Canada Gives NATO Ultimatum For Help
TORONTO (AP) - Canada will extend its military mission in Afghanistan only if another NATO country puts more soldiers in the dangerous south, the prime minister said Monday, echoing the recommendation of an independent panel to withdraw without additional forces.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government is under pressure to withdraw its 2,500 troops from Kandahar province, the former Taliban stronghold, after the deaths of 78 soldiers and a diplomat. The mission is set to expire in 2009 without an extension by Canadian lawmakers.
The panel, led by John Manley, a former Liberal deputy prime minister and foreign minister, recommended last week that Canada continue its mission only if another NATO country musters 1,000 troops for Kandahar.
European allies’ refusal to deploy to Afghanistan’s dangerous south and east has opened a rift with Britain, Canada, the Netherlands and others which, along with the United States, have borne the brunt of Taliban violence.
The U.S. contributes one-third of NATO’s 42,000-strong International Security Assistance Force mission, making it the largest participant, on top of the 12,000 to 13,000 American troops operating independently.
NATO spokesman James Appathurai said the alliance had no immediate reaction to the comments from Harper, who said he would begin negotiating with allies prior to the next meeting of NATO leaders in early April.
“NATO’s reputation is on the line here,” Harper said. “NATO’s efforts in Afghanistan as a whole are not adequate, but particularly in Kandahar province . . . It is the focal point of the insurgency and of the Taliban’s longer term plans to return to power.”
Harper said Canada has done more than its fair share and needs help.
“If NATO can’t come through with that help than I think frankly that NATO’s own reputation and future will be in grave jeopardy,” Harper said.
Harper said he also agreed with the panel’s recommendation that the defense department speed the purchase of helicopters and surveillance aircraft.
“Both of those r(AP)—ecommendations will have to be fulfilled or Canada will not proceed with the mission in Afghanistan,” he said.
Opposition parties have threatened to bring down Harper’s minority government if he does not end the increasingly unpopular combat mission.
“It looks like a design for a never-ending mission,” Liberal leader Stephane Dion said. “This we are completely against. We think it’s a mistake for Canada, for NATO and for Afghanistan. A timeline is necessary because it gives the incentive for everyone to come with targets.”
Harper has promised to consult with Dion and to put the future of the mission to a vote in Parliament, where the opposition parties hold the majority of seats.
Harper declined to detail how Canadian soldiers have been handling detainees in Afghanistan since November, when they stopped transferring prisoners to local authorities after a prison visit showed evidence of torture. The government only announced the change last week.
“We are not going to publicly discuss how many Afghan prisoners we have—and where they are,” Harper said.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
“Desert Storm spoiled the people. Bush Senior’s 100-hour war convinced the people that technology has progressed to the point that wars could be fought with no casualties and won in very short periods of time. I remember feeling at the time, that this was a tragedy for the US military. To win wars, you must put boots on the ground.”
“You may be one of those who believe nothing could ever be terrible enough to support our going to war. If that is the case I should stop here, as that level of thinking approaches mental disability in this day and age.”
“There are eight terror-sponsoring countries that make up the grand threat to the West. Two, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan just need firm pressure from the West to make major reforms. They need to decide who they are really going to support and commit to that support.
That answer is simple. They both will support who they think will hang in there until the end, and win.
We are not sending very good signals in that direction right now…”
“There was a time when politicians could disagree, but still work together. We are past that time, and that is the initial step toward the downfall of our form of government.”
Jimmy L. Cash, Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret
January 28th, 2008 at 5:47 pmIronically, or perhaps justly, whether we stay or go will depend on the Liberals. Ironic/just because it was a Liberal government that initially got us involved. The Bloc and NDP will vote against continuing the mission. Dion is an idiot so it is very hard to say how this will go. I hope Manley has a serious talk with him. And I’d like to see Harper make it a vote of confidence, because Dion knows that he is in no position to win an election if the current government falls.
January 28th, 2008 at 5:48 pmWe have got 30 to 50 years in Afghanistan to go
with counter insurgency strategy
For those unfamiliar with the strategy
http://kilcullencounterinsurgency.blogspot.com/
January 28th, 2008 at 6:36 pmEurope should be cycling as many troops through Afganistan as possible. When blood’s flowing in the streets in Paris, Rome, Hamburg and Madrid, they’ll need all the veterans they can get.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:14 pmThe Canadian military kicks ass even if most Canadian politicians are liberal turds. Some of the old europe pansies could learn a thing or two from them.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:28 pmticticboom, in your dreams though,
yeah, the euro tournee with Paris, Roma, Berlin, London as trip
has always been more exciting than the Ryad, Bagdad, Ankara one
But you will not get a new chance to make it, I told you, your dollar has become too weak
and the most important thing is that nowadays, you don’t need that great army with numerous soldiers anymore ; there will not be a global conflict alike WWII anymore, or even, you can’t think of a global invading of a country alike Irak anymore too, think about Iran, yeah, I guess if it had be done, it would already being done
the next conflicts will be some sort of local explosions, piracy in the transport of goods and energy, water, arable soils… the main part of them needs only special forces anti-guerillas (thus limited in number), high techniciens, carriers, satellites planes… that costs a lot of money and less human gladiators ; euh, you can then dream of “stars war”
January 29th, 2008 at 3:31 am@franchie:
Was there a point somewhere in there?
I don’t go trolling on websites that don’t speak English like civilized people. Be nice if the unwashed masses returned the favor.
And don’t mention the exchange rate. That was killing me when I was over there. Especially the British pound. The Euro I could live with.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:37 am