The Torch

Veterans Week 2009 and Remembrance Day

2009-11-11T23:59:00.008-05:00

The official site at Veterans Affairs Canada. A listing of events across the country here, and a map.

Update: From the Royal Canadian Legion website:

Remembrance Day
First World War ends on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month
Legion pushes for Armistice Day Act to be amended ensuring that November 11th be the one distinct observance that the nation pay tribute to those "who gave their lives that freedom might prevail"
"Remembrance Day", a sacred trust of The Royal Canadian Legion, ensures the memory of the sacrifice of those who fell with the appropriate marking of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month
1970—Remembrance Day is included in "The Holidays Act"

2005 as Year of the Veteran was accepted and instituted by the Government of Canada through a continued effort by the Legion to educate the Canadian people

National War Memorial
National War Memorial design by Vernon March selected in 1925 from an international competition
Memorial's components were made over 10 year period in Kent, England by March, his brothers and sister who finished the work in 1932, after Vernon March's death in 1930—none had sculptural training
Made up of a granite arch atop which stand Victory and Liberty in bronze, marching through the arch are 22 figures representing all branches of the armed forces of the First World War symbolically leaving an unlimbered cannon behind
Originally displayed and admired in Hyde Park, London and broken down into component parts and shipped in 35 containers for the sea voyage from England in 1937
Unveiled in Ottawa by King George VI in May 1939 with 100,000 spectators and since then has been the site of the national Remembrance Day Ceremony

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
at the base of the memorial is the consecrated Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where the remains of an unknown soldier from the Vimy area of France were entombed on 28 May, 2000.
a millennium project of the Legion along with the "2 Minute Wave of Silence"; both projects designed to increase awareness of Canada's contributions...

The Poppy Campaign:

Conducted each year for about 2 weeks prior to November 11th in order to raise funds for needy Canadian veterans, ex-service members and their dependants, as well as Commonwealth veterans
Poppies, provided for public and personal display, are distributed for donations which are not mandatory; in some cases (school children), the poppies are distributed solely to perpetuate Remembrance without remuneration
Intention of the Poppy Campaign is to remind Canadians of the sacrifice of the 117.000 Canadians who died in the military, Merchant Navy and Ferry Command in two world wars, the Korean War and other theatres globally
Donations received from the Poppy Campaign are put into trust accounts and used accordingly to assist needy veterans, ex-service members, their families and former members of Commonwealth and allied military services
First made in 1922, poppy emblem production by disabled veterans was sponsored by the Department of Soldiers Civil Re-establishment in VAC sheltered workshops, presently (from 1996) the work is being done by a private company
18 million poppies, 70,000 wreaths, crosses and sprays distributed annually
More than $8million distributed annually
Activities supported by Poppy Trust Funds include: assisting needy veterans, ex-service members and their families; purchasing medical appliances; funding medical research and training, providing bursaries to the children and grandchildren of veterans and ex-service members; and funding accommodation, care facilities, meals-on-wheels, transport and related services for veterans, seniors and disabled persons

History
Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
The Flower of Remembrance
A Symbol of Unity
The Lapel Poppy
...

Upperdate: Three songs (via Frank Godon, see his comment, who will be at Juno Beach November 11 with his father--note this story, "Metis vets finally get their due: D-Day warriors will dedicate monument at Juno Beach museum"):

Afstan: Brits to reduce combat effort to win public support?

2009-11-08T14:12:00.003-05:00

My word. Three stories (via Norman's Spectator):

1) McChrystal seeks to keep UK troops 'out of harm's way'

General aims to foil Taliban plan to make Afghanistan a British election issue

Barack Obama's top general in Afghanistan is considering a radical realignment of Britain's role in the country amid fears that the Taliban will target UK troops in the run-up to next May's general election.

General Stanley McChrystal, Nato commander in Kabul, believes Britain's continued involvement would be politically more palatable at home if its 9,000 soldiers were moved out of "harm's way" from the frontline in Helmand.

Senior defence strategists fear that the death toll of British soldiers, currently 230, could be as high as 400 by the time of the election in six months, as Taliban fighters try to exploit UK public concerns about the war...

The McChrystal plan would be welcomed by those arguing for a phased withdrawal in the face of rising British casualties. But it could be seen as a humiliating downgrading of Britain's status. A senior military source said: "Given the risks of a UK strategic withdrawal prompted by the high casualty rate over the summer, McChrystal feels the need to keep Britain 'in the fight' by withdrawing British forces from harm's way, by firstly pulling them back into a smaller area of operations commensurate with their resources [what the CF have already done]; and secondly by transferring them to a 'capacity-building' rather than a 'frontline mission' [I wonder if our government will attempt quietly to slide the CF in that direction now]."

Gordon Brown on Friday [Nov. 6] said British troops would stay in Afghanistan, but insisted that they could not be expected to risk their lives if President Hamid Karzai did not stamp out corruption after his clouded second-term victory. For the first time, the Prime Minister raised the prospect of the mission's failure, saying the UK and US would "succeed or fail together"...

2) Army wants to retreat in Afghanistan

ARMY CHIEFS are drawing up plans to withdraw British troops from outlying bases in Afghanistan.

In what would be a significant change of strategy against the growing Taliban insurgency, they are considering abandoning several bases including Musa Qala, the scene of bloody battles that claimed 15 British lives. Army forces would attempt to hold only the larger towns in Helmand province.

It is understood the new “retrenchment” strategy is backed by the head of the army, General Sir David Richards.

Gordon Brown has yet to take a final decision, however. Ministers are concerned the new strategy would be branded defeatist [emphasis added]...

3) Ministers question future of Afghan mission

No wonder another US combat brigade, likely Marines, seems wanted for Helmand. If the Brits go really dovish, it will effectively be the US doing almost all the fighting alone. Sad. What an "alliance".

President Obama nearing Afghan decision/Ospreys in Helmand

2009-11-08T12:37:00.007-05:00

Likely big consequences at Kandahar:

Obama wraps up Afghan review, eyes final options

President Barack Obama is wrapping up deliberations on war strategy in Afghanistan and is considering final Pentagon options that include sending about 30,000 more troops, officials said on Saturday.

A deployment of that size would be less than the 40,000-troop increase recommended by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, but more than many of Obama's Democratic allies may support.

Record combat deaths have eroded U.S. public support for the war, and a decision to expand troop levels could become a political liability for the president ahead of congressional elections next year.

Currently, there are about 67,000 U.S. troops and 40,000 allied forces in Afghanistan.

Under one of the final Pentagon options presented to the White House, three additional combat brigades would be deployed and a division headquarters set up near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, a Taliban stronghold, as part of a 30,000-troop increase.

[Emphasis added--a divisional HQ has been in the works for some time. See fifth para here.]

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Obama has settled on a troop increase but has yet to make up his mind about its size.

Brigades generally include 3,500 to 4,000 troops, though they can swell to over 5,000 troops if other units are attached. Marine brigades can be larger [no kidding-- the current Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan is some 10,000 strong, unit details here].

