National Defence Committee on Nov. 8th, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

I call to order meeting number 22 of the Standing Committee on National Defence, pursuant to our study on Afghanistan.

We'd certainly like to welcome General Gauthier here today, commander of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Command.

Sir, the usual process is that you have some time to make a presentation. Did I see a handout as well from you? Yes, speaking points have been handed out in both official languages, I hope?

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier, Commander , Canadian Expeditionary Force Command, Department of National Defence]

Absolutely.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

That's good. After you're finished--take the time you need, this is a two-hour session--we'll start into our regular round of questions and see how that flows.

So, sir, the floor is yours.

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Honourable members, good afternoon.

I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak with you about our Canadian Forces' mission in Afghanistan.

What you should have in front of you is the text of my opening remarks, as well as some slides, five or six graphics, which I will walk through as I go along and refer to at the appropriate time.

As commander of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command, I'm responsible to the CDS for all our forces deployed on international missions. I was appointed to this new command position in September of last year, and my headquarters was formally stood up and assumed control of international operations on February 1 of this year.

Boiled down to its essence, my job is about two things: first of all, exercising effective command and control of international operations on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff; and, just as important, from my perspective, ensuring that the men and women deployed on these missions have the support they need to be successful--in other words, setting the conditions for mission success.

As Commander of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command, CEFC, and a member of the Canadian Forces, I'm extremely proud of what we have accomplished since we first began conducting ground operations in Afghanistan in 2002.

I know you have already had a number of Canadian Forces and Department of National Defence representatives appear before you concerning the mission in Afghanistan, and among these, most recently, Brigadier-General Howard who provided you with a very good factual update on where the mission currently stands.

In my prepared remarks, I would like to offer my perspective on the whole-of-government approach to the mission and its military component, and the progress that has been achieved along the different lines of operation since Canada's move into the south of Afghanistan.

I will be pleased to answer your questions following my remarks.

First of all, let me say a few words about our whole-of-government approach as viewed from a Canadian Forces perspective. If I could ask you to refer to the first graphic, please, our efforts in Afghanistan are guided by a military campaign plan that was developed in full consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs, CIDA, the RCMP, and our other partners, and it is fully congruent with the Government of Canada country strategy for Afghanistan.

Contrary to some recent assertions, this is not exclusively a combat mission. Far from it. We are focused above all on helping the people of Afghanistan and giving them hope for a brighter future. Our priorities and objectives are based largely on those found in the Afghan national development strategy, as unveiled at the London conference in January of this year, and our benchmarks and measures of success mirror those in the Afghan Compact, which is the agreement between the Government of Afghanistan and the international donor community on goals to be achieved between now and 2011.

All of these are also linked to NATO operational plans. From a Canadian perspective, this is very much a whole-of-government effort. In Afghanistan, these efforts come together at the provincial reconstruction team level in Kandahar within the Canadian joint task force headquarters, where the military commander has both policy and development advisers, and at the national level through the embassy in Kabul, where, again, all the key players are present.

There is always room for improvement, but I believe we're doing this better right now in a three-D, whole-of-government context than we've done at any time since the end of the cold war.

As illustrated in the right side of the slide, of course, this isn't simply a Canadian effort. Until recently our forces were under the operational control of the U.S.-led coalition.

As of July 31, we are now functioning under the command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Beyond the military coalition, we also engage and work closely, at multiple levels, with many international partners including national entities,International Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations.

Finally, and most importantly, there is the Afghan context to consider. We have said all along that this is all about helping Afghans to help themselves, and our deployed personnel understand this well.

This next graphic, slide 2, shows the main lines of effort or lines of operation we are following, all of which are closely aligned with the Afghan national development strategy and ISAF's plan to assist the government of Afghanistan.

With respect to governance, the military plays a supporting and enabling role to other departments in achieving governance objectives. From our perspective, this is about building capacity and supporting the extension of the authority, credibility, and legitimacy of the Government of Afghanistan, from Kabul down through the provincial level to the districts and villages where people need their help.

