Afstan: MND says government must do better explaining mission

Quite:

Canadian Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor said NATO allies "must prove themselves" by sharing the burden.

"We need to ensure that troops can be deployed in areas where they are needed most," he said in a speech to the assembly [NATO Parliamentary Assembly].

While the assembly has no formal relationship with NATO, it does provide advice and can influence the military policy of individual nations.

Faced with tough questions from European delegates about the tenuous public support for the mission here at home, O'Connor conceded his government has its own challenges.

"We haven't been as aggressive in this as we should have, but we will continue to explain on a daily basis to Canadians," said O'Connor. He said that sales job will soon include soldiers just back from Afghanistan who will be speaking in "villages and towns" to explain the mission...

It's a pity that, as the MND is finally making a real effort to explain the mission in a series of public appearences, this is the headline the Globe and Mail produced: "O'Connor on blitz [my emphasis - MC] to sell Afghan mission".

And some frankness along these lines would be welcome.