Canada Military News: Canada's Peacekeeping- Romeo Dallaire says time to put on our blue hats now- when the Hero of Rwanda speaks, we listen and obey as Canadians/ Bosnia/Africa/Canada Military- Gulf War/Afghanistan /Haiti/Golan Heights /Ebola Mission /Nepal... BUT...NEV-A AGAIN A RWANDA /Nato/NORAD/Canada Warriors of the North- RANGERS/Canada men and women serving are our true heroes -thank u /DECEMBER 9 2015- Romeo Dallaire says time to put on our blue hats now- when the Hero of Rwanda speaks, we listen and obey as Canadians /UPDATE FEB. 2- UN Peackeeper babyrapers... Canada we need to have hardcore CANADA UN Peacekeepers on the ground to earn UN rep back and play hardball with the monsters among us
Feb. 2016- EU And African UN Peackeepers shamed our services around the world with their paedophiles and rape of men and women........ Lord have mercy.... This must b fixed quickely..... Rwanda was horrendous... but this... this cannot be tolerated.... CANADA... WE NEED OUR UN PEACEKEEPING BACK WITH A HARSH MILITARY EDGE for the reality of todays world..... no more Geneva convention..... the monsters slither around and through it.... we said this in 2006 and look at the mess 2da...imho
Tribute- Canada's Blue Berets- Stompin Tom Connors - Blue Berets (1994)
CANADA MILITARY : Peacekeeping and
War-Cyprus/Rwanda/Yugosavia/Suez/Korean/Gulf War/ ColdWar/etc. A history of our
Canada- Peacekeeping - War and the horrors our beautiful troops suffered - 4
our freedom - our flag and our beloved Canada. Question: why doesn't Islam
nations fight so hard 4 their innocents?-why always our nations/ http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2015/03/canada-military-peacekeeping-and-war.html
FROM RWANDA- TO BABYRAPERS??? EWWWWW- noooo
Canada starts
from scratch on training peacekeepers
OTTAWA — The Trudeau government has promised to get Canada back into
the peacekeeping business, but a new report from two independent think
tanks says the military is ill-prepared for the task.
The study by the Rideau Institute and the Centre for Policy
Alternatives was penned by Walter Dorn, a professor at the Canadian
Forces Staff College and one of Canada’s leading experts in
peacekeeping.
For the last decade, he says, the army has specialized in
counter-insurgency warfare because of the combat mission in Kandahar and
other skill sets — once second nature to Canadian training — were
relegated to the back burner.
Dorn says the complexities of modern peace operations require
in-depth training and education, on subjects including the procedures,
capabilities and limitations of the United Nations.
He says Canada is currently far behind other nations in its readiness
to support the United Nations and train for modern peacekeeping.
“Special skills, separate from those learned in Afghanistan and
warfare training, would need to be (re)learned, including skills in
negotiation, conflict management and resolution, as well as an
understanding of UN procedures and past peacekeeping missions,” said the
report.
“Particularly important is learning effective co-operation with the
non-military components of modern peacekeeping operations, including
police, civil affairs personnel and humanitarians, as well as UN
agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the local actors
engaged in building a viable peace.”
The focus of training at both the Canadian Forces Command College in
Toronto and the army staff college in Kingston, Ont., is on “taking part
in ‘alliance’ or NATO-style operations,” Dorn concluded.
Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan
have said rather than sending a lot of soldiers, Canada can contribute
equipment and expertise, such as commanders and headquarters
contingents. But Dorn says the military regime provides less than a
quarter of the peacekeeping instruction it did a decade ago.
The report recommends the reinstatement and updating of the many
training programs and exercises that have been cut, and introducing new
instruction that reflects the increasing complexity of modern peace
operations.
“Canadian soldiers have served as superb peacekeepers in the past and can do so again, with some preparation,” the report says.
Following the Somalia scandal of the mid-1990s in which a teenager
was tortured and killed at the hands of Canadian soldiers, National
Defence recognized the need for specialized training. It was implemented
with success between 1995 and 2005, when the army went into Kandahar.
Dorn says while the number of personnel deployed in the field by the
United Nations is now at an all-time high of more than 125,000, the
number of Canadian soldiers involved in those operations has dwindled to
an all-time low of 29 as of Dec. 31
When Canadians think about Canadian Armed Forces
personnel serving in overseas peace efforts, one of the first places they
probably think about is the Balkan peninsula of southeast Europe. Canadians have served in European Community, United
Nations (UN) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) missions in Croatia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, and Macedonia – new countries that
have risen out of the ashes of the former country of Yugoslavia. Beginning in
1991, tens of thousands of Canadian Armed Forces members strived over the years
to help make the region secure and nurture the fragile peace so recovery can
continue after years of fierce fighting.
Balkans
The Balkan countries which have seen such turmoil are
located in southeast Europe, north of Greece and across the Adriatic Sea from
Italy. This is a land of beautiful mountains, fertile plains and an
island-studded coastline that stretches along the Adriatic Sea. For much of the 20th century, this area was a single
Communist country known as Yugoslavia. However, long-standing ethnic, religious
and political differences between the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and
Muslim populations who have lived there for centuries created an environment of
distrust that made for an unstable situation. Once the authoritarian rule in the country began to
crumble, the different ethnic and religious factions erupted into violence. In
the early 1990s, the various regions tried to split off and form their own
countries, dividing along ethnic and religious lines. There were many cases of
ethnic cleansing where entire villages or areas of minorities were persecuted,
driven out or killed outright by armies.
