Please circulate / Prière de circuler

(Links may have to be copied/pasted into your web browser in their entirety
- this is especially true for CF addressees.)

The CDA highly recommends that you read the full copy of this briefing online:
http://www.cdaforumcad.ca/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1212499878/


Dear Colleagues,

In this week’s media briefing the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) would like to draw your attention to analysis on the following topics: Canadian defence policy; Allied defence policy; the situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan; and some items of recommended reading.

--- CANADIAN FORCES DAY ---

On the occasion of Canadian Forces Day, the Governor General and the Prime Minister have released messages, which are linked below.

Governor General:
http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=5395
http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=f&DocID=5395

Prime Minister:
http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=3&id=2130
http://www.pm.gc.ca/fra/media.asp?category=3&id=2130

--- CANADIAN DEFENCE POLICY ---

A CBC report (see link below) reported that the Canadian Forces is establishing a special intelligence unit to gather information on overseas operations and to provide human intelligence abroad. Omar El Akkad for the Globe and Mail (see link below) reports on criticisms raised about this development. Colby Cosh in the National Post (see link below) highlights the necessity of human intelligence. Stewart Bell in the National Post (see link below) reports that the Communications Security Establishment is “heavily involved” in Afghanistan.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/26/military-intelligence.html

http://ago.mobile.globeandmail.com/generated/archive/RTGAM/html/20080527/wspi...

http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=1df921f8-9b4e-4c...

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=663b86fd-7623-4afe-b6dc-347d01...

Craig and Marc Kielburger in the Toronto Star (see link below) write that Canada should revitalize its role in United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world. The CDA Institute responds in a letter to the editor (see link below).
http://www.thestar.com/article/429864

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/431947

Both CBC and Radio-Canada report (see link below) on comments by John Manley, head of the Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan, on how the government is not meeting some of the recommendations laid out in the panel’s final report.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/22/manley-afghanistan.html

http://cf.news.yahoo.com/s/23052008/3/national-guerre-en-afghanistan-ottawa-p...

Scott Taylor in Embassy (see link below) writes that Canadians should start “seeing [themselves] through the eyes of those we are purporting to assist, not simply how we want to see ourselves” in Afghanistan.
http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2008/may/28/...

Paul Robinson in the Ottawa Citizen (see link below) writes that the lethal targeting of terrorists is legally and ethically questionable, and may not be effective.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/views/story.html?id=51a2efd0-76cb-4523-82...

Violaine Ballivy for La Presse (see link below) reports on the reopening of the College Militaire Royale at St-Jean.
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20080525/CPACTUALITES/80524092/7044/CPACTUA...

Bruce Campion-Smith in the Toronto Star (see link below) provides an in-depth look at the centralizing of communications across the government.
http://www.thestar.com/article/429906

Terry Glavin in the National Post (see link below) writes on the fact that the “left-wing” group that he is a part of – the Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee – supports the Canadian mission in Afghanistan.
http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=533347

Doug Schmidt for Canwest News Service (see link below) reports on the House of Commons defence committee’s visit to Afghanistan. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=96effa6d-bcb0-4486-98e...

The Navy League of Canada is advocating (see link below) for the government to increase funding for the Joint Support Ship programme, which is a crucial and critical capability for the Canadian Navy.
http://www.navyleague.ca/eng/news/JSS/index.asp

Jack Granatstein in the Globe and Mail (see link below) writes that Canada's security and trade prospects are inextricably tied to the United States.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080526.wcogranat26/BNSto...

--- ALLIED POLICY ---

Judy Dempsey in the International Herald Tribune (see link below) reports on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s call for closer ties between NATO and Russia.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/27/europe/germany.php

The Associated Press reports (see link below) that the EU has agreed to double its Afghan police training mission. Judy Dempsey in the International Herald Tribune (see link below) reports that the EU police training mission is currently failing in several areas. Rosie DiManno in the Toronto Star (see link below) reports on US-led training of Afghan police.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/26/europe/EU-Afghanistan.php

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/28/europe/letter.php

http://www.thestar.com/SpecialSections/article/434946

The Associated Press reports (see link below) that the US has “shelved a plan to take greater control in parts of Afghanistan where NATO is in charge after the Dutch and British agreed to extend their commands.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080522/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_afghanistan

The Economist carries a piece (see link below) that analyses the US’ learning of lessons of counterinsurgency in the larger political and military context of the conflict in Afghanistan.
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11402695

Mark Sedra in the Toronto Star (see link below) explores the recent shift in emphasis in the international coalition in Afghanistan to achieving a negotiated peace with the Taliban.
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/434473

--- AFGHANISTAN ---

Murray Brewster for the Canadian Press and Carlotta Gall for the International Herald Tribune (see links below) reports on a recent offensive in southern Afghanistan against the Taliban. Murray Brewster also reports on the elimination of a mid-level Taliban commander in the Zhari district in Kandahar (see link below).
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/06/01/5739081-cp.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/26/asia/afghan.php

http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/World/1059495.html

Rosie DiManno in the Toronto Star (see link below) writes that violence in Afghanistan is often the result of family feuds and criminal activities, with no link to the Taliban. She also describes (see link below) an example of a US forces’ raid on a village in Nangarhar province and how it has fostered resentment among the local populace, although accounts of the event are confused.
http://www.thestar.com/article/429168

http://www.thestar.com/article/429512

Rosie DiManno in the Toronto Star (see link below) reports on opium growing in Afghanistan and efforts to shift away from its production.
http://www.thestar.com/News/Columnist/article/434536

--- PAKISTAN ---

Syed Saleem Shahzad for the Asia Times Online (see link below) describes how militants try to avoid being targeted by US forces near the Pakistan-Afghan border region.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JE22Df02.html

Barbara Plett for the BBC (see link below) reports on counterinsurgency operations by the Pakistani army in South Waziristan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7414835.stm

Jane Perlez in the International Herald Tribune (see link below) writes on the impunity with which Baitullah Mehsud, a prominent Taliban leader in Pakistan, operates in the open.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/02/asia/02pstan.php

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Bill Roggio for the Weekly Standard (see link below) explore the weaknesses behind the new Pakistani’s government peace deal with Taliban militants.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/169cxzga.asp

--- RECOMMENDED READING ---

Andrew Cohen for the Ottawa Citizen (see link below) reviews the book “Human Smoke” by Nicholson Baker, and decries the concept of moral equivalency that leads some to equate the conduct of different states and ideologies.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/views/story.html?id=d2cff7b0-defc-49e7-a3...

Ahmed Rashid in the New York Review of Books (see link below) reviews a series of books that explore the evolution of the concept and application of jihad, Al Qaeda and the Taliban, and the latter two’s evolving tactics in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21473

The Fraser Institute has released a book co-authored by Martin Collacott and Alexander Moens titled, “Immigration Policy and the Terrorist Threat in Canada and the United States,” exploring security concerns and immigration. A link is provided below.
http://www.fraserinstitute.org/commerce.web/publication_details.aspx?pubID=5344

--- CONCLUSION ---

Alain Pellerin, Colonel (Retired)
Executive Director, Conference of Defence Associations

Regards,

222 Somerset Street West, Suite 400B
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2P 2G3
Tel: +1 (613) 236-1252
Fax: +1 (613) 236-8191
E-mail: director@cda-cdai.ca
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