Harper, NATO-led ISAF, Cdn. Troops in Afghanistan

Update:

I have other commitments and shall not post for a while.

Download a high resolution map NATO: Afghanistan Map




Prime Minister Stephen Harper has landed in Kandahar for a surprise, two-day visit with Canadian troops stationed in Afghanistan. Good show, PM Harper!



The media haven't exactly been forthcoming with this NATO information.

They try to slant stories why Canadian troops shouldn't be in Afghanistan while they know perfectly well that NATO is behind this mission and that 26 NATO allies and 10 non NATO countries are involved; however, they haven't really informed the public because it doesn't fit their agenda. The Liberals were in power when the decisions were made in December but they are trying to blame Harper. This should cause some backtracking when the Canadian public becomes aware of the mission.

So much for providing necessary info to Canadians newsbeat1


The NATO-led ISAF Mission Afghanistan

Revised operational plan for NATO ’s expanding mission in Afghanistan

http://www.nato.int/issues/afghanistan_stage3/

On 8 December, NATO Foreign Ministers endorsed a revised Operational Plan, prepared by NATO's Military Authorities, which will guide the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to assist the Afghan Government to extend and exercise its authority and influence across the country.

The Plan addresses the tasks and challenges ISAF will face as it continues to expand its area of operations to the south and subsequently to the east of the country.

It provides the strategic focus to create the conditions for stabilisation and reconstruction across the country. It recognizes the primacy of the Afghan Government and the paramount importance of continued, coherent and consistent development of Afghan political institutions and security capability. In addition, it outlines clear arrangements for enhanced coordination and deconfliction between ISAF’s stabilisation mission and the Coalition counter-terrorism mission. It also highlights the need for ISAF to cooperate effectively with the other key international community agencies in Afghanistan , notably the UN, the EU, the G8 lead nations and the NGO community.

[. . . . ] The next stage of ISAF expansion is planned for 2006 and is known as Stage 3 Expansion, which will result in the following:

ISAF's area of operations will be expanded to include six additional provinces: Day Kundi, Helmand , Kandahar , Nimroz, Uruzgan and Zabul (see attached map [on that site]);

Four Regional Commands will be established at: Mazar-e Sharif, Herat and Kandahar for ISAF Regions North, West and South respectively and one for the capital, Kabul;

Four additional ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) will be created in the Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan and Zabul provinces, subject to national approval (see attached map [on that site]);

An additional Forward Support Base will be established in Kandahar (see attached map);

Deployment of ISAF operational mentoring and liaison teams to Afghan National Army units at various levels of command. These are small groups of experienced officers and NCOs that will coach and mentor the Afghan National Army units to which they are attached;

ISAF will be increased by up to 6,000 personnel potentially bringing the total number to approximately 15,000;

(Currently 26 Allies and 10 non-NATO countries contribute some 9,000 personnel to the operation). [. . . . ]