US embassy cable - 04OTTAWA3460

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