US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA1728

S E C R E T OTTAWA 001728 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/RSAT, PM/PMAT AND EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2015 
TAGS: MOPS, MARR, PREL, CA, AF 
SUBJECT: CANADA AGREES TO PROVIDE SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES 
TO OEF 
 
REF: A) 2004 OTTAWA 03460 B) 2004 STATE 270926 
 
Classified By: Pol M/C Brian Flora.  Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (S) Polmiloff met with Foreign Affairs Director for 
Defense Relations Barbara Martin on June 7, 2005, at the 
latter's request.  Martin wanted to convey officially the 
Canadian Government's positive response to USG's December 
2004 request for Canadian Special Operations Forces for 
Operation Enduring Freedom (ref b). She stated that the GOC 
will deploy "no more than 150" SOF for 12 months, beginning 
June 2005. 
 
2. (S/NF) Though the Prime Minister only signed off on the 
request on June 1, 2005, Martin affirmed her understanding 
that mil-mil coordination (with CENTCOM) is well underway. 
She noted that the decision to provide SOF was made 
"unilaterally" by the Prime Minister.  Though the PM has the 
authority to take such a decision, Martin said, given the 
unpredictable domestic political climate there would be no 
announcement, not even to the Liberal Caucus; it would be 
helpful, she added, if confidentiality of the decision could 
be maintained in government-to-government channels. 
 
3. (U) Minimize considered. 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
DICKSON