Obama, who will visit Asia from Nov 12-19, is expected to announce his decision within a few weeks, possibly after Afghan President Hamid Karzai's inauguration. Karzai was re-elected in a controversial poll tainted by fraud...

More details:

...
As it now stands, the administration's plan calls for sending three Army brigades from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. and the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. and a Marine brigade, [that's four brigades, not three as suggested above, and given the large size of a Marine Expeditionary Brigade really around a total of five] for a total of as many as 23,000 additional combat and support troops [the Marines would come from one of the three Marine Expeditionary Forces, see here, here (the Marine brigade in Helmand is part of this one) and here].

Another 7,000 troops would man and support a new division headquarters for the international force's Regional Command (RC) South in Kandahar, the Taliban birthplace where the U.S. is due to take command in 2010. Some 4,000 additional U.S. trainers are likely to be sent as well, the officials said.

The first additional combat brigade probably would arrive in Afghanistan next March, the officials said, with the other three following at roughly three-month intervals, meaning that all the additional U.S. troops probably wouldn't be deployed until the end of next year...

I would imagine one combat brigade would go to Kandahar/Zabul, one to Helmand (the Marines logically), and one maybe to replace the Dutch next year at Uruzgan or to Paktia, to the northeast of Kandahar in US-led RC East, just past Zabul province; see this post for more on the subject). Note that the current Dutch commander of RC South has already said at least two more brigades are needed. And someone (guess who) will have to replace us at Kandahar in 2011. The mountain division soldiers would likely go to (mountainous) RC East.

Meanwhile, ten Marine Osprey tilt-rotors have arrived at Helmand, flown off the USS Bataan--see this post for details on their additional armament. More on the US Marines:

Afghanistan: Marines bring some calm in Helmand
But many residents in the insurgent heartland fear the U.S. troops may leave abruptly, leaving the area for the Taliban to retake.

Note that subhead.

Afstan: The CF's history...

2009-11-08T09:43:00.002-05:00

...is being recorded professionally along with the mission:

The log of war

Sean Maloney has been to Afghanistan eight times, experienced two attacks by improvised explosive device and survived at least five attempts on his life.

"I've been shot at, rocketed, mortared, all of it. My view always was that I needed to understand these things so I could do the job properly," he says.

Maloney is not a soldier, but he is on a mission. When he ventures outside the relative safety of Kandahar Airfield, there is a Canadian flag on one arm of his military-issued shirt and a patch on the other arm identifying him as a military historian.

He's one of a small group employed by the Canadian Forces who are gathering the facts and details of today that will make up the official record of the country's involvement in Afghanistan for generations to come [more on Mr Maloney here, here, here, and here]....

At its safest, Canada's military historians are in constant contact with the bomb-strewn front lines in Kandahar, demanding precise, detailed, written accounts of soldiers' experiences which are recorded in war diaries. From the weather to operational plans and results, to casualties and nuances of the fight, the war diary is the traditional treasure trove for historians.

Each month the diaries arrive from the various units deployed to Kandahar. They come to a drab brown warehouse stuck between a furniture store and an insurance firm in an industrial area of Ottawa that most soldiers have never seen and few know even exists.

But if the military was a human body, the directorate of history and heritage would be its hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for storing memories...

Steve Harris was researching his doctorate thesis on the creation of a professional Canadian army at the building in 1979 when a rare position opened up at the directorate...

Chief military historian Stephen Harris holds up a folder containing war documents from 1945 at the Department of National Defence's directorate of history and heritage in Ottawa.
PAWEL DWULIT FOR THE TORONTO STAR

Harris, now the military's chief historian, and a team of four reservists still keep meticulous watch over the information streaming in from Afghanistan – the most significant campaign for the Canadian military since WWII – even though it will be many years before the official account of this war is written.

To ensure that this is done right, Harris visited Kandahar in 2002. His intent was partly to impress upon soldiers the importance of keeping detailed war diaries, partly to take a first-hand recording of history in the making.

He met with small groups of soldiers over three weeks. Putting aside his tape recorder, camera, pen or notebook, he started the conversations with a simple question: "What surprised you?"

"I didn't know it at the time, but it was the best question," he recalled.

The anecdotes spilled out and he later jotted down in his notebook what he calls an "impressionistic" account of what he was told. The book sits on his shelf, unopened for now. But it will go into the official war records along with all the documents and emails from soldiers he receives.

Where the war diaries once arrived neatly typed on legal-size sheets of paper a generation ago, they now arrive in all formats, including DVD movies, compact disks and computer memory sticks. That poses a logistical problem for staff at the directorate – how and when to transcribe millions of pages of information and where to put it all. It may also be putting the historical record in jeopardy, Maloney says. His contention that military historians must become more aggressive in documenting today's wars is controversial and stretches back to the early 1990s when he was writing about and studying Canadian operations in the Balkans.

Cellular telephones made priority conversations about life and death decisions hard to trace, and thermal fax paper, the standard then for instant paper communication, would be lucky to last a decade before disintegrating.

Even in 2002, the early days of the Afghan war, militaries were still relying on floppy disks to store their computer data. Maloney recalled being passed a floppy disk for his research and being unable to access the information on his computer.

"The systems we've got keep getting better and better and better," he says. "Our issue is going to be 20 and 30 and 40 years from now. Will we have machines that can read it?"

Other things just get missed in the fog of war. For example, Maloney says there will be no official record of the night in 2006 when the vehicle he was travelling in was struck by a suicide bomber in Kandahar.

"There were 17 other attacks that took place at the same time ... We just had two vehicles destroyed, two of our guys seriously injured. There were at least nine Afghans that were either killed or wounded in this attack and I went and looked and it wasn't even recorded on the system," he says. "It's not an attempt to deceive, it's just an inability to collect everything."

The threat posed by these gaps, plus a nagging quest for perfection, are what leads Maloney to repeatedly put himself in personal and professional danger. He recounts on his personal website being labelled "extreme" by an unnamed official in the Department of Foreign Affairs for the opinions he often expresses. His public writings criticize other government departments for being ineffective, and compare the Afghan insurgency's assassination campaigns to the Khmer Rouge or the Nazis.

But he revels in being cast as a renegade, and readily admits that the urgency of his information-gathering is driven as much for his own understanding as to protect Canadian soldiers new to the conflict or at risk of making the same mistakes previous rotations have encountered. In that, there is a distinct absence of the professorial disinterest that defines academia...

Naval interoperability

2009-11-07T22:10:00.002-05:00

Official news release (links added):

Canadian and US Navies To Join For Annual Task Group Exercise
Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Algonquin and Protecteur have departed Esquimalt Harbour for Southern California in order to participate in a Task Group Exercise (TGEX). They will join HMCS Calgary which has been on a three-month deployment to Central and South America since August 17^th.

Algonquin, Calgary, and Protecteur will rendezvous in San Diego prior to the start of TGEX during which more than 500 Canadian personnel will participate in various naval training exercises before they return at the end of November.

