Canada in the War in Afghanistan
Canada's role in the Afghanistan War began in late 2001.
Later operations in Afghanistan focused on security, reconstruction, and training the
The CAF had the highest per-capita casualty rate among coalition members. 159 Canadian soldiers died on missions in theatre and another 22 died in non-combat circumstances. Public opposition to the war grew over time, and the financial cost of Canada's contribution to the war was estimated as high as $18.5 billion by 2011. The last CAF soldiers left Afghanistan in March 2014.
Background
The
In peacekeeping missions in Bosnia, Somalia, and Haiti, Canadian and NATO troops have sought to deepen their cooperation with local and international development organizations, working together towards reconstruction goals. The approach to Canadian involvement in Afghanistan was based on the same model.[6]
In 2001, following the September 11 terrorist attacks and the US declaration of the war on terror, Canadian Minister of National Defence Art Eggleton advised Governor General Adrienne Clarkson to authorize more than 100 Canadian Forces members then serving on military exchange programs in the US and other countries to participate in US operations in Afghanistan. Eggleton summed up the dominant thinking in the government at the time: "Any Canadian military deployment to Afghanistan may well be similar to a situation in Eritrea and Ethiopia where we went in on the first wave, we helped establish the stabilization, the basis for ongoing peace support operations that would come after ... but then turned it over to somebody else."[7] The operations were aimed at identifying and neutralizing Al-Qaeda members in that country, as well as toppling the Taliban regime, which was supporting international terrorism.
In addition to standard combat training, mission-specific training has been part of a Canadian soldier's preparation for service on peacekeeping, peacemaking, and stability operations since the 1960s. This played a significant role in the war in Afghanistan. Soldiers needed to be aware of local traditions, beliefs and social institutions, and why groups "might oppose the establishment of peace and order."[8] This training, accompanied by psychological triaging with a soldier's family, made the Afghanistan deployment the most-prepared of any overseas CAF mission.[according to whom?] There was a clear goal during training: that success of the mission was a sustainable Afghan government that could serve the needs of its peoples.[8] It was this notion that shaped the Canadian and NATO approach toward reconstructing Afghanistan.
2001–2002: Operation Apollo, Initial deployment
General
Approximately 40 Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2) soldiers were sent to southern Afghanistan in early December 2001. The Canadian public was not informed of the deployment, and Sean M. Maloney's book Enduring the Freedom reported that JTF2 had been deployed without Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's knowledge in early October 2001.[1][a]
Regular forces arrived in Kandahar in January–February 2002. In March, three Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) snipers fought alongside US Army units during Operation Anaconda. In the operation the team broke, and re-broke, the kill record for a long-distance sniper kill set during the Vietnam War.[9][10] 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.
The
2003–2005: Operation Athena
In August 2003, the Canadian Forces moved to the northern city of Kabul where it became the commanding station of the newly formed International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Canada dubbed this Operation Athena and a 1,900-strong Canadian task force provided assistance for improving 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.[12]
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.[13]
In spring 2005, officials announced that the Canadian Forces would return to the volatile Kandahar Province, taking command of the region from US forces. Stage one of Operation Athena ended in December 2005 with the fulfillment of the stated aim of "rebuilding the democratic process" in Afghanistan.[14]
2006: Operation Archer
On 31 July 2006, the NATO-led ISAF assumed command of the south of the country and the Canadian Task Force was transferred from the jurisdiction of Archer (Operation Enduring Freedom) to Athena (ISAF).
2006–2009: Taliban resurgence
This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2022) |
When Canadian Forces returned to Kandahar, the Taliban began a major offensive. There were a record number of attacks against Canadian soldiers that spring, including six deaths.
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 Panjwai. The fighting of Operation Medusa led to a second, fiercer Battle of Panjwai in which daily gun-battles, ambushes, and mortar and rocket attacks targeted the Canadian troops. An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 Taliban fighters were reluctant to give up the area, and after being surrounded by the Canadian Forces, they dug in and fought a conventional style battle. After weeks of fighting, the Taliban were cleared from the Panjwai area and Canadian reconstruction efforts began.
On 15 September 2006, the Canadian government committed a
On 1 November 2006, Fraser stepped down as head of NATO Regional Command South, which was rotated to Dutch command.[16]
On 15 December 2006, the Canadians launched Operation Falcon Summit into Zhari District, to the north of Panjwai, as part of 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 Panjwai with Kandahar's Highway 1 that runs east–west through Zhari.
