Canada sending troops, warships, planes
OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- OTTAWA, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Canada's defense
minister said Monday that Ottawa was sending 2,000 troops into the operational zone
as air strikes by U.S. and British forces against Afghanistan continued.
Art Eggleton said the Canadians were sending warships, military planes and a contingent
of a counter-terrorism force, who were being deployed in addition to those already
participating in intelligence gathering and analysis.
His remarks came a day after Prime Minister Jean Chretien said in a broadcast that
Canada "will not be dictated to from the shadows." He said President George W. Bush
had spoken with him on Sunday, after U.S. and British forces began pounding targets
inside Afghanistan, and had asked Canada to make a military contribution.
Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Ray Henault said Canada was among the top five allies
of the United States participating in the military operations.
"The Canadian forces will become an integral part of the overall international campaign,"
Eggleton said. A Canadian naval task group, with a total of 1,000 personnel, was
being deployed from Halifax, and could consist of two frigates, a destroyer, a supply
ship and Sea King helicopters.
In addition, a frigate with some 230 personnel, currently with a NATO force in the
Atlantic "will be directed to the Persian Gulf," and another frigate from the West
Coast would integrate into a U.S. carrier battle group, he said.
The Canadian air force "will deploy both surveillance and airlift support into the
region," he said. This component was composed of three Hercules, one Airbus, and
two Aurora maritime patrol aircraft. "Support will also include providing humanitarian
assistance to the Afghan people who have suffered far too long from oppression and
want," Eggleton said.
A component of the counter-terrorism force known as Joint Task Force Two, or JTF-2
"has been requested and will contribute to the overall effort," he said, but for reasons
of security he declined to provide details of their mission. Henault said JTF-2 personnel
"are already in the theater" and that Canadian troops would be deployed in land operations
at a later date.
The total new contribution of some 2,000 men and women was in addition to several
hundred Canadian personnel integrated with American forces in intelligence gathering
and analysis under U.S. command, Eggleton said.
"Participation for all (additional) military personnel involved has already begun,"
he said First deployment in the operational zone will begin in the next few days,
and will continue over the coming weeks.
"As mentioned by the prime minister yesterday, the coalition of nations that have
come together to fight the threat of terrorism will act on a broad front that includes
not only military but (also) humanitarian, financial, legislative, diplomatic and
domestic security initiatives," Eggleton said. "Make no mistake about it, this will
be a long campaign."
"At the moment we are planning on a 6-month (campaign), which is a normal rotation
provision," he said. "If we have to go longer than that, we'll assess the situation."
The latest deployments were made after consultations that have been going on with
the U.S. military since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington,
and if requests were made for additional Canadian contributions, those will be provided
as they are asked for, he said.
Henault said there was a request from the United States to keep Canadian land forces
on standby. The C-130s Hercules and CC-150 Airbus fleet would participate in humanitarian
airlifts for the Afghan refugees, while the Aurora aircraft would participate in maritime
patrol and surveillance.
"In terms of a follow-on support requirement, we do know that there is a full range
of military activity that will be undertaken at various stages of the campaign, and...
therefore we are preparing contingency plans for contributions in the land sense as
well as in the naval and air sense," he said |
