# Canadian troops serving with allies in Afghanistan cleared for combat:  G&M



## dimsum (15 Oct 2012)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadian-troops-serving-with-allies-in-afghanistan-cleared-for-combat/article4611799/

As the article states, we've had people in exchange positions there before we left, and continue to do so now.  Imagine how ridiculous it would sound if the CF allowed people to go on exchange with a unit, but not actually do their job in theatre when said unit deployed.


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## Colin Parkinson (16 Oct 2012)

In other news, the sun has come up in the East, it's rumoured it will set in the west, but the DND officer was not authorized to confirm that.


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## Old Sweat (16 Oct 2012)

This issue came up in Gulf 1, but the crap originated within NDHQ. Very early on political authority was obtained for exchange personnel to deploy. A very senior civilian DND official decided that this was contrary to Canadian interests and arranged with some colleagues in External Affairs to demand that they not deploy. As luck would have it, I was the senior duty officer in the NDOC on a Friday evening when one of this official's minions brought me a message to release withdrawing all Canadian personnel from deploying Allied units. I was aware of the policy so I phoned the Director of Operations who went ballistic. The crap ricocheted around for a little while until the MND got hold of Joe Clark, the Minister of External Affair, who stated firmly that there was no objection to personnel on exchange deploying.

And they did, and the certain very senior official left DND in due course.


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## dapaterson (16 Oct 2012)

Old Sweat said:
			
		

> And they did, and the certain very senior official left DND in due course.



And therein lies one critical organizational failing: we permit such people to leave, rather than having very public firings.

"Faire un exemple pour encourager les autres" is needed from time to time.


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## little jim (28 Oct 2012)

Another article on the subject.....



http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/10/16/mackay-defends-canadian-troops-involved-in-allied-afghan-combat-posts/

MacKay defends Canadian troops involved in allied Afghan combat posts

by The Canadian Press on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 9:52pm - 

OTTAWA – For the second day in row, Defence Minister Peter MacKay fended off Opposition attacks Tuesday over Canadian troops serving in combat roles with allies in Afghanistan.

Fewer than half a dozen members of the military — most of them with the air force — are part of exchange programs with British, Australian and U.S. forces, all of which are still+ engaged in anti-Taliban operations in Kandahar.

New Democrat defence critic Jack Harris accused MacKay of misleading the House of Commons and the public, which expected no Canadians would be in harm’s way after Canada withdrew from southern Afghanistan last year.

Harris also said the exchange program violates the motion passed by the Commons in 2008, which ordered an end to Canadian combat operations by the end of 2011.

MacKay denied the exchange program contravened the motion and says the participation is part of the country’s broader policy of co-operating with allies.

“This is very much about Canada continuing its long-standing commitment to work with our allies in Afghanistan and around the world,” he said.

As Canadian troops made their exit from Kandahar, the Harper government formulated a strict policy to conform with the wishes of Parliament, but in the spring of 2011, National Defence quietly petitioned for an exemption because several soldiers were slated to serve with the U.S Army.

Documents and briefings obtained by The Canadian Press under access to information laws show that since the exemption, four Canadian soldiers have fought in Kandahar under the flags of other nations.

But the government made a commitment that no Canadian would be involved in combat, Harris said.

“Why can’t we trust the minister and the prime minister at their word? And why won’t Conservatives respect the motion passed by this House of Commons?” he said during question period.

The last time the program came under scrutiny was during the U.S.-led war in Iraq, which the Chretien government refused to join. It did, however, quietly allow several senior officers to serve with American forces in staff positions.

That list includes the country’s top soldier, Gen. Walt Natynczyk, who is about to retire.

However, an email note from National Defence indicates that the government did exercise its option to hold back some soldiers on secondment from participating in combat operations in Iraq.

Canadian Forces “personnel have not been prevented from receiving training and experience in exchange positions,” spokeswoman Lauri Sullivan wrote.

“With the exception of Iraq, CF members have served on exchange with numerous host nations around the world in recent years.”

Indeed, the briefing material indicates that last year, Canada’s deputy top military commander considered ordering three soldiers seconded to the U.S. in Afghanistan to stay back if the government didn’t approve the exemption.

The March 22, 2011 briefing note to the head of the Canadian Army noted that approving the deployment of one soldier without the new policy in place would run the risk that “he would have to be repatriated mid-tour should it be rejected.”

Harris said the government and the military clearly has the option to hold soldiers back if it chooses to do so.


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## Fishbone Jones (28 Oct 2012)

little jim said:
			
		

> New Democrat defence critic Jack Harris accused MacKay of misleading the House of Commons and the public, which expected no Canadians would be in harm’s way after Canada withdrew from southern Afghanistan last year.



What an idiot. Being anywhere in that country, not just the south, puts you in harm's way.


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## Colin Parkinson (29 Oct 2012)

At least our idiots are dependable, you just knew they where going to bite on that bone.


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