In February 2007, the 2 RCR Battle Group took over combat operations in several districts of Kandahar Province.
From 15 July 2007 to February 2008, units from
In February 2008, the
On 13 March 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 had a focus on reconstruction and training of Afghan troops, and set 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
As part of the new US administration's policy on Afghanistan, 17,000 new US troops were deployed to the country with a third stationed in Kandahar province.[18] On 10 August 2009, Brig-Gen. Jonathan Vance of Task Force Kandahar transferred the authority of some of Kandahar Province to Col. Harry Tunnell IV, commander of the US Army's 5th Stryker Brigade. Canadian troops were then stationed primarily around Kandahar City and the surrounding districts.[19]
2010–2011: US surge, combat ends
On 1 December 2009, the US president announced a
In February 2010, Canadian air forces and ground troops from 3PPCLI took part in the highly publicized
Canada withdrew the bulk of its troops from Afghanistan in 2011, with the Infantry Battle Group withdrawn by the end of July (handover of battlespace was completed 6 July, and all Canadian Forces personnel and equipment were withdrawn from Kandahar by the end of December. In September 2008, Conservative leader Stephen Harper had pledged the withdrawal by saying that a decade at war is enough, having extended the withdrawal deadline twice previously. He acknowledged that neither the Canadian public nor the troops themselves had any appetite to stay in the war and said that only a small group of advisers might remain.[26][27][28][29][30]
2011–2014: Operation Attention, NATO training mission and withdrawal
On 9 December 2010, it was announced that after the end of combat operations in July 2011, approximately 950 newly posted specialized CAF personnel would be posted to the
By late 2013, Canada began withdrawing its final soldiers from the training mission. In October, the force was down to 650 personnel from over 800.[32] On 12 March 2014, the government announced with little fanfare that the mission was formally completed with a flag-lowering ceremony held in Kabul.[33] [34] The last 84 soldiers left Afghanistan on 15 March 2014, ending Canada's twelve-year military presence in the country.[35]
2021: Operation Aegis
Members of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command were briefly redeployed to Afghanistan in August, during the August 2021 Taliban offensive. The Canadian military operation, Operation Aegis, aimed to evacuate its citizens, close the Canadian embassy, and help facilitate the 2021 Kabul airlift.[36] After assisting with the evacuation of more than 3,700 people, the Canadian Armed Forces ended its airlift mission in Afghanistan on 26 August.[37]
Provincial reconstruction team
A key element of Canadian operations in Afghanistan was the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT), one of 25 provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) throughout the country. These units were introduced by the US 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.
KPRT was comprised around 330–335 personnel, composed largely of Canadian Forces elements (315) and a few diplomats,
By 2007, the Canadian effort to rebuild Kandahar was following the National Solidarity Program (NSP), a strategy to empower local village councils, shifting outlooks from essential self-preservation to community governance.[41] This required much time and patience by KPRT, earning trust, with power gradually transitioning "from drug lords and Taliban chieftains back to Afghans".[41]
Among the challenges was instilling a belief in good government, which required the training of an organised and professional police force.[42]
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) focused on improving irrigation systems during a ten-year drought, allowing farmers to open unused fields and radically increase crop production.[43] The farmers also had to be lifted from the fear imposed by the drug lords and Taliban who exploited them.[44] By 2007, the mission had convinced Kandaharis who joined in the reconstruction efforts despite a Taliban resurgence.
The PRT was about one-eighth of the total 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. The KPRT was transferred to a civilian command in April 2010, with the Representative of Canada in Kandahar Ben Rowswell as KPRT Director and former US Ambassador Bill Harris as deputy director. With impending Canadian withdrawal in 2011 and an increasing number of US soldiers and civilians in Kandahar, the KPRT transitioned from Canadian to American command in late 2010 to early 2011.[39]
Major projects
Prompted by the Manley report, the Canadian Government highlighted several of its so-called "signature" projects in Kandahar Province:[39][45]
- Dahla Dam and irrigation system: Canada invested $50 million over three years toward projects to assist with irrigation and basic services across the region. It was believed that such funding would create 10,000 seasonal jobs.
- Education: Canada invested $12 million over three years into improving the education system across Kandahar.
- Polio eradication: Canada invested up to $60 million over three years toward the immunization of an estimated seven million children across Afghanistan, including 350,000 in Kandahar province.