The World Responds
As the world saw the violence descend on the region, the
international community moved to respond. The first direct Canadian involvement
would come in 1991-1992 when some Canadian Armed Forces officers participated
in the European Community Monitoring Mission there. Canada and other countries then deployed a large UN
peacekeeping force (known as the United Nations Protection Force, or UNPROFOR)
to try to curb the violence in the region, particularly in Croatia and
Bosnia-Herzegovina. This would be only the first of a series of UN
(and later, NATO) peace
support efforts in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo in the
former Yugoslavia. The situations that Canadian Armed Forces members
encountered during their efforts in the Balkans were unique. The skills needed
for a peace mission are often quite different from the skills required to fight
a conventional conflict. Peacekeepers must be trained for war and for peace.
The Canadians who have served in the Balkans over the years have performed many
roles. They monitored ever-shifting and fragile cease-fire lines and forced
open lines of supply to besieged areas in order to bring in food and
humanitarian supplies to the civilians trapped in the middle of the fighting.
In the waters of the Adriatic Sea, our country deployed naval and air resources
to assist the UN in its naval blockade of
arms shipments to the region. Canadians also tried to protect areas of ethnic
minorities (so-called "safe areas" which would tragically prove to be
not very safe) which were under siege from the majority militias. Canada and other peacekeeping nations faced huge
challenges in the Balkans and there was only so much they could do to curb the
worst of the violence brought on by the hatred and viciousness of the
combatants there. Many horrible acts were perpetrated that the peacekeepers
simply could not prevent. Today, the active fighting is over. The last sizable
Canadian Armed Forces presence left the region in 2004, but a European Union
peace support force remains in the region to help keep the peace and support
those who live in the region as they move toward a more peaceful future.
Facts and Figures
The largest number of Canadians to serve in a UN
mission in the region at any one time was 2,000. More than 40,000 troops
from many countries took part in the largest UN
contingent that served during the peace support missions.
NATO contingents continue to play a peacekeeping role in the
region. At times, NATO
troop strengths have reached 60,000, including up to 1,500 Canadians.
In the spring of 1999, Canadian pilots flew combat missions for the
first time since the Korean War.
In Macedonia in 1999-2000, Canada sent its largest single overseas
deployment of troops since the Korean War. Canada also deployed heavy
tanks in a conflict situation for the first time since the Korean War.
Heroes and Bravery
Often we think of the dangers of war and heroic acts of
bravery as belonging to generations of the past. However, in the 1990s,
Canadian Armed Forces members found themselves in a full-fledged war zone where
peacekeeping troops had to engage in firefights to try to fulfill their
missions.
Major Joseph Servais and Captain Joseph Brosseau both were awarded
Meritorious Service Medals for their work as monitors with the European
Union Monitoring Mission in the region in the early 1990s. Servais was
responsible for eight monitoring teams, often conducting the most
dangerous missions himself. Brosseau led the mission in Sarajevo at the
time, planning and leading the dangerous six-hour convoy to safely
evacuate his group when ordered to leave.
In September 1993, Canadian soldiers experienced their most intense
firefight since the Korean War when members of the Princess Patricia's
Canadian Light Infantry were pounded with heavy machine gun fire,
grenades, cannons and small arms fire in the Medak Pocket of Croatia.
On two occasions, Canadian soldiers found themselves in hospitals full
of patients that had been abandoned by staff due to increased fighting in
the area. In one situation, troops found, protected and gave aid to a
large number of mentally and physically challenged patients who needed a
very high level of care.
Sacrifice
Canadians can be rightfully proud of their reputation
around the world as a force for peace, but this comes at a price. About 130
Canadians have died in the course of Canada’s peace support operations around
the world. In the Balkans, 23 Canadians lost their lives in the various
missions and many more were injured. The wounds of peacekeeping are not always caused by
hostile fire, land mines or accidents. They do not always leave physical scars.
The mission in the former Yugoslavia was particularly difficult for those
deployed there. The human atrocities perpetrated against the civilian
population were horrific – witnessing human brutality on this scale has a deep
impact on those who see it. Learning about what the Veterans of these Canadian Armed
Forces missions in the Balkan States have done and sacrificed in the course of
their duties is important. By understanding their role, we honour their
achievements. Knowing about Canada’s values and history helps us understand the
Canada we live in today.
Canada Remembers Program
The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs Canada
encourages all Canadians to learn about the sacrifices and achievements made by
all those that served, and continue to serve, during times of war and peace,
and to become involved in remembrance activities that will help to preserve
their legacy for future generations of Canadians.
The chain of events that would bring Canadian soldiers
into the desolate and dangerous terrain of Afghanistan began on September 11,
2001. On that day, four airliners were hijacked in the skies over the eastern
United States; two were deliberately crashed into the World Trade Center towers
and one into the Pentagon, resulting in the death of nearly 3,000 people. These
horrific attacks shocked and galvanized the United States and much of the
world. Canada would soon play a role in the ensuing international efforts to
battle terrorism and help bring democracy to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan is a rugged country in Southwest Asia,
located between Pakistan and Iran. This ancient, mountainous land is about the
size of Saskatchewan and has a population of approximately 30 million people.