“Naval exercises such as TGEX train our sailors to operate their ships independently or integrate seamlessly into a larger multi-national task force” said Commodore Ron Lloyd, Commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific. “TGEX provides invaluable opportunities for the Fleet to hone skill sets that are used on a wide range of potential missions ranging from counter-piracy operations to providing humanitarian assistance.”

TGEX is designed to provide realistic training exercises that will enhance the Navy’s ability to protect Canadian interests at home and abroad. These interests include securing the unrestricted flow of goods across ocean trade routes and maintaining national security against foreign and domestic threats.

For the Canadian Navy, participation in TGEX is part of a stepped program to generate a high readiness Canadian Naval Task Group called for in Canada’s Defence Policy.

Canada's Post-2011 Mission: Guesses, Not Statements

2009-11-07T07:09:00.003-05:00

This week, we read that Chief of Defence Staff Walt Natynczyk has given orders to start packing in Kandahar, in line with the March 2008 Motion of Parliament to be out of Kandahar by the end of 2011.

Today, the Globe & Mail fleshes out the form of the next phase of the mission with guesses:

Although the Conservatives have yet to make it clear, it’s expected hundreds of soldiers may need to remain behind to protect reconstruction and development. Retired major-general Lewis Mackenzie guesses up to 500 or 600 soldiers would stay in Afghanistan to keep watch over Canadian development projects or even to train local army and police.

The Harper government has so far been reluctant to spell out how many soldiers are staying behind after the 2011 pullout. During the 2008 election campaign, the Prime Minister acknowledged that not every single soldier will return with the combat pullout, and it’s expected lingering pressure from the Obama administration to help out may lead to a contingent remaining.

Military analysts speculated that Gen. Natynczyk’s decision to draw attention to withdrawal planning this week – his orders to make plans were actually given last summer – may have been an effort to force Ottawa to make clear its post-2011 intentions in Afghanistan.

That last bit in green is intriguing - we know about the initial release of this tidbit is that the Globe & Mail attributed the news to "a government official,". while the Toronto Star uses quotes straight from the CDS's mouth.

IF it's true, we'll see if it's enough to remind those who should speak to speak - a reminder on that from the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada:

Ministers are the principal spokespersons of the Government of Canada …. Ministers present and explain government policies, priorities and decisions to the public.

We wait still.

A wee bit more here.

HRH The Prince of Wales: Colonel-in-Chief

2009-11-06T16:02:00.006-05:00

Doing his job:

Charles, Camilla resume Ontario tour, praise public support for troops

Prince Charles expressed his appreciation of Canada's support for its military after presenting new colours to two Canadian regiments Thursday evening.

Aaron Lynett / National Post His Royal Highness Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall pose for the official photograph with the Royal Regiment of Canada at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, Thursday evening

Thanking military families and the rest of Canada for their "compassion and loyalty," the Prince of Wales said he was moved by the acts of solidarity he has seen during his trip to Canada.

"I cannot tell you how moved my wife and I are that so many of you have chose to come here on this autumnal evening, or are watching this parade on television at home, or who line what has so poignantly become known as ‘The Highway of Heroes' [video here] to honour the fallen," Charles said during a formal military ceremony Thursday night, in front of more than 5,000 people at Toronto University's Varsity Stadium.

The presentation of colours is a British tradition where a member of the Royal Family will present a new flag to a military unit. Historically, that flag would be carried into battle so the commanding officer could see where his troops were located.

The prince presented new colours Thursday to the Royal Regiment of Canada [more here] and the Toronto Scottish Regiment [more here], on the fourth day of his 11-day tour of Canada. Prince Charles is the Colonel-in-Chief of both regiments.

The ceremony's location, the downtown Varsity Stadium, has historical significance since it was the site of the 1965 Presentation of Colours to the Toronto Scottish Regiment by the late Queen Mother.

Well ahead of the prince's arrival, both regiments marched onto Varsity field in full military uniform.

The Toronto Scottish Regiment stood at attention in beige kilts, while the Royal Regiment of Canada wore traditional red coats.

Their old colours, or flags, were marched off the field, in anticipation of the presentation.

The band played God Save the Queen as Prince Charles entered wearing the uniform of the Royal Regiment of Canada and a tall busby fur hat, with Camilla in a dark coat and beret.

The Prince of Wales inspected the regiments with their commanding officers, Col. Blake Charles Goldring of the Royal Regiment of Canada and Lieut.-Col. Justin Neil of the Toronto Scottish. He then officially presented the regiments' new colours, blessed by a military chaplain...

With the Toronto Scottish:

The Prince of Wales at the Varsity Stadium in Toronto, Canada, presenting new colours to the Toronto Scottish Regiment.

The Prince will attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa, November 11; here are the full itinerary and highlights of the royal visit.

Afstan: Planning to end (most of?) the CF's mission/Update: Dutch and Aussies

2009-11-06T15:13:00.007-05:00

Had to be started if to be done efficiently by 2011. From an Ottawa Citizen story:

Afghanistan 'drawdown' begins
Canada's top general issues order to start planning pullout of military units

Canada's top soldier has issued instructions for his officers to start making their plans for the pull out of military units in Afghanistan.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk's order to units for a "drawdown" of forces in Afghan- istan lays the groundwork for what will be a lengthy process of transporting tonnes of equipment and supplies back home.

"The CDS has issued direction to his commanders to proceed with plans to draw down the CF force in Afghanistan as per the Parliamentary motion," defence sources confirmed in statement late Thursday night.

Natynczyk informed the troops about the drawdown during his recent trip to Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced last year that Canada's military mission would end in 2011. "You have to put an end date on these things," Harper told reporters at the time.

The Canadian government wants to shift the focus on the Afghanistan mission from military operations to civilian aid and support.

Harper reiterated the 2011 withdrawal in September and pointed out that he took that same message to U.S. leaders during recent meetings in Washington.

"In 2011, we will have been in Afghanistan almost as long as we were in the two world wars combined," Harper said.

"I think in this time frame we've just got to see some results from the Afghan government on the ground as it pertains to their own security," Harper said...

The winding down of Canada's combat mission is expected to be a major logistical exercise. Some of the gear, ranging from trucks to tanks, will have to be prepared for being shipped home.

While the Canadian Forces has its own large transport aircraft, it will likely have to augment that by leased aircraft. Transport ships will also have to be arranged to carry some of the materiel back to Canada.

It is possible, however, that the Canadian Forces could transfer some of the equipment to either the Afghan National Army or police or to allied units...

Last month, Defence Minister Peter MacKay suggested to a Commons committee that Canadian troops may stay on in Afghanistan in a non-combat role.

MacKay said that soldiers would be involved in development and reconstruction, but did not provide specific details...

Awaiting some ace Canadian journalist to report from the field in Afstan

2009-11-05T20:21:00.010-05:00

Good luck. See this post:

...the LAV RWS purchase was botched, with the price doubling and the delivery delayed.

