On October 7, 2001 the U.S launched
military attacks on Afghanistan.
The same day Prime Minister Jean Chretien announced
that Canada would provide
transport and patrol aircraft, frigates, supply ships and 900 troops to
operations in Afghanistan.
This was a unilateral and illegal action by the U.S. and several other countries. While
the UN became involved in Afghanistan
in December 2001, purportedly to help rebuild the country, Canadian forces have
never been there under the auspices of the UN.
In February 2002 a contingent of 850
Canadian soldiers was sent to Afghanistan
where it fought under U.S.
command. In 2005 the Martin Liberal government increased its commitment of
troops to Afghanistan
to a total of 2,300. In early 2006 the Canadian forces were put in charge of
operations in the region around Kandahar, where the Taliban forces
have been making a comeback. However, in the aftermath of the recent U.S. bombing of a village near Kandahar in which a large number of civilians
were killed, it was revealed that the Canadian forces are not really in charge
and that there are two levels of U.S. command above them.
While the U.S.
is pressuring Canada and
other NATO allies to increase their military commitment in Afghanistan,
the Bush administration is in the process of withdrawing 4000 of its own troops
from that country.