Canada tells Clinton troops are leaving in 2011

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Canada tells Clinton troops are leaving in 2011
By ROB GILLIES
The Associated Press
Tuesday, March 30, 2010; 11:43 AM

OTTAWA -- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday that Canada's military mission in Afghanistan will end in 2011 despite U.S. hopes of an extension.

Clinton went on Canadian television on Monday and said the U.S. would like Canadian troops to remain in Afghanistan past 2011 and suggested they could switch from a combat to a training or logistics support role.

But Dimitri Soudas, a spokesman for Harper, said Harper told Clinton that after 2011, Canada will be involved in a civilian mission focused largely on aid and reconstruction.

Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon also ruled out any form of a military mission post-2011 at a news conference late Monday following Clinton's remarks. Cannon said he didn't think it would lead to any tension between Washington and Ottawa.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/30/AR2010033001732.html

[LakeSamish706]

1. Thats great news, now lets hope that the rest of the UN troops pull out as well. n/t

[Eyerish]

2. Good for Canada...

Harper might be a RW nut-job, but at least someone up there has some brains to know when to say enough.

[1620rock]

3. Bout time.

[CHIMO]

4. No means no, PM tells Clinton

Prime Minister Stephen Harper told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this morning that Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan ends in 2011.

Mr. Harper and Mrs. Clinton met for 20 minutes at a hotel in Aylmer, Que., across the river from Ottawa where G8 foreign ministers are meeting today.

Mrs. Clinton did not ask that Canada keep troops in Afghanistan past the 2011 deadline, a Harper official told The Globe. Rather, the issue came up as the two were speaking about issues in Iran and Afghanistan.

“In the discussion on Iran and Afghanistan the Prime Minister reiterated ,” a senior Harper official said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/no-means-no-pm-tells-clinton/article1517001/

[Lucy Goosey]

5. I'm amazed that the US didn't run the Canadians out of Afghanistan...

...given that gays and lesbians have been allowed to serve openly in the Canadian Forces for nearly 20 years, and everyone knows that destroys morale and unit cohesion and competence and all of that crap. :sarcasm: