Canada Threatens To Pull All Troops Out of Afghanistan

Here we go. This was bound to start happening and when you read the headline, you're going to get the wrong idea, that Canada is wimping out. That is not the case here. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is just flat out fed up with the OTHER wimps in NATO that have not come through on their promises for troops in Afghanistan and the same NATO allies that haven't even acknowledged the constant calls from NATO military officials that more troops are needed from everyone.
Now, I'm not toally sympathetic to the Canadians here as the United States just sent over 3,500 troops from Iraq over to Afghanistan - that's 1000 more troops than the TOTAL Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
But Harper's point is well taken and I hope it shakes up some people. Countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Australia have to get off their asses and support the Afghanistan War against the Taliban. If Canada pulls out, it will signal the end is near for the Taliban and we will see offensives by them like you have never seen before.

Here's the full story.

Canada threatens to pull soldiers from Afghanistan

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada will pull its 2,500 troops out of Afghanistan early next year unless NATO sends in significant reinforcements, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Monday, signaling Ottawa has lost patience with what it sees as foot-dragging by allies.
The minority Conservative government wants the soldiers to stay beyond their current withdrawal date of February 2009 but in another potential threat to the mission, the main opposition Liberal Party expressed doubts about the idea of an extension.
Harper, who is exasperated at the refusal of many other NATO nations to commit more troops to Afghanistan, said the Alliance's failure to provide enough forces meant the whole future of the organization was under serious threat.
So far, 78 Canadian soldiers and a diplomat have died since Ottawa deployed troops to Afghanistan in 2002.
Harper said he accepted the recommendations of an independent panel which last week urged Canada to end its mission in the southern city of Kandahar unless NATO provided an extra 1,000 troops and Ottawa obtained helicopters and aerial reconnaissance vehicles.
"For this mission to go forward and achieve its objectives and be successful, we do have the need for a substantial increase in combat troops and particular needs in terms of military equipment," Harper told a news conference.
"Both of those recommendations will have to be fulfilled or Canada will not proceed with the mission in Afghanistan. We believe these are essential to our success."
Harper, saying he was "always optimistic on these things", said he would raise Canada's demand for more troops before NATO leaders hold a summit in Bucharest in early April.
"NATO's reputation is on the line here ... all the increasing evidence suggests that NATO's efforts in Afghanistan as a whole are not adequate, but particularly in Kandahar province," he said.
"Canada has done what it said it would do and more. We now say we need help. I think if NATO can't come through with that help, then I think -- frankly -- NATO's own reputation and future will be in grave jeopardy."