Canada's once-lofty Afghan goals downgraded, defence files show

[tuvor]

Source: Globe and Mail

OTTAWA — Just 17 months ago, Canada's war planners had far more ambitious goals in mind for Afghanistan, an internal document from National Defence shows, including significantly reducing the capability of Taliban insurgents and substantially cutting poppy growing and drug trafficking.

Today, Ottawa's published goals are more modest. For instance, the Harper government's June release of refocused goals for Afghanistan sets no targets for the strength of insurgents - who are making a comeback in 2008 - or combatting drugs.

...

The revamped strategy contains no mention of targets for ratcheting back Taliban strength or reducing the illegal drug industry in Kandahar.

Those problems have only grown worse since the earlier strategy was written. Afghanistan's opium crop has increased every year for the plast six years, UN estimates say. Available data also show deteriorating security in Afghanistan, including Kandahar, in recent years. Figures compiled by Sami Kovanen, a respected security consultant at Vigilant Strategic Services Afghanistan, show this year's total insurgent attacks as of July 20 are greater in Kandahar than any other province.

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080722.wafghan22/BNStory/Afghanistan/home

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"There will be some who want to cut and run, but cutting and running is not my way and it's not the Canadian way... We don't make a commitment and then run away at the first sign of trouble. We don't and we will not, as long as I'm leading this country."

--Stephen Harper, March 13, 2006

[provis99]

1. Harper stole "cut and run" from Republican talking points?

I guess he's taken up the position of Bush's lap poodle since Tony Blair has left the scene. Still, the Conservatives have usually taken up every stupid idea America has come up with in the past 20 years (young offender boot camps, increased drug sentences, state funding for religion, and the like).