Canada in the War in Afghanistan

Canada did not have a significant role in the first few months of the invasion of Afghanistan that began on October 7, 2001, and the first contingents of regular Canadian troops arrived in Afghanistan only in January–February 2002. Canada took on a larger role starting in 2006 after the Canadian troops were redeployed to Kandahar province. Roughly 2,500-2,830 Canadian Forces (CF) personnel are currently deployed in Afghanistan as part of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Military Operations

Background

In September 2001 after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Minister of National Defence Art Eggleton advised Governor General Adrienne Clarkson to authorize more than 100 Canadian Forces members serving on military exchange programs in the United States and other countries to participate in U.S. operations in Afghanistan. The operations were aimed at identifying and neutralizing al-Qaeda members in that country, as well as toppling the Taliban regime, which was claimed to be supporting international terrorism.

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

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

2001–2002 initial deployment

Although not participating at all in the opening days of the invasion, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal government announced on October 7 that Canada would contribute forces to the international force being formed to conduct a campaign against terrorism. General Ray Henault, the Chief of the Defence Staff, issued preliminary orders to several CF units, as Operation Apollo was established. The Canadian commitment was originally planned to last to October 2003.

Forty Joint Task Force Two (JTF2) operators were sent to Afghanistan in December 2001, two months after the Minister of Defense, Art Eggleton, announced that Canada would be sending troops to Afghanistan to aid the removal of the Taliban.

Upon the regular forces arriving on the ground in January–February 2002 they were used supporting the war effort including in the major Operation Anaconda campaign. In March 2002, three Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry snipers fought alongside U.S. Army units during Anaconda. In the operation the team broke, and re-broke, the kill record for a long distance sniper kill set in the Vietnam War by a U.S. Marine, Staff Sergeant Carlos Hathcock. Operation Anaconda was also the first time since the Korean War that Canadian soldiers relieved American soldiers in a combat situation. Canadian forces also undertook Operation Harpoon in the Shah-i-Kot Valley. Other forces in the country provided garrison and security troops.

On April 18, 2002, a friendly fire incident caused Canadian casualties when an American F-16 jet dropped a laser-guided bomb on a group of Canadian soldiers. The PPCLI soldiers were conducting night-time training on a designated live-fire range, and the American pilots claim they mistook their gunfire for a Taliban insurgent attack. Four Canadians were killed and eight were wounded in the bombing (see Tarnak Farm incident).

2003–2005 Operation Athena

In August 2003, the Canadian Forces moved to the northern city of Kabul where it became the commanding nation of the newly formed International Security Assistance Force. Canada dubbed this Operation Athena and a 1,900-strong Canadian task force provided assistance to civilian infrastructure such as well-digging and repair of local buildings.

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

On 13 February 2005, Defence Minister Bill Graham announced Canada was doubling the number of troops in Afghanistan by the coming summer, from 600 troops in Kabul to 1200.

In spring 2005 it was announced that the Canadian Forces would move back to the volatile Kandahar Province as the U.S. forces handed command to the Canadians in the region. Operation Athena ended in December 2005 and the fulfillment of the stated aim of "rebuilding the democratic process" in Afghanistan.

2006 renewed commitments: Operation Archer

Canadian soldiers fire an M777 155mm Howitzer field artillery gun at Taliban fighting positions near the Sangin District Center.

Operation Archer followed Athena beginning in February 2006. Unlike the ISAF-lead ATHENA, ARCHER was part of the American military command. By the spring of 2006, Canada had a major role in southern Afghanistan, with Task Force Afghanistan being a battle group of 2,300 soldiers based at Kandahar. Canada also commanded the Multi-National Brigade for Command South, a main military force in the region. In May 2006, the Canadian government extended Canadian military commitments to Afghanistan by two years, replacing earlier plans to withdraw soldiers in 2006.

On 28 February 2006, control of Regional Command South was transferred from U.S. Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry to Canadian Brigadier-General David Fraser in a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield.

Additionally, Foreign Affairs Canada stated that the commitment was more than just military, employing a "whole of government approach", in which a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), utilizing personnel from the military, Foreign Affairs, the Canadian International Development Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, would provide a dual role of security as well as reconstruction of the country and political structure.

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

2006-2009: Taliban resurgence

Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) during a patrol

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

Operation Mountain Thrust was launched in the beginning of the summer in 2006. Canadians of the 1 PPCLI Battle Group were one of the leading combatants and the first fighting when the Battle of Panjwaii took place. Complex mud-walled compounds made the rural Panjwaii District take on an almost urban style of fighting in some places. Daily firefights, artillery bombardments, and allied airstrikes turned the tides of the battle in favour of the Canadians. After Operation Mountain Thrust came to an end, Taliban fighters flooded back into the Panjwaii District in numbers that had not been seen yet in a single area in the "post Anaconda" war.

