The US is hoping that Canada will stay in Afghanistan past 2011.
The United States will ask Canada to keep as many as 600 soldiers in Afghanistan after the country's military mission there ends in 2011, the Globe and Mail newspaper said on Thursday.
The paper, citing unidentified sources, said the troops would serve as military trainers and would be most likely based in Kabul. The U.S. request would come through NATO, it added.
Although Ottawa says it will withdraw all 2,800 soldiers serving in the violent southern Afghan city of Kandahar, Washington has been pressing Canada behind the scenes to show more flexibility.
The Conservative government has made clear that Parliament will have the last word on any proposed deployment of troops abroad. Parliament adopted a resolution in 2008 saying the combat mission would end by December 2011.
"We have been clear in stating that Canada's military mission will end in 2011. Officials are examining Canada's potential non-military role post-2011," said a spokeswoman for Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon.
"We have not received a request of this nature from the United States. The question is speculative."
By: Brant
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2 comments:
I would say, don't bet on it. The war has scraped our Army thinner than the butter on a gas-station sandwich, especially in the Sr NCO categories you would need most in a training mission of this type.
Besides, after this, we're goin' to the Congo: http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/story.html?id=2738056
we've already *been* to the Congo! Didn't you see the movie? ;)
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