Canadian troops could face combat, minister says
By JEFF GRAY
Globe and Mail Update
Monday, 07 January 02
After weeks of delay and speculation, Defence Minister Art Eggleton confirmed Monday that Ottawa will send 750 troops to assist U.S. forces in Afghanistan — and that the Canadians could face "potential combat" situations.
The Canadian contingent is set to be in place by the middle of February at the latest, and could face "potential combat operations to destroy residual Taliban and al-Qaeda pockets," Mr. Eggleton said.
The deployment of the light infantry troops, which have been on standby since November at an Edmonton base, could last as long as six months. The move will bring the total Canadian personnel in the region — including about 40 members of the elite JTF-2 special force that is on the ground inside Afghanistan — to 2,500.
"The mission is not without its risks," Mr. Eggleton told a news conference at the Department of National Defence‘s headquarters in Ottawa. "But our troops are trained, equipped and they‘re ready to carry out these important tasks."
With the government sensitive to criticism that it has chronically underfunded Canada‘s military, Mr. Eggleton emphasized that the United States believes the Canadian Forces can do the job.
"The Americans recognized this, when they asked the Canadian Forces, and only the Canadian Forces, to operate alongside their troops," Mr. Eggleton said.
The troops will consist of two infantry companies of the 3rd Battalion of the Princess Patricia‘s Canadian Light Infantry, as well as a reconnaisance squadron from Lord Strathcona‘s Horse (Royal Canadians) that will use Canadian-made Coyote armoured vehicles, which Mr. Eggleton said were specifically requested by Washington. A logistics group from the No. 1 Service Battalion, will also be deployed, he said.
Mr. Eggleton said the Canadians will be under the day-to-day command of U.S. forces, and will assist in the weeding out of remaining pockets of Taliban and al-Qaeda forces, as well as provide security for the Kandahar airport.
The troops will also help explore "sensitive" sites such as former terrorist training camps, and assist in removing landmines and securing humanitarian aid for the local Afghan population, he added.
Canadians had been expected to participate in 4,500-strong UN-sanctioned and British-led peacekeeping force to be sent to Kabul. But when the mission was announced Canada‘s name was not on the 12-nation list. There had been discussions about a possible role for Canada, defence officials said last week.
The troops announced Monday are being sent under the original U.S. Afghan operation, authorized by the United Nations when it gave the United States the right to respond to the Sept. 11 attacks in self-defence, Mr. Eggleton said.
And this mission, according to some experts, is likely to be more demanding, and more dangerous than Canada‘s traditional peacekeeping roles.
Military experts and the opposition Canadian Alliance have charged that the Canadians were not invited to the British-led peacekeeping mission because the government has starved the military of funds.
But Mr. Eggleton said such criticisms were "irresponsible," noting that Canada was the fourth-largest contributor to international efforts in Afghanistan.
"We‘re good at peacekeeping, but if we have to be involved in combat we can do that too," Mr. Eggleton said.
Other Canadians already in the region include more than 1,300 naval personnel on ships in the Arabian Sea, as well as members of the secretive JTF-2 unit.
I think our Minister should strongly consider the comments by Progressive Conservative defence critic Elsie Wayne. "We shouldn‘t have to rely on Great Britain or the United States. We shouldn‘t even consider sending them unless we have the capacity to get them in and out."
