The Houthis are a non-state Shia Islamist politically and military movement, and they have controlled key parts of western Yemen since the Yemenis Civil War broke out in 2014. In response to the recent Israeli attacks on Gaza the Houthis began launching missile and drone strikes at cargo ships entering the Red Sea (shipping destined for the Suez Canal). The Houthis claim to be aiming their strikes at Israeli shipping as a show of support for the Palestinians, but as it’s turned out they seem to be targeting a variety of shipping actors. This threat to global shipping prompted a significant response form the international community, including Canada. Yet, Canada’s contribution (or lack thereof) has highlighted some serious flaws in our current naval capabilities, and frankly in our general military capabilities. Today on the show, we have brought on Christopher Roberts from the University of Calgary to talk about the history of Canada’s involvement in Africa, with a particular focus on our naval contributions in the post 9-11 era. This is a fantastic discussion where we spend quite a bit of time talking about the current state of Canada’ s military in an increasingly volatile world and exploring some of the lesser known Canadian military operations in and around the African continent.
Christopher Roberts is a Fellow of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and an instructor in Political Science at the University of Calgary. For over thirty years he's worked on African-related security, business, and development issues. He's currently the administrator of the global African Navies Research Network and has an article coming out, with Rob Huebert, on Canada and African maritime security in the next issue of Canadian Naval Review.
You can follow him on Twitter/X at @cwjroberts.
The CGAI is Canada’s most credible source of expertise on global affairs. Established in August 2001 and based in Calgary and Ottawa the CGAI is a registered charity which comments repeatedly in the media and publishes extensively on defence, diplomacy, trade, resources, and development. You can check out CGAI at their website CGAI.caYou can also listen to their podcasts by subscribing to the show The CGAI Podcast Network.
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S7E5 – The Forgotten Fourth Arm – The Merchant Navy’s Fight for Recognition
S7E4 We Notorious! Canadian Hip Hop in the 20th Century
S7E3 – Africville
S7E2 – Welcome! Welcome! A History of Halifax’s Pier 21
S7E1 – The Longest War: A Brief History of Canada in Afghanistan
*Special Episode* – Dr. Crystal Fraser and Residential Schools in Canada
S6E19 Canadian Audiences and The Birth of a Nation
S6E18 The Seaborn Missions to North Vietnam
S6E17 The Fruit Machine
S6E16 The Canal That Never Was
S6E15 Canada’s First Spree Killer
S6E14 Bill Miner – The Gentleman Robber Part 2
S6E13 Bill Miner – The Gentleman Robber – Part One
S6E12 The Mystery of Capreol’s Mass Grave
S6E11 Laying Down the Law – Canadian Civil Affairs and the Belgian Resistance
S6E10 Give Peace a Chance – John and Yoko Come to Canada
S6E9 A Nation of Our Own – The Six Nations Appeal to the League of Nations
S6E8 The Famous Five and the Persons Case
S6E7 The Fight for History with Dr. Tim Cook
S6E6 Whose Side Are You On Anyways? The Canadian Response to the Suez Crisis
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