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

On 15 September 2006, the Canadian government committed a squadron of Leopard tanks from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), and an additional 200 to 500 troops to Afghanistan.

On 1 November 2006, Dutch Major-General Ton van Loon succeeded Brigadier-General David Fraser as head of NATO Regional Command South in Afghanistan, a post which he will retain for a six month period. [1]

On 15 December 2006, the Canadians launched Operation Falcon Summit into Zhari District, to the north of Panjwaii. The operation was the Canadian involvement in the NATO-led Operation Mountain Fury. During Operation Falcon Summit, the Canadians gained control of several key villages and towns that were former Taliban havens, such as Howz-E Madad. During the first week of the operation, massive Canadian artillery and tank barrages were carried out in a successful attempt to clear pockets of Taliban resistance. The operation concluded with plans to build a new road linking Panjwaii with Kandahar's Highway 1 that runs east-west through Zhari.

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

From 15 July 2007 to February 2008, units from CFB Valcartier near Quebec City served in Kandahar filling most positions in the OMLT and providing the protective company for the PRT. The 3rd Battalion Royal 22^e Régiment Battle Group, with supporting troops from 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and a composite tank squadron from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) conducted operations on the ground. This rotation reflected a change in Canadian tactics, with emphasis on systematically clearing-holding-building in the districts of Panjwaii and Zhari, while also protecting Arghandab District and the Afghan–Pakistan border in the area of Spin Boldak. The focus was on intimately working with the Afghan army, police and civil administration to hold cleared areas rather than subsequently lose them to returning Taliban, as had previously occurred throughout the South and East.

On 29 January 2008, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that Canada would extend its military mission in Afghanistan to 2011 only if another NATO country puts at least 1,000 soldiers in the dangerous southern province of Kandahar, echoing the recommendation made in the week before by the panel that he had appointed.

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

On March 13, 2008, the Harper Conservative government's motion to extend the military mission past February 2009 into 2011 was approved in a parliamentary vote with the support of the Liberal opposition. The extension of almost another three years is to have a focus on reconstruction and training of Afghan troops, and sets a firm pullout date, calling for Canadian troops to leave Afghanistan by December 2011. While the Liberals voted in favour of the Conservatives' confidence motion, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois voted against it, having consistently rejected any extension of the military mission. NDP leader Jack Layton said "There are millions of Canadians who don't want this strategy to continue. The population prefers a road to peace."

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

2010: American troop surge

File:CH147Chinook Afghanistan.jpg

Canadian CH-147 Chinook in Afghanistan

On December 1st 2009 U.S. president Obama announced a major troop increase that will send another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. It is believed that many of these new troops will be directed toward southern Afghanistan alongside Canadian soldiers. Some of these new American soldiers will be put under Canadian command, notably forces in the Kandahar suburb of Arghandab which was transferred to the Stryker battalion three months prior. The new Canadian-US brigade will number around 6,000 soldiers total. The currently deployed Canadian troops will remain mostly active in the Panjwaii and Kandahar districts where they were located at the end of 2009. Canadians are also active in the Zhari and Daman districts.

In February 2010 Canadian air forces took part in the highly publicized Marja offensive.

2011: Withdrawal

Canada has announced that it will withdraw the bulk of its troops from Afghanistan in 2011. In September 2008, Conservative leader Stephen Harper pledged that Canada will withdraw the bulk of its military forces in Afghanistan in 2011, saying a decade at war is enough. He acknowledged that neither the Canadian public nor the troops themselves had any appetite to stay longer in the war and said that only a small group of advisers might remain.

Provincial reconstruction team

A key element of Canadian operations in Afghanistan is the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT), one of 25 provincial reconstruction teams throughout the country. A Provincial Reconstruction Team(PRT) is a unit introduced by the United States government to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states, performing duties ranging from humanitarian work to the training of police and the military. Following NATO's involvement, command of some PRTs was transferred from the US to other nations under the ISAF.

The Kandahar PRT is composed of around 330-335 personnel composed largely of Canadian Forces elements (315), but also of a few diplomats, correctional officers, development specialists, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The Kandahar PRT also includes one U.S. State Department official, one U.S. development official, and several U.S. police mentors.

The PRT is about one-eighth the size of the overall 2,830 Canadian military forces in Afghanistan. The 2008 Manley Report recommended that the KPRT be given more funding and attention and be placed under civilian leadership instead.