“The original project schedule stated that the vehicles would be ready for use in Afghanistan by February 2008,” the report said, adding that the vehicles were not delivered as of this summer [emphasis added]...

Light Armoured Vehicle Remote Weapon Station (LAV RWS)...

Then from another post the same day:

...Particularly telling, concerning the lack of public understanding of the mission, is Gen. Hillier's recounting (26:30) meeting with Canadian six or seven journalists at Kandahar Air Field (only one TV camera). The general asked how many had been outside the wire; only one hand went up (after all, most of our cheapskate news organizations only have one person there, mainly for the death watch - MC)...

Now from the official website:

...
The LAV RWS vehicles designated for deployment recently arrived in Kandahar and have just started being employed [emphasis added] by the new rotation of troops as part of their security operations...

Bets that the arrival of the vehicle will be, er, reported in our major media, esp. in the context of the Auditor General's report? Or that Canadian journalists at KAF (there may be the odd exception) could identify a LAV RWS if they saw one?

LAV RWS

Or know anything about its rationale?

I confess I was unaware of the new vehicle until the AG's report. But I have learned. And am interested.

Afstan: US COIN operations on PowerPoint

2009-11-05T15:59:00.001-05:00

From Paul at Celestial Junk:

If you've got a bit of time and are interested, the following two PowerPoint presentations offer an incredible insight into US COIN operations in Afghanistan...

Estonians fighting in Afstan

2009-11-05T10:28:00.003-05:00

Nice to see some recognition (in the Washington Times) of another small country doing its bit, and more:

Estonian troops boost NATO forces
Deployment 10 percent of full military

MASOOD, Afghanistan

The bursts of automatic weapons fire caught them in an open field. There was no cover. They hugged the earth, shot back at Taliban gunmen they could see and slowly extricated themselves as a second squad of infantrymen farther back in an orchard laid down covering fire with rifles and shoulder-fired rockets.

"They started shooting as we were leaving the area we wanted to check out," said 1st Lt. Alar Karileet. "It was well planned. The Taliban were in three positions of four to five men each, one of them in a village compound. I don't know how many we killed, but artillery we asked for made a direct hit on one position, and no one shot at us from there again."

The troops were from Estonia, one of NATO's newest and smallest members. The Estonians' numbers in the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) are few, with just 289 men and women in Afghanistan. Yet in proportion to the size of Estonia's National Defense Force, the Afghan deployment represents nearly 10 percent of the nation's full-time military.

The 20-minute firefight occurred slightly more than a half mile from Patrol Base Masood, a small compound of dust and earthen barriers in Helmand province.

"In general, the Estonian people support our being here," said Maj. Janno Mark, commander of the contingent. "The people in Estonia understand we're a member of NATO. We can't just consume security; we have to contribute to it...

Its population is about 1.4 million. Its professional military numbers about 3,300. About 30,000 other Estonians serve at any given time in its territorial force -- a sort of National Guard -- or its 10,000-person reserve...

According to ISAF statistics, other non-U.S. contingents in southern Afghanistan as of September included 8,371 Britons, 1,978 Dutch, 853 Romanians, 116 Belgians, 664 Danes, 250 Bulgarians, 238 Slovaks, 248 French and 3,550 Canadians [emphasis added!?!]. U.S. troops in the south numbered 17,490...

Via Spotlight on Military News and International Affairs. And from thisMarch:

Estonians in combat at Helmand (with Brits)

Dutch moving forward on their version of Joint Support Ship

2009-11-05T09:48:00.004-05:00

A big honking ship (another one here):

The Dutch have signed an agreement in principle with Damen Naval for their version of the JSS. It will cost €365,5mln (C$ 577,5mln) and have a displacement of 27.800 tons.

The letter to parliament said this about a cooperation with Canada [see below]:
The Canadian procurement strategy offered no starting point for cooperation, other than an information exchange.

Diesel-electric propulsion, maximum speed: 18 knots, crew of 152 (max 171) and room for an additional 129 troops for a total of 300, 2 heli spots (for NH-90 and/or Chinook) and a hangar for 6 of those helicopters (with wings folded) and a hospital with 2 operating rooms.

Parliament (and not only the oppostion) is starting to raise questions about the price, since the original (2005) budget was about €100mln less.

from: www.dutchfleet.net...

More here on our possible cooperation with the Dutch on our (stalled) JSS, and possible foreign designs that might suit our (stalled) Arctic/Offshore patrol ships.

Update thought: Amazing what a country about as wealthy as Canada but with half the population is capable of doing.

CBC TV's "The Border" in AFG: A Tiny Preview....

2009-11-04T19:42:00.003-05:00

.....without any spoilers.

White Pine Pictures was kind enough to send a preview copy of Thursday's (5 Nov 09) episode of "The Border" entitled "Missing in Action". It's set in Afghanistan, with production done on sets built in Caledon, Ontario.

Just a reminder to watch, and a micro-preview for you, in haiku:

Two men, Afghan guests.
Double, triple crosses, lots.
Beret, not helmet.

I say no more for the moment (other than my alternate non-spoiler haiku teaser here) - feel free to post your comments in reaction to the show (the producers say they want to learn more about how to keep the military scenes/content as realistic as possible).

Video: Chief of the Maritime Staff Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden on TVO's The Agenda

2009-11-04T15:09:00.005-05:00

Interviewed by Steve Paikin, Nov. 2, about the Canadian Navy's contemporary role and challenges, particularly connecting with the public:

More on Vice-Admiral McFadden here and here, and on connecting with the public here and here.

Update: A telling comment at Milnet.ca, with which I agree.

Video: Former CDS Gen. (ret'd) Hillier on TVO's The Agenda

2009-11-04T15:01:00.007-05:00

Interviewed by Steve Paikin extensively (35 minutes), Nov. 2, about his memoirs, lots on Afstan:

Particularly telling, concerning the lack of public understanding of the mission, is Gen. Hillier's recounting (26:30) meeting with Canadian six or seven journalists at Kandahar Air Field (only one TV camera). The general asked how many had been outside the wire; only one hand went up (after all, most of our cheapskate news organizations only have one person there, mainly for the death watch - MC). He does commend by name certain journalists who have been in Afstan.

He's also very supportive of US and ISAF commander Gen. McChrystal ("Stan"). Pity there's no transcript for the show. And Gen. Hillier will not run for public office. More on the General's memoirs here, here and here.

Update: In response to Jim's comment, my own views from a previous post (I cannot say if Gen. Hillier unfairly "did only promote the land force") but at that time, and I think for the forseeable future, the Army will be the primary instrument of any likely government's major use of the CF for foreign policy purposes):

...Money, equipments and personnel for the military are important. What is more important is what a country expects the military to be prepared to do with that money, equipments and personnel. That is what this [Conservative] government is unwilling to try to specify.

Note the proportion of money devoted to maintaining a blue water Navy, as opposed to one focussed on coastal defence and sovereignty protection. Why does our Navy need to be engaged in the Arabian Sea interdicting rum-runners (see Update)? Or hash smugglers?