The various ethnic groups and factions that have made the country home over the
centuries have given Afghanistan a rich heritage and diversity, but have also
helped make peace and stability difficult to achieve. The civil war that broke out after the former Soviet
Union withdrew from its military occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s would
see the Taliban regime gain control of the country. This extreme fundamentalist
regime severely limited civil rights and supported international terrorist
groups, including al-Qaeda (the group which was behind the attacks in the
United States). In the wake of September 11, the United States and the world
took action through the United Nations (UN) and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO).
Canada and the World Respond
The first Canadian Armed Forces contribution to the
campaign against terrorism in Southwest Asia came at sea. Beginning in October
2001, Canadian ships would see ongoing duty in the waters off the region,
supporting and defending the international fleet operating there as well as
locating and searching unknown boats looking for illegal activity. The Aurora patrol aircraft and Hercules and Polaris
transport planes of the Canadian Armed Forces Air Command would also be active
in Afghanistan and the waters off Southwest Asia, filling important roles in
marine surveillance, transporting supplies and personnel, and evacuating
casualties. Canadian helicopters also provided important service in identifying
merchant vessels and offering valuable transport support over the years. Canadian soldiers soon travelled to Afghanistan as well.
The first were commandos from the elite Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2) in December
2001, followed by other Canadian soldiers in January 2002 who were initially
based in Kandahar. There they joined American and British troops already
fighting to topple the Taliban regime, eliminate terrorist operations and
establish the basis for lasting peace in the troubled country. With the eventual fall from power of the Taliban,
attention turned to stabilizing the country and helping establish a new Afghan
government. The UN authorized a NATO-led International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) to take on this challenge. The initial Canadian contribution to
the ISAF in the summer of 2003 consisted of more than 700 Canadian Armed Forces
members stationed in Kabul, the country’s capital, with 200 more providing
support from elsewhere in Southwest Asia. In Kabul, the Canadians patrolled the
western sector of the city, helped operate the airport and assisted in
rebuilding the Afghan National Army. In 2005, the Canadian Armed Forces’ role evolved again
when they began to shift back to the volatile Kandahar region. While the
Taliban government had been toppled, the group remained a strong presence in
some areas of the country. Indeed, Canada’s return to Kandahar coincided with a
resurgence in Taliban activity and our soldiers quickly found themselves the
targets of attack. The numbers of Canadian soldiers soon swelled to approximately
2,300 to help deal with the enemy and support the Provincial Reconstruction
Team operating there. Canadian tanks, artillery and infantry soldiers all took
part in many ground operations in Kandahar, including large-scale offensives
against massed Taliban forces. This chapter of Canada's efforts in Afghanistan
was the most perilous. Anytime Canadian soldiers left the relative safety of
their main camps to go "outside the wire," the danger was very real. Canada’s combat role in the country ended in 2011 when
the focus shifted to training Afghanistan’s army and police force and the last
of our service members left the country in March 2014. But Canada’s efforts in
the troubled country have been numerous. Reaching out in an attempt to build
trust and win the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan was an
important goal. In addition to their military activities, Canadian Armed Forces
members engaged in many humanitarian efforts like digging wells, rebuilding
schools and distributing medical and relief supplies, both as part of their
official mission and on a volunteer basis.
Facts and Figures
More than 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces members served in the
Afghanistan theatre of operations between 2001 and 2014. These brave men
and women are eligible to receive the General Campaign Star-Southwest
Asia.
Afghanistan is a very poor country and its climate can be extreme.
Summer temperatures of 50° C are common and huge dust storms can sweep
across its arid deserts.
Camp Nathan Smith was a base for Canadian operations in Kandahar for
several years. It was named in honour of a soldier from Nova Scotia who
was killed there in 2002.
Operation Medusa
was a September 2006 offensive in Kandahar province that involved more than
1,000 Canadian Armed Forces members, making it our country’s largest
combat operation in more than 50 years. The heavy fighting in Operation Medusa tragically
saw the loss of 12 Canadians, but the Taliban were pushed from the Panjwai
district.
Heroes and Bravery
Canadians demonstrated great bravery time and again in
Afghanistan. Here are just some examples of that valour.
A number of Canadians who served in Afghanistan have earned the Star
of Military Valour, our country’s second-highest decoration for courage.
The first was Sergeant Patrick Tower in August 2006 when he braved enemy
fire to lead the extraction of a platoon that had come under heavy attack.
Flight Lieutenant Chris Hasler, a Canadian serving with Britain’s
Royal Air Force, received the Distinguished Flying Cross for piloting
helicopter resupply missions under fire in July 2006. He was the first
Canadian to be decorated for bravery in the air in more than 50 years.
Captain Nichola Goddard became the first female Canadian Armed Forces
member to die in combat duty when the forward artillery observer was
killed in a firefight on May 17, 2006.
Sacrifice
Canada’s efforts in Afghanistan have made a difference,
but this has come at a great cost. The threat of suicide attacks and roadside
bombs was a constant risk. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) caused the most
Canadian casualties. There were also many other perils beyond ambushes and
firefights with the enemy. Landmines and friendly fire incidents took the lives
of our soldiers while vehicle accidents, illnesses and the psychological strain
of serving in such a difficult environment also took a heavy and life-long
toll. Sadly, 158 Canadian Armed Forces members died in the cause of peace and
freedom in Afghanistan.
