CP: Canada's Afghan mission might be extended

[tuvor]

The Harper government is considering a proposal that would keep hundreds of Canadian troops in Afghanistan until 2014 in a non-combat, training role, The Canadian Press has learned.

The move would extend Canada's military presence in Afghanistan three years past the July 2011 withdrawal deadline set by Parliament, but would remove troops from the front lines of fighting.

It is under consideration because the Conservative government faces international pressure — publicly and privately — to leave behind at least a contingent of military trainers to help address a shortfall in the NATO-led mission.

Well-placed sources have told The Canadian Press they expect Prime Minister Stephen Harper to make a decision soon on a proposal that would send up to 600 troops to Kabul to continue NATO training efforts. The Canadian personnel would not be involved in combat operations.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/11/07/canada-afghanistan.html

[tuvor]

1. CBC: Extended Afghan mission to include 1,000 staff

Canada will keep up to 1,000 troops in Kabul as part of a plan to extend the country's non-combat mission in Afghanistan after 2011, the CBC has learned.

The troops will include 750 trainers and at least 200 support staff, according to senior government sources.

They'll work outside of combat at a training academy or large training facility for Afghan soldiers and police officers, the CBC's James Cudmore reported.

More to come

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/11/08/afghanistan-extension-reaction.html

[CHIMO]

2. Utterly Ignorant

Political waste of Canadians and effort.

The government has run out of steam.

Afghanistan wants to talk with the opposition. The US may have come to the same idea. We are on the sidelines. We have thrown our military under the bus. Just like we have done before, for our former masters. Harper doesn't care.

If we wanted to make a difference, we would see where things are going to be. Just like Gretzky. Some can see what is going to happen but Harper only reacts for immediate payoff or minimizing political problems by being offside with the US.

The whole area is dissolving with the Bush policies and the continued implementation of those policies.

Neighbours Pakistan and India will be involved. The whole area is dissolving. Never mind the coming push for a war in Iran.

Acclaimed Indian Author Arundhati Roy on Obama’s Wars, Poverty and India’s Maoist Rebels

ARUNDHATI ROY:* Well, I think the big lesson today is that—look at the richest country in the world, America, having attacked and made war on the poorest countries but not being able to win those wars. You know, they have not been able to win. And here’s the lesson. You know, you couldn’t win Vietnam, you couldn’t win Afghanistan, couldn’t win Iraq, cannot win Kashmir. You know, there has to be—Obama, I mean, he’s involved in all these war crimes. It’s not as though—you know, he has expanded the war in Afghanistan, moved it into Pakistan. You know, Pakistan is a country that is in such a lot of trouble because of this. You know, right when 9/11 happened, I remember writing saying you forced them to raise the Taliban in their midst, and now you want them to garret the pit that they grew in their own backyard. It’s going to lead to civil war. You know, you didn’t need to be a genius to figure that out. And that has happened, you know? America has interfered with Pakistan from the beginning, and Pakistan now paying a terrible price for that. I mean, I don’t know if it had a choice, when—you know, when America wants to interfere, it doesn’t give anyone a choice. So it’s destroyed Afghanistan, it’s destroyed Pakistan, it’s destroyed Iraq. And it will destroy India, if—because India doesn’t have the spine. The Indian government is just willingly allowing this to happen, the U.S. to dictate everything. So, today, Obama, I mean, whatever he’s doing in America is a separate thing. But certainly outside, he’s no less of—I mean, his foreign policy is not all that different from George Bush, you know? And if they start a war in Iran, they won’t win it. You know, I mean, it’s not possible. These wars cannot be won. So it’s about time somebody realized that and decided to change the way the world thinks about war and thinks about weapons and thinks about putting soldiers on the ground.

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/11/8/acclaimed_indian_author_arundhati_roy_on
http://play.rbn.com/?url=demnow/demnow/demand/2010/nov/video/dnB20101108a.rm&proto=rtsp&start=00:46:54

The only party that warned us, in Canada, about this is the NDP. Iggy and Bobby should wake up.