MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 14 Sept 11

• Libya Mission (1)  Canada’s diplomats are reportedly back in country, working to re-open the embassy in Tripoli (and the soon-to-be government is getting ~$2B unfrozen) – more on that from the Foreign Affairs Minister, CTV.ca, CBC.ca (more here), the Globe & Mail (more here), the Toronto Star, Agence France-Presse, Reuters and United Press International.
• Libya Mission (2)  Ya think?  “Libya’s top diplomat in Ottawa expects Canadian companies to benefit from the goodwill earned by this country’s active military involvement in the effort to topple Moammar Gadhafi’s regime. “The Libyan people do see a country (Canada) that stood by them and helped them and answered their call when they needed them,” Abubaker Karmos said Tuesday. “They see those countries as better partners probably than some of those other countries that didn’t show as much interest.” Karmos was speaking hours after Foreign Minister John Baird announced Canada was reopening its embassy in Tripoli, with a particular focus on strengthening business ties between the two countries ….”
• Note to CBC.ca’s “Community Team”:  Military assault rifles already ARE banned in Canada.  That is all.
• Afghanistan (1)  CF Info-Machine on linemen helping tear down comms stuff in Kandahar.  “The linemen of the Mission Transition Task Force (MTTF) Headquarters and Signals Squadron recently conducted a a 35-day “line exchange program” to demonstrate the cable plant of the Canadian facilities at Kandahar Airfield for a team of U.S. Army linemen …. One of the responsibilities of the MTTF Headquarters and Signals Squadron is to ensure that the communications equipment installed at Kandahar Airfield for Joint Task Force Afghanistan is correctly accounted for so it can either be returned to Canada or transferred to other users in Afghanistan ….”
• Afghanistan (2a)  Toronto Star editorial on fast-tracking interpreters into Canada:  “…. The program to help Afghan aides and their families ended this week, with the door closing on those who for one reason or another failed to qualify. They worked alongside with our troops and often risked their lives, but Canada has turned its back on most who applied. Ottawa should rethink how this program has been carried out, and err on the side of generosity to those Canada relied on at a time of need.”
• Afghanistan (2b)  CBC.ca writes story on comments collected on fast-tracking interpreters into Canada.  One of the “anti” fast-tracking comments didn’t make the cut, though:  some troops appeared to worry about the reliability of some interpreters.
• Afghanistan (3)  “The Defence Department has shelved an elaborate proposal to revamp the National War Memorial to honour Canadians who fought in Afghanistan. The plan, a copy of which was seen by The Canadian Press, involved etching the dates 2001-2011 into the granite sides of the downtown monument that was first erected to honour the sacrifices of troops during the First World War. …. Defence officials confirm the plan was never brought forward for a decision, and came before the Harper government had decided to continue a presence in Afghanistan through the NATO training mission in Kabul, which will continue until 2014. “These men and women in uniform are in harm’s way and it is clearly inappropriate to commemorate a mission which has yet to be completed,” said Joshua Zanin, a spokesman for Defence Minister Peter MacKay. “When the last troops return home to their families at the conclusion of the mission, the full scope of Canada’s contributions in Afghanistan, including all the work of all those who have sacrificed and fallen in the service of their country, will be appropriately recognized and commemorated.” ….”  One hopes they really DO mean these bits in red (notwithstanding how “appropriate” will be interpreted once the time comes to decide).
• Canada’s Victoria-Class Subs:  It seems the “end of a long beginning” may take a little longer to get here.  “A fire on board HMCS Victoria, the Royal Canadian Navy’s best hope for an operational submarine, is the latest mishap to plague the used boats which have spent more time undergoing repairs than in the water. The submarine’s commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Ellis, confirmed that the fire happened last Tuesday and was contained to the communications mast on top of the sub. It happened during a scheduled radiation hazard survey. One of the submariners on the jetty during the training noticed smoke coming from the communications mast, Ellis said. “There was no indication of smoke or anything inside the submarine,” Ellis said, explaining that the mast does not open up to the rest of the boat. “It was a minor fire in that way.” ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  Rent-a-UAV for training exercise, and dog sledding services for Brit troops seeking adventure training in Alberta (via Army.ca)
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Some confusion among Canadian officials re:  delivery dates?
• “Maple Arch 2011 international military excercises involving Canada, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine began in Zagan-Swietoszow, western Poland, according to local media. The exercises, attended by 200 soldiers, are part of preparations of the new shift of the Polish military contingent in Afghanistan, which is expected to to start its mission in the spring of next year. The goal of the exercise, to last until Friday, is to boost capacity of the Polish troops in conditions similar to those in Afghanistan, Marcin Gil, the press officers of the Krakow 6th Airborne Division told the PAP news agency ….”  More on the exercise (in Polish) here.
• One day, a similar story will have a different lead paragraph because it won’t matter what religion a Commanding Officer is as long as s/he can do the job.  “Lt.Col. Harjit Singh Sajjan, has become the first Sikh in Canada to take command of a British Columbia regiment. In a historic ceremony, a change of command in the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own) took place on September 11, 2011, at the Beatty Street Armoury in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Lt.-Col. Bruce Kadanoff relinquished command of the regiment to Lt.-Col. Harjit Singh Sajjan, who has taken over as Commanding Officer of the Regiment. Lt.-Col. Harjit Singh joined the British Columbia Regiment as a Trooper in 1989 and was commissioned in the Regiment in 1991. He was promoted to Captain in 1995 and to Major in 2005. He has served in Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as three deployments to Afghanistan ….”
• Border Security  “Prime Minister Stephen Harper will soon announce the details of a “comprehensive” border-security deal with the United States to tighten protection from terrorists and speed up cross-border traffic for travellers and businesses. Officials from both countries are in the final stages of discussing the terms of the perimeter security “action plan.” It’s expected Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama will unveil the deal in the coming weeks, although officials stress that more negotiation needs to be done in some areas before a final sign-off can occur. The two leaders, who met in Washington last February to announce the launch of negotiations, are expected to meet publicly again to formally unveil the action plan ….”  One hopes that will also include something to deal with the “primary source of smuggled guns …. entering Canada”.

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