Reuters: Canada doesn't see safer Afghanistan in next year (Harper)

[Eugene]

Canada doesn't see safer Afghanistan in next year
21 Dec 2006 17:38:55 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Randall Palmer

OTTAWA, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Afghanistan is unlikely to get safer in 2007,
but if the world abandons the fight against the Taliban it will only find
itself sucked back in to combat terrorism later, Canadian Prime Minister
Stephen Harper said in an interview released on Thursday.

Parliament backed a motion from Harper in May to keep Canadian troops
in the country at least until February 2009 but he is under pressure now
from the opposition either to pull out or to put less emphasis on war and
more on aid.

Harper told Global television his goal was to make progress over the next
couple years in securing southern Afghanistan, the dangerous part of the
country where 2,500 Canadian troops are fighting a Taliban insurgency.

"Obviously we'd like the security situation to improve," he said, adding he
expected progress. "Frankly, I don't think it will improve in the next 12
months."

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N21176872.htm