As a result of these signature projects, over 6,000 schools were built and six of thirteen million children were enrolled. Transportation infrastructure was greatly improved, providing much better access to healthcare.[46] The NSP also saw tremendous progression in the Afghan government, with over 16,000 community development councils elected, prioritizing projects that suit local needs.[46]
Other operations
- Canada's naval contribution to the Afghanistan War was part of the American-led Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), whose purpose was maritime patrol and enforcement near Afghanistan.[47] Canada's maritime forces served as part of Operation Apollo, Operation Altair,[47] and Operation Saiph – the last having a greater focus on the Horn of Africa.[48]
- The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) 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 support had noticeably altered the spy agency and urged policy improvements to manage its growing operations overseas.[49]
- Canada assisted in the collection, storage and decommissioning of 10,000 heavy weapons left in Afghanistan over decades of conflict, including artillery, tanks and rocket launchers.[14]
- Canada helped clear about one third of the estimated 10 to 15 million mines in Afghanistan.[14]
- Canada lent money to over 140,000 people in Afghanistan.[14]
- Canada helped train the Afghan police and army.[14][50]
- Since December 2001, Canada was an active participant in the civilian-led Operation ACCIUS.
- In September 2005, Canada initiated the Strategic Advisory Team – Afghanistan (SAT-A), known as Operation ARGUS, to mentor aspects of the Afghan government on defence issues. It usually contained around fifteen personnel and one CIDA official.[51][52] The SAT-A had often been considered a pet project of Chief of Defense Staff Rick Hillier and was shut down in August 2008, a month after his retirement.[53]
- Since early 2006, the Canadian Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) helped to train and equip the ANA to take over security from the coalition. OMLT's 200 personnel trained 1,000 Afghan soldiers at a time, and also had a subgroup to mentor the Afghan National Police.[51][54]
Public opinion
The mission to Afghanistan was politically controversial with the Canadian public: On 31 August 2006,
Successive surveys conducted by various pollsters across the political spectrum suggest opposition to the war amongst the general public grew over time:
- At the end of 2001, a poll quoted by The Washington Post showed that 74% of Canadians supported the US-led war in Afghanistan.[56]
- One year after the Ekos reported that a majority of Canadians still supported the participation of the Canadian military in Afghanistan, with only one in five opposing.[57]
- In 2006, as Canada was expanding its presence in the country, a Strategic Counsel poll conducted for CTV News and The Globe and Mail suggested that a majority of Canadians opposed or were ambivalent to the War in Afghanistan, with 54% opposing. In Quebec, as much as 70% opposed the war, while in the West more Canadians were in support (49%) than opposed (45%).[58]
- In May 2008, the Canadian mission was extended by recommendation of a report from Angus Reid Public Opinion suggested that 54% of Canadians thought the House of Commons was wrong, while 41% agreed; two months later, 58% opposed and 36% agreed. At that point, Canada had lost 86 soldiers in the war.[59]
- In December 2009, public opinion on the War in Afghanistan stood at approximately the same numbers, with 53% opposing and 42% supporting the mission in Afghanistan. However, 66% were opposed to expanding Canada's role in the country, 28% were in support. At that point, Canada had lost 133 soldiers in the war.[60]
- At the end of 2010, nine years after the initial invasion, the Canadian government decided to extend Canada's involvement until 2014; however the combat mission was ending in 2011, and the new mission involved 950 instructors to help train Afghan troops. According to a national poll conducted by Angus Reid, 48% of Canadians agreed with this decision, while 44% disagreed; however, 56% still opposed the military mission in the country.[61]
- As the combat mission wrapped up, a poll conducted on 1570 Canadians in July 2011 for Léger poll also found that male respondents were more likely to feel the mission was worth the sacrifice than female respondents.[62]
Many Canadians were vocal in their opposition to the war, and several protests were held by many anti-war groups, most of them organized under the
Fatalities
Military deaths
Between 2001 and 2014, 159 Canadian soldiers died while on missions in Afghanistan.[b] Of these, 123 were due to hostile circumstances, including 95 due to improvised explosive device (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 cliff during a combat operation that involved firefight. An additional 22 soldiers died in accidents or other non-combat circumstances; 7 due to friendly fire, 6 in vehicle crashes, 2 in a helicopter crash, 2 from accidental falls, 2 from accidental gunshots, 1 suicide death and 2 unspecified non-combat-related deaths in the country. Additionally, one unspecified non-combat-related death occurred at a support base in the Persian Gulf. Canada suffered the third-highest absolute number of deaths of any nation among the foreign military participants, and one of the highest casualties per capita of coalition members since the beginning of the war.[65][66] More than 2000 soldiers were injured during the war between April 2002 and March 2014. 635 soldiers were injured in action while 1412 were injured in patrol or non-combat situations.[67]