"Signature" Projects

Following the recommendations of the Manley report, the Canadian government has sought to highlight several so-called "signature" projects in Kandahar Province. The government of Canada's communications on Afghanistan website highlights:

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

Other Operations

• The Canadian Security Intelligence Service has increased activities abroad, including in support of Canada's participation in the war in Afghanistan. The executive director of its civilian oversight committee noted in January 2009 that this has noticeably altered the spy agency and urged policy improvements to manage its growing operations overseas.
• Canada has assisted in the collection, storage and decommissioning of 10,000 heavy weapons left in Afghanistan including artillery, tanks and rocket launchers, used in decades of conflict in the country.
• Canada has helped clear about one third of the estimated 10 to 15 million mines in Afghanistan.
• Canada has loaned money to over 140,000 people in Afghanistan.
• Canada has helped train the Afghan police and army.
• Since December 2001, Canada has been an active participant in the civilian-led United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The Canadian military terms it Operation ACCIUS.
• In 2005 Canada initiated the Strategic Advisory Team – Afghanistan (SAT-A), known as Operation ARGUS, to mentor aspects of the Afghani government on defence issues. It usually contains around fifteen personnel and one CIDA official.
• Canada is a member of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), termed Operation Altair, that is used for maritime patrol and enforcement near Afghanistan.
• Since early 2006, the Canadian Operational Mentor Liaison Team (OMLT) has helped to train and equip the Afghan National Army to take over security when the coalition pulls out. Currently the OMLT consists of around 200 personnel training 1,000 Afghan soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 205th Corps. The OMLT also has a subgroup that mentors the Afghan National Police.

Opposition to war

Main article: Canadian public opinion of the invasion of Afghanistan

Although the leaders of Canada's two largest political parties agree on the necessity of the mission to Afghanistan, it is politically controversial with the Canadian public, with the three other main political parties, with activist groups, and within the Liberal party. On August 31, 2006, New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton called for the withdrawal of Canadian troops from the south of Afghanistan, to begin immediately and soon afterwards pursue peace negotiations with the Taliban insurgents. He argued that the mission lacked clear objectives and measures of success, and that the counter-insurgency operation was undermining reconstruction in Afghanistan.

Montrealers throwing shoes at a poster of George Bush during a protest against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Current Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper's support of the Afghanistan mission has been repeatedly criticized by other political players. In September 2006, CBC columnist Larry Zolf discussed the oft-repeated accusation that Harper is a "puppet" of Bush:

"Linking Harper to Bush has been a staple of the NDP and the left of the Liberal party since the Harper mission in Afghanistan started. Harper's defence of his war in Afghanistan is that he's not a prisoner of Bush but is simply carrying on a mission started by the Liberals. And he's right. Still, the charge that Harper is a Bush puppet is sticking, and it's hurting Harper as both he and Bush are dropping in the polls. Afghanistan is not only stopping Harper's quest for a majority government—it could even cost him the next election."

While the Liberals now support the Conservative-proposed extension of the mission to 2011, the New Democratic Party would make an immediate announcement of the withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan, with the specific timing and speed of the actual withdrawal as deemed responsible by military commanders, whether within a few weeks or a couple of months. An October 9, 2008, NDP release stated:

"Jack Layton and the NDP want to bring our troops home from Afghanistan in six months, instead of spending $18.1 billion dollars on this war for three more years. Rather than spending this money on war, the NDP will invest in hiring more doctors and more skilled jobs training here in Canada."

The Green Party and the Bloc Québécois also oppose any extension beyond the previous 2009 withdrawal date.

Fatalities

Canadian military deaths in Afghanistan

Main article: Canadian Forces casualties in Afghanistan

Since February 2002, 142 Canadian soldiers have died in the war in Afghanistan or in support of the war. Of these, 119 were due to hostile circumstances, including 86 due to improvised explosive devices (IED) or landmines, 21 due to rocket-propelled grenade, small arms or mortar fire, 11 due to suicide bomb attacks, and one died falling from a high ground position on a cliff during a combat operation that involved firefight. An additional 22 soldiers have died in accidents or other non-combat circumstances; 6 due to "friendly fire", 6 in vehicle accidents, two in an accidental helicopter crash, 2 from accidental falls, 2 from accidental gunshots, 1 suicide death and 2 unspecified non-combat-related deaths in country. Additionally, one unspecified non-combat-related death occurred at a support base in the Persian Gulf. Canada has suffered the third-highest absolute number of deaths of any nation among the foreign military participants.

