- MacKay: Afghanistan, "aircraft training"??? - No, not his beloved F-35's???

Posted: 11:03 AM on November 17, 2010 G&M
Afghanistan weighs heavy on Harper’s mind, Brian Topp, Globe and Mail Update, November 16, 2010
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/second-reading/brian-topp/afghanistan-weighs-heavy-on-harpers-mind/article1801235/singlepage/#articlecontent

"Dealers in murder and madness must be fought and must be defeated – no doubt about that. But the effective tools to fight terrorist organizations and their state sponsors are diplomacy; economic and political pressure; integrated international police work; integrated international intelligence work; and (as a last resort) targeted and proportionate force."

Any continued participation in Afghanistan ought to be aimed at economic development.

The recent news that there is approx $1 trillion in minerals affords a real opportunity to help in rebuilding Afghanistan - vis.:

"The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe."
(NYT, 13 Jun.'10)

Given Canada's long history and expertise in mining certainly we can assist them in this regard. It may even supplant their current cash crop - poppies.

It would also tend to loosen the grip by the Taliban since they obtain a considerable amount of their funding from the poppy crops and it is easy for them to 'interact with' farmers. However, it is hard to see them exerting much direct influence in the mining industry and if they "beat their IED's into Caterpillars", that can't be a be bad thing, can it?

And to be pragmatic, and there's nothing wrong with a little reality sometimes - if Canada leaves Afghanistan other countries will step in and give assistance, in developing its resources.

The consensus appears to be that rather than ending in '14, Harper, in reality has a 'no-end-insight' to Canada's military involvement.

"They will be involved in . . . and possibly some aircraft training, Mr. MacKay said." (G&M 16 Nov.'10)

"aircraft training"??? - MacKay kinda slipped that one in. I wonder just exactly what he is plotting.

Mumm, any day now Soudas and MacKay are going to start using Afghanistan as an excuse for the $16 billion F-35 purchase.
Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html