Afstan: UN peacekeeping chief applauds Canada's military role

From the front page of the Ottawa Citizen--perhaps some of our Opposition politicians may read this:

The chief of United Nations peacekeeping operations yesterday praised Canada for deploying a sizable force to Afghanistan, saying the entire NATO deployment is providing "very important" help to the world body's work in that country.

Making the comments during a briefing on the UN's own burgeoning peacekeeping commitments around the world, Jean-Marie Guehenno effectively endorsed the arguments Prime Minister Stephen Harper made in his recent UN address on why Canada had intervened in Afghanistan.

"Canada helps us through the mission in Afghanistan, and we think it is very important that NATO is a solid and powerful force (there)," Mr. Guehenno said. "It is an essential element if one wants to maintain the credibility of the political process in Afghanistan. It is essential to have a robust NATO in Afghanistan."

Among the criticisms in Canada of the deployment to Afghanistan have been calls for Canadian troops to be used in more traditional peacekeeping roles around the world.

But Mr. Guehenno, who called the briefing to highlight how the UN is facing one of the biggest surges in its global peacekeeping commitments in a decade, welcomed Canada's decision to add tanks [my emphasis - MC] and about 200 more troops to the 2,300-strong Canadian contingent. He also welcomed other just-announced increases to the NATO force, which is currently 20,000 strong.

"We are very happy to see the reinforcement," he said. "Canada has been a part of that, and we are grateful."..

While NATO's supreme commander gives the "exit strategy" for Afstan:

NATO's top military commander said yesterday the U.S. exit strategy from Afghanistan depends on the effectiveness of reconstruction and aid, more so than the number of troops.

"Afghanistan will not be resolved by military means," said U.S. Marine Gen. James L. Jones, who commands the Western alliance.

"We are always looking for more capability, more equipment, but generally speaking, the troop strength under the current threat envelope is adequate," Gen. Jones said.

"The real challenge is how well the reconstruction mission and the international aid mission is focused," he told the Council on Foreign Relations. "And fundamentally, this is the exit strategy for Afghanistan."

The general's statement came amid a growing recognition in Washington that defeating the Taliban is not just a question of putting more boots on the ground.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Tuesday stated that victory in Afghanistan would not happen until Afghan and international officials wooed more tribal leaders away from the Taliban and into the political process...

Sounds rather similar to Minister of National Defence O'Connor and Gen. Hillier as reported by the Toronto Star on Sept. 8.: "Force can't beat Taliban: Minister".