In article <1193331753.237992.129980@v29g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, robertpeffers@aol.com wrote: > 10 more years for Afghan security, says Hillier ...our own General Betray-us. > Oct 25, 2007 09:27 AM > Bill Graveland > THE CANADIAN PRESS > > KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - There is little chance that Afghanistan will > be able to handle its own security needs any time within the next > decade, Canada's top soldier said Thursday. > > Gen. Rick Hillier made the comment as he wrapped up a three-day > whirlwind visit to war-torn Kandahar province to meet with commanders > and troops in the field. > > Hillier's frank assessment may come as a disappointment to those > hoping the Afghan military may be close to being able to operate on > its own and keep the Taliban in check, thus allowing Canadian troops > to go home. > > "I think most Canadians living in the incredible country that we have > don't always see all the complexities of trying to rebuild a country > and, in some cases, build a country from the 25 years of destruction > that took place in Afghanistan," Hillier told reporters at Kandahar > Airfield. > > The Afghan soldiers that have been trained so far are ``top-notch," > Hillier said, but he noted it takes about three years to train a > single battalion - about 500 to 600 troops. > > "You just don't build that overnight and the international community > will have to be involved for some time to see this through to the > final level where you've got a government that works effectively," > Hillier said. > > After years of work and training, there are about two battalions of > Afghan soldiers in Kandahar province and about 38,000 troops overall. > It sounds good on paper but is only about half of what is needed for > Afghanistan to provide its own security. > > "An army is what's required to allow them to keep their security, so > that's a long term project," Hillier said. > > "It's going to take 10 years or so just to work through and build an > army to whatever the final number that Afghanistan will have, and make > them professional and let them meet their security demands here." > > "Canada will decide whatever role it's going to play," Hillier said. > "The panel is in place and the government will make its decisions." > > Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed a five-person panel, headed by > former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley, to examine options for > the future of the Afghan mission. The range of options includes the > continued training of the Afghan army and police, or withdrawing > altogether. > > But the Harper government's throne speech indicated it wants Canada's > direct involvement in Afghanistan to continue until 2011, two years > past the current deadline. > > Canada has about 2,500 troops serving with NATO's International > Security Assistance Force, also known as ISAF. Most of them are in > Kandahar province, a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan where > the bloodiest fighting during the conflict has taken place. > > Since 2002, 71 Canadian military personnel and one diplomat have died > in Afghanistan. The Canadian government is under public and opposition > pressure to bring the troops home. > > In the short-term, Hillier is hoping to get additional support from > other NATO allies in terms of helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles > and more troops. > > "What would be best here would be another manoeuvre battalion group to > give us the flexibility to be able to ... keep a footprint in an area > where we've been until the Afghan police and army can take that area > over by themselves," Hillier said. > > "That will allow us to manoeuvre off to other areas where the Taliban > are slightly stronger, and put them on the back foot in those other > areas." > > "With just the one battle group here, even with the Afghan National > Army forces and the police we are now getting here, we still do not > have all the capabilities that we have to do." > > http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/270396 -- the dang If You Like Warmonger Bush, You Like Harper ___________

"penny" <gorawen@sentex.net > wrote in message news:42d2i3hhee069fnubm9fvc1l2q2blbhb5v@4ax.com... > On Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:02:33 -0700, robertpeffers@aol.com wrote: > >>10 more years for Afghan security, says Hillier > > > And I thought Peter McKay was the Minister of Defence. Who gives > Hillier this authority? > > Is this deja vu all over again? Didn't I read that Hillier was dumped > because he was usurping the former Minister of Defence's position. > > Penny > Penny On Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdt6wcK1cSQ ========================= -- Terry Pearson Pro- Israel and proud of it http://www.therightpoint.ca Shaping Canada's Destiny ========================== "I can walk upright" ~Peter White -------------------------------------------------- Dumbski's obsession http://wildhorsedories.com/ctv.wmv Dumbski's rope trick. "Take two ropes each with two knots. Tie them together. How many knots are there now? Yes, there are five knots, it's proof that 2+2=5.Bet you can't prove me wrong. " ********************************************* Liberalism = Entitlement Culture= Corruption ------------------------------------------- There are some opinions so stupid, only