Canada ponders role in NORTHCOM.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Security Beat

As the U.S. Northern Command was being activated in October, officials in Canada were trying to reassure their citizens that the new entity will not threaten Canadian sovereignty in any way. Instead, they emphasized, military cooperation between U.S. and Canada will continue as it has in the past.

NORTHCOM, as it is known, was created to defend the continental United States, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands against enemy attacks. Its area of operations includes all of Canada, Mexico and the surrounding coastal waters, out to 500 miles.

The head of NORTHCOM will command U.S. forces in the area, but not those of other nations, explained Lt. Gen. George Macdonald, vice chief of the Canadian Defence Staff Instead, he told a parliamentary hearing, the NORTHCOM commander "will be responsible for security cooperation and military coordination with Canada and Mexico, just as his counterparts in the other regional commands must do with the countries [within their assigned areas]." The other regional units are the European, Pacific, Central and...