Our role in development and reconstruction objectives is also supportive to other departments. These objectives are focused on helping to reduce poverty, create a viable economy, and address the infrastructure and social priorities of government authorities at all levels.

The security line of operation is obviously our core business in the military. It's principally about two things: maintaining a stable and secure environment on the one hand, which in turn will facilitate progress along the first two lines of operation; and second, assisting in the building of capacity of Afghan national security forces, principally the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police, to be able to stand on their own two feet.

Because the security challenges in the southern and eastern reaches of Afghanistan have been so significant, making progress along all three lines of operation has been challenging. We must win the confidence of the Afghan people so they can help us with security. However, this confidence will not be won through security operations alone. The Afghan government and the international community have to improve the quality of people's lives if they are to earn their loyalty and support and, by extension, their help in security matters.

Reflecting on the progress Canada has made to date in Afghanistan, it is important to consider that we have only had a significant concentration of forces in the South since late February of this year. At the time of our arrival in Kandahar, operations were being conducted under the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom, with coalition manoeuvre units present in just two of the six southern provinces.

Last week, after almost nine months in command, Canada's Brigadier-General David Fraser handed over Command of Regional Command (South) to Major-General Ton Van Loon of the Netherlands.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Brigadier-General Fraser's outstanding accomplishments over this period. His exceptional leadership of a dynamic multinational force under the most trying of circumstances has earned him the highest praise from all levels of both the NATO and U.S. chains of command, as well as the Afghan government.

We will now move to slide 3.

During his command, General Fraser was responsible for overseeing the critical and successful transition of international forces from U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom to NATO's International Security Assistance Force, which took place absolutely seamlessly on 31 July of this year. His efforts and leadership also helped set the conditions for the expansion of ISAF into Regional Command East in early October, thereby completing the transfer of authority for the whole of Afghanistan from U.S. leadership to NATO leadership.

During this period, Canadian Forces were instrumental in supporting the inflow of key major NATO troop-contributing countries in RC south: the Netherlands in Oruzgan; the U.K. in Helmand province; and the Romanians in Zabul province. There's now a battle group and a PRT in each of the four major provinces in the south, more than doubling the coalition presence in this region of Afghanistan from earlier Operation Enduring Freedom days.

The media has covered Canadian Forces actions in the face of armed opposition throughout Kandahar province as we've extended our presence into regions that until recently were considered safe havens for the Taliban. In doing so, we've disrupted them, weakened their operational capability, and extended the reach of Afghan authorities in these areas.

Through Operations Mountain Thrust and Medusa, international forces, and Canadians in particular, defeated the Taliban's much heralded spring and summer offensive and forcefully demonstrated the resolve of ISAF. Earlier in the year, the Taliban publicly claimed that its troops would take back Kandahar and that U.S. and NATO soldiers would be on the run.

As Brigadier General Fraser pointed out recently, we are still there, stronger and more determined than ever. We hold the Pashmul and Panjwai districts--heartland of the old Taliban regime--and Kandahar is no longer under direct threat from Taliban fighters.

As General James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said very recently, "The insurgents chose to test Canada and Canada responded magnificently.”

But we're under no illusions about what this all means. Having failed in more conventional operations in August and September, the Taliban will revert to their traditional intimidation tactics: terrorizing and victimizing innocent Afghan men, women, and children.

The challenge ahead is to turn these tactical victories of recent months into longer-term gains for the Afghan people, to offer them hope where the Taliban offer hatred.

We certainly recognize that this won't be achieved by military means alone.

As I said earlier, our efforts are intended to be balanced between maintaining a secure and stable environment in Kandahar and building the capacity of the Afghan National Security Forces. Much progress has been made by the international community in helping to raise a professional Afghan National Army over the past three years; but this is a mammoth undertaking, and it is unrealistic to think that sustainable results will be achieved overnight.

