Guerrilla warfare against the US military. Canada is analyzing a scenario in the event of an American invasion
2026-01-20 17:29, updated 2026-01-20 18:57
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2026-01-20 17:29
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2026-01-20 18:57
The Canadian army is preparing scenarios in the event of a hypothetical American invasion of Canada. They include, among others: tactics similar to those used by the mujahideen in Afghanistan against the USSR troops in the 1980s.
Scenarios in the event of an American attack on Canada were described on Tuesday by The Globe and Mail, citing government sources and emphasizing that the Canadian military is considering such a development for the first time in a hundred years. The daily emphasized that this is not yet an action plan for the army.
Canada's Plan: Mujahideen Tactics Against the US
Military experts assume that American troops would defeat the smaller Canadian troops within a week. That is why resistance options are being considered in which both small troops and armed civilians could operate in the form of ambushes, sabotage, drone attacks and quick strikes against selected targets.
The models of Canadian experts use tactics used by the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979-1989, the daily wrote.
She wrote about similar possibilities last year. in the scientific magazine The Conversation, Professor Aisha Ahmad from the University of Toronto, who specializes in analyzing the activities of guerrilla groups. She emphasized that “Rather, a military invasion of Canada would lead to decades of violent resistance that would ultimately destroy the U.S.”. In her opinion, Canadians would be effective in this form of action.
The “51st state” and the Trump map
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to Canada as the “51st state” over the past year, and on the night from Monday to Tuesday he posted on his social media a photo of a meeting during which he presents a map on which Canada and Greenland are also marked with the American flag.
The American NBC television reported last weekend that for several weeks Trump had been complaining that Canada was vulnerable to attacks by countries hostile to the United States in the Arctic.
Canadians: We will defend ourselves despite the lack of chances
In a survey by the EKOS center published last week, 59 percent Canadians responded that despite the slim chances of winning, Canada should defend itself. Voters of the Liberal Party (73%) and the left-wing NDP (78%) are in favor of defense, and among Bloc Quebecois voters, focused on Quebec, defense supporters also predominate (46%, compared to 31% of appeasement supporters). Among conservative voters, only 38 percent want to defend themselves.
Prime Minister of Greenland: The use of force against us is unlikely, but possible
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Tuesday that a US military operation against his country is “unlikely” but not ruled out, so Greenland must be prepared for it.
– The use of military force is unlikely, but not ruled out. The other side (US President Donald Trump) has made this clear, Nielsen said at a press conference in Greenland's capital, Nuuk.
– That's why we have to be prepared for every eventuality. However, it must be emphasized: Greenland is a NATO member and the escalation of the conflict would also have consequences for the rest of the world, he emphasized.
In early January, Trump again repeated his earlier rhetoric that the United States should take full control over Greenland – the world's largest island – without ruling out the use of military force. He argued that the US possession of this territory was crucial to national security. He warned that otherwise the island could be taken over by Russia or China.
On Saturday, January 17, Trump tightened the course even further, announcing the possibility of imposing additional 10% tariffs on eight European countries, including Denmark, from February 1. The American president linked this threat to these countries sending small military contingents to Greenland, which is an autonomous territory dependent on Denmark.
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from Toronto Anna Lach (PAP)
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