Afstan: Yet more Canadian media ignorance

Quelle surprise! A letter sent to the Ottawa Sun and not published:

Michael Harris ("Karzai shows west the door", April 8) demonstrates why it is difficult to put much credence in what he writes about Afghanistan. Mr. Harris states flatly that "The fact is that the biggest player in theatre, the United States, has done no training at all except for the last few months."

Apparenly his fervent opposition to the international military mission has led him to disregard the need for research when his knowledge is clearly deficient. In reality the U.S. has engaged in training Afghan troops for several years. For example, the Americans in 2006 set up a major training mission, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (now merged with a new NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan), that involved substantial numbers of U.S. forces.

Moreover, U.S. forces have for some time been training Afghans in the field, i.e. in combat, as Embedded Tactical Trainers (ETTs, equivalent to Canadian Forces' mentors).

Please take note, Mr. Harris.

References:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/camp_eggers.htm (from 2009)

"...
On April 4, 2006, the Office of Security Cooperation–Afghanistan was re-designated as CSTC-A and assigned to the United States Central Command. Headquartered at Camp Eggers, CSTC-A was a joint service, coalition organization with military personnel from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Poland, Albania, Germany, France and Romania, as well as contracted civilian advisors, mentors and trainers.

The Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan was still located on Camp Eggers as of December, 2007. As it is located in Kabul, Eggers does have a variety of facilities on base or in the immediate vicinity that are available to the soldiers stationed there, there are two dining facilities, a medical clinic, library, video store, px/bx, barbershop and salon, recreation center, education center, library, computer lab, laundry, sewing shop, coffee shop, a gym and even a spa specializing in American and European styles.

The mission of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, at Camp Eggers is to plan, program and implement structural, organizational, institutional and management reforms of the Afghanistan National Security Forces in order to develop a stable Afghanistan, strengthen the rule of law, and deter and defeat terrorism within its borders.

CSTC-A provides advisors, mentors and trainers to help both the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior organize, train, equip, employ and support the ANSF in order to do everything from defeat the insurgency and provide internal security to setting the conditions for economic development, and gain the trust and confidence of the citizens of Afghanistan.

Mission success for CSTC-A is defined as fielding an ANSF that is professional, literate, ethnically diverse, tactically competent and capable of providing security throughout Afghanistan.

CSTC-A's role was assisting the Government of Afghanistan in building the ANSF. From recruiting soldiers and policemen to training recruiters, organizing the Ministries of Defense and Interior to mentoring senior leaders and the General Staff and developing the policies and processes required by a modern army and police force
With a military strength of more than 1,000, CSTC-A is under the control of United States Central Command (CENTCOM). Under CSTC-A’s operational control is Task Force Phoenix, with military strength of more than 6,000, responsible for training, mentoring and advising the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police..."

http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/11/23/30841-new-nato-command-activated-in-kabul-continues-afghan-training/

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=25895 (from 2005)

"...
Alongside the ANA were their U.S. embedded tactical trainers. The team's commander, South Carolina Army National Guard Lt. Col. Gordon Johnson Jr., said their mission was to support the Afghan soldiers in any situation that developed..."


More:
http://bc235.blogspot.com/2009/08/endex.html

Search at this blog under "combined security" (there are CF angles) and "embedded tactical" for further facts . More on the mono-minded Mr Harris from 2007:

Afstan: What should Canada do?