Canada Remembers Program
The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs Canada
encourages all Canadians to learn about the sacrifices and achievements made by
those who have served–and continue to serve–during times of war and peace. As
well, it invites Canadians to become involved in remembrance activities that
will help preserve their legacy for future generations.
Imagine travelling far from home to a war-torn
country where chaos, violence and weapons are everywhere. Then imagine being a
Canadian Armed Forces member there trying to restore peace and freedom. Welcome
to the world of peace support operations in the Congo, where more than 2,500
Canadians have served to try to help stabilize and rebuild the country during
the course of several military missions from 1960 to today.
The Congo
The Congo is a large country in central Africa (almost as
large as the provinces of Ontario and Quebec combined) that has a population of
more than 70,000,000 people. An ecologically-rich land, it straddles the
equator and is home to the second-largest rain forest in the world. The Congo has had a tumultuous history. Formerly known as
the Congo Free State and the Belgian Congo, it suffered greatly during its
90-year colonial period. It was ruled by Belgium until 1960 when the country
finally gained its independence. The transition from colony to nationhood,
however, was far from smooth. The departure of the Belgian administrators left
the country in disarray as they had not prepared for the transfer of power to
the local people. Political in-fighting, inter-tribal tensions, famine, an army
mutiny, international interference and widespread violence ensued, threatening
to throw the country into a state of chaos.
Canada and the World Respond
Belgium decided to send its troops in to try to restore
order and protect Belgian nationals who were still living there. This step was
done without the consent of the new country’s government, however, which then
called on the United Nations (UN) for help in dealing with what it perceived as
“external aggression.” The UN was concerned
by the volatile political situation, social upheaval and starvation in the
country. They called on Belgium to leave the Congo and sent in international
troops almost immediately. These peacekeepers’ initial mission was to ensure
that the Belgian troops departed, as well as to help restore order and
stability. It was a major undertaking—violence was rife and the country was so
large that a major international intervention would be required to possibly
make a difference. Eventually a UN force of
more than 20,000 personnel would serve in the Congo (including more than 300
Canadians), plus thousands of civilian foreign aid workers who travelled to the
country to provide food and assistance to the suffering people. Just a few years after their first large-scale
peacekeeping effort in response to the Suez Crisis, UN
troops soon found themselves exposed to a new type of peace mission where they
were authorized to use force in fulfilling their mandate. The mission would
prove to be complex and drew the peacekeepers into performing new roles. The main military focus of the mission was to preserve
the territorial integrity of the Congo. They were able to prevent break-away
portions of the country from seceding and helped push out the foreign
mercenaries who were contributing to political instability. In the end,
unfortunately, the UN forces were not
enough to stop the greater forces of upheaval rocking the Congo and they
departed in 1964, ending the initial international military peace effort in the
country. Sadly, the situation in the Congo has remained troubled.
The country was renamed Zaire (as it was known between 1964 and 1996) and
suffered under a dictatorship for decades. Major unrest would erupt again in
the mid-1990s as refugees streamed into the eastern portions of the country
following upheavals in the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Burundi. Canada
made an effort to alleviate the growing crisis in 1996 by joining a short-lived
multinational force to provide humanitarian aid and help refugees return home.
More than 350 Canadians participated in the mission. A violent coup then occurred in the Congo in 1997, with
ethnic strife and civil war engulfing the country. Some reports suggest that up
to 3.8 million died in the subsequent violence. The UN
again intervened with a military mission in 1999 that continues to this day.
Canadian Armed Forces members have been a part of this effort as well, trying
to help stabilize the region by flying in supplies and personnel, providing
mission staff and supporting humanitarian aid efforts.
Facts and Figures
The original peacekeeping mission to the Congo was one of the largest ever
under taken. At times in the early 1960s, there were more than 20,000 UN
personnel from 30 countries involved.
In 1961, UN Secretary-General Dag
Hammarskjold died in a suspicious plane crash while in Africa trying to
negotiate a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Due to the Congo’s background as a Belgian colony, French-speaking
peacekeepers were at a premium and Francophone Canadian officers held key
positions in the UN command.
The Congo in the 1960s was the first time the UN
authorized the use of deadly force other than strictly in self-defence.
They would not do so again until the missions in the former Yugoslavia in
the 1990s.
The current UN effort in the Congo
is also a large one, with approximately 18,000 troops taking part.
Heroes and Bravery
Brigadier-General Jacques Dextraze was chief of staff of the UN
forces in the Congo from 1963 to 1964. He led a series of missions to
rescue groups of non-combatants from combat zones and was named a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire, with oak leaf, for his brave
service.
Serving in international peace support efforts is
dangerous duty. Canadian Armed Forces members must enter volatile situations
where the risk of personal harm is very real. Hostile fire, landmines and
vehicle accidents are perhaps the most obvious dangers in a conflict zone, but
they are not the only ones. Serious illnesses and harsh psychological effects
resulting from the arduous conditions can take a serious and life-long toll, as
well. The military missions in the Congo have been particularly dangerous.
Approximately 280 UN peacekeepers have lost
their lives there over the years, including two Canadians who paid the ultimate
price to help the people in the strife-torn country. There have been about 130
Canadian casualties directly associated with peacekeeping operations.