The answer: jobs building and repairing ships in Canada, and the hoped-for attendant votes. Western countries have a surplus of frigates/destroyers for any likely multilateral blue water operations requiring such vessels. Canadian ones are not essential for the West as a whole; we are exceedingly unlikely to operate on the blue waters on our own.

Then there's the Air Force. Does Canada really require fighters with top-end aerial combat abilities (as opposed to interception and patrol in defence of Canada and North America) and ground-attack capabilities [this Conservative government is completely unwilling so to use them in Afstan]?

Trying to maintain "combat-capable, flexible, multi-role" Canadian Forces for all three services is, to my mind, simply impossible for those services all to be effective and efficient, given the limited funding that our governments (both stripes) are willing to provide.

So a true "defence strategy" would attempt to:

1) Outline how the government thinks the CF should be employed for national, and then international, purposes;

2) Outline what mix of service capabilities are required to fulfill those roles.

But that would require serious decisions with political and service consequences this government is not willing to make--nor are, I am sure, most Canadians. Will any Canadian government ever be so ready?

More at the comment thread here (I'm for a mini-Marine Corps plus national sovereignty protection)...

Auditor General's Report: Rapid acquistion of Army vehicles for Afstan

2009-11-04T08:28:00.003-05:00

On the whole pretty well done. A delightfully succinct summary by Canwest News' David Akin at his blog:

Soldiers got tanks but paperwork wasn’t filled out

More from the Globe and Mail--the headline is misleading in their sensationalist fashion:

Forces stumbled on purchasing
National Defence moved quickly on several big deals for military trucks and vehicles, but at least one major purchase was poorly explained and costs skyrocketed

The Auditor-General applauded the government's ability to quickly buy dozens of military trucks and vehicles for the war in Afghanistan, but pointed out that getting there was not always pretty.

Officials at National Defence failed on a number of occasions to properly explain their actions to the rest of the government. Regarding one major purchase, the total cost quickly doubled and the vehicle has yet to be delivered...

As part of its audit, Ms. Fraser looked at the purchases of: - 75 armoured patrol vehicles, worth $175-million; - 100 Leopard 2 tanks, worth $650-million; - 95 armoured heavy-support transport vehicles, worth $169-million, and - 33 light-armoured vehicles with remote weapon stations (LAV RWS), worth $118-million.

The first three purchases were relatively well-handled, according to the Auditor-General.

However, the LAV RWS purchase was botched, with the price doubling and the delivery delayed.

“The original project schedule stated that the vehicles would be ready for use in Afghanistan by February 2008,” the report said, adding that the vehicles were not delivered as of this summer.

The project's cost has also doubled to $118-million, up from the initial estimate of $55-million...

From the report:

...

Exhibit 5.2—Four types of vehicle acquisitions were audited

Armoured Patrol Vehicle (RG-31)

RG-31s in a convoy in Afghanistan

Date of project approval: October 2005

Approved cost: $175 million

The purpose of this purchase was to provide the Canadian Forces with a better-protected patrol vehicle when it began operations in Kandahar region in February 2006. At the time, this purchase was the top priority of the Canadian Forces.

One of National Defence’s stated reasons for the project was to replace the G-Wagon—a small patrol vehicle that did not provide enough protection to personnel in Afghanistan. Another was to replace the Bison, a larger vehicle used to transport personnel.

In buying the RG-31, the Department got a vehicle that includes a remote weapon station (RWS). This allows an operator to fire weapons from within the vehicle—using a monitor and joystick—while remaining protected.

The Department bought 75 RG-31s under contract with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-Canada). They have been used in Afghanistan and for training in Canada.

Light Armoured Vehicle Remote Weapon Station (LAV RWS)

LAV RWS

Dates of project approval: October 2006, March 2007, and April 2007

Approved cost: $118 million

The purpose of this purchase was to produce a variation of the Canadian Forces’ Light Armoured Vehicle III (LAV III) that would provide better protection against mines and IEDs. The LAV RWS would be used in the same manner as the existing LAV Infantry Section Carrier.

Two key features of the new vehicle are a remote weapon station (RWS) and custom armour protection. Instead of the turret mounted on the standard LAV, the RWS reduces the vehicle’s weight by several thousand pounds, which allows additional armour to be installed. Never-used chassis from the original LAVs are being used as the basis for producing 33 of the LAV with RWS.

Under contracts with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-Canada) and Armatec, the vehicles are currently being produced for delivery in 2009.

Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle System (AHSVS)

AHSVS transporting a damaged tank

Date of project approval: October 2006

Approved cost: $169 million

The purpose of this purchase was to replace the Heavy Logistic Wheeled Vehicle that was being used in Afghanistan with a vehicle better protected against the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). It is mainly used to transport supplies and equipment.

Ninety-five vehicles of various types, and related equipment, have been acquired under contract with DaimlerChrysler AG. These are currently used for operations in Afghanistan and for training in Canada. Two additional vehicles are still to be received as compensation for delivery delays.

Leopard 2 Tank

Leopard 2 Tank

Date of project approval: March 2007

Approved cost: $650 million

The first goal was to lease 20 Leopard 2 tanks and two special-purpose armoured vehicles from Germany in order to meet the urgent need to replace the Leopard 1 tanks that had been deployed to Afghanistan.

The second goal was to purchase 100 Leopard 2 tanks, including special- purpose armoured vehicles from the Netherlands, to provide immediate training vehicles for troops in Canada and a longer-term tank capability.

Twenty tanks were borrowed (not leased as originally approved by the government) from Germany. These arrived in Afghanistan, for the most part, in late 2007.

One hundred tanks were purchased. Under a separate authority, National Defence purchased an additional 15 used tanks that it intends to use for spare parts. The project is still in progress.

Source: Department of National Defence...

