OTTAWA—Canadian soldiers could remain in Afghanistan past the current 2014 deadline even though many other nations are looking for a quick exit from the war.
In a plan that appears to have been hatched at NATO meetings in Brussels last week, the U.S. is seeking support from Canada and Australia to form a force of elite commandos that will remain in the troubled country when other nations leave. Their role would be to hunt down enemy insurgents in Afghanistan and train Afghan forces.
On the sidelines of the meeting of NATO defence and foreign ministers, U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta reportedly met with Defence Minister Peter MacKay and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith to discuss the possibility of a prolonged stay.
After ending their Kandahar combat role last year, about 1,000 Canadian troops have been involved in a Kabul-centred training mission that is slated to end in 2014. Australia is keen to wrap up its combat mission next year, but Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said she is open to a “limited special-forces contribution.”
Harper hinted Wednesday that he is on the same page after a report on the planned military extension made its way to the floor of the Commons.
The prime minister brushed aside the details of the report, saying Canada has not had a “specific request” from Washington to commit to sending troops to the country after 2014. But he admitted that it is a possibility.
“Our plan at the current time is obviously for the mission that goes to 2014, but as we approach that date, we will examine all options and we will take the decision that is in the best interests of this country,” Harper said.
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair pounced on the prime minister over what he said appears to be an open-ended Afghan mission, which was extended in 2006, 2009 and 2011.
“Canadians do not want yet another Conservative extension of the mission in Afghanistan and the NDP will not support one,” Mulcair said.
Unlike previous extensions, the current Afghan training mission was not put to Parliament for a vote by the Tories because it did not involve combat and soldiers would not be put in danger. So far, one soldier has been killed in a roadside bomb blast.
But the limited gains that have been made by NATO troops and frequent skirmishes between Washington and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have sent a number of battle-hardened allies running for the exit. That’s expected to dominate debate next month when the leaders of the alliance nations meet in Chicago for the annual NATO summit.
As for the future of Canada’s participation, NDP defence critic Jack Harris said any extension would be both dangerous for the troops and unpopular for the government, particularly after the Harper’s previous broken promises to end the mission.
“This is something that I think Canadians are getting fed up with — getting told one thing and then all of a sudden this goes on and on and on. It’s a question of trust here. It’s a question of faith,” he said.
At the 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon, where Canada committed to the current training role, Harper predicted that the U.S. would keep fighting in the country after 2014 to “send the message to the Taliban that they’re prepared to stay if necessary.”
He added: “It’s not Canada’s position.”
The defence department closely guards any information about the training, deployments or responsibilities of Canada’s special forces units because of their role upholding national security.
But last fall, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, which includes Joint Task Force 2 and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment, pulled back the curtain on their activities over the past few years in Afghanistan and also revealed that CSOR forces are currently training Afghan commandoes with NATO’s Special Operations Advisory Group.
Harris said any future deployment needs to come to a vote in the House of Commons.
“They’re not talking about a training role. They’re talking about a training-and-combat role for special forces. They will be engaged in combat,” he said.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Allan Woods
In a plan that appears to have been hatched at NATO meetings in Brussels last week, the U.S. is seeking support from Canada and Australia to form a force of elite commandos that will remain in the troubled country when other nations leave. Their role would be to hunt down enemy insurgents in Afghanistan and train Afghan forces.
On the sidelines of the meeting of NATO defence and foreign ministers, U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta reportedly met with Defence Minister Peter MacKay and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith to discuss the possibility of a prolonged stay.
After ending their Kandahar combat role last year, about 1,000 Canadian troops have been involved in a Kabul-centred training mission that is slated to end in 2014. Australia is keen to wrap up its combat mission next year, but Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said she is open to a “limited special-forces contribution.”
Harper hinted Wednesday that he is on the same page after a report on the planned military extension made its way to the floor of the Commons.
The prime minister brushed aside the details of the report, saying Canada has not had a “specific request” from Washington to commit to sending troops to the country after 2014. But he admitted that it is a possibility.
“Our plan at the current time is obviously for the mission that goes to 2014, but as we approach that date, we will examine all options and we will take the decision that is in the best interests of this country,” Harper said.
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair pounced on the prime minister over what he said appears to be an open-ended Afghan mission, which was extended in 2006, 2009 and 2011.
“Canadians do not want yet another Conservative extension of the mission in Afghanistan and the NDP will not support one,” Mulcair said.
Unlike previous extensions, the current Afghan training mission was not put to Parliament for a vote by the Tories because it did not involve combat and soldiers would not be put in danger. So far, one soldier has been killed in a roadside bomb blast.
But the limited gains that have been made by NATO troops and frequent skirmishes between Washington and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have sent a number of battle-hardened allies running for the exit. That’s expected to dominate debate next month when the leaders of the alliance nations meet in Chicago for the annual NATO summit.
As for the future of Canada’s participation, NDP defence critic Jack Harris said any extension would be both dangerous for the troops and unpopular for the government, particularly after the Harper’s previous broken promises to end the mission.
“This is something that I think Canadians are getting fed up with — getting told one thing and then all of a sudden this goes on and on and on. It’s a question of trust here. It’s a question of faith,” he said.
At the 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon, where Canada committed to the current training role, Harper predicted that the U.S. would keep fighting in the country after 2014 to “send the message to the Taliban that they’re prepared to stay if necessary.”
He added: “It’s not Canada’s position.”
The defence department closely guards any information about the training, deployments or responsibilities of Canada’s special forces units because of their role upholding national security.
But last fall, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, which includes Joint Task Force 2 and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment, pulled back the curtain on their activities over the past few years in Afghanistan and also revealed that CSOR forces are currently training Afghan commandoes with NATO’s Special Operations Advisory Group.
Harris said any future deployment needs to come to a vote in the House of Commons.
“They’re not talking about a training role. They’re talking about a training-and-combat role for special forces. They will be engaged in combat,” he said.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Allan Woods
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