Canadian reliance on US forces for protection of development (and other) efforts/Dutch update

Now and in the future:

MacKay in talks with U.S. over 2011 troop pullout

HALIFAX - Canadian troops can return home in 2011 assured that U.S. forces will be able to handle security for Canada's continuing diplomatic and development mission in Kandahar, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Friday.

Enlarge Photo

The Canadian Press

Defence Minister Peter MacKay, left, and U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates field questions after a meeting at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site in Halifax on Friday.

MacKay said he's had talks on the matter with the Americans, but no firm conclusion has been reached...

"We have discussions with other countries, including the United States, around issues of force protection on certain projects," MacKay said.

The Canadian army is set to end combat operations in Kandahar in July 2011, but the development mission will continue. MacKay had not previously explained how that would be possible without Canadian troops.

MacKay said U.S. soldiers already patrol one of the country's biggest signature projects, the Dahla dam in northern Kandahar.

"It's an example of where there will be a transfer of the security responsibilities and yet the project will continue.

"There is a means to continue that without the Canadian military (being) present."

...Gates said picking up the Canadian burden "is very much sustainable" for the U.S.

"We know this is coming for the Dutch in 2010 [but see this: "Cabinet to decide Afghan mission by Christmas"] and for Canada in 2011 and (NATO commander) Gen. (Stanley) McChrystal is planning appropriately," he said...

Gates noted Canada has suffered proportionally more casualties than any other NATO nation in Afghanistan [except for the Danes] and there is great sympathy among the allies ...

Here's a post on the dam from May 2009, and an excerpt from a September post:

...
The Canadian government set as a benchmark the creation of 10,000 seasonal jobs in the reconstruction of the Dahla dam but, so far, only 199 Afghans are working one year after the project was announced...

And more on the Dutch:

Dutch Expect Mission in Afghanistan to Continue

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in the Netherlands think their country’s soldiers will continue to serve for some time in the international force fighting in Afghanistan, according to a poll by Maurice de Hond. 27 per cent of respondents say the Dutch mission in Urguzan will be extended, whereas 31 per cent say the mission will continue, but with fewer soldiers.

A fifth of respondents think Dutch soldiers could be relocated to another area in Afghanistan, and 14 per cent say all Dutch soldiers will return home after 2010 [emphasis added]...

Late last month, the Second Chamber voted, after an intense debate, against renewing the country’s troop commitment in Urguzan. However, on Oct. 23, Dutch defence minister Eimert Van Middelkoop declared: "You have to make the distinction between Afghanistan and Uruzgan. The parliamentary debate was only about Uruzgan. The motion is a fact, now it is up to the cabinet to make the next move. It is still open [emphasis added]."..

Compare with our government's dancing. And note:

...The Commons' resolution says out of Kandahar. Period. But not Afstan...

Update thought: Whatever our proportionate fatalities in Afstan (very small on any absolute scale) if the Dutch contrive to continue mililitary operations of some not insignificant extent, even though formally non-combat, after 2010 and Canada does not after 2011--then a very large part of credit we have gained with allies from our efforts will be about as valuable as the rocks and sand in the southern Afghan deserts.

When the going gets tough, and one is not necessarily a really important player, and all that. Latest speculation about allies here.