Afstan: Gates/Canadians/Brits/French
1) The US defense secretary is a lot less cagey (see middle of this post):
Update: A politically-focused, defeatist mindset now becoming all too prevalent, this example British:
Gates May Be Open To Troop Increase2) Meanwhile the Canadian embassy in Washingon, D.C., is trying to make Americans aware of our combat role in Afstan. Odd they would do that when our combat mission is supposed to end in around two years:
Meanwhile, Army Says It Will Extend Some Afghan Tours
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates indicated Thursday that he is open to increasing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, voicing a shift in his position as the administration ponders a military assessment expected to lead to a formal request for additional forces.
Gates, in a briefing at the Pentagon, also defended the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, rebutting suggestions that it is time to pull out. His remarks came just hours before the Army announced that it will extend the tours of about 3,000 soldiers in Afghanistan for between two weeks and two months amid an intensifying Taliban insurgency.
Video:
Canada to stage mock Afghan attack in Washington3) Whilst in Britain Prime Minister Gordon Brown explains their mission in terms of national security, something rarely done by our government:
‘If this works the way I want it to, more Americans will know what Canada is doing in Afghanistan'
...
A clutch of top American generals, powerful Capitol Hill players and Afghan experts from both sides of the border are expected at the two-day conference hosted by the embassy...
The mock village, complete with a small souk and peopled by nearly a dozen Afghan actors, will be created in the courtyard of the Canadian embassy, halfway between the Capitol and the White House. A handful of Canadian soldiers and, Col. Martin hopes, U.S. Marines will arrive to “see the village leader” just as the IED blows up, “critically injuring” at least one Afghan, who will get immediate first aid from a Canadian medic.
“It should provide the full flavour of hyper-realistic training,” said Col. Martin, adding: “Absolutely, you are going to hear it out on Pennsylvania Avenue.”..
Afghanistan campaign 'crucial' to protect Britain, says Gordon Brown4) The French instead to stick around too, though with a much more, er, Canadian rationale (via Moby Media Updates):
Gordon Brown has said for the sake of Britain's security the country "cannot walk away" from Afghanistan.
...
In a keynote speech in London, that robustly defended the bloody struggle after the sudden resignation of Government aide, the Prime Minister said the campaign that has cost 212 British lives was crucial to protect civilians in this country.
He has also promised to quicken the “slow” rate of training Afghan forces in order to quicken Britain’s departure from the country...
While the Prime Minister did not announce any further increase on the 9,000 British troops, he did suggest that within a year a third of the force will be committed to training the Afghan army to build up a corps of 10,000 local soldiers...
He...also announced another 20 of the robust Ridgback patrol vehicles were being purchased.
Tackling criticisms that not enough was being spent on equipment for Helmand he said money spent per year to support each soldier had doubled from £180,000 to £390,000.
“So be in no doubt: we are giving our service men and women the additional resources they need to keep themselves safe, to fight and succeed in their operations.”
Mr Brown said he never took military action lightly. "Each time I have to ask myself if we can justify sending our young men and women to fight for this cause. And my answer has always been yes.
"For when the security of our country is at stake, we cannot walk away.”..
France vows longer stay in AfghanistanPlus a German perspective from Spiegel Online concerning the latest NATO airstrike controversy.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says foreign militaries will not leave Afghanistan until it is secure enough for agriculture, health and education projects to start.
"We want to bring our decisive support to the Afghan population, with projects linked to agriculture, health, and education," said Kouchner after a Wednesday meeting with international envoys in Paris.
"Of course for that we need to bring security," he told a news conference.
Kouchner ruled out the departure of troops "unless the region is secure enough to benefit from these projects, and from the large amounts of money donated by the international community."..
Update: A politically-focused, defeatist mindset now becoming all too prevalent, this example British:
Whisper it, we are on our way out of the war
...
We won’t be the first to run, of course. We have left that honour to the Dutch, the Canadians and the Spanish [huh? more here, how ignorant or uninterested--politics aside-- so many pundits are]. Aiming a few derisive hoots in their direction, we British will hang around a bit, take our cue from the United States, and retreat only as and when they do. But in British hearts already, and in our heads as the mood of resignation sets properly in, we are waiting for Washington’s signal...
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home