- The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) was involved in Afghanistan for over 12 years, and was the largest deployment of CAF personnel since the Second World War.
- The Afghanistan War is Canada's longest war to-date and was the first significant combat engagement since the Korean War.
- The mission in Afghanistan was sparked by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States and the mission was formally led by NATO and sanctioned by the United Nations.
- Justifications for Canada's involvement in the Afghanistan War is multifaceted but largely involves national interest and our obligation/commitments to the international community, most notably the United States and NATO, and to help stabilize the country and protect its people.
- This archived publication form National Security and Defence Canada outlines the international and Canadian missions in Afghanistan, along with a detailed overview of the several CAF operations between October 2001–March 2014.
Canada. National Security and Defence. The Canadian Armed Forces Legacy in Afghanistan. 2018. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/operations/military-operations/recently-completed/canadian-armed-forces-legacy-afghanistan.html
For the timeline of the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/operations/military-operations/recently-completed/canadian-armed-forces-legacy-afghanistan/mission-timeline.html
For scholarly articles on Canada's involvement in Afghanistan: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02722011003734787
& https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/JIPA/Display/Article/2732160/managerial-technicalism-the-evolving-nature-of-canadian-decision-making-in-the/
& https://www.cigionline.org/sites/default/files/afghanistan_paper_10.pdf
& https://www.jstor.org/stable/40203671
& https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199673681.001.0001/acprof-9780199673681-chapter-4
For more information on Canada's involvement in Afghanistan: https://www.warmuseum.ca/learn/canada-and-the-afghanistan-war/
& https://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/afghanistan/afghanistane.html
& https://www.veterans.gc.ca/pdf/cr/pi-sheets/afghanistan-eng.pdf
& https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/august-2021/the-calculated-measure-of-success-of-our-mission-to-afghanistan/ & https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/august-2021/a-soldiers-hard-look-back-at-canadas-afghan-mission/#:~:text=When%20Canada%20first%20entered%20Afghanistan,grueling%20battles%20in%20distant%20mountains.
For a House of Commons Committee Report on Canadian Forces in Afghanistan: https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/39-1/NDDN/report-1
For a background on the NATO mission in Afghanistan: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_8189.htm