Non-military deaths
One senior
Name | Hometown | Employment | Date | Circumstance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Glyn Berry | United Kingdom | Senior Foreign Affairs officer | 15 Jan 2006 | Died in a suicide attack while travelling in an armoured G-wagon.[68]
|
Mike Frastacky | Vancouver, British Columbia
|
Civilian carpenter | 23 Jul 2006 | Shot and killed in Nahrin.[69][70][71] |
Jacqueline Kirk | Montreal, Quebec | Civilian aid worker | 14 Aug 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.[72] |
Shirley Case | Williams Lake, British Columbia | Civilian aid worker | ||
Michelle Lang | Vancouver, British Columbia | Calgary Herald journalist | 30 Dec 2009 | Killed along with 4 Canadian soldiers when their vehicle was struck by an IED.[73] |
Military equipment lost or damaged
The Canadian Forces lost over 34 vehicles and 359 were damaged during the mission. The land force lost 13
Unit recognition
Battle honours for the Afghanistan mission was bestowed in May 2014 to units of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force that participated. Fifteen RCN surface vessels received the theatre honour "Arabian Sea". The "Afghanistan" theatre honour went to two units of the RCN, 65 units of the Canadian Army, four units of the RCAF and one unit of the Special Forces.[77]
Several units were recognized with the Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation, including the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, 1st Battalion, PPCLI, 3rd Battalion, PPCLI, and 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment.[78]
Individual valour and bravery awards
Over the first four years in Afghanistan, a number of decorations for bravery or for military merit were awarded to Canadian soldiers. Of particular note, in December 2003, four PPCLI snipers from 3 PPCLI were awarded Mentions in Dispatches by the Canadian Army and the
The numbers of decorations being awarded increased when Canadian forces took over responsibility for Kandahar Province in 2006 and confronted an insurgency that was determined to regain control of the Pashtun heartland. During the period 2006–2011, Canadian forces came under fire from enemy forces for the first time since the Korean War and, because of this, 109 Decorations for Military Valour were awarded for the first time since the new system of decorations had been established in 1993. By the end of Operation Athena in 2011, the following awards had been made for courage "in the presence of the enemy":
- Star of Military Valour – 20
- Medal of Military Valour – 89
- Mentions in Despatches – 308[81]
The first awards of Decorations for Military Valour were made in 2006 to members of 1 PPCLI Battle Group.
On 27 October 2006, Sergeant Patrick Tower of the PPCLI became the first recipient of the Canadian Star of Military Valour. It came as a result of actions on 3 August, where he assumed command of his platoon under fire, and escorted them to safety.[82]
Sergeant Michael Thomas Victor Denine, PPCLI, was awarded the
On 24 May 2006, while under intense enemy fire,
On 13 July, 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.[82]
Major William Hilton Fletcher, PPCLI, received the Star of Military Valour.[83] 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
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.[85]
At the end of 2006, every Canadian soldier was selected by the
Controversies
Canadian soldier charged with second-degree murder
In late December 2008, reports surfaced of alleged inappropriate conduct concerning the death of a "presumed insurgent".
Court proceedings began on 25 January 2010, before a military judge and a five-person panel.[91] On 19 July, Semrau was found not guilty of murder, attempted murder, and negligence, but guilty of disgraceful conduct.[92][93] On 5 October, he was dismissed from the military and his rank was reduced to second lieutenant, but he was not sentenced to jail.[94] Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Guy Perron, explaining his sentencing, described Semrau as a courageous soldier and leader, and that he was "probably caught between his moral values and his duties as a soldier". He also said that Semrau had even more responsibility towards his duties because he was in a leadership position: "How can we expect our soldiers to respect the rules of engagement if our officers don't?"[95] Semrau was interviewed for CBC Radio on the publication of his book, The Taliban Don't Wave.[96]
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 resulted in Defense Minister Gordon O'Connor being demoted.
On 18 November 2009, allegations regarding the treatment of Taliban prisoners captured by Canadian forces in Afghanistan resurfaced in parliamentary testimony by
Financial cost
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 $9 billion according to Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay in June 2006,[99][100] 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 $5 billion in March 2008 due to equipment purchases.[101]
Independent estimates of the total cost of the conflict range as high as $18.5 billion by 2011, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.[102] 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 (taken down after UAE airline dispute)
Equipment
Effect on CAF Equipment
Canada's effort in Afghanistan had a noticeable effect on some of the CAF's equipment holdings. The most obvious areas were: tactical aviation, UAVs, and main battle tanks (MBT).