The same applies to the Afghan National Police forces. The latter are particularly critical to security at the district and village levels and much remains to be done to improve the quality and quantity of these forces. The Canadian Forces and the whole-of-government team are actively engaged in building capacity within the Afghan National Security Forces.

At the national level, we have a number of Canadian Forces staff officers, led by Brigadier-General Gary O'Brien, embedded in and playing a key role with the U.S.-led Combined Security and Training Command in Kabul. This headquarters manages a multi-billion dollar program aimed at organizing, training and equipping the Afghan National Army and reforming and building the Afghan National Police. A number of RCMP officers will also be joining this group in the weeks ahead.

We'll also have 15 Canadian Forces personnel functioning as a training team working directly with the Afghan National Army soldiers at the Kabul Military Training Centre. This training cadre mentors Afghan trainers and soldiers in small unit tactics and skills as the final step in their basic training prior to their operational deployment with Afghan military units across the country.

Our soldiers have a well-deserved reputation as excellent trainers, and the impact of this relatively small group of Canadians on literally thousands of Afghan soldiers on their way out the training door is important.

In Kandahar province, our security capacity-building efforts have also been significant, and these are growing by the day. We recently completed the deployment of a 64-person operational mentor and liaison team, affectionately referred to as OMLTs, that will be embedded in and work closely with an Afghan National Army infantry battalion in Kandahar and various headquarters elements. The intention here is to have Canadians mentor, train, and support Afghan army units that will be working alongside Canadian Forces units in the province. If we're successful over time, there will be a gradual reduction in our combat forces and a corresponding increase in our mentoring and training contribution.

The Kandahar provincial reconstruction team also has been very much focused on capacity building. An important and successful initiative has been the creation of a joint or provincial coordination centre, comprised of Canadian Forces members and Afghan National Police, located in the heart of the city by the Governor's Palace. The Joint Coordination Centre plays a key role in providing information about incidents and accidents and helps to coordinate quick emergency response between Afghan and ISAF forces.

PRT members attend numerous security meetings with representatives of all major ANSF elements to discuss coordinated efforts to resolve issues such as security, resources, operations, and intelligence sharing.

The PRT Military Police Platoon together with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and civilian police representatives work closely with the Afghan National Police leadership to develop their policing capacity. Both elements have been engaged in a variety of training activities at Camp Nathan Smith, including the handling of Improvised Explosive Devices, patrolling, suspect searching and vehicle checkpoint procedures, in an effort to professionalize law enforcement agencies. RCMP and Military Police have also played an important role in the more recent initiative to recruit and train an Auxiliary Police Force for Kandahar province.

I should also note that a substantial element of the reconstruction effort funded by the Department of National Defence is focused on Afghan National Police equipment and infrastructure.

As I indicated earlier, from a Canadian Forces military perspective, we see this challenge of supporting the development of professional, credible, and trusted Afghan national security forces as our most important line of work. The challenge in the near term is to increase the presence of both Afghan National Army and police forces in Kandahar province, such that we are supporting them rather than the other way around.

Now, a few words about our progress in governance, reconstruction, and development. You've had an opportunity to hear from Colonel Mike Capstick about the role of the strategic advisory team in support of various government ministries, so I will not dwell on this particular success story. I'll simply say that the feedback I've received from Afghans in Kabul is that this team is respected, trusted, and very much contributing to building governance and development capacity at the national level in Kabul.

In Kandahar, our PRT is also making great progress. The essential challenge for our three-D team is to build a firm foundation for the longer-term future of Afghanistan—something that CIDA is highly respected for and does very well—and at the same time achieve near-term, visible results that will win the confidence and trust of the local population.

In an active war zone, this is hard work. In fact, in many ways it's counterintuitive. Our team, led by CIDA, has devoted considerable energy on the ground to building the consultative and decision-making processes at the provincial, district, and community levels to ensure that what the PRT delivers, where, and according to what priority is consistent with Afghan needs and wishes. This emphasis on process doesn't necessarily brief well, as I tell my staff regularly, but it really is key to achieving the sustainable results that build trust and confidence.

