How long does this have to go on....

It does not HAVE to go on. Someone, on our behalf, has decided we need to do this. I am not sure what the end goal is, how we know when the goal has been achieved, an estimate of how long tht will take, a risk assessment of how much it will cost in lives, and a risk assessment of whether, when we and other remove ourselves, the apparent quiet will not errupt again shortly thereafter.

Whose head is on the line when the mission is too expensive in the way of lives for what is accomplishable? Is this just about being one of George's gofers?

One thing is for sure. These guys are pretty well getting killed the same way with few exceptions. One would think that a better way of transporting personnel or a relatively foolproof method of detecting the bombs would have been found by now.

How much is a life worth? How much does it cost to transport them more safely?

Ah yes, as YDPC said, good olde Patton used to just send them back in. That's called cannon fodder. That is how WWI was fought. It didn't accomplish much. We have moved on from that.

Maybe Harper thinks of himself as today's Patton with his blue eyes.

;-)

We went in because a cabal of multinational firms like BAE, HSBC, BP, EXXON, Halliburton, Carlyle Group, Unical, and the like worked the political reality to make it possible.

We committed to the mission because we were told we are going to help them build a democracy and enable them to take care of their own security so that we do not have to.

We failed in the mission because we allowed the Americans to set policy with their bombers from 10,000 feet up with laser guided collateral damage.

I don't see any possible future threat emanating from that region that we could not contain otherwise. I think it is in our interest to have Afghanistan independent of outside influence from the region, and IMO that is the limit of our interest in that region. I don't see how that interest is achieved driving around in jeeps playing rambo while the Americans give these people a suicidal incentive to engage in our proxy forces on the ground.

The whole thing should be reassessed with a 20-year outlook on the project, but from more of a background position ensuring the rule of law is followed by those making the laws. That's the best we can hope for. There ain't going to be any parades of victory in this war.

Canada needs to tell America to stop the air war. Even if it means some insurgents will escape. If they do not stop, than Canada should wind down its deployment and make a difference in another troubled theatre of the world (eg Darfur).

"Amateurs talk strategy; professionals talk logistics." -- Gen. Omar Bradley

Canada had no interest is Afghanistan while they were fighting the Russians, nor did we show any interest in this Country during the 5 years that the Taliban were in power. 1995-2001.

It seems we took an interest after the Americans attacked Afghanistan and the Taliban for giving refuge to Osama Bin Ladin and his Al Quida group. (9/11)

Canada along with some other Countries under the sheild of NATO has committed forces to this Country, however to suggest that it was to bring them democracy after completely ignoring them for 100 years is a bit of a stretch. We are their because the Americans want us their. This allows them to free up forces to fight in Iraq, and gives some legitimacy to their war effort.

Canada has done its share in this war, which cannot ever be won. (Ask the Russians) and we now have to remove our troops to the Northern part of Afghanistan to regroup, and then we should seriously consider getting out.

One shouldnt forget that the Country and its Government is corrupt. It is the biggest producer of Cocaine in the world, and a large part of the Government is made up of War Lords, who under a different set of circumstances would be tried for war crimes.

We need to move on. This is not the type of conflict that Canadian should be supporting.

Yes I can see it now! as soon as we get our troops out of there, the country will be divided up into sections ounce again with warlords or the Al Quida picking there desired parts, till ultimately they have a #1 honcho ruling over them all...thus the cycle continues.
But we wont know whats going on because what sane reporter would dare be in a Country without troop support,so we let them go on there merry way doing what they do best...and we find another Country to be pissed off with!

We always knew what was going on in Afghanistan, the point is we did nothing about it. The Americans for years between 1995 and 2001 were negotiating with the Taliban for a pipleline through Afghanistan, and Pakistan, to the Indian Ocean. (This never happened)

To suggest that our troops are holding this Country to-gether is also misleading, as there are something in the area of 25000 troops in Afghanistan, of which something like 2500 are Canadian. Historically Canada tries to bring peace and democracy to Counties by working through the U.N. In this case we are working with NATO, and are in a War even though it has never been declared as such.

Other Countries are keeping their troops in the North to avoid casualties, and seem not to want to support the Americans, British, Canadians, Aussies, etc; in the South. At some point this has to become a shared responsibility, or we have to move on.

You will see very soon that with the departure of Tony Blair, and the soon to be departed George, Bush, that there will be some changes taking place in both Irag and Afghanistan. Once the Americans, and British leave, (And leave they will) the Canadians will leave also. Fact is they should not wait, but should get out sooner rather than later.