During and following the war, Canada's tactical aviation evolved from solely using utility versions of the
The many-year effort to provide the CAF with UAVs came to fruition with the deployment of the SAGEM Sperwer to Kabul and then to Kandahar.
The fighting in Kandahar, notably during Operation Medusa, led the CAF to abandon its plan to transition to a wheeled, lightly armoured, 105mm-armed Armoured Combat Vehicle (see Tanks of Canada) instead of its Leopard 1 MBTs. Instead, it replaced the Leopard 1 with the Leopard 2 MBT.
Relevant equipment
TYPE | MODEL |
---|---|
UAV | IAI Heron |
UAV | AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven |
UAV | SAGEM Sperwer |
Heavy-duty truck | Mercedes-Benz Actros |
Transport helicopter | Mil Mi-17 |
Heavy-lift helicopter | CH-47 Chinook
|
Tactical helicopter | CH-146 Griffon
|
Transport helicopter | Mil Mi-8 |
Main battle tank | Leopard 2 |
Main battle tank | Leopard C2 |
Armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) | Taurus |
Armoured engineering vehicle (AER) | Badger |
Demining vehicle | Aardvark JSFU |
Mine detection vehicle | Chubby (mine detection system)
|
Mine-resistant infantry mobility vehicle (IMF) | RG-31 Nyala |
Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle | Cougar (MRAP) |
All-terrain tracked vehicle | Bandvagn 206 |
Mine-resistant clearance vehicle | Buffalo (mine protected vehicle) |
Light armoured patrol vehicle | Mercedes-Benz G-Class |
Light utility vehicle | M-Gator |
Howitzer | M777 155mm Howitzer |
Infantry fighting vehicle | LAV-III
|
Armoured personnel carrier | Bison (armoured personnel carrier)
|
Light reconnaissance vehicle | Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle
|
Armoured heavy-duty truck | Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle System (AHSVS) |
Anti-tank | Carl Gustaf 8.4cm recoilless rifle
|
Light anti-tank | M72 LAW |
SACLOS anti-tank | Eryx |
Diplomatic ties
On 25 January 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 Francois Rivest.
In popular culture
The movie Hyena Road revolves around a group of Canadian soldiers from Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) fighting the Taliban while surrounded by the political, tribal, and military complexities of Kandahar Province. The novelization, based on the screenplay by Paul Gross, was published in 2015.
See also
- Afghanada
- Afghan War order of battle
- Operation Herrick
- Canadian Afghan detainee issue
- Canadian Forces casualties in Afghanistan
- Civilian casualties in the war in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- International public opinion on the war in Afghanistan
- Protests against the war in Afghanistan
- Rana FM
Notes
- US Navy SEALsthat was decorated for its operations from 17 October 2001 through 30 March 2002.
- ^ The 159th CAF fatality was added in October 2015, when the Department of National Defence determined that a 2005 death was mission-related.
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There are a number of polls that have shown that Canadian support for the war on terrorism, and the Afghan intervention, has remained strong. For instance, EKOS reported in August 2002 that three out of five Canadians supported Canadian military participation in Afghanistan, while only one in five were opposed.
- ^ Most Canadians oppose Afghanistan deployment: poll, CTV News, 6 May 2006, archived from the original on 10 October 2011
- ^ More Canadians oppose Afghanistan extension, Angus Reid, August 2008, archived from the original on 17 June 2011
- ^ Canadians decline expanded role in Afghanistan, Angus Reid, December 2009, archived from the original on 17 June 2011
- ^ Canadians divided on assuming non-combat role in Afghanistan (PDF), Angus Reid / The Globe and Mail, December 2010
- ^ Burnett, Thane (4 August 2011), War wounds: Poll suggests we don't feel Afghan mission was worth it, QMI Agency / Toronto Sun
- ^ Horvath, John (25 July 2007), "Facing the Facts: Canada and the War in Afghanistan", Heise.de, retrieved 23 October 2011
- ^ Support for Afghan war effort stable, poll reveals, Canwest News Service, 24 August 2007, archived from the original on 1 September 2011, retrieved 23 October 2011
- ^ Woods, Allan; Campion-Smith, Bruce (23 January 2008). "'Step up' in Afghan mission, PM told". thestar.com. Toronto. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ Laxer, James (5 June 2007). "Afghanistan: Bringing Canadian troops home". rabble.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ Laxer, James (5 June 2012). "Statistiques sur les morts et les blessés des Forces canadiennes (Afghanistan)". rabble.ca. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
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- ^ "CBC News – World – 5 Canadians killed in Afghanistan". Cbc.ca. 30 December 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ "Canadian military lost 34 vehicles in Afghanistan, 359 damaged". Canada.ca. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
- ^ "Les bavures afghanes qu'Ottawa aime mieux oublier". Canada.ca. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "Canadian Forces confirms helicopter was brought down by small arms fire". Canada.ca. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "PM website". Archived from the original on 10 May 2015.
