the purposes of this project it is sufficiently accurate. The use of these different media sources allows comparison of how a given incident or story was reported. The overall goal is the creation of a set of research tools with which military activities (including those of Canada’s adversary’s) can be cross-referenced with reporting in the Canadian national media. Ce rapport contractuel est une chronologie de l’engagement du Canada en Afghanistan et dans la lutte contre le terrorisme, avec une attention particulière portée à l’aspect militaire. Il a été élaboré en se basant sur des articles publiés dans le Globe and Mail entre septembre 2001 et le 31 mars 2010 qui avaient soit un titre, soit un contenu pertinent; il a pour but d’établir une chronologie des activités politiques et militaires du Canada pendant cette période en se basant sur les informations relayées par une source média canadienne de premier plan. Ce travail a été fait pour étayer le projet de recherche appliquée du CARO RDDC intitulé « Évaluation de la capacité en matière d’activités d’influence ». Ce travail a été mené parallèlement à l’élaboration de deux autres chronologies : l’une, identique à cette étude, mais se servant d’articles provenant du National Post, et l’autre fournissant une chronologie des activités militaires canadiennes en lien avec la lutte mondiale contre le terrorisme et l’engagement en Afghanistan, élaborée en se basant sur des sources non classifiées. Le Globe and Mail et le National Post ont été choisis comme sources d’informations pour les deux chronologies basées sur les médias, car les deux publications ont tendance, d’une façon générale, à avoir des positions éditoriales différentes. Le Globe a tendance à adopter des points de vue politiques de centre gauche, tandis que le Post se situe plutôt au centre droit. Il s’agit bien entendu d’une généralisation qui ne s’avère pas toujours vraie, mais qui est suffisamment juste pour les besoins de ce projet. L’utilisation de ces différentes sources média nous permet de comparer la manière dont un incident donné ou une histoire va être rapporté. Le but général est de créer un ensemble d’outils de recherche grâce auquel les activités militaires (y compris celles des ennemis du Canada) peuvent être recoupées avec les comptes rendus qui en sont faits dans les médias nationaux canadiens. 14. KEYWORDS, DESCRIPTORS or IDENTIFIERS (Technically meaningful terms or short phrases that characterize a document and could be helpful in cataloguing the document. They should be selected so that no security classification is required. Identifiers, such as equipment model designation, trade name, military project code name, geographic location may also be included. If possible keywords should be selected from a published thesaurus, e.g. Thesaurus of Engineering and Scientific Terms (TEST) and that thesaurus identified. If it is not possible to select indexing terms which are Unclassified, the classification of each should be indicated as with the title.)

Afghanistan; Chronology; War; Terror; Canadian Forces; Globe and Mail