Canadian non-military deaths in Afghanistan

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

Name	Hometown	Employment	Date	Circumstance	References
Glyn Berry	United Kingdom	Senior Foreign Affairs officer	15 January 2006	Died in a suicide attack while travelling in an armoured G-wagon.	[2]
Mike Frastacky	Vancouver, British Columbia	Civilian carpenter	23 July 2006	Murdered in Nahrin.	[3][4][5]
Jacqueline Kirk	Montreal, Quebec	Civilian Aid Worker	14 August 2008	Killed along with an American aid worker and their Afghan driver when the vehicle they were riding in was ambushed by gunmen while travelling between Gardez and Kabul.	[6]
Shirley Case	Williams Lake, British Columbia	Civilian Aid Worker
Michelle Lang	Vancouver, British Columbia	Journalist working for the Calgary Herald	30 December 2009	Killed along with 4 Canadian soldiers when the vehicle they were riding in was struck by an IED	[7]

Bravery awards

In December 2003, PPCLI snipers Master Corporal Graham Ragsdale, Master Corporal Tim McMeekin, Corporal Dennis Eason, Corporal Rob Furlong and Master Corporal Arron Perry were awarded the Bronze Star by the U.S. Army for their actions in combat during Operation Anaconda, March 2–11, 2002.

On October 27, 2006, Sergeant Patrick Tower of the PPCLI became the first ever recipient of the Canadian Star of Military Valour. It came as a result of actions on August 3, 2006, where he assumed command of his platoon under fire, and escorted them to safety.

Sergeant Michael Thomas Victor Denine, PPCLI, was awarded the Medal of Military Valour for his actions as part of Operation Archer. On May 17, 2006, though under intense rocket-propelled grenade, machine gun and small arms fire, Sergeant Denine exited a light armoured vehicle and manned the pintle-mounted machine gun. In spite of being completely exposed to enemy fire, Sergeant Denine laid down such a volume of suppressive fire that he forced the enemy to withdraw.

On May 24, 2006, while under intense enemy fire, Master Corporal Collin Ryan Fitzgerald, PPCLI, entered and re-entered a burning platoon vehicle, driving it off the roadway and allowing the other vehicles trapped in the enemy's kill zone to break free, for which he was awarded the Medal of Military Valour.

Canadian Navy Lt. Haley Mooney sorting donations sent from the United States to Camp Eggers, Kabul.

On July 13, during Operation Archer Private Jason Lamont, PPCLI, ran across open ground through concentrated enemy fire in order to deliver first aid to a wounded comrade, for which he was also awarded the Medal of Military Valour.

Major William Hilton Fletcher, PPCLI, received the Star of Military Valour . He was recognized for demonstrating extraordinary bravery during his service in Afghanistan from January to August 2006. He repeatedly exposed himself to intense fire while leading C Company, 1 PPCLI Battle Group, on foot, to assault heavily defended enemy positions.

Captain Derek Prohar, PPCLI, received the Medal of Military Valour. Assigned as liaison officer with the U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan during the battle at Sperwan Ghar, from September 5 to 12, 2006, Captain Prohar operated as the rear machine gunner on the battalion commander's vehicle. He was wounded by an improvised explosive device during an intense enemy ambush. Despite his injuries, he continued returning fire and assisted the commander with the control of the attack, which resulted in the successful seizing of key terrain.

Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant Chris Hasler, a Canadian, was invested with the Distinguished Flying Cross personally by Queen Elizabeth II on 23 May 2007 for flying resupply missions under fire in Chinook helicopters in Afghanistan in 2006. He is the first Canadian to be decorated for bravery in the air since the Korean War.

At the end of 2006, every Canadian soldier was selected by the Canadian Press as the Canadian Newsmaker of the Year due to the war in Afghanistan.

Controversies

Canadian soldier charged with Second-degree murder

In late December 2008, reports began to surface of possible "inappropriate conduct" in relation to the death of a "presumed insurgent"[8]. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service investigated the incident, resulting in second-degree murder charges against Captain Robert Semrau on 31 December 2008 [9]. According to court documents released on 6 January 2009, Captain Semrau, who was serving with NATO's Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team supervising and mentoring Afghan soldiers in Helmand Provence, is alleged to have killed a wounded insurgent found by Afghan National Army troops after they came under a Taliban ambush on 19 October 2008. According to the "detention review synopsis" filed by Crown prosecutor Major Marylene Trudel, Afghan soldiers found a man whose wounds "appeared too severe for any type of treatment in situ" and disarmed him. The statement goes on to allege that Semrau was seen near the wounded man when two shots were heard [10][11]. The document states that "After evaluating all available evidence, the prosecution believes that it was Captain Semrau who fired both shots, that these shots resulted in the death of the severely wounded insurgent and that Captain Semrau had no lawful justification for shooting the severely wounded insurgent,"[12]. The prosecution also claims that it will produce a witness who will testify that he saw Semrau shoot the wounded man. The body of the man was left behind at the scene of the ambush and was never found [13]. The case is currently in the preliminary stage and Captain Semrau has yet to face court martial. The prosecution also has yet to determine if there are reasonable prospect for a conviction. Major Trudel added that the charges against Captain Semrau could change and that the prosecution was "still a step behind that process,"[14]

