Afstan: Reconstruction for South--for how long?

Maj.-Gen. Ton Van Loon also gives the Canadians high praise.

Dutch Maj.-Gen. Ton Van Loon took charge last week, which means he oversees a NATO coalition force of about 9,500 troops in six southern provinces of Afghanistan. It is mostly composed of Canadian, British and Dutch soldiers.

Van Loon, who replaced Canadian Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, told CBC News that priorities have already begun to shift in southern Afghanistan. Fraser was in charge of the troops for eight months.

"I think when the Canadians came in, they encountered a really difficult situation, they were challenged very hard, and the Canadians really did a great job," he said from Kandahar.

"Because they did such a great job, because David Fraser did such a great job, my chances are really much greater in going for the reconstruction part."..

I just hope our media and opposition don't seize on the following and blow it all out of proportion:

Asked how long NATO troops will be in southern Afghanistan, Van Loon referred to the NATO mission in Bosnia, saying it took years of involvement and thousands of troops to bring stability to Bosnia, but now, the government can function with the support of small numbers of NATO forces. "We could do the same thing here," he said.

"It's not about us being here forever."..

Let us remember though that the presence of Canadian troops in Croatia and Bosnia under the UN from 1992-95, and then in Bosnia under NATO from 1995-2004, never became a great political football. That's twelve years folks, with no official "exit strategy". But we did not have fairly frequent "ramp cermonies" for the dead all over TV then. Nor much of the media and opposition constantly questioning the mission.

But Bill Clinton was behind the NATO Bosnia mission and he's behind the Afstan mission today, so things should be just fine, right?