RSS Feed MenuA sense of horror seems to prevail over NATO’s incoming secretary-general, Anders Rasmussen, wishing out loud that Canada would reverse its decision to pull combat troops out of Afghanistan in 2011.
This has caused some dismay among people who should know better.
For starters, there’s no likelihood that Canada will reverse its 2008 decision to pull back, if not out of Afghanistan.
The Liberals who committed Canadian troops to combat in Kandahar when they formed the government, want them out; the Tories who kept Canadian troops in a fighting (as well as reconstructive) role, also want them out.
So out they are going.
Rasmussen’s plea for Canada to continue its present combat role after 2011, is recognition that Canadian soldiers have done a superb job – not only in thumping the Taliban in every operation, but in helping rebuild the infrastructure wherever they could.
It’s a view echoed by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of NATO and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan.
A case can be made that without Canada leading security operations, the Kandahar area would be even more precarious than it is.
Now that the Americans have taken over, Canada’s continued involvement is not so crucial – useful and influential, but not crucial.
In the Globe and Mail, two respected military observers take issue with Secretary-General Rasmussen “strongly regretting” Canada’s decision to pull out of Kandahar in 2011. Rasmussen (correctly) insists a military presence is essential if civilian reconstruction is to succeed.
Rasmussen was Denmark’s PM from 2001 to 2008.
In a co-authored article, Eugene Lang and Eric Morse dismiss Rasmussen as either being ignorant of Canada’s stand, or claim that he seeks seek to provoke the public into changing the government’s mind.
Lang and Morse also think Rasmussen’s comments “blow a hole in the conventional wisdom that, as a result of Canada’s commitment to and sacrifices in Afghanistan, our standing in NATO is at an all-time high.”
On the contrary, it could be argued that because our record in Afghanistan has been so effective, is precisely why NATO wants to keep our troops there, doing what they do now. Along with the Dutch (who are also leaving), the British and Americans, we are the only four of 27 NATO members who are putting bodies on the line to do what fighting is required.
Lang is an author and worked for two Liberal Defense Ministers, while Morse is a former diplomat and vice-chair of defense studies at the Royal Canadian Military Institute.
The reluctance of most NATO countries to commit soldiers to fight if necessary, bodes ill for NATO reinventing itself as international peacemakers, instead of remaining an antiquated defensive alliance against Soviet acquisitive imperialism.
To some, by withdrawing before peace and security are established in Afghanistan, makes the 127 Canadians who’ve been killed there, and the 1,000 or so who’ve been wounded, something of a waste and mockery.
Untrue, as Americans moving in takes pressure off our guys and gals.
Reality is that despite our weariness of combat, our equipment can’t take it anymore. Vehicles of every sort badly need replacement, and that can take years. If the present government behaves as past governments have, the need today will be postponed to tomorrow… and the day after tomorrow.
Wait and see…
Geoff C // Aug 12, 2009 at 6:30 pm
First of all, I can’t say enough of how proud I am of our Canadian Forces. Given the lack of support (both moral and physical) they have been given by our government and country they have again proven that they are a world class, professional military. It is frustrating when I run into non-Canadians (a lot of Americans) who don’t even know that we are there. We may be a small little boy-scout country, but our troops prove that we are the little engine that could.
As for pulling out, I think that a large part of the motivation is the lack of interest from other NATO countries. We shouldn’t be the only ones putting out our troops in the line of fire. The only successful strategy for ‘winning’ the war in Afghanistan is to allow Afghans to boot out those who would oppress them and create their own society, freely elected. To do that we have to prove that we are friendlier than the internal forces that drive much of the violence. They have to choose us over them.
Winning public support is tough. It means adopting the following strategy: build a school and educate young boys and girls, defend school, if school is destroyed by insurgents then build it again and repeat. Over several years one would hope that Afghans decide they like schools and don’t want the internal insurgents destroying them anymore. This take decades, a generation even.
Governments don’t have that patience.
On a side (and slightly comedic note) note: pulling out is only 25% effective, better to go in with protection and pound through until the job is done. That’s 99% effective and recommended by my physician.