"Defence in various realms"

Conference of Defence Associations media roundup:

In this week's media briefing, the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) would like to draw your attention to media coverage in the areas of:

- Canadian defence policy
- Canadian defence policy – Arctic
- Canada in Afghanistan
- Afghanistan
- Pakistan
- Recommended reading

The CDA once again reminds its readers that registration is open for the CDA Institute’s annual defence seminar and CDA’s annual general meeting, held at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa on 26-27 February 2009. An agenda and registration options can be found online at:
http://www.cda-cdai.ca/defenceseminars.htm

Canadian defence policy

David Pugliese in the Ottawa Citizen writes of concerns raised about a lack of oversight of new defence equipment projects. The CDA recommends to its readers the CDA Institute’s first Vimy Paper on Canadian defence procurement, also linked below.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=6c9d77b7-bac9-41e5-b95...
http://www.cda-cdai.ca/Vimy_Papers/vimy_paper1.pdf

Eugene Lang for the Star examines the popular misconception among the Canadian population that peacekeeping missions are non-violent.
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/570442

Tom Donnelly reports for the Weekly Standard on the benefits of defence spending as a stimulus for the American economy. The CDA recommends to its readers a paper by Commander (Ret’d) Ken Bowering of the Navy League of Canada on naval procurement in Canada.
http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/007hewpv.asp
http://www.cda-cdai.ca/Currie_Papers/Currie%20Paper%201-08%20Navy%20League.pdf

Canadian defence policy - Arctic

The Canadian Press reports on the new US policy concerning the Arctic. A link to the actual Presidential Directive is provided below.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/01/12/bush-arctic.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2009/01/20090112-3.html

Jack Granatstein in the Globe and Mail proposes a confident stewardship approach to advance Canadian interests in the Arctic.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090109.wcoarctic12/BNSto...

Katherine O’Neill reports in the Globe and Mail on Prime Minister Harper’s response to claims that a Canada-US Cold War is developing as a result of US positions on the Arctic.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090114.warctic14/BNStory...

Barbara Yaffe for the Vancouver Sun writes that Canada and the US should agree to a new binational Northwest Passage Seaway Authority, assuring US transit in exchange for recognition of Canadian sovereignty.
http://www.vancouversun.com/Technology/Obama+could+easily+settle+feud+over+Ar...

The CDA recommends to its readers the CDA Institute’s second Vimy Paper on the subject of defence requirements for Canada’s Arctic.
http://www.cda-cdai.ca/Vimy_Papers/Defence%20Requirements%20for%20Canada%27s%...

Canada in Afghanistan

A new Representative of Canada in Kandahar (RoCK) was recently appointed for Afghanistan. Ken Lewis takes over from Elissa Golberg.
http://www.afghanistan.gc.ca/canada-afghanistan/news-nouvelles/2009/2009_01_1...

Le Soleil reports on Canada’s current position in the war in Afghanistan, including the need for an orderly exit from theatre.
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/opinions/points-de-vue/200901/13/01-81723...

Peter Worthington writes in the Winnipeg Sun on the challenges of the Afghanistan war relative to those of past wars.
http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/columnists/peter_worthington/2009/01/12/79...

Allan Woods for the Toronto Star and Darah Hansen for Canwest report that Canadian bomb-fighting strategy in Afghanistan is under threat from new insurgent tactics and technologies.
http://www.thestar.com/Article/568566
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Taliban+militants+Kandahar+using+bigger+IED...

The CBC’s Fifth Estate aired a documentary on the Canadian-run military hospital at Kandahar Airfield [a repeat - MC].
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2008-2009/life_and_death_in_kandahar/

Darah Hansen for the National Post reports on the unveiling of a monument dedicated to the two Canadian aid workers murdered in a Taliban ambush outside of Kabul in August 2008.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1168429

Afghanistan

Patrick Barry reports for Democracy Arsenal on the need for broader policy conversation about Afghanistan.
http://www.democracyarsenal.org/2009/01/a-little-more-conversation-is-key-for...

Nancy A. Youssef reports for McClatchy on the lessons that US Marines are applying from Iraq to Afghanistan, not always with success.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/v-print/story/59479.html

Jon Boone for the Financial Times writes that arming Afghan militias may be a catalyst for factionalization of the Afghan population.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2a94d388-e0cf-11dd-b0e8-000077b07658.html

Karen deYoung reports for the Washington Post that President-elect Obama plans to buy time with the surge rather than achieve a tipping point within the effort.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/12/AR20090112034...

