Marine combat troops in Afstan will be under overall Canadian command

The combat force (the MEU) will be under Canadian command in ISAF Regional Command South (thank you Pentagon briefing, I don't think the Canadian government or media have mentioned we will be taking on that command again):

...I can tell you the MEU will be, as I mentioned, in RC South, therefore under ISAF command.

The Canadians are taking over there from the Brits in February [emphasis added] of this year, so they will be operating most immediately under Canadian command in RC South. And as I mentioned, it's also a maneuver force so it has the flexibility to move wherever in Regional Command South that the Canadians deem is necessary to go after the enemy. I mean, this is a fighting force that will greatly enhance the capabilities of the Canadians and our allies who are down there taking it to the enemy...

I wonder what Messrs Dion and Ignatieff (not to mention Jumpin' Jack and the Bloc) think of that?

As for the training battalion:

...We announced that the decision has been made to put the trainers -- the thousand of additional trainers will be under OEF. They will be wherever -- I guess it's General Craddock deems them necessary to sort of fulfill the needs of the -- I think the primary function will be to train the Afghan National Police [emphasis added]. They may be also involved in training the army, but their primary focus, as I understand it, will be training Afghan National Police. So wherever the need is most, they will be deployed there. I think they have the freedom to be deployed around the country to wherever they need to be trained [emphasis added]...

H/t to milnewstbay.

Read the whole briefing transcript. Can anyone imagine Canadian reporters asking such questions about a military deployment? By the way, I was wrong about the trainers going to Kandahar (at least as their base--see Uppestdate at link for Operation Enduring Freedom organization in Afstan).

Babbler's Bleg: If you haven't voted for The Torch as Best Canadian Military Blog at the Canadian Blog Awards already, I'd sure appreciate the click.

Update: The Montreal Gazette notices the command structure in this editorial.