The Army, Haiti and Afstan

CP runs a rather alarmist story Feb. 4 that seems to be putting the Haiti and Afghan mission in opposition:

Do they stay or do they go? Ottawa needs to decide on Van Doos future in Haiti

The Conservative government, which has enjoyed positive reviews for its handling of the Haiti disaster, needs to make tough decisions soon about whether to keep troops in the earthquake-ravaged country, say defence experts.

About 1,000 soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, Que., that were sent to Haiti [more here] are on a tight schedule.

The same unit, the 3rd Battalion of the Royal 22nd Regiment, goes to Afghanistan in December and is slotted for combat training in Fort Irwin, Calif., this April [see here for troops that have been training there for the next roto].

That means the so-called Van Doos will have to be out of Haiti by mid-to-late March, just when defence analysts say security in the disaster zone may need to be increased.

"I just don't know how you maintain it, but by the same token I don't know how you pull out given that it's such a continuing human crisis," said Robert Huebert, of the University of Calgary...

But a story a few days earlier by Matthew Fisher of Canwest News gives rather more depth:

Olympics, Haiti won't affect Afghan deployment: Senior general

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Although Canadian troops were "ferociously busy," the commander of the army has concluded that the current humanitarian operation in Haiti and security demands for the upcoming Olympics will not affect scheduled deployments to Afghanistan.

"My guys have just gone through all the math (and) there is no impact on the current rotation lengths, tour gates for the deployed forces or those going into Afghanistan between now and the end of the mission," Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie said in a telephone interview Friday after returning to Ottawa, following a visit with nearly 4,000 Canadian troops at Fort Irwin, Calif., who are training to deploy to Afghanistan later this year.

Leslie's comments will put to rest speculation among the nearly 3,000 Canadian soldiers now in Afghanistan and those serving elsewhere about what effect the sudden dispatch of about 1,500 Canadian troops to Haiti this month to help earthquake survivors might have on a force that is being seriously stretched by the Afghan combat mission and a massive security operation for the Vancouver Olympics that involves another 4,000 Canadian troops.

Leslie confirmed that the Quebec-based 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment, most of which is now in Haiti, was needed "back in Canada by the end of March, early April, so that they can start their training because they are on deck to go to Afghanistan in December" where they are to be the core element of a team of military trainers that mentors the Afghan army in Kandahar [emphasis added, note focus of the deployment].

"If I have to replace 3 Van Doo with other folks, the government of Canada will let me know," Leslie said, adding that until now, the Canadian Forces have not received any new direction about this from the government [emphasis added].

While declining to say anything about what the army might be able to do to help in Haiti beyond early April, the general said there were "contingency plans for everything."..

Before the Haiti earthquake, Leslie informed troops slated to deploy to Afghanistan that their tours, which have mostly been either six or nine months in length, would all be extended by four or five weeks [emphasis added].

"The intent behind those tour extensions was to marry up the last of the fighting formations so that they terminate their combat activities as directed by Parliament at the end of June (2011)," the 'three-leaf' general said. "The last group going in will provide security elements to bring everything out of where it is now and centralize it with a remit to get it out by the end of December."

The chief of the army confirmed that the drawdown of forces in 2011 is to be protected by the Alberta-based 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. This was also the first Canadian unit to deploy to Afghanistan early in 2002. The battalion will begin its fourth Afghan tour when it deploys to Kandahar early in the summer of 2011.

"The 3 PPCLI folks' job will be 99 per cent security," Leslie said, "but let's not underestimate the dangers of the security force whose remit is to go out and provide escort for the multiple hundreds of vehicles and thousands of tons of equipment that has to go back to Kandahar and be packaged to be sent home [more here]."

This story in fact confirms what I wrote in this post Dec. 26, 2009: that there will be only two more Army combat battle group rotations to Afstan:

Afstan: Only two more rotos to go/Scoop Update

However at that time it seemed the current and next battle group rotos would have their tours extended from six to eight and nine months respectively. Now it would seem the extensions will only be to around seven months--which would account for the Van Doos going in December 2010 rather than, say, March 2011 as suggested in the post. In any event it is confirmed that the final Army roto by the PPCLI will have a much more limited mission than previous battle group ones. Good reporting by Mr Fisher that others in our media might emulate.

And I wonder if the Van Doos are extended in Haiti which regiment might provide the battalion take their place in Afstan--PPCLI, RCR, or a different one from the R22e? The government better make a decision fairly soon if a different battalion is to be readied for training. Gen. Leslie has put the ball firmly in their court. If the 3 Van Doo really has to be replaced in Afstan that will certainly stretch the Army--as indeed would replacing them in Haiti with some other unit.

More on the ending of the mission in another good story, by Allan Woods in the Toronto Star (not the sort of reporting one gets from Globeites):

Forces' 'credibility' at stake
Protecting reputation during withdrawal from Afghan mission will be a top priority

Withdrawing from a fast-moving war presents a security challenge, a financial burden and a logistical nightmare for any army.

But the head of Canada's military fears it could also undermine the credibility his soldiers have gained over a decade in Afghanistan when some 2,800 personnel start pulling out of Kandahar next year, according to documents obtained by the Toronto Star.

In orders issued to Canadian Forces commanders, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk outlined four "strategic ends" the military must meet while withdrawing from the country in December 2011.

They include keeping troops secure while operations wind down, ensuring full Canadian control of the withdrawal, and protecting the country's priority projects such as building up the Afghan security forces and reconstructing a dam [see end of this post].

But top of mind is the "maintenance of Canada's reputation" and honouring the sacrifices of the country's soldiers, sailors and air crews, Natynczyk says in the Aug. 7, 2009 directive, obtained under the Access to Information Act.

"Our credibility as an institution is reliant upon the public and international perceptions of how we carry out this demanding and difficult task," he wrote to his senior commanders.

"Of particular concern is setting the conditions for the handover of our (area of operations) to a NATO-designated relieving force in a manner that reinforces success."

Right up until July 2011, the Canadian Forces will maintain security, counterinsurgency and training operations, Natynczyk wrote. Between July and December 2011, withdrawal becomes the military's only priority. Military planners are still figuring out the costs, staffing and operational requirements involved in the pullout...

...Canada's pullout will be easier because of the heavy presence of U.S. and other allied forces at Kandahar Airfield and across southern Afghanistan [no kidding, see Globeite link above and this post on US Marines at Helmand]...