Canada Remembers Program
The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs Canada
encourages all Canadians to learn about the sacrifices and achievements made by
those who have served–and continue to serve– during times of war and peace. As
well, it invites Canadians to become involved in remembrance activities that
will help preserve their legacy for future generations.
The Canadian Armed Forces and the Persian Gulf War
Introduction
Canada has participated in overseas peace efforts with
international organizations like the United Nations (UN).
However, not all of Canada's international military efforts over the last 50
years have been peacekeeping missions. At times, Canada has also responded by
participating in military actions against aggressive nations who would deny
basic human rights to others. The Persian Gulf War of the early 1990s was a struggle
that is well-known to many Canadians. More than 4,000 Canadian Armed Forces
personnel served in the tense Persian Gulf region in 1990-91, as part of the
international coalition of countries that came together to force the invading
forces of Iraq out of neighbouring Kuwait. In the aftermath of the conflict,
Canadians continued to serve in peacekeeping and embargo-enforcement efforts in
the region.
Persian Gulf
Iraq and Kuwait are Arab countries located next to each
other in the heart of the oil-rich Middle East, a region of the world steeped
in history. In fact, many archeologists would say that civilization itself was
born in the Fertile Crescent – the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
in modern-day Iraq. In the 20th century, both Iraq and Kuwait achieved independence. However, the
relationship between these two countries has not been smooth. Iraq had long
felt that Kuwait was really a part of Iraq and that Kuwaiti oil rigs were
illegally tapping into Iraqi oil fields. In the late 1980s, tensions grew and
relations between Iraq and Kuwait became much worse. On August 2, 1990, the
situation came to a head when Iraq invaded Kuwait, quickly taking control of
its smaller neighbour.
The World Responds
The UN, along with
many individual countries, condemned this bold and aggressive act. Canada
joined a 35-country, American-led international coalition to liberate Kuwait.
The coalition was operating under the mandate of a UN
resolution that approved the use of force. In late 1990 and early 1991, the
Canadian Armed Forces and the military of other coalition countries moved into
the region and prepared for the showdown. The coalition forces began a devastating air campaign
after a UN-set deadline for Iraqi withdrawal
was ignored. This was followed by an armour and infantry offensive that rapidly
pushed the Iraqis out of Kuwait and well back into their own country. This
fulfilled the coalition's mandate to liberate Kuwait. The coalition suspended
the fighting and offered a cease-fire which Iraq accepted on March 3, 1991. The
official end of the war left Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, and his military,
defeated – but Hussein retained power in Iraq. He would remain in control for
more than 12 years until the second Gulf War of 2003 finally swept him from
power. After the Gulf War ended, Canadian troops remained in the
region as part of the UN peacekeeping
mission along the Iraq-Kuwait border, monitoring the demilitarized zone between
the two countries, investigating cease-fire violations and clearing land mines.
Canada also had a role in the special commission to seek out Iraq's biological,
chemical and nuclear weapons production facilities. On the water, Canadian
warships participated in Multinational Interception Force operations and helped
to enforce the economic sanctions imposed against Iraq after the Gulf War.
Facts and Figures
The Canadian Naval Task Group, consisting of the destroyers HMCS
Terra Nova
and HMCS Athabaskan, and
the supply ship HMCS Protecteur,
intercepted suspicious shipping in the area.
CF-18 jet squadrons with approximately 500 personnel, operating out of
the Canada Dry bases in the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, performed combat
air control, escort and reconnaissance missions. For the first time since
the Korean War, Canadian air-to-surface attacks took place during the
conflict.
A Canadian field hospital with 530 personnel operated with the British
division, caring for both British and Iraqi wounded.
The Air Command Transport Group provided air transport of personnel
and cargo.
Heroes and Bravery
On a searing hot afternoon in Kuwait City, an overheated
convoy truck caught fire suddenly, setting off a series of explosions that
injured many American soldiers and caused widespread panic. Captain Fred
Kaustinen, acting commander of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, and 50 of his troops
took immediate action, remaining on the scene to provide emergency treatment
and medical evacuation for the wounded. Maintaining the post-war embargo against Iraq could also
be dangerous. In 2001, when HMCS
Winnipeg
stopped an oil tanker to check it for illegal activity, Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Swann led a four-man
boarding party that forced its way onto the boat. On board the tanker, he and
his team were confronted by angry and uncooperative smugglers. However, PO2
Swann quickly took charge of the tense situation. The ship and its cargo of
7,000 tonnes of smuggled oil was successfully seized. The Gulf War marked the first time that female enlisted
soldiers operated in combat. It was especially challenging for these
trail-blazing Canadian women because they were serving in orthodox Muslim
countries in the Middle East where traditional gender roles are very different
than in Canada.
Sacrifice
Theatres of war, like the Persian Gulf in the
early 1990s, are dangerous places. There are many risks for soldiers in a
modern war zone that go beyond the obvious ones of enemy fire or landmines.
Friendly fire incidents, vehicle accidents, mysterious illnesses and the
psychological stress of serving in such stressful conditions can take a
terrible and life-long toll. Fortunately, no Canadian Armed Forces members died in the
course of the Gulf War. However, 158 Canadian personnel died in the course of
our country's engagement in Afghanistan. These people take their honoured place
with their fellow service members from the First World War, the Second World
War and Korean War as people who paid the ultimate price for their country.
