Troops to stay in Afghanistan after 2011: PMO

[RedSock]

Surprise! (Not really.)

The Conservative government intends to keep some Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan beyond Parliament's 2011 end-date for the mission, CBC News has learned. ...

Dimitri Soudas, a spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office, told CBC News there will be Canadian troops in Afghanistan after parliament's mandate expires, though "exponentially fewer." ...

"Whether there's 20 or 60 or 80 or 100, they will not be conducting combat operations." ...

Speaking in Welland, Ont., Friday afternoon, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters the government would not seek to extend the mission authorized by parliament in 2008.

"Well, let me be very clear ..." Harper said, "Canada's military mission in Afghanistan will end in 2011."

But now it appears the government has two views of what constitutes a "mission," in Afghanistan.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/10/09/afghanistan-soldiers-canadian.html