In addition to process issues, we are in the midst of reinforcing the PRT with additional security forces and project engineers and managers who will, before long, have a pretty dramatic effect on what the PRT is able to deliver.

This is certainly not to say for a minute that there hasn't been progress in the past several months. In his departing remarks last week, General Fraser made reference to the 146 kilometres of new roads that have been built in Kandahar province alone and the over 100,000 metres of irrigation canals and the more than 1,000 wells that have been dug.

I understand that Brigadier-General Howard has agreed to submit to you a list of on-going and completed projects, so I will not go into individual project detail.

I will say that today, the efforts of the Provincial Reconstruction Team are very much focused on capitalizing on the recent success of Operation Medusa to permit the local population in the Panjwayi and Zharey districts—who had been terrorized by the Taliban over a period of several months—to return to some level of normality.

The PRT has been working closely with the Provincial Disaster Management Committee, the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan, UNAMA, the World Food Program, and other International and Non-Governmental Organizations to assist in returning these people to their land and homes and providing them immediate humanitarian relief. At the same time, a selection of Quick Impact Projects is currently being submitted to local authorities for their approval.

If you'd refer to slides 5 and 6, the other main project, about which you've already heard something, is the ongoing construction of Route Summit, which is a newly constructed paved road that runs right through the Zharey district and connects with the Panjwai district. This was, of course, the main battleground during Operation Medusa.

The German government has agreed to fund the paving of a large part of this road, and the contract between the German government and ISAF has already been concluded. Canadian Forces engineers are heavily involved in the planning and execution of this project. The significance of this road is that it links the Zharey and Panjwai districts to the main access road in Kandahar province, Highway 1, and once complete, it will certainly help to stimulate commerce and help the movement of the local population.

I should add that not included in your notes is the fact that the southern portion of that route actually will be funded and built by Canadians, enabled in the early going by Canadian Forces engineers. We expect that work to begin literally in the next two or three days.

To conclude this topic, I would simply say that the provincial reconstruction team is very much the focal point for our three-D effort in Kandahar province. Both CIDA and the RCMP have increased their presence in the PRT over the past several months, and the Canadian Forces component will likewise see significant augmentation over the next month.

I have to say that in my 33 years of service, with lots of time spent on international operations, I have never seen better cooperation between government departments. It is not perfect, but this is in many ways unfamiliar territory, and we are all learning every day. An awful lot of excellent work has been going on, and I would hope this will become more obvious to you and to all Canadians in the coming months.

Let me give a few words on the way ahead. On the first of November, Brigadier-General Tim Grant took over command of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan from Brigadier-General David Fraser. Since the multinational command role has passed from Canadians to the Dutch, General Grant will be able to focus more sharply on effects and outcomes in Kandahar province specifically, while retaining overall command of all Canadian Forces personnel in Afghanistan.

He will have three main components under his command: a substantially enhanced provincial reconstruction team with a more robust security force, leading to greater autonomy to operate across the province, as well as a stronger technical capacity to support project identification, management, and delivery; a battle group that's been reinforced with tanks and other capabilities to enhance its mobility, fire power, and protection and thereby have the agility it needs to conduct security operations when and where needed by Afghan authorities and the local population; and third, operational mentor and liaison teams, fully embedded in Afghan National Army units, whose sole focus is on building Afghan capacity.

To conclude, I've personally been directly and continuously engaged in the Canadian effort in Afghanistan since early 2002: initially when l commanded Operation Apollo, which was the Canadian Forces contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom in its early days; subsequently as the chief of defence intelligence for three years, where my main focus was Afghanistan; and more recently as commander of CEFCOM.

Critics might find fault wherever they wish. The fact remains that the progress Afghanistan has made since 2002 has been dramatic, and Canada's contribution has been and continues to be an important fact.

Canada's earlier contribution to the International Security Assistance Force, between 2003 and 2005, and the leadership role it played in the early days of NATO involvement with the Force, was both meaningful and highly successful in terms of its impact on the Government of Afghanistan and the people of Kabul.