Armoured Patrol Vehicle (RG-31) RG-31s in a convoy in Afghanistan Date of project approval: October 2005 Approved cost: $175 million The purpose of this purchase was to provide the Canadian Forces with a better-protected patrol vehicle when it began operations in Kandahar region in February 2006. At the time, this purchase was the top priority of the Canadian Forces. One of National Defence’s stated reasons for the project was to replace the G-Wagon—a small patrol vehicle that did not provide enough protection to personnel in Afghanistan. Another was to replace the Bison, a larger vehicle used to transport personnel. In buying the RG-31, the Department got a vehicle that includes a remote weapon station (RWS). This allows an operator to fire weapons from within the vehicle—using a monitor and joystick—while remaining protected. The Department bought 75 RG-31s under contract with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-Canada). They have been used in Afghanistan and for training in Canada.
Light Armoured Vehicle Remote Weapon Station (LAV RWS) LAV RWS Dates of project approval: October 2006, March 2007, and April 2007 Approved cost: $118 million The purpose of this purchase was to produce a variation of the Canadian Forces’ Light Armoured Vehicle III (LAV III) that would provide better protection against mines and IEDs. The LAV RWS would be used in the same manner as the existing LAV Infantry Section Carrier. Two key features of the new vehicle are a remote weapon station (RWS) and custom armour protection. Instead of the turret mounted on the standard LAV, the RWS reduces the vehicle’s weight by several thousand pounds, which allows additional armour to be installed. Never-used chassis from the original LAVs are being used as the basis for producing 33 of the LAV with RWS. Under contracts with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-Canada) and Armatec, the vehicles are currently being produced for delivery in 2009.
Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle System (AHSVS) AHSVS transporting a damaged tank Date of project approval: October 2006 Approved cost: $169 million The purpose of this purchase was to replace the Heavy Logistic Wheeled Vehicle that was being used in Afghanistan with a vehicle better protected against the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). It is mainly used to transport supplies and equipment. Ninety-five vehicles of various types, and related equipment, have been acquired under contract with DaimlerChrysler AG. These are currently used for operations in Afghanistan and for training in Canada. Two additional vehicles are still to be received as compensation for delivery delays.
Leopard 2 Tank Leopard 2 Tank Date of project approval: March 2007 Approved cost: $650 million The first goal was to lease 20 Leopard 2 tanks and two special-purpose armoured vehicles from Germany in order to meet the urgent need to replace the Leopard 1 tanks that had been deployed to Afghanistan. The second goal was to purchase 100 Leopard 2 tanks, including special- purpose armoured vehicles from the Netherlands, to provide immediate training vehicles for troops in Canada and a longer-term tank capability. Twenty tanks were borrowed (not leased as originally approved by the government) from Germany. These arrived in Afghanistan, for the most part, in late 2007. One hundred tanks were purchased. Under a separate authority, National Defence purchased an additional 15 used tanks that it intends to use for spare parts. The project is still in progress.
Source: Department of National Defence...

I would think that shortages of experienced and expert procurement personnel at both the CF/DND and Public Works and Govenment Services Canada were (and still are) a major part of problems with equipment acquisitions. Odd that the Auditor General does not mention that. More here and here. And from former CDS Hillier in May 2008:

...there are so many procurement programs going on that they too are moving a little too fast to handle. “We’ve got more equipment programs ongoing right now than we can actually manage at one time,” he explains, “and as a result we are prioritizing and sliding some to the right...

Clarity and focus

2009-11-03T16:37:00.001-05:00

I'm just delving into Rick Hillier's memoir, "A Soldier First," and while I'm enjoying the read immensely, I must admit one aspect of his writing disappoints me greatly: he seems completely unable to express an honest opinion, untainted by political correctness.

Here's one good example:

"The ideal of UN peacekeeping is beautiful, but after my time in Zagreb I concluded that the United Nations itself couldn't run a one-man rush to the outhouse. Pragmatically, it was almost criminal to put Canadian troops under UN command in missions that were anything but absolutely benign because the UN was fundamentally incapable of running effective military operations."

I mean, why can't the man stop beating around the bush and tell us how he really feels?

What to do about Afstan? BruceR. responds to Shane Schreiber

2009-11-03T15:15:00.002-05:00

First from Shane Schreiber (with link to Part 1),

The Third Way: Ending the Illusions in Afghanistan - Part 2

now the start of a post at Flit:

Today's... I don't know what this is, frankly
At serious risk of breaking the stones-glass houses rule, I feel compelled to write something here about another Canadian military online essayist.

The fellow behind this post has more relevant experience, with the military, with Afghanistan, and probably with life in general than I do. So please take my criticism of his writing with that in mind. It's his attempt at a big solution piece on What to Do in Afghanistan. The synopsis:

First, get the world to legalize the consumption of heroin. Check.
Second, get Karzai and Abdullah to form a national unity government. Um, check.
Third, get the Karzai-Abdullah government to introduce conscription and mass-enrol Afghans into the army and police. (...)
Fourth, get Pakistan to "reclaim control" of its FATA territories. (!!!)
Fifth, get Afghan and Western forces to "consider the Durand line irrelevant" and chase Taliban onto Pakistani territory whenever required and thus deny them a safe haven. (!!!!!)

If you do all that, on a "tight and non-negotiable timetable" it will not mean victory, but you will have bought Afghans their "last, best chance," after which we can pull out.
I'm sorry, but reading that in this context is not unlike reading "first we need to breed a race of superponies...

Tuesday Nov. 10: CDA Institute special Remembrance Week event: Capt (ret'd) Trevor Greene and Capt Kevin Schamuhn

2009-11-03T14:02:00.004-05:00

From the event website, all are welcome:

The CDA Institute, in collaboration with the Department of National Defence, is pleased to invite you to a special Remembrance Week event with Captain (ret'd) Trevor Greene and Captain Kevin Schamuhn.

In March 2006, just three months into his deployment to Afghanistan as a Civil Military Cooperation Officer, Canadian Forces Captain Trevor Greene was severely wounded when he was struck by a Taliban axe while participating in a meeting (shura) with village elders. Since this time, Capt Greene's fight to recover - with the support of his fiancé Debbie, friends and family - has been one of strength, compassion and determination. He has overcome enormous obstacles, has been the subject of a Gemini-winning CTV documentary entitled "Peace Warrior" [video here] and has dedicated himself to continue the mission that no man, woman or child is oppressed. Capt Kevin Schamuhn was the Platoon Commander who was with Capt Greene at the time of the incident. Capt Schamuhn's immediate reaction to neutralize the threat and evacuate Capt Greene to medical attention was instrumental in saving his life.

Capt (now retired) Trevor Greene and Capt Schamuhn will be in Ottawa on the day before Remembrance Day, to share their experiences with Canadians as an inspiring story of motivation and healing and to contribute to increasing public awareness of CF veterans and of the role of Canadians aiding to bring stability and development assistance to the people of Afghanistan.

Biographies for both Capt (ret'd) Greene and Capt Schamuhn are appended below.

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Time: 9:00am to 10:30am

Venue: NDHQ Warrant Officers' and Sergeants'/Chiefs' and Petty Officers' Mess, 4 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2H9

All are welcome, media included. Registration is free, but mandatory for those wishing to attend - please register online at:
http://remembrance.eventbrite.com
CAPTAIN (RET'D) TREVOR GREENE

A native of Sydney, Cape Breton, Trevor Greene grew up coast to coast depending on where his RCMP officer father was posted. He graduated from the University of King's College in 1988 with a Bachelor of Journalism (Hons). After spending seven years in Japan working as a writer, he returned to Canada and enrolled in the Canadian Forces as a naval officer. During his time in the Navy, he crossed the Pacific on the tall ship HMCS Oriole. In 1999, he moved to Vancouver where he joined the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, a reserve infantry unit. After commanding a Seaforth platoon for two years, he was offered the chance to combine his civilian and military experience with the first Civilian-Military Co-operation unit (CIMIC).

