Afstan: Let's hope Brig.-Gen Ménard is right

Optimism again (but compare with Helmand):

Taliban will be marginalized by 2011: Top Canadian general

A Canadian soldier aims his weapon during an operation in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar province, Sept. 19, 2009.
Photograph by: Finbarr O'Reilly, Reuters

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Bolstered by thousands of American troops, Canada's top general in Afghanistan is predicting the Taliban will be marginalized from most of Kandahar's population by the time the Canadian military mission ends in 2011.

Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard said that with more than 5,000 Canadian and U.S. soldiers under his command [actually there are a fair number from our Air Force, and some from the Navy too], coalition forces will be able to hold areas in the violent province far more effectively than in recent years.

"What I can do is marginalize the insurgency in our area and they can become irrelevant to 85 per cent of the population of Kandahar province," said Menard, when asked what he could achieve before Canadian troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan in the summer of 2011.

"This is what I think I can certainly achieve."

The comments, made to reporters during a conference call Tuesday, come as the number of American soldiers under Menard's command grows.

In total, three American battalions are now part of Canada's task force in Afghanistan and Canada's responsibility in Kandahar is shifting to focus on securing the areas in and around Kandahar City.

Menard said Tuesday he will not take an area without holding it — a goal that has often remained beyond Canada's grasp in recent years...

The brigadier-general might also have mentioned the US Army brigade combat team that has been in the province for some time, and the one that is coming next spring--units whose presence is crucial to the success of the CF-led forces' concentrating their area of operations. Maybe he did and the reporter didn't mention it.

Another photo, from DND:

DND Handout

Canadian soldiers watch as an Afghan policeman hands out candy to village children.

Update: I think the conclusion of this CP story implicitly acknowledges the two US Army BCTs:

...
Menard says he hopes Canadian and American troops will have created a ring of security by then, allowing the vast majority of civilians in Kandahar province to live and prosper free of insurgent threats.