PM, Dion try to bridge gap

[CHIMO]

OTTAWA–The march toward a possible consensus on Canada's future in Afghanistan begins today as Prime Minister Stephen Harper holds his long-awaited meeting with Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion.

Dion and his chief of staff, Johanne Senecal, will sit down with Harper and his chief of staff, Ian Brodie, this afternoon to kick off talks that both sides hope will leave them on common ground.

"Ideally, I would like to see (a consensus)," Dion said. "The Prime Minister a week ago ... said that he will come with more specifics about his position. I hope he will start to do that."

The onus is on the Conservative leader to explain how he wants to proceed with a vote in Parliament this spring that will decide the fate of the mission, Dion said. Harper said last week he hoped to line up Liberal support for the vote before presenting it to the Commons.

http://www.thestar.com/article/300473

Shouldn't be that hard as Dion is not in control now!

Extra firepower sent to Afghanistan as UK digs in

A fresh British force with extra firepower is to be sent to Afghanistan as the US intensifies pressure on other European allies in an increasingly urgent attempt to prevent the country from collapsing into civil war. In what is being described as a "critical week" for Nato's role in Afghanistan, the British move, due to be announced today, shows that the government is prepared to maintain a significant military presence there despite severe pressure on its already overstretched army.
All three regular battalions of the Parachute Regiment will provide the backbone of 16 Air Assault Brigade when it takes over from the existing UK infantry brigade based in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, in April, defence officials said. It is believed to be the first time so many paras have been sent on a joint combat mission since the second world war, though the total number of UK troops there will remain at about 7,700.

They will be supplied with extra armoured vehicles and new Merlin helicopters. However, pressure on the army has meant the brigade has had to scavenge troops from other regiments to fill manpower gaps. The Ministry of Defence is also expected to announce that Britain's 3 Commando Brigade will take over from 16 Air Assault Brigade in six months' time.

In London today, Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, will have talks with David Miliband, the foreign secretary, in what an official called "an important window to step up the international community's game". The meeting comes at a time of public clashes between Britain, the US and Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, over policy and tactics.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,,2253152,00.html