In 2006 he deployed to Afghanistan with the first battalion PPCLI battlegroup. While attending a community meeting, or shura, with village elders outside of Kandahar to discuss the provision of healthcare, roads and clean water for homes and farms, he put aside his weapon and took off his helmet as a sign of trust and respect. During that meeting, a young man struck Trevor on the top of his head with an axe. That is where Trevor's journey of hope and service became one of survival and courage. The story of Trevor's journey has been widely covered by the media including a Gemini award winning documentary, called 'Peace Warrior'.

Trevor has dedicated his life thus far to reaching out to the less fortunate, including volunteer work with the underprivileged and writing projects that sought to draw attention to critical issues. In his early adulthood he worked with Ethiopia Airlift and helped to raise funds for a planeload of supplies for the starving people of Ethiopia; he also participated in World University Service of Canada (WUSC) arranging the sponsorship of African students to attend King's. After graduating from King's he put his journalistic talent to giving a voice to those who had none. He was the first to publish a book on the missing prostitutes of Vancouver: Bad Date: The Lost Girls of Vancouver's Low Track. Further projects included 'Bridge of Tears: The Hidden Homeless of Japan' which was short-listed for a book prize in Japan. Two works currently in development include 'Adrift on the Oggie: By Tallship to Australia' and a narrative of his very difficult ordeal during and after the attack in Kandahar.

Even in the face of his own great difficulties, Trevor seeks to reach out to others and share his very personal message of hope. The same core values that led him to become a CIMIC officer, where he could work on helping Afghan citizens acquire basic needs like food, water and schools, are now leading him to inspire others with his message and example of hope, courage and strength. Trevor was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2009 from King's College in recognition of his social conscience and deep compassion for those in need. Trevor has spent his life thus far seeking to make a difference. He has. And through his courage and the telling of his story, he will continue to do so.

CAPTAIN KEVIN SCHAMUHN

Capt Schamuhn deployed with the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI) to Kandahar, Afghanistan on Operation Archer, Rotation 1, from January to August 2006. Serving as Platoon Commander of 1 Platoon, Alpha Company, 1 PPCLI, Capt Schamuhn was responsible for a team of 38 soldiers, four Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV III), two Light Utility Vehicles, Wheeled (LUVW, a Mercedes jeep), and all associated weapons and equipment. Operating in Regional Command (South) - primarily in Kandahar Province - 1 Platoon's mandate was to assist the Afghan government in three areas: security, governance, and reconstruction as well as conduct operations in support of British forces in Helmand Province to the west.

As part of its operations, 1 Platoon deployed with a Canadian Forces Civilian-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) team, whose focus was primarily on reconstruction and humanitarian efforts. Much time was spent visiting with local elders in small villages to discuss pressing regional issues and make recommendations for future operations (ie: Village Medical Outreaches, school construction, government infrastructure, or full on combat operations).

Upon his return to Canada, Capt Schamuhn and his wife, Logistics Officer Capt Annalise Schamuhn, were posted to Canadian Forces Base Gagetown where he remains to date as an Infantry School Standards Officer at the Canadian Forces Combat Training Centre.

Captain Kevin Schamuhn was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta, and graduated from the Royal Military College in 2001.

More on Capt. (ret'd) Greene here and on Capt. Schamuhn here.

Afstan: New US mine-resistant vehicle: The M-ATV

2009-11-03T09:34:00.004-05:00

Better for off-road work:

Pentagon touts new, lighter vehicle for Afghanistan

The Pentagon on Monday showed off a new, lighter armored vehicle built for the rugged roads of Afghanistan, saying it was rushing to ship the "life-savers" to US troops.

The all-terrain vehicles were commissioned after US military commanders found that mine-resistant M-RAPs designed for Iraq were too big and cumbersome for Afghanistan.

"The terrain in Afghanistan is different from Iraq. It's more uneven, the roads are difficult to traverse. That's why we've had to create an all-terrain version," Ashton Carter, under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters.

Standing next to one of the new M-ATVs in front of the Pentagon building, Carter said flying the vehicles to Afghanistan was an urgent priority to help troops facing the lethal threat of homemade bombs.

A new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle called the M-ATV

"It will be a life-saver in Afghanistan," Carter said.

The effort to produce the new vehicles had moved with unusual speed compared to previous defense programs that have often been plagued by delays, he said.

US commanders in the region issued an urgent request less than a year ago, the contract was awarded to Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corporation in June, and the first vehicles were delivered to Afghanistan in September...

Officials said 41 of the new vehicles had arrived in Afghanistan so far, and the Pentagon planned to have about 5,000 in place by March 2010.

While the standard armored M-RAP for Iraq weighed in at 40,000 pounds (18,143 kilograms), the new M-ATV is about 25,000 pounds and has an independent suspension that makes it more agile on unpaved dirt tracks, said Dave Hansen, deputy program manager.

The vehicle, which costs about 1.4 million dollars each and can carry a five-member team including a gunner, handles better than the heavier M-RAP and "drives like an SUV," he said...

Homemade bombs are the number one cause of casualties in Afghanistan, claiming the lives of 236 soldiers in the NATO-led mission between January and September, according to the Pentagon...

And from another story:

... U.S. officials say other countries with troops in Afghanistan want to buy some of the vehicles, too...

I doubt that will include Canada, what with our leaving in 2011 and all. But maybe a candidate for our Army's planned new reconnaissance Armored Tactical Patrol Vehicles (see near end of this post)?

Obligatory Afghan election post

2009-11-03T09:18:00.004-05:00

Two pretty hard line views:

1) Wall St. Journal:

Waiting for Obama
Hamid Karzai isn't the biggest problem in Afghanistan.

...
The Obama Administration...hurt its own cause by preparing inadequately for the election, and by broadcasting so publicly its distaste for Mr. Karzai. Both Vice President Joe Biden and special envoy Richard Holbrooke had showdowns with the Afghan leader that were ostentatiously leaked. The point seems to have been to show they could be tougher on Mr. Karzai than President Bush was. But the price of that pique is that they now have less influence as they press the Afghan to improve the competence of his government. However imperfect, Mr. Karzai is our man whether we like it or not.

In any event, it's remarkable to hear liberals claim that we should give up on Afghanistan because it isn't a perfect democracy after claiming the Bush Administration was naive to try to build democracy in Iraq or anywhere in the Middle East. Was their support for "the good war" merely a cynical way to look hawkish while opposing President Bush on Iraq?

The strategic reality is that we're fighting in Afghanistan in our own national security interest—to defeat al Qaeda and deny it a safe haven either on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border or once again inside Afghanistan. Those Taliban who would protect al Qaeda must also be defeated. This is why Mr. Obama called it a necessary war.

General Stanley McChrystal, the Afghan theater commander, has done his duty and requested the 40,000 troops that he says are a minimum to implement the strategy that Mr. Obama himself announced in March. A counterinsurgency that has a primary goal of securing the Afghan people can prevail and is already doing so in parts of the country where it is being tried. We also know from Iraq that such a strategy can yield results relatively quickly if it is done with enough troops.