Canada Remembers Program
The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs Canada
encourages all Canadians to learn about the sacrifices and achievements made by
Canada's Veterans during times of war, military conflict and peace, and to
become involved in remembrance activities that will help to preserve their
legacy for future generations of Canadians.
The Canadian Rangers are a sub-component
of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve. They provide patrols and
detachments for national-security and public-safety missions in sparsely
settled northern, coastal and isolated areas of Canada.
About the Canadian Rangers
The Canadian Rangers are a sub-component of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Reserve.
They provide patrols and detachments for national-security and
public-safety missions in sparsely settled northern, coastal and
isolated areas of Canada that can not conveniently or economically be
covered by other parts of the CAF.
The Canadian Rangers protect Canada's sovereignty by:
Reporting unusual activities or sightings;
Collecting local data of significance to the CAF; and
Conducting surveillance or sovereignty patrols as required.
Canadian Rangers by the numbers:
Approximately 5000 – current number of Canadian Rangers;
Over 200 – number of communities where Canadian Rangers live; and
26 – dialects/languages spoken by Canadian Rangers, many of whom are Aboriginal.
The Canadian Rangers are the military’s eyes and ears in the sparsely
settled northern, coastal and isolated areas of Canada. Appropriately,
their motto is Vigilans, meaning “The Watchers.”
As members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), the Canadian Rangers
Conduct and support sovereignty operations:
Conduct sovereignty and surveillance patrols and training
Conduct North Warning Site patrols
Report suspicious and unusual activities
Collect local data of military significance
Conduct and assist in CAF domestic operations:
Conduct coastal and inland water surveillance
Provide local knowledge and expertise
Participate in search and rescue operations
Provide support in response to natural or man-made disasters and humanitarian operations
Provide assistance to federal, provincial/territorial or municipal authorities
Maintain CAF presence in the local community:
Instruct and supervise youth in the Junior Canadian Rangers (JCR)
Program, a program that has significantly improved the quality of life
of young people in the most isolated areas of Canada
Support and participate in events in the local community (such as Yukon Quest, Canada Day, and Remembrance Day)
Canada's role as a peacekeeper throughout the world began in the 50's when Lester Pearson, Canada's ambassador to the UN suggested that the organization might create a peace keeping force. This force could be injected into a war or conflict area in order to maintain a ceasefire while the respective combatants negotiated an alternative solution to fighting. Canada is known throughout the world for it's readiness to contribute troops or support to peace keeping missions and has participated in more missions then any other country in the world. The missions listed on the left are the ones in which Canada has participated in and built a reputation for peace with.
The role of the United Nations supplying forces to keep the peace was first suggested by Mike Pearson, (Canadian Prime Minister) when he was serving at the UN as Canada's representative. This idea was not only adapted by has become one of the central fixtures in UN activities throughout the world. Pearson was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for the inspiration and Canada has become the most important and respected player in Peace keeping duties, for the UN, throughout the world.
Our country's international peace efforts take
Canadians in uniform to many far-off corners of the world. Canadians served in
peace efforts in Haiti in the mid-1990s and returned again in 2004 in an
attempt to bring stability to a country battered by strife and upheaval.
In June 1993, the United Nations Security Council imposed
an oil and arms embargo against Haiti in an effort to force Haiti's military
dictatorship to step aside and allow Aristide to return to power. After a deal
with the Haitian military leaders fell through, the embargo continued and
Canadian warships, under a United States-led effort, plied the waters off the
country to enforce the trade restrictions. In September 1994, UN forces were finally able to land in
Haiti and enforce the deal to return Aristide to power. This UN
mission was intended to create a stable environment in the country, reform
Haiti's military and create an independent police force. Beginning in March
1995, 500 Canadian Armed Forces personnel deployed to Haiti to contribute to
this international effort. The Canadian contingent included aviation,
engineering, transportation and administrative support personnel from across
the country. They also provided logistical support and construction engineer
services to the UN operations. In March
1996, the Canadian contingent expanded to 750 and their duties shifted to
providing infantry personnel for security patrols, a helicopter detachment,
engineers and a logistical support group as the UN
mandate changed. Canadians remained in the country as new UN
missions continued, with up to 650 military personnel helping maintain
stability in the country as the Haitian national police were trained (in part
by Canadian civilian police officers) so they would be able to eventually do
this themselves. As well, the Canadians also made important contributions to
the people of the country by helping rebuild bridges, schools and water supply
systems, operating medical clinics and delivering humanitarian aid. During
their times in Haiti, the Canadian Armed Forces members were often greeted as
protectors and friends as they travelled the chaotic streets of the capital,
Port-au-Prince. The international contingents continued their
peacekeeping and humanitarian work in the country until the main military
mission ended in 1997 (although Canadian police remained in the country until
2000). Unfortunately, Haiti has largely remained an impoverished country
battered by violence and unrest. In early 2004, President Bertrand Aristide was
again ousted from power and went into exile. With the nation descending into
chaos again, a new multinational peace mission has been undertaken. Again,
Canada has been there for the people of Haiti as approximately 500 Canadian Armed
Forces personnel, including an infantry company, a helicopter detachment and
support personnel, went to the country to restore order until a new UN
stabilization mission could be well established. While this larger Canadian
effort came to a close in August 2004, some Canadian Armed Forces officers
continue to serve in key positions in the headquarters of the current UN
mission.