Given that Canada has only been engaged in the south for a relatively brief period, it's still too early to be able to report practical, visible results of our collective efforts. Much of the progress has been about capacity building and governance, which will allow for sustainable progress in the south, not concepts that play well in the media.

Nonetheless, we have made an impact. Our presence in Kandahar province—the first ever coalition presence in many Taliban sanctuary areas—has sparked the expected reactions from the Taliban and other opposing forces. This paints an awkward picture of success, in that our advances in stability and security are demonstrated by increasing attacks by opposing forces.

I can recall in late February, as Canadians were assuming command in Kandahar, Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry, the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition commander, stated publicly that he fully expected insurgent activity to grow through the spring and early summer of 2006. This is precisely what we've seen over the past months.

Kandahar and the southern region were the heart of the Taliban movement in pre-2001 Afghanistan. The insurgency today remains intent on overthrowing the legitimate, democratically elected national government. Since we're there to help this government and its people, we will continue to be targeted by insurgents who have shown their disregard for the civilian population by their indiscriminate attacks and methods. All this means that progress in the south as well as in the east of Afghanistan will be slow.

I personally believe the multi-disciplinary approach that Canada and the Canadian Forces are taking in Afghanistan, founded in a fundamental sense on working with legitimate Afghan authorities, NATO, and the international community, is sound.

From a purely military perspective, we certainly aren't resting on our laurels. There's good communication through all levels of the chain of command, and horizontally with our three-D and international partners, and we're all engaged in evaluating this very dynamic, complex mission and its progress on a daily basis. The force structure and capabilities have evolved, and we will continue to shape them as circumstances dictate over time.

I have visited our troops in Afghanistan five times in the past eight months, most recently two weeks ago, and have spoken with several hundred of our soldiers over there during each of these visits. Most have experienced combat. Outside the wire they eat, sleep, live, and operate under conditions that most Canadians would find difficult to imagine. Despite the challenges they face, they're determined to succeed, and they remain positive about what they're accomplishing. They have what I consider to be a very well-developed understanding of their mission and what needs to be done to help Afghanistan with its recovery, and they believe in what they're doing. I hear that time and time again.

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. I look forward to your questions.

Mr. Chair, I apologize for going on for some time. I am now open to your questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you for that. We'll go through our first round. I think they're seven minutes.

Mr. Cannis, you start.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If I am short of that time, Mr. McTeague will take whatever time I have left over.

General Gauthier, welcome to the committee. Thank you for a very in-depth presentation. Before I go on, I just want to ask your view on a comment you made. Critics might find fault.

How do you see it when an individual or an organization or a group constructively comments or constructively criticizes or expresses an opinion about our mission in Afghanistan? Do you see it as not being supportive of our men and women and as being unpatriotic? I'd like just a quick comment on that.

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

I certainly wouldn't characterize it as being unpatriotic, and far be it from me to challenge anybody's right in Canada to say whatever they want about the mission. There is the classic line about what the military role is in a democracy, and it's all about defending people's right to express themselves. I'm crystal clear on that.

I would simply say that from the perspective of the troops overseas, depending on the tone or tenor of comments, in some cases it might erode their confidence to a certain degree. That, of course, is absolutely counterbalanced by such activities as the “red Friday” rallies that we see here in Canada.

I don't take issue at all, I can assure you, with any criticism that is thrown.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

I sense that you believe in democracy, and I appreciate that.

You talked about the Taliban and how they are terrorizing and victimizing innocent Afghans, if I may quote you. It's known, or we've been told and have read, that President Karzai is speaking or negotiating or exchanging with the Taliban. Now, on this side of the battle, here in our country and in other parts, I know our country has expressed, and certain individuals have expressed, that we don't deal with the enemy. We don't talk with the enemy; we will never talk with the enemy.

The question I have to you is, how do you see this engagement between President Karzai and the Taliban unfolding? Does it not put in jeopardy our Canadian men and women and other members of the NATO forces wherever they find themselves in Afghanistan?

