JTF-2 asked to stay in Afghanistan past 2014

U.S. and Canadian officials are in talks over a Pentagon request to keep Canadian special forces in Afghanistan beyond the 2014 withdrawal the Conservative government promised. Both the Ottawa-based counter-terrorism group Joint Task Force 2 and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment, located at CFB Petawawa, have conducted training and combat missions in Afghanistan and have worked in the past with U.S. special forces.

The U.S. has devised a plan to leave thousands of its special forces troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014 to both train Afghan soldiers and hunt down insurgent leaders.

The U.S. has asked both Australia and Canada to contribute special forces for both of those missions. Canadian and U.S. officials confirm that the request has been made. Australia has announced it will bring its troops home from Afghanistan a year earlier than planned, with most soldiers withdrawn in 2013. But Australia’s prime minister already has signalled that her country is open to “provide niche training to the Afghan National Security Forces after 2014”.

“We are prepared to consider a limited special forces contribution — in the right circumstances and under the right mandate,” Prime Minister Julia Gillard said in a speech last week.

Asked to comment on the U.S. request, Jay Paxton, spokesman for Defence Minister Peter Mackay, said “the government has been clear that the role of the Canadian Forces will be in a non-combat role until 2014. The ultimate objective is to help Afghans rebuild Afghanistan into a viable country this is better governed, more stable and secure and never again a safe haven for terrorists.”

U.S. officers made the request for Canadian special forces to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014 because they think highly of their skills.

There is also a growing concern among NATO military officers that Afghan security forces will not be ready by 2014 to stand on their own against the various insurgent groups in the country. Insurgents recently conducted a series of high-profile coordinated attacks in Kabul and other locations that left 51 people dead.

Canada is under pressure to continue its military presence beyond 2014 and that is expected to increase as leaders of NATO nations meet May 20-21 in Chicago to discuss the war.