Facts and Figures
The maximum size of the UN
missions in Haiti has been approximately 7,500 military members and civilian
police drawn from dozens of nations. At times, more than 750 Canadian Armed
Forces members and 100 Canadian civilian police officers have served there. Canadian Armed Forces engineers brought their expertise
in road maintenance, mine disposal, water supply and power generation to the
peace support efforts. Logistical personnel provided vehicle maintenance,
transport, administrative and medical capabilities while Canadian Hercules
aircraft and military helicopters have provided air transport, patrol and
medical evacuation capabilities to the international forces on occasion. Canada has taken a leading role in the UN-led
efforts in Haiti in the past, in large part due to the linguistic and cultural
ties our two countries have shared over the years – we both have French as an
official language, there is a large Haitian-Canadian community in Quebec and
Canadian missionaries and foreign aid workers have long been active in Haiti.
The challenges faced by Canadians serving in peace
support efforts are very different than those faced by most people. Not many
careers see its professionals called on to spend months at a time away from
home, serving in hot, dirty, dangerous conditions in which the constant threat
of violence simmers around them. However, this is indeed the situation that has
been faced by many Canadian Armed Forces members trying to establish and
nurture peace in Haiti. A total of 15 UN
personnel from around the world have lost their lives in the various peace
missions there. Cultivating peace is often a long process and one that
often does not pay full dividends for many years. The Canadian Armed Forces
members on missions like these usually do not get to see the ultimate results
of their peace efforts because they are only there for a relatively short time,
a situation that can be frustrating for them. Working in places like Haiti
where the problems are complex and deeply rooted mean that the results of peace
efforts are simply not always going to be dramatic – but the spirit of striving
and sacrificing to help continues. About 130 Canadians have died in the course of peace
support operations overseas over the years, paying the ultimate price in their
efforts to help the people in these strife-torn places. Many more have been
injured in these efforts.
Canada Remembers Program
The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs Canada
encourages all Canadians to learn about the sacrifices and achievements made by
Canada's Veterans during times of war, military conflict and peace, and to
become involved in remembrance activities that will help to preserve their
legacy for future generations. Knowing about our country's values and history
helps us understand the Canada we live in today and how we can build our future
together.
The Canadian Armed Forces in the Golan Heights of Syria
Introduction
Being far from home and family is never easy, especially
if your work takes you to a harsh and isolated part of the world where you must
carry out your duties surrounded by barbed wire, trenches, and the wreckage of
past conflicts between two bitter foes that could explode into flashes of
violence. For the many Canadian Armed Forces members who have served in the
United Nations (UN) peace mission in the Golan Heights of Syria, this is not a
hypothetical scenario. It is real – and they lived it. The Canadian presence in the uplands between Syria and
Israel is one of the longest-running international commitments ever undertaken
by Canada. More than 12,000 Canadians have served there since the UN
peace mission began in 1974. Many Canadians have enjoyed peace for so long that it
might be difficult to imagine its absence; but those who served in Syria deeply
understand how fragile peace is, and how important it is to protect.
Syria
Syria is a small Arab country with a population of
approximately 18 million people. It is located in the Middle East along the
eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Much of Syria's recent history is defined
by the tensions and political unrest that have enveloped much of the volatile
Middle East for the past half century. From time to time, conflicts between the
Arab countries and Israel have broken out, as it did in the Yom Kippur War of
1973 when Syria and Egypt clashed with Israeli forces. It would be the next
year before a cease-fire agreement was reached between Syria and Israel.
Canada and the World Responds
The UN was called
upon in 1974 to create a mission, known as the United Nations Disengagement Observation
Force (UNDOF), to supervise the cease-fire plan and to monitor the situation
afterward. The plan created a buffer zone between the forces of the
two countries. This zone, called an "Area of Separation," is 80
kilometres long and from one to 10 kilometres wide. It is mostly located in the
area known as the Golan Heights. Inside this special area, no military presence
is allowed other than UN observers. Beyond
this zone there is an "Area of Limitation" where there are
restrictions upon any military presence and the activity of Israeli and Syrian
forces. The Canadians' primary role in Syria is to provide
transportation, supply, maintenance, communications and other logistical
support services for their fellow UN forces. Without these essential services,
the larger UN peace forces could not
continue their patrols and other vital activities that help stabilize the area.
Facts and Figures
The Golan Heights is a dry, inhospitable area where poisonous snakes
and other natural threats are common. In places, the temperatures can
reach 40 C in the summer and the weather can turn cold, wet and snowy in
the winter.
The UN peace contingent in the
Golan Heights has numbered more than 1,000 personnel strong, with tens of
thousands of UN troops serving in the
area over the years. In total, approximately 40 UN
personnel have died in the course of peace efforts there, including four
Canadians.
The presence of UN
troops in the Golan Heights has helped to prevent the outbreak of new
full-fledged hostilities between Israel and Syria. However, this has come with
a high price. The single highest loss of Canadian lives since our
country began to participate in international peace missions involved our
presence in Syria. Nine Canadian Armed Forces members with the UN
peace mission in Egypt were killed on August 9, 1974, when the plane they were
in was shot down in a Syrian missile attack while making a routine supply run
to the mission in the Golan Heights. Hostile fire, land mines and vehicle accidents are the
most obvious dangers in a conflict zone, but they are not the only ones.