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

I could answer that in a number of ways. I will say, first of all, that there has been a program under way—and I think the CDS made reference to this in previous testimony—called PTS. “Peace through strength”, I believe, is what that stands for. It's clearly an Afghan government program that ISAF and Canadians have no specific role to play in, but it is one under which Afghan people who might have had affiliations or ties to the Taliban and who wish to renounce those ties are encouraged to do so. There's an actual program that is managed from the national, through the provincial, down to the district level to encourage support for the Government of Afghanistan.

As far as negotiations go with the Taliban, we are there to support the Government of Afghanistan. We certainly are not negotiating with the Taliban. What President Karzai chooses to do, and what his officials and authorities choose to do, is obviously up to them.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

It is, and I respect that, but on the one hand, General, we're there trying to fight insurgents, and Canadian blood has been shed. On the other hand, we have President Karzai, as we've been informed, negotiating with the same people who are killing Canadian men and women, and others as well.

Has there been any movement to sit with the legitimate Government of Afghanistan, as you described them, and say, let's map out a strategy of how to continue, if we are to continue engaging with these people? It has been suggested by other politicians as well—not I—that we should be speaking with these people. I reserve my comment on that, but it is happening.

Is there any kind of initiative to say, let's put a plan together; we either engage with them or we don't?

May I have your comments on that, from your 33 years of experience?

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

My comment on that, as a simple soldier who is focused on the military realm and the security realm, is that I don't have a comment on it, quite frankly. There might be a Government of Canada view. You'd have to speak to the Department of Foreign Affairs about that.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Okay. I appreciate the honesty there, sir.

President Karzai also said on television, when he visited us here in Canada, that this year, 200,000 fewer children are attending school than in the previous year. He obviously outlined that reconstruction, etc., is very important. We've also heard from other witnesses and seen in comments we've read that the reconstruction aspect of it is not moving as it should, because funds have not been flowing as they should be flowing, for reasons of whatever obstacles are before them—I don't know; you might enlighten us.

It seems, from some of these comments made by President Karzai, that we're going backward and not forward. The Taliban seems to be in a very aggressive, proactive combat mode, preventing and terrorizing Afghans and of course not allowing young men and women to attend classes. Also, as infrastructures go up, so quickly, I hear, do they come down.

How do you say we're making progress in this?

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

I was in the centre section of the House of Commons when President Karzai spoke to all of you about the progress that was being made in Afghanistan. I did not get the sense from those comments that he felt that Afghanistan was regressing, sir, with all due respect.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

I know, because his questioning...I will then refer you to.... It is on tape. He spoke with Don Newman, and the tapes are there. That's where I got that comment. If he misled Don Newman, he misled me and the Canadian audience that was, I believe, watching at that time. This is not something I just simply pulled out of a hat.

I'll end there, Mr. Chairman. Whatever time is....

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

You have nine seconds, so maybe we'll just move on.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

There you go.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

It's nice to see you, Dan.

We'll go to Mr. Bachand.

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to welcome the general.

General, first, when it comes to the military hierarchy, I've seen stars and maple leafs before. You have three, and I think General Fraser has two. Is that correct? He only had one.

So, that means you are two ranks above him. The third rank is when one becomes the Chief of the Defence Staff. Is that correct?

Based on my reading of the documents, you are the person who basically determines the predeployment and rules of engagement training. Is that actually your responsibility?

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

To some extent, yes.

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

And as far as the rules of engagement are concerned?

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

They're not entirely left up to me. The rules of engagement are the responsibility of the Chief—

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

They are the purview of the Chief of the Defence Staff.

So, you have a certain number of responsibilities, and others lie with the Chief of the Defence Staff.

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

That's correct.

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Someone in the theatre of operation, such as General Fraser, gets his orders from various people, and must follow them.

[LGen J.C.M. Gauthier]

General Fraser gets his orders from one person, and one person alone.