Coalition Operations: A Canadian Perspective

• Author: Kenneth W. Watkin
• Position: Brigadier General, Canadian Forces
• Pages: 251-262

XIII

Coalition Operations: ACanadian

Perspective

Kenneth W.Watkin*

In order to put my thoughts in context, Ibegin by outlining recent Canadian

participation in the international sphere. Iwant to highlight that Canadian

Forces operations are not limited to "peacekeeping" as is often misunderstood, not

only on the international scene, but also sometimes at home. While Canada chose

not to be involved in the 2003 Iraq operation, it has been afully committed member

—

in terms both of the lives of its soldiers, sailors and airmen, including women, as

well as of "national treasure"—in the coalition and international efforts related to

what the United States, our close neighbor to the south, has termed the "Global

War on Terror" or the "GWOT," and what we call the "Campaign Against Terror-

ism" or the "CAT." 1Isuppose this subtle use of different terminology is part of

the reason this volume contains two other articles2authored by representatives of

nations that have participated in coalition operations with the United States. To-

gether they illustrate the differing national approaches and understandings relat-

ing to participation in acommon enterprise.

Regardless of how the conflict is termed, countering Al Qaeda requires a

multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach involving civilian and military intel-

ligence agencies, policing, diplomacy and international engagement, as well as the

*Brigadier General, Canadian Forces. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of

the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the government of Canada.