Out of Darkness-Light

Book excerpt: Canada has a rich and interesting military intelligence history, one that continues to grow at a rapidly expanding rate. Intelligence is a key element of operations, enabling commanders to successfully plan and conduct operations. It enables them to win decisive battles and it helps them to identify and attack high value targets. In order to ensure Commanders have the required support they need to plan and conduct operations, members of Canada's Military Intelligence Branch are serving in an increasingly dangerous number of hotspots around the world. In recent years they have served in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Haiti, Somalia, Rwanda, East Timor, and Afghanistan just to name a few. While Intelligence personnel have played a major role in ensuring the successful completion of these interdiction missions, many of their stories remain classified. This history cannot truly be complete until the Official Secrets Act permits a clearer picture to be told. Out of Darkness-Light, Volume 2 should, however, give the interested reader at least a partial view of some of the service that has been carried out on Canada's behalf by the Canadian Forces Intelligence Branch for the years 1983 to 1997.