socialists could hold them. ------------------------------------------- "It is as useless to argue with those who have renounced the use of reason as to administer medication to the dead." - Thomas Jefferson ----------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>Oct 25, 2007 09:27 AM >>Bill Graveland >>THE CANADIAN PRESS >> >>KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - There is little chance that Afghanistan will >>be able to handle its own security needs any time within the next >>decade, Canada's top soldier said Thursday. >> >>Gen. Rick Hillier made the comment as he wrapped up a three-day >>whirlwind visit to war-torn Kandahar province to meet with commanders >>and troops in the field. >> >>Hillier's frank assessment may come as a disappointment to those >>hoping the Afghan military may be close to being able to operate on >>its own and keep the Taliban in check, thus allowing Canadian troops >>to go home. >> >>"I think most Canadians living in the incredible country that we have >>don't always see all the complexities of trying to rebuild a country >>and, in some cases, build a country from the 25 years of destruction >>that took place in Afghanistan," Hillier told reporters at Kandahar >>Airfield. >> >>The Afghan soldiers that have been trained so far are ``top-notch," >>Hillier said, but he noted it takes about three years to train a >>single battalion - about 500 to 600 troops. >> >>"You just don't build that overnight and the international community >>will have to be involved for some time to see this through to the >>final level where you've got a government that works effectively," >>Hillier said. >> >>After years of work and training, there are about two battalions of >>Afghan soldiers in Kandahar province and about 38,000 troops overall. >>It sounds good on paper but is only about half of what is needed for >>Afghanistan to provide its own security. >> >>"An army is what's required to allow them to keep their security, so >>that's a long term project," Hillier said. >> >>"It's going to take 10 years or so just to work through and build an >>army to whatever the final number that Afghanistan will have, and make >>them professional and let them meet their security demands here." >> >>"Canada will decide whatever role it's going to play," Hillier said. >>"The panel is in place and the government will make its decisions." >> >>Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed a five-person panel, headed by >>former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley, to examine options for >>the future of the Afghan mission. The range of options includes the >>continued training of the Afghan army and police, or withdrawing >>altogether. >> >>But the Harper government's throne speech indicated it wants Canada's >>direct involvement in Afghanistan to continue until 2011, two years >>past the current deadline. >> >>Canada has about 2,500 troops serving with NATO's International >>Security Assistance Force, also known as ISAF. Most of them are in >>Kandahar province, a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan where >>the bloodiest fighting during the conflict has taken place. >> >>Since 2002, 71 Canadian military personnel and one diplomat have died >>in Afghanistan. The Canadian government is under public and opposition >>pressure to bring the troops home. >> >>In the short-term, Hillier is hoping to get additional support from >>other NATO allies in terms of helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles >>and more troops. >> >>"What would be best here would be another manoeuvre battalion group to >>give us the flexibility to be able to ... keep a footprint in an area >>where we've been until the Afghan police and army can take that area >>over by themselves," Hillier said. >> >>"That will allow us to manoeuvre off to other areas where the Taliban >>are slightly stronger, and put them on the back foot in those other >>areas." >> >>"With just the one battle group here, even with the Afghan National >>Army forces and the police we are now getting here, we still do not >>have all the capabilities that we have to do." >> >>http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/270396 >

"penny" <gorawen@sentex.net > wrote in message news:tc55i39sd0l2a08tcnn2kamnc0sbvfa2ep@4ax.com... > On Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:48:48 -0700, Justin Stolz <stolz_j@hotmail.com> > wrote: > >>It should be clear that it is in fact the COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS >>and their Canadian counterpart the COUNCIL OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS >>that call the shots on the Hill. Harper is such a good puppy for the >>US elite that they gave him the Woodrow Wilson Award!!! >> >>Depleted uranium, record poppy crops, murderous Northern Aliance, oil >>pipelines, regional instability... and today we learn that CANADIANS >>are paying BLACKWATER. The LOYAL opposition is silent because they >>are sponsored by the same banksters. >> >>Justin Stolz, Canadian Action Party > > > I know that Harpo and Day love Blackwater but paying them. Since when > ?? > > Do you mind giving me a reference to that. Thanks ! > > Penny These 2 audio clips take a while to load, but very interesting. http://download.omroep.nl/rnw/smac/cms/tswi_blackwater_en_20071019_44_1kHz.mp3 http://download.omroep.nl/rnw/smac/cms/tswi_mercenary_en_20070119_44_1kHz.mp3