Walter Pincus writes in the Washington Post on the increasing investment by the US military in its infrastructure in Afghanistan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/12/AR20090112030...

Pamela Constable for the Washington Post reports on the growing disparity between the Afghan elite and poor.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/11/AR20090111020...

James Kirkup for the Telegraph reports on British Defence Secretary John Hutton’s comments that Europe is freeloading on the work of a limited number of NATO allies in Afghanistan.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/4240957/John-Hutton...

Michael Smith and Sarah Baxter for the Times Online that a rift is becoming apparent between the US and UK due to the perceived weakening of the British commitment to Afghanistan.
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5489583.ece

The Independent reports on the emerging capabilities of the insurgency in Afghanistan, including being able fight year-round.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/uk-forces-in-afghanistan-in-wors...

Dexter Filkins reports for the New York Times that recent attacks against schoolgirls in Kandahar have not succeeded in preventing girls from going to school.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/world/asia/14kandahar.html

Thomas Harding for the Telegraph reports that a Taliban bomb-making factory was dismantled by British commandos, jointly with Canadian and Afghan forces.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/4229284/Commandos-...

Nancy A. Youssef reports for McClatchy on the increased use of precision marksmen by the Taliban to attack coalition forces.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/117/story/58896.html

Danna Harman for the Christian Science Monitor reports on US attempts to minimize civilian deaths.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20090113/wl_csm/otarget_1

Pakistan

Bill Roggio in the Long War Journal details the context surrounding the attack on the Mohmand military base in Pakistan by insurgents from Afghanistan. The Daily Times in Pakistan reports on this attack. Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Pir Zubair Shah in the International Herald Tribune report on its unusual sophistication.
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/01/fighting_continues_i_1.php
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\01\12\story_12-1-2009_pg1_1
http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/12/asia/taliban.php

Shahan Mufti for the Christian Science Monitor reports on Pakistani concerns that its efforts to fight terrorism have been complicated by American air-strikes against al-Qaeda.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0113/p04s01-wosc.html

David E. Sanger in the International Herald Tribune and Russ Well for the Asia Times explore the challenges posed by a nuclear-armed Pakistan.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/09/asia/11pakistant.php

Daniel J. Simmons for Dawn reports on the difficulties associated with sustaining existing coalition supply routes to Afghanistan from Pakistan and with establishing new routes. Ben Farmer for the Telegraph reports that Russia is competing with the US for basing rights in Kyrgyzstan, which is an air hub for supplying the effort in Afghanistan. The US base may be shut down in return for billions of dollars in Russian investment.
http://www.dawn.com/2009/01/12/op.htm#4
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/kyrgyzstan/4229681/Kyrgyzstan-...

Recommended reading

Gerard Baker for the Times examines what US President George W Bush’s legacy will be.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article55263...

Fareed Zakaria writes on what global governance structures and rules are required for the challenges faced in a ‘post-American’ world. Paul Kennedy for the Wall Street Journal analyses the challenges and concerns associated with declining American economic power. Henry Kissinger in the International Herald Tribune explores the need to channel international cooperation into collaborative grand strategy, and that America and its partners have “a unique opportunity to transform a moment of crisis into a vision of hope.”
http://www.newsweek.com/id/177385
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189377673479433.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/12/opinion/edkissinger.php

An editorial in the International Herald Tribune laments the lack of common European action in facing global challenges, and that “the world is too complex, dangerous and unpredictable for a continent with Europe's wealth, wisdom and potential power to continue to sit by 27 separate phones.”
http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/14/opinion/edeurope.php

Duncan Currie for the Weekly Standard and Anand Giridharadas for the New York Times write on President Bush’s initiative to improve relations with India.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/008yukki.asp
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/weekinreview/11giridharadas.html

Max Boot for Foreign Policy reports on the future of both the Bush Doctrine and pre-emption.
www.foreignpolicy.com/story/files/story4618.php

David E. Sanger reports for the New York Times on the American rejection of assistance to Israel concerning plans to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/washington/11iran.html

Phillip Sherwell reports for the Telegraph on the deteriorating security situation in Mexico.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/4229663/Barack-Obamas-other-...

Alex Kingsbury for the US News and World Report explores the evolution of al-Qaeda in light of the highly effective but technically unsophisticated attacks in Mumbai. www.usnews.com/articles/news/world/2009/01/12/where-the-terrorism-threat-from...

To conclude

The CDA continues to contribute to a non-partisan and informed debate about security and defence issues important to Canada and Canadians. We welcome your feedback and suggestions.