The Joe Biden alternative of attacking al Qaeda from afar without local intelligence gathered from the population isn't likely to work. For strategic judgment, we'll take Generals McChrystal and David Petraeus over Mr. Biden and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel every time.

The main problem now isn't Afghanistan's President. It is that no one in Washington or around the world is sure whether America's President is committed to his own strategy—or even if he'll stick with that strategy if he reaffirms it...

Most important, the American people will quickly lose faith in a war that they conclude their Commander in Chief is ambivalent about fighting. Reports of puzzled commanders and troops in the field are already multiplying as they wonder why they're risking death by IED if Mr. Obama isn't sure about the mission...

2) Terry Glavin:

It Will Have To Do.

The perfect is the enemy of the good.

Like him or not, and no matter the apprehended fraud committed on his behalf during the recent elections, Afghan president Hamid Karzai is obviously and clearly "the legitimate leader of the country," say the Americans. Like it or not, this is correct...

...Sometimes, you just have to choose sides and bloody well get on with it, and the civilized world has chosen sides. In the words of UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon: "We will not be deterred. We cannot be deterred. We must not be deterred, and the work of the United Nations will continue."

Back to work. Allons-y. Until victory...

On the other side, the former deputy head of the UN mission in Afstan, Peter Galbraith:

Karzai was hellbent on victory. Afghans will pay the price
The declaration of victory caps weeks of farce and failure, especially for the UN. To send more troops now would be a waste

Afghanistan's presidential election is over, and it was a fiasco. The decision by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to cancel the second round and declare the incumbent, Hamid Karzai, the victor concludes a process that undermined Afghanistan's nascent democracy. In the US and Europe, the fraud-tainted elections halted the momentum for President Obama's new Afghanistan strategy and undercut support for sending more troops.
The election was effectively over on Sunday when Karzai's remaining rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, announced he would not run. Abdullah Abdullah did not withdraw because he calculated he could not win, as some have uncharitably implied, but because he knew the election would not be honest. Indeed, in an honest election, he might have had a chance...
Unfortunately, we now have to live with the consequences. Before the election, Karzai was seen both at home and abroad as ineffective and tolerating corruption. Now, many Afghans see him as illegitimate while large parts of the public in the troop-contributing countries consider him irredeemably tainted by the fraud. Western leaders say they will work with Karzai, as they must, but he cannot be an effective partner in Obama's enhanced counter-insurgency strategy. And without an effective Afghan partner, the strategy will not work...
For now...Karzai is not a legitimate partner to the west and there is no immediate prospect of necessary change. Under these circumstances, sending more troops to Afghanistan to implement a counter-insurgency strategy is a waste of precious military resources. Hamid Karzai was determined to win Afghanistan's presidential elections without regard to the cost to his country and to the international military mission. He succeeded, and Afghanistan and its foreign friends will now pay the very steep price.

Plus a wrap-up of stories from Foreign Policy's "AfPak Daily Brief".

CBC TV's "The Border" in Afghanistan This Week...

2009-11-03T07:36:00.005-05:00

...or, more specifically, on a set in Caledon, Ontario built to look like Afghanistan according to this e-mail from Scott McManus of White Pine Pictures, the producers of the show dealing with Canadian border agents - he says he'd love any feedback on the military aspects of this Thursday's (4 5 Nov 09) episode as well:

We really appreciate any feedback about the accuracy of the portrayal of military related issues on the show, and If it's possible for you to post something on your blog to launch a discussion about it, we would greatly appreciate. This feedback does get communicated to the writers and producers.

Thursday night, 9pm, on your local or cable CBC channel - feel free to share your thoughts here afterwards as well.

- Edited to fix date - DOHHH! -

Former CDS Gen. Hillier's dream "Big Honking Ship"

2009-11-02T16:17:00.009-05:00

Who would have thought a landing platform dock, this being the latest reality, could be so fine looking?

USS New York, built with steel from Twin Towers, sets sail on maiden voyage
(Justin Lane/EPA)

The USS New York [home page here], a ship built with 7.5 tonnes of steel from the World Trade Center, heads up the Hudson River...

More on the San Antonio class here, not a "battleship" as the Times story ignorantly states. As for the dream (an element of which has turned into a bit of a nightmare, more here)...

DND Protecting LAV II's (From Underneath)

2009-11-02T14:05:00.003-05:00

In addition to the other work being done to break up IED-making networks and share information about IEDs, DND is also working on protecting the troops traveling in vehicles being targeted by IEDs - this, from Canada's public tendering web site MERX (PDF of public notice ~~here~~ here if link doesn't work):

This requirement is for the Department of National Defence (DND) to procure Belly Armour Kits (BAK) which will provide enhanced armour protection to the LAV II fleet of vehicles, including the Coyote and Bison armoured vehicle. The kit will be installed on the LAV II armoured vehicles deployed in operational theatres where the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and mine threats are considered high.

Good to see.

Afstan snippets: French fighting, US building

2009-11-02T10:47:00.004-05:00

Two stories:

1) French military effort in Afghanistan earning respect of U.S. troops [nice to see wider reporting, note source]

TAGAB VALLEY, Afghanistan – After several years of enduring Americans’ scorn for sitting out the Iraq campaign, the French military is going toe-to-toe with the Taliban, shedding blood and proving a worthy partner in Afghanistan, U.S. officers say.

While some knock the French for not empowering junior officers more or being aggressive enough in some instances, U.S. servicemembers serving with them northeast of Kabul generally spoke well of their ally.

“When they do get into battles, they fight it out,” observed U.S. Army Capt. Dave Disi, who has been on more than 35 missions with the French military.

Kevin Dougherty / S&S
French Marine engineers sweep Tagab Valley Road northeast of Kabul. The soldiers were traveling the strategic road recently to test insurgent strength and assess possible sites for police outposts. The French, augmented by about 30 U.S. serviceemembers, battled insurgents off and on for nearly 10 hours. Engineers destroyed a bomb that several military vehicles had driven over without incident...

In Kapisa [earlier BBC story here], the French task force is headed by France’s 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment [more here], commanded by Col. Francis Chanson...

Via CougarDaddy.

2) Already the main Afghan war hub, Bagram is growing

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan -- Seen from a tiny village on a recent moonless night, the sprawling U.S. base three miles to the north looks more like a medium-size city than a military facility in a war zone.

Bagram Air Field, as the base is formally known, is the largest U.S. military hub of the war in Afghanistan and is home to some 24,000 military personnel and civilian contractors. Yet it is continuing to grow to keep up with the requirements of an escalating war and troop increases.

With tens of millions of dollars pouring into expanding and upgrading facilities, Bagram is turning into something of a military "boom town." Large swathes of the 2,000-hectare (5,000-acre) base look like a construction site, with the rumble of building machinery and the scream of fighter-jets overhead providing the soundtrack.

The rapid growth here is taking place at a time when the Obama administration is debating the future direction of the increasingly unpopular war, now in its ninth year...



A new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle called the M-ATV