Will Canada stay if US takes over Afghan mission

[Stephen Best]

According to a UK TimesOnline article, US to take over Afghan mission, "The United States is planning to take control of all military operations in Afghanistan next year with an Iraq-style troop surge after becoming frustrated at Nato’s failure to defeat the Taliban." The article goes on to mention Canada, "The Pentagon is also pushing for a permanent “unified command” in the south of the country that would sideline the Dutch and the Canadians."

Question: will Canadians accept being part of a U.S. Afghan "surge" and Canadian troops being under U.S. command?

[M.Dancer]

According to a UK TimesOnline article, US to take over Afghan mission, "The United States is planning to take control of all military operations in Afghanistan next year with an Iraq-style troop surge after becoming frustrated at Nato’s failure to defeat the Taliban." The article goes on to mention Canada, "The Pentagon is also pushing for a permanent “unified command” in the south of the country that would sideline the Dutch and the Canadians."

Question: will Canadians accept being part of a U.S. Afghan "surge" and Canadian troops being under U.S. command?

No different from the last time thye were "under US command"...the command rotates...

[Moonbox]

I think the Canadians would welcome some help in Afghanistan. We're taking the brunt of the fighting there right now.

[jbg]

Question: will Canadians accept being part of a U.S. Afghan "surge" and Canadian troops being under U.S. command?

During WW II Canadian troops fought under British command.

[eyeball]

Will our troops ever follow the wishes of Canadian voters?

[August1991]

According to a UK TimesOnline article, US to take over Afghan mission, "The United States is planning to take control of all military operations in Afghanistan next year with an Iraq-style troop surge after becoming frustrated at Nato’s failure to defeat the Taliban." The article goes on to mention Canada, "The Pentagon is also pushing for a permanent “unified command” in the south of the country that would sideline the Dutch and the Canadians."

Question: will Canadians accept being part of a U.S. Afghan "surge" and Canadian troops being under U.S. command?

If you look at a map of Afghanistan, you'd understand that Canada (& the UK) have taken on the toughest areas to police with few resources to do it. The Americans took on the critical areas with alot of resources.

Canada simply does not have the manpower to do this and it's understandable if sad that other NATO countries are not willing to help out. It's inevitable that the US will move into the south of Afghanistan. (I think Obama/Biden have both made the legitimate point that the US should have put more resources into Afghanistan and ignored Iraq... I digress.)

As to your question, Morris has answered it above. Canadian troops are already under NATO command and hence under US command (depending on the NATO assigned chain of command). It's hardly the first time in our history. Canadian troops also served under the US general Eisenhower.

----

The US and Canada are on the same side in this, and many other international disputes. Canada has Montreal's gay village and the US has Provincetown and San Francisco. In the grand scheme of things, the US and Canada are liberal, progressive, civilized democracies. Both Stephen Harper and George W. Bush are acutely aware of this and they are both working to defend our western way of life.

Why would anyone object if our troops work alongside American troops or, heavens, take orders from an American general?

During WW II Canadian troops fought under British command.

SHAEF was American. Edited August 28, 2008 by August1991