Mysterious illnesses and psychological effects resulting from the harsh
conditions take a serious toll that can last a lifetime. Building a solid foundation for lasting peace in a region
torn by years of strife can be a lengthy process. Because rotations are usually
six months at a time, the Canadians serving there often do not get to see the
full effects of their labours to support peace. Because of the nature of peace
work, it sometimes takes years for the results of their work to be seen and
understood. This can add to the stress that Canadian Armed Forces members feel
when they return home and, when they leave the Forces, it can make it more
difficult for them to reintegrate into civilian life. All those who serve in peace efforts take their place of
honour alongside Canadian Veterans who achieved and sacrificed so much in the
First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. About 130 Canadians have died
in the course of peace support operations overseas over the years, paying the
ultimate price in their efforts to help the people in these strife-torn places.
Many more have been injured in these efforts.
Canada Remembers Program
The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs Canada
encourages all Canadians to learn about the sacrifices and achievements made by
all those that served, and continue to serve, during times of war and peace,
and to become involved in remembrance activities that will help to preserve
their legacy for future generations of Canadians.
www.cbc.ca/.../ebola-fight-sees-canadian-forces-medical-team-deployed-to-sierra-leone-1.2863340 - Similar
6 Dec 2014 ... A Canadian Forces medical team left CFB Trenton
in Ontario on Saturday ... Ebola outbreak:
Canada calls for volunteers to fight Ebola in Africa · Ebola ... We' ll be working with the British
and will be there to help people,"
said ...
www.cbc.ca/.../ebola-outbreak-canadian-forces-team-on-tough-mission-treating-something-you-can-t-see-1.2893608 - Similar
8 Jan 2015 ... Ebola outbreak: Canadian Forces team on tough
mission 'treating ... including East, West and North Africa and has done several tours in Afghanistan.
... She and Black move confidently, helping each other with each step and ...
--------------------
BLOGSPOT:
CANADA MILITARY NEWS- God's
Watching- Remembering Katrina...post to troops and personal observations
2009/Waylon Jennings -House of the Rising Sun for Katrina/ Why is the kindness
and goodness of our Christian nations so horrifically abused with $$$$trillions
of 50 years fed in2 waste and despots and thieves pockets? why?-The Foreign Aid
Debate/why we still believe in decency and good of each other 2 still give as
Canadians in a jaded-faded world -and will because it's just right-God's
watching
CANADA MILITARY NEWS: May2015- The
great and incredible Canada Military, Militia, Reservists, Rangers and Special
Forces and Cadets of Canada - the history and news of tradition, courage,
brilliance, determination, and the ability 2 master your circumstances with
very little- this one's 4 u. And Canada's politics are changing colours- but if
u want Canadian votes- u better support your military - or u are truly lost 2
Canadians- we are watching. God bless our Canada and Commonwealth
CANADA-Nepal
needs us and help urgently/ ForeignAid and $$$$ -quantity and quality of aid
have been poor and donor nations NOT held accountable. United Nations -
WTF??/Poverty and the Environment/ Canada- help ur own poor- our First Peoples
of the North/USA-Russia and China all lovey because of Oil in Arctic- Climate
change my arse-imho/NEPAL- make sure ur money and help gets there quickly- call
research get involved Canada, Nepal needs us/UN needs serious fixing and WHO 4
Ebola disaster/Updates May 2015/JUNE 1- Canadians raised $17Million from own
pockets- CANADA OFFERS EMPLOY FOR NEPALESE YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE
CANADA
MILITARY NEWS- RWANDA-Canadians Remember Rwanda- April 7, 2014/So few...NO
heroes among Global politicans r Global $$$ Media- so many deaths... not a
white mans war-UN ignored- as did Africas- RWANDA SCREAMS THAT SYRIA IS 2014's
RWANDA- shame United Nations- Shame!
--- BLOGSPOT: CANADA MILITARY NEWS: The World's Hate John 15:17-27 / What does
CANADA'S SOLDIER- Romeo Dallaire -Rwanda's Saviour say/ Pope Francis calls on
us- let's get cracking/no excuse Canadians for voting-Afghan women did/Vietnam
Boat Movement/Rwanada/UN complete betrayal of world's humanity- gotta go /Wish
we could have sponsored Anne Frank...as WWII children she was our hero... so
brave...so good...so decent/ Desiderata http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2015/09/canada-military-news-worlds-hat-john.html
-------
Blogged:
Canada Military News: STOP UR WARS PLS.- How DARE global political leaders
put our troops on battlefields yet again- in a war with no rules, laws or
boundaries - and our troops stuck in 150 yr old Geneva Convention- NO WAY- It's
just like Peacekeeping Rwanda and Romeo Dallaire- Canada's saviour -AND NATIONS
BETRAYAL OF VIETNAM- R TROOPS- NO MORE, millions and millions of us r weary and
we're the supporters- - Robin Williams Peace Plan /CANADA NEEDS TO CARE FOR OUR
VETERANS- PTSD -WOUNDED- FAMILIES- its time/f**k ur wars we're all tired
/Environment-Humanity f**king matters vs feeding $$$war machines
Canada Military News- Humanity Defended/The Problems with Beliefs/Why we
Cannot Save the world (from How to Save the World) / Jane Goodall: How Humans
and Animals can live together /stop using refugees as weapons in propaganda
war/World is educated, smart, savvy and better than this - we need better
leadership and humanity where people matter more than war imho
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.