Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04OTTAWA3460
2004-12-23 19:05:00
SECRET
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:  

CANADA: REQUEST FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES FOR

Tags:  MARR MOPS PREL CA 
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S E C R E T OTTAWA 003460

SIPDIS

STATE FOR PM/RSAT, PM/PMAT, AND EUR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2009
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL CA
SUBJECT: CANADA: REQUEST FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES FOR
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM

REF: SECSTATE 270926

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Brian Flora, reasons 1.4 (b
) (d)

(S) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Wendy Gilmour, Deputy
Director in the Regional Security and Peacekeeping Division
of Foreign Affairs Canada. Gilmour said that they were
expecting the demarche and were leaning in the "favorable"
direction in terms of helping. There were several caveats,
however, that she wanted us to be aware of up front. First,
Canada does not blend SOF and CIMIC missions, it is
doctrinally opposed to doing so and its forces are simply not
configured to do CIMIC missions while waiting for direct
action the way U.S. Special Forces are. So a unit deployed
to fulfill this request would not be able to do the soft
tasks that we suggest, they would be trigger pullers only and
would be deployed to pull triggers. Second, Canada would
need to look closely at the required support structure for
the force. She assumed it would be based in Bagram Air Base
where the majority of SOF forces are. This would require a
logistical support structure to sustain the new force and the
GOC would need to look closely at cost and requirements.
Third, while the force is ready to go and would prefer this
mission to other options (e.g. ISAF),its main priority is
currently to pave the way for the introduction of a Canadian
PRT in Khandahar. This would have priority over any new
missions and Canada would need to ensure it would have
adequate forces to do both. Gilmour promised to get back to
us and asked if the same demarche would be made in military
channels. Poloff answered that it would.

Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa

DICKSON