Independent panel calls for troops, equipment to keep Canadian troops in Afghanistan

A Canadian independent blue-ribbon panel sets two conditions if Canadian combat troops are to stay in Afghanistan past February 2009. First, other ISAF countries have to send 1,000 combat troops to Kandahar province to reinforce ISAF’s “clear, hold and develop” strategy and train local armed forces.  This apparently is a response to Canadian resentment of many NATO countries sending troops to Afghanistan under caveats that protect them from combat.

Secondly, the Canadian government has to provide more medium-lift helicopters and high-performance unmanned airplanes since Canadian troops currently over-rely on NATO allies for this much-needed equipment.

Other than these conditions, the panel led by led by former cabinet minister John Manley, does not set a combat-troop withdrawal date, as many Canadian parliamentarians and observers had called for. But it does outline an expectation that Afghan security forces will be well-trained enough before 2011 to take the lead responsibility for security in Kandahar.

The panel which issued its report on Tuesday also called for more Canadian reconstruction and development aid and systematic tracking of the effectiveness of this aid and military support.

The current military mission is slated to end in February 2009 and parliamentary approval is needed for any extensions. While Prime Minister Stephen Harper has suggested Canada should stay at least until 2011, all opposition parties reject extending the mission. Canada currently has about 2,500 soldiers in the country.