VZCZCXRO5345
PP RUEHDBU RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHIK RUEHMT RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHQU RUEHVC
RUEHYG
DE RUEHOT #0183 0691545
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101545Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9192
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0254
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM  PRIORITY

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000183 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/A 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS EAID NATO AF CA
SUBJECT: CANADA WANTS STATE, USAID TO JOIN AFGHAN 
PRE-DEPLOYENT EXERCISE 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an action Request for SCA/A -- see para seven. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Summary:  Canada would like a total of six State 
Department and USAID personnel to join hundreds of Canadian 
military and civilian personnel preparing to serve in 
Afghanistan for a large, "realistic" pre-deployment 
validation exercise in western Canada May 26 - June 13.  Post 
requests that the Department respond to the invitation to 
join Exercise Maple Guardian no later than March 20.  End 
summary. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Department of Foreign Affairs and International 
Trade (DFAIT) Afghanistan Task Force (FTAG) Senior Advisor 
David Fairchild asked pol/miloff on March 9 to inquire 
whether State and USAID would be willing to send personnel to 
Canada's next Afghanistan validation event, Exercise Maple 
Guardian (EMG), alongside the Royal 22nd Regiment battle 
group and DFAIT and Canadian aid (CIDA) personnel preparing 
to deploy to Kandahar this summer. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) According to Fairchild, Canada would welcome up to 
six State and/or USAID employees at the May 26 - June 13 
event, preferring those who are also about to deploy to or 
recently have returned from Afghanistan.  Headquarters and 
Embassy personnel with detailed knowledge of and/or 
experience with Afghan-related operational and policy issues 
would also be welcome.  U.S. participation would benefit both 
sides, he observed, by providing "realistic" experience and 
guidance to officials preparing to operate in a complex 
environment that soon will include thousands more U.S. troops 
and a correspondingly larger U.S. civilian presence. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The validation event will took place at the 
Canadian Manoeuvre Training Center (CMTC) in Wainright, 
Alberta, where civilian participants will have four days of 
briefing and office time (May 26-29) to prepare before 
joining military elements in CMTC's desolate ranges May 30 - 
June 13.  Participants will role-play in the sort of 
activities that personnel from both countries likely will 
encounter in the Kandahar region of Regional Command - South, 
Fairchild said.  Troops will conduct live-fire simulated 
kinetic operations, while military and civilian participants 
plan and execute the full range of civ-mil operations, to 
include attending mock shuras with Afghan role-players. 
Throughout the event, he observed, participants will work at 
resolving the frictions that inevitably occur when 
coordinating interagency, multi-national allied efforts in 
foreign war zones. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Fairchild asked for confirmation by March 20 of 
possible U.S. intent to join EMG, and the names and agency 
affiliations of U.S. participants.  Should the U.S. 
government respond positively to this offer, he said, 
Canadian officials will amend the civil components of the 
scenarios to reflect American participation, organize 
logistical support, book "Spartan" accommodations, etc. 
 
¶7.  (U) Action request:  please advise NLT March 20 whether 
the USG accepts this invitation and, if so, provide a list of 
the proposed six State and/or USAID participants in Exercise 
Maple Guardian. 
 
Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / 
 
BREESE