Marine boost may not keep Canada in fight

[unhappycamper]

Marine boost may not keep Canada in fight
By Rob Gillies - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 31, 2008 10:25:45 EST

TORONTO — Prime Minister Stephen Harper told President Bush on Wednesday that Canada will end its military mission in Afghanistan if another NATO country does not put more soldiers in the dangerous south, officials said.

Harper’s Conservative government is under pressure to withdraw its 2,500 troops from Kandahar province, the former Taliban stronghold, after the deaths of 78 Canadian soldiers and a diplomat. The mission is set to expire in 2009 without an extension by Canadian lawmakers.

The refusal of some major European allies to send significant number of troops to the southern front lines has opened a rift within NATO. Troops from Canada, Britain, the Netherlands and the U.S. have borne the brunt of a resurgence of Taliban violence in the region, with support from Denmark, Romania, Estonia and non-NATO nation Australia.

Harper talked to Bush about the recommendation of an independent Canadian panel that the country continue its mission only if another NATO country musters 1,000 troops for Kandahar, said Harper spokeswoman Sandra Buckler.

“He underscored that, unless Canada was able to meet the conditions specified by the panel of additional combat troops and equipment from NATO allies, Canada’s mission in Afghanistan will not be extended,” Buckler said.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/01/ap_canadaafghanistan_080131/