On September 18 2009, the Canadian Forces announced that Captain Semrau would be facing General Court Martial on the charges of Second Degree Murder - contrary to Section 130 of the National Defence Act, pursuant to Section 235(1) of the Criminal Code; Attempt to Commit Murder (alternative to the Charge of Second Degree Murder) - contrary to Section 130 of the National Defence Act, pursuant to Section 239(1)(a.1) of the Criminal Code; Behaving in a Disgraceful Manner – contrary to Section 93 of the National Defence Act; and Negligently Performing a Military Duty - contrary to Section 124 of the National Defence Act.[15]

Court Proceedings began on January 25th, 2010. Capt. Robert Semrau will appear before a Military Judge, and a 5 person panel.[16] The case continues. On March 24th 2010, Capt. Semrau pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and three other charges[17].

Afghan detainee abuse scandal

Main article: Canadian Afghan detainee abuse scandal

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

On November 18, 2009, allegations regarding the treatment of Taliban prisoners captured by Canadian forces in Afghanistan resurfaced in parliamentary testimony by Richard Colvin, the second highest ranked member of Canada’s diplomatic service in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007. Colvin testified that "According to our information, the likelihood is that all the Afghans we handed over were tortured. For interrogators in Kandahar, it was a standard operating procedure." Colvin also testified that he had made numerous reports to both the Department of Defence and the Foreign Affairs Department about the situation, starting in 2006 [18]. Defence Minister Peter MacKay responded to the allegations saying "I don’t believe it's credible. I don’t believe it's backed up by fact and what we have to deal with in a parliamentary hearing, as we do in a court of law, or another judicial or public inquiry, is evidence that can be substantiated"[19].

Financial cost

Main article: Financial cost of Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan

And the estimated cost of continuing Canadian operations in Afghanistan is the subject of considerable debate. Initial government estimates for the period 2001 to 2009 were as low as CAD$9 billion according to Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mackay in June 2006, but later government estimates of the incremental cost of the conflict (as distinct from the fixed cost of DND operations unrelated to Afghanistan) increased to CAD$5 billion in March 2008 due to equipment purchases.

Independent estimates of the total cost of the conflict range as high as CAD$18.5 billion by 2011, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The discrepancy between this and government estimates lies in the difficulty in distinguishing between routine military costs and those dedicated specifically to the Afghan conflict, as well as the inclusion of long term costs relating to injured soldiers and estimated lost productivity caused by personnel afflicted with Operational Stress Injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bases

• Camp Julien in Kabul
• Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar
• Camp Mirage airbase, a logistics base outside of Afghanistan

Equipment

Various new equipment was purchased by the CF for the mission to ensure safer conditions for personnel, but it has still not prevented deaths overall:

• Broshuis HET - new
• IAI Heron - new/leased
• Mercedes-Benz Actros - new
• CH-47 Chinook - new
• CH-146 Griffon - existing
• Leopard 2 - leased and new
• Aardvark JSFU - existing
• Chubby (mine detection system) - new
• RG-31 Nyala - new
• Cougar (vehicle) - new
• Bandvagn 206 - existing (2002 only)
• Buffalo (mine protected vehicle) - new
• Mercedes-Benz G-Class - new
• M-Gator - new
• Arid CADPAT
• M777 155mm Howitzer

Diplomatic ties

Main article: Afghanistan-Canada relations

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

See also

• Canadian Afghan detainee abuse scandal
• Canadian Forces casualties in Afghanistan
• Civilian casualties of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
• International public opinion on the war in Afghanistan
• Protests against the invasion of Afghanistan
• Financial cost of Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan
• Afghanistan War order of battle
• Britain's role in the 2001-present Afghan war
• Criticism of the War on Terrorism
• Afghanada
• Race war

External links

• Canada in Afghanistan: Military & Development Roles | Mapleleafweb.com
• Canada's Engagement in Afghanistan
• Canadian American Strategic Review
• Peace Operations Monitor- Afghanistan
• Casualties in Afghanistan & Iraq