Table of Contents CANADA’S FORCES GO TO AFGHANISTAN Introduction AUnique Workplace AJob to Do Peacekeepers at War The POW Controversy Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions CANADA’S FORCES GO TO AFGHANISTAN Introduction One of the Department of National searching for Al-Qaeda and Taliban mem- Defence’s recruiting campaigns for the bers still hiding in the area. Canadian Forces contains the declaration One component of an effective military “Your Pride. Your Future. Your Move.” And team that is sometimes overlooked is support while each person who has made the deci- from back home. A strong team relies on sion to pursue a career in the military brings family members who take care of issues on to the job a particular sense of character and the home front, members of the public who a specific set of expectations, it is clear that provide national moral support, and the the fortune of the forces as a whole depends government, which formulates the long-term on the interaction and co-operation of people defence policy that shapes the overall struc- working as a group. ture of the forces. According to some mili- The importance of co-ordinated effort is tary analysts, the current Canadian Forces is clear among Canada’s troops who have at a disadvantage because of years of recently embarked on a mission under the underfunding. U.S.-led Task Force Rakkasan in Kandahar, Our forces in Kandahar have also had to Afghanistan. As soon as this latest assign- deal with a public debate about the appropri- ment was announced, preparations for the ateness of Canadian troops working in a operation intensified, from soldiers practising combat mission, especially under U.S. basic infantry skills and marksmanship to command. Some critics say that Canada’s personnel responsible for packing and trans- forces should be concentrating on a role as porting the troops’ gear. Each member of the autonomous peacekeepers rather than as forces, of course, has been trained to make U.S.-led fighters. A controversy over the the team run as smoothly as possible since treatment of Al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners his or her first day in the military. has underscored the debate. Other people Even with the best of preparations, how- assert that it is only by taking on tough ever, military missions are not easy combat roles that the Canadian Forces will endeavours. Some situations that soldiers build a strong team of peacekeepers. train to face can only be learned by living As this behind-the-scenes look at our through them. In Kandahar, for example, troops suggests, in spite of and because of the troops have to deal with poisonous snakes challenges, this Canadian contingent of the and spiders, a landmine-studded landscape, international forces is committed to working and a lack of amenities such as running water as a highly organized and effective team. and electricity. On top of all this, their main And, as career soldiers, these Canadian men concern is the accomplishment of their and women work to bring peace and stability duties, including patrolling the perimeter of to war-ravaged Afghanistan. the Kandahar base, clearing minefields, and News in Review — 31 — March 2002 CANADA’S FORCES GO TO AFGHANISTAN A Unique Workplace From the first day of basic training, each member of Canada’s troops develops a set of spe- cialized military skills that help the forces as a whole meet the demands of a variety of mis- sions. Soldiers work on general safety skills, physical conditioning, topography exercises, survival techniques, and marksmanship, as well as other proficiencies. On a broader level, military planners work on long-range, large-scale policies to ensure that the forces are as efficient and effective as possible. Logistical planning involves the acquisition, maintenance, and supply of equipment as well as arrangements for transportation of troops and their gear. Strategic preparations involve long-term direction of forces and operations. Organizational Skills and Prediction 1. As you watch this News in Review report, make a list of the different preparations that have gone into equipping the Canadian Forces’ mission in Kandahar. How are the different tasks of soldiering and logistics interrelated? 2. Based on the activities, proficiencies, and provisions described in this report, suggest what kind of strategic decisions would have been made by senior military personnel in order for the Canadian Forces to be ready for operations such as the one in Afghanistan. Military Reasoning Sun Tzu’s classic Art of War was written in China approximately 2500 years ago. Examine the excerpts below and suggest to what extent this information applies today. Make reference to information from the video. Laying Plans: Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose. Attack by Stratagem: Now the general is the bulwark of the State; if the bulwark is complete at all points; the State will be strong; if the bulwark is defective, the State will be weak. Tactical Dispositions: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.␣ .␣ .␣ . To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.␣ .␣ .␣ . Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy. Follow-up Discussion People also read Sun Tzu’s Art of War for strategic advice in areas other than the military— for example, management, law, and sports. In your opinion, is there a correlation between military operations and these fields of endeavour? March 2002 — 32 — News in Review CANADA’S FORCES GO TO AFGHANISTAN A Job to Do No matter how prepared military forces may be, each campaign brings particular challenges that soldiers must learn to handle as they do their jobs. As you read the following material about the assignments of Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, think about how troops might prepare for each task ahead of time. In early February, members of the Canadian Forces began arriving at the U.S. base on the dusty outskirts of Kandahar. The Canadians, mostly troops from the Third Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3PPCLI) and Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), joined Jordanian and Norwegian forces working under the U.S.-led Task Force Rakkasan. Chief among the Canadians’ duties is the patrol of the perimeter of the Kandahar base. Other Canadian tasks may include demining the area around the base, maintaining security at the Kandahar airport, tracking down Taliban and Al-Qaeda holdouts, and, eventually, ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance. Even as Canadian troops were still recovering from jet lag, they were apprised of the myriad trials and hazards of the mission. The possibility of face-to-face combat might be the most dangerous aspect of this operation, but it is by no means the only one. Some dangers, such as the threats posed by venomous snakes, spiders, and scorpions, are particular to the geography and wildlife of the area. Other menaces, like the landmines concealed throughout the terrain, are common features in many war-torn countries. Still other hazards are posed simply by the congregation of so many troops and their weapons. The accidental discharge of guns is a real concern where almost 4000 soldiers are gathered in one place. Finally, some hardships of the mission are more unpleasant than dangerous. For Canadians accustomed to running water, indoor plumbing, and electricity, the lack of these conveniences makes the situation all the more challenging. And Canadian commander Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Strogan advised his troops that their posting in Afghanistan would consist of intermittent periods of adrenaline- pumping activities and long periods of dull, hard work. According to military sources, the Canadians’ main role in patrolling the Kandahar complex is centred on one particular piece of equipment, the Coyote reconnaissance vehicle. The Coyote’s cutting-edge technology, involving an amalgam of ground-based radar and thermal imaging, is capable of nighttime detection of people at a distance of 12 kilometres and ve- hicles at a distance of 20 kilometres. Not surprisingly, such a complex tool requires highly skilled operators to make the most of the technology. Although the Coyote’s system can spot relatively small objects in the distance, it takes the interpretation of a well-trained human to tell the difference between an approaching enemy soldier and other moving objects. The troops who operate each of the 12 Coyote vehicles in Kandahar are therefore crucial to their effectiveness. Secret Missions While the Canadian government ensured that the prominent role of the Coyotes in the Kandahar operation was well publicized, it tries to keep attention away from the activities of News in Review — 33 — March 2002 the elite commando unit known as Joint Task Force Two (JTF2). When The Globe and Mail unwittingly gained a major scoop by publishing an Associated Press photo of Al-Qaeda prisoners in the custody of soldiers identified as U.S. personnel but later revealed as members of JTF2, it was the first time a picture of soldiers from the secret unit had been published. The JTF2, who have had some 40 to 50 members in Afghanistan since the fall of 2001, have been involved in other missions with only minimal details leaking out.