- ^ "CF website". Archived from the original on 6 August 2014.
- ^ "Army news site". Archived from the original on 25 May 2015.
- ^ "We were abandoned". Maclean's, Rogers Publishing. 15 May 2006. Retrieved 9 April 2009.
- ISBN 978-1490472355.
- ^ a b c d "Governor General announces the first-ever awarding of Military Valour Decorations, October 27, 2006". www.gg.ca. 27 October 2006. Archived from the original on 7 February 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2009.
- ^ Government House, "Military Valour Decorations Archived 29 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine," Canada Gazette, 24 Feb 2007, URL accessed 26 March 2008.
- ^ "Governor General announces the awarding of Military Valour Decorations, Meritorious Service Decorations and a Mention in Dispatches". Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
- ^ CBC news, The Journal, 23 May 2007 also CTV news story
- Canadian Pressand CTV, 25 December 2006. Retrieved 2 January 2007.
- ^ "CBC News – World – Canadian military unit probes possible 'inappropriate conduct' in Afghanistan". Cbc.ca. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ "CBC News – World – Canadian soldier charged in death of presumed insurgent". Cbc.ca. 2 January 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ a b "New details at hearing for soldier accused of murder – CTV News". Ctv.ca. 6 January 2009. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ a b "Canadian soldier stands accused of killing insurgent following ambush". Cbc.ca. 6 January 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
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- ^ "Canadian soldier pleads not guilty in Afghan death". Cbc.ca. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- Canadian Broadcast Corporation. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
- ^ "Semrau kicked out of Canadian Forces". Cbc.ca. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ "Cyberpresse – Canada – Le capitaine Semrau expulsé de l'armée canadienne". Cyberpesse.ca. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ Robert Semrau (4 September 2012). The Taliban Don't Wave Archived 4 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "All Afghan detainees likely tortured: diplomat". Cbc.ca. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ "Colvin's job safe despite Afghan torture testimony". Cbc.ca. 20 November 2009. Archived from the original on 3 December 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ "What Canada did – and did not – achieve in Afghanistan". The Globe and Mail. 14 March 2014.
- ^ Canada to spend $3.5-billion on Afghan effort
- ^ "Afghan mission $1B over budget – Conservatives attempt to explain report of overrun for 2007–08". Thestar.com. Toronto. 12 March 2008. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ "Fiscal Impact of the Costs Incurred by the Government of Canada in support of the Mission in Afghanistan" Archived 28 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Brewster, Murray (31 July 2008). "Canada to lease Russian-built copters for use in Afghanistan, MacKay says". The Globe and Mail.
Bibliography
- Stein, Janice Gross; Lang, Eugene (2008). The Unexpected War: Canada in Kandahar. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 9780143055372.
- Windsor, Lee; Charters, David; Wilson, Brent (2008). Kandahar Tour: the Turning Point in Canada's Afghan Mission. Mississauga: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9780470157886.
Further reading
- Bernd Horn; R. J. (FRW) Hillier (2010). No Lack of Courage: Operation Medusa, Afghanistan. Dundurn Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-55488-766-8.
- Bercuson, David J. and J.L. Granatstein. Lessons Learned? What Canada Should Learn from Afghanistan (Calgary, 2011).
- Ray Wiss (1 March 2011). A Line in the Sand: Canadians at War in Kandahar. Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 978-1-55365-592-3.
- Maloney, Sean M. (9 September 2021). "The Canadian Army in Afghanistan". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
External links
- "Canada's military mission in Afghanistan". CBCNews.ca, 2009-02-10
- Canada in Afghanistan: Military & Development Roles | Mapleleafweb.com
- "Canada's Engagement in Afghanistan". Government of Canada
- "International Campaign Against Terrorism in Afghanistan". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
- South-West Asia Theatre Honours. Government of Canada, May 2014