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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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 Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:37 am Post subject: Canada starts Afghan withdrawal planning |
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http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2009/11/06/Canada-starts-Afghan-withdrawal-planning/UPI-81951257534084/
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OTTAWA, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The Canadian military has been ordered to start making plans for withdrawing from its combat role in the NATO mission in Afghanistan, officials said.
The Defense Department confirmed Thursday night that Chief of the Defense Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk issued instructions to officers to begin logistical planning to get the country's 2,800 troops and all of their equipment out of Afghanistan by 2011, the Canwest News Service reported.
In September, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told U.S. leaders in Washington the mission had to have a defined end-date.
"In 2011, we will have been in Afghanistan almost as long as we were in the two world wars combined," Harper said.
Last month, Defense Minister Peter MacKay told a parliamentary committee some Canadian troops might remain in Afghanistan after 2011 in a non-combat role in reconstruction assignments, the report said.
Since 2002, 133 Canadian soldiers have been killed in the conflict. |
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Afghanistan+drawdown+begins/2189983/story.html
I assumed that Harper would push the 2011 date back. I am extremely happy that he has not done so. |
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bacasper
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:41 am Post subject: |
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Isn't Obama just about to decide to send more US troops?
Interesting timing. |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:46 am Post subject: |
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| bacasper wrote: |
Isn't Obama just about to decide to send more US troops?
Interesting timing. |
I don't think it is related to the 40k escalation by Obama. I reckon this is normal preparations for the departure. But I was sure that Canada would jump off the cliff with America on this. |
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gakduki
Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Location: Passed out on line 2 going in circles
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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Reading the chat forums on CBC and listening to the general public opinion back home. It is long overdue. If nothing can be done in such a long period of time, it is a waste of lives and money. Democracy is more wanted elsewhere. I just wonder why America is stepping up troops in Afghanistan? They have had a streak of wars gone bad, are they wishing to extend this streak.
Steven Harper may finally realize he has the support of the Canadian War Mongers no matter what, its time to appeal to the rest of the country. Maybe he can maintain the support of the center and attract a few lefties who are upset at Layton and Ignatieff's continual short commings. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| With a world supposedly in love with Obama I expected he would have persuaded a few countries like Canada to increase rather than decrease its troop presence, making the effort more international, and taking off the stress on troop numbers for the U.S. military. |
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davesucksnfl
Joined: 11 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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well, it should be pointed out that it's not "canada" that is making plans, but the canadian forces, and that's because the PM/defence minister hasn't actually made any plans past that date.
Two weeks from now the prime minister of canada could announce something and this plan for scale down/withdrawal gets axed. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:43 am Post subject: |
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There is much more opposition to fighting in Afghanistan in Canada than in America. Some (the key word is some) consider the problems in Afghanistan partially of America's own making, the bed they made, and Canada doesn't want to lose any more men, though they support their ally, the US. They have misgivings about the war. I don't think Canadians are very committed to the war. After all, September 11th happened to America, not Canada. Some may argue that the war could come to Canada as well. That's a debate that rages in Canada. Going to war is easy, winning it, and justifying it over the long term are something else.
I do not want a Taliban government in Afghanistan. They are repressive, but maybe it's not the problem of America or Canada. It's the problem of the Afghans some Libertarians might argue. We can't expect the world to be a liberal place. Perhaps, some will seek a compromise between the Taliban and non-Taliban elements to end the war.
What are your thoughts regarding the war? Can some say as a NATO country and ally that it should remain? At any rate, Canada has spent several years in Afghanistan. That's plenty of time being there. |
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youtuber
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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| The war is such a waste. It can't be won. |
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bacasper
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Adventurer wrote: |
| There is much more opposition to fighting in Afghanistan in Canada than in America. Some (the key word is some) consider the problems in Afghanistan partially of America's own making, the bed they made, and Canada doesn't want to lose any more men, though they support their ally, the US. They have misgivings about the war. I don't think Canadians are very committed to the war. After all, September 11th happened to America, not Canada. |
How many Canadians died in the 9/11 attacks? I know that more Brits died then than in any other terrorist attack.
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| I do not want a Taliban government in Afghanistan. |
Do you live in Afghanistan? If not, what business is it of yours? |
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Reggie
Joined: 21 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 7:07 am Post subject: |
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Well, paying the Taliban to switch sides isn't going to work and it's embarrassing that we're even trying to do that. That would be like the government sending Crip gang members a big check each week to switch sides. All it is a black hole for American taxpayer dollars.
Before 9/11 Rumsfeld had already disclosed that the Pentagon had "lost" $2.5 trillion. Then came the Iraq war in which ever more billions of American tax dollars went 'missing.' Keeping a set of books is not hard. Really.
One would THINK that our "patriotic" military leadership would realize that theft and loss on this scale is a threat to national security and would make damned sure that basic accountability is in place. People ascribe patriotism to this gang of looters. Patriotism is indeed the last refuge of scoundrels. In the USA these vermin are untouchable just like the banksters are.
This war won't end with a decisive military victory won by the Taliban or US forces. The war will end when the US military finishes cannibalizing the American taxpayer and no longer has anyone left to fund it. |
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bacasper
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 7:48 am Post subject: |
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| Reggie wrote: |
| Before 9/11 Rumsfeld had already disclosed that the Pentagon had "lost" $2.5 trillion. |
To be exact, on Sept. 10, 2001 Donald Rumsfeld held a press conference to announce that the Pentagon could not account for $2.3 trillion. The shame and embarrassment never really had a chance to make it into the news and people's consciousness (conveniently).
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| This war won't end with a decisive military victory won by the Taliban or US forces. The war will end when the US military finishes cannibalizing the American taxpayer and no longer has anyone left to fund it. |
By "this war" you mean the endless one on terror, right? |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 7:51 am Post subject: |
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| What is the goal of the Afgan occupation? Serious question. |
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pr1ncejeffie
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:12 am Post subject: |
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Unfortunately no one really knows.
BTW, if the Afghan people wants to elect a Taliban or Al Qaeda or the second coming of Hitler than thats who they elect. WE should not meddle with their elections. All we can do is say, "congratulations on your win... blah blah blah" and either work with them or not. THATS IT.
This goes for Hugo Chavez, Libya, Palestine or any other country.
40k troops... sad really sad. |
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bacasper
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:20 am Post subject: |
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| mises wrote: |
| What is the goal of the Afgan occupation? Serious question. |
Serious answer: To put money in the pockets of the war profiteers and oil gangsters.
If you read Zbigniew Brzezinski's 1998 The Grand Chessboard, he cites control of this area of the world as being necessary to achieve world energy dominance in the 21st century.
More specifically, UNOCAL needs a pipeline through Afghanistan in order to bring 30bn cubic meters of Turkmen gas to market annually. Here is the denial to prove it. |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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