Daily News.Halifax, N.S.: May 26, 2006.pg.4
Companies: / United Nations Security Council (NAICS:928120 )
Section: / Local News
Publication title: / Daily News.Halifax, N.S.:May 26, 2006.pg.4
Source type: / Newspaper
ISSN/ISBN: / 07154321
ProQuest document ID: / 1043279921
Text Word Count / 348
Document URL: / http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1043279921&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=9368&RQT=309&VName=PQD
With the casualty toll mounting in Afghanistan and public support wavering, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor says the Canadian government's exit strategy from the war-torn country involves staying put until 2009, and then reviewing its options.
O'Connor likened Canada's commitment to Afghanistan to a contract that must be honoured until it expires.
"People ask me about an exit strategy," O'Connor said. "With NATO, we have what I would call a contract. We're about to go to NATO - based on the vote in Parliament - to say we will be in Afghanistan until February 2009. Then we'll make a judgment as to whether we continue in Afghanistan, downsize, upsize, leave or whatever."
Full Text(348 words)
(Copyright THE DAILY NEWS (HALIFAX) 2006)
With the casualty toll mounting in Afghanistan and public support wavering, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor says the Canadian government's exit strategy from the war-torn country involves staying put until 2009, and then reviewing its options.
O'Connor was in the Fredericton area yesterday to visit nearby Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, but his goodwill visit to the training base was overshadowed by reports of a roadside blast north of Kandahar that injured five Canadian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter.
O'Connor likened Canada's commitment to Afghanistan to a contract that must be honoured until it expires.
"People ask me about an exit strategy," O'Connor said. "With NATO, we have what I would call a contract. We're about to go to NATO - based on the vote in Parliament - to say we will be in Afghanistan until February 2009. Then we'll make a judgment as to whether we continue in Afghanistan, downsize, upsize, leave or whatever."
Canada has about 2,300 troops in Afghanistan. Parliament voted recently to extend the mission to 2009. The vote passed by a narrow margin.
Meanwhile, O'Connor said recruitment for the Canadian Armed Forces remains a struggle.
While Canada can maintain its commitment to Afghanistan without difficulty, it has no military might to spare if another major mission arises.
"We can maintain Afghanistan into the future as long as you can imagine at this size," O'Connor said during his visit to the sprawling base.
"Our challenge is to undertake an equivalent-scale operation somewhere else in the world at the same time. If other crises arise on the planet we can address them, but we would be greatly challenged to have an army force the size of Afghanistan."
Canada is already under pressure to send forces to Sudan, where the United Nations sent a team yesterday to prepare for a peacekeeping mission.
Last week, the UN Security Council resolved that a large UN force should take over peacekeeping in Darfur from the under-equipped African Union mission that has failed to end a three-year conflict.
But Sudan has long resisted allowing UN peacekeepers into Darfur.
[Illustration]
gordon o'connor
Credit: CP