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Pull your weight, Bush urges Afghan allies TheStar.com - News - Pull your weight, Bush urges Afghan allies
Bulgaria, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Iceland praised for contribution, but Canada ignored
February 15, 2007
Tim Harper
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON – George W. Bush today appealed to NATO allies to send more troops to Afghanistan and remove restrictions on those already fighting there – but never mentioned the Canadian contribution as he heaped praise on the alliance.
In telling the world that the Afghanis have “a lot of friends’’ in the world, Bush lauded contributions made by such players as Bulgaria, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Iceland and Norway and he mentioned the efforts of the British who are engaged in the most intense fighting in south along with Canadians.
But the omission of Ottawa was notable, particularly since the Harper government has banked on the 2,500 Canadian soldiers fighting in Afghanistan to help raise Canada’s profile as a partner in the war on terror here.
A White House spokesperson did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the Bush speech.
The U.S. president said an additional 3,200 U.S. troops would be sent to Afghanistan and remain “for the foreseeable future’’ to help American and NATO forces combat an expected spring offensive by the Taliban.
“For NATO to succeed, member nations must provide commanders on the ground with the troops and the equipment they need to do their jobs,’’ Bush said.
“As well, allies must lift restrictions on the forces they do provide so NATO commanders have the flexibility they need to defeat the enemy wherever the enemy may make a stand.’’
Ottawa has made the same argument, pushing for other nations such as Germany and France to loosen rules of engagement for their troops so Canadians would not be doing a disproportionate amount of fighting and dying in Afghanistan.
Bulgaria, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Iceland praised for contribution, but Canada ignored
February 15, 2007
Tim Harper
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON – George W. Bush today appealed to NATO allies to send more troops to Afghanistan and remove restrictions on those already fighting there – but never mentioned the Canadian contribution as he heaped praise on the alliance.
In telling the world that the Afghanis have “a lot of friends’’ in the world, Bush lauded contributions made by such players as Bulgaria, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Iceland and Norway and he mentioned the efforts of the British who are engaged in the most intense fighting in south along with Canadians.
But the omission of Ottawa was notable, particularly since the Harper government has banked on the 2,500 Canadian soldiers fighting in Afghanistan to help raise Canada’s profile as a partner in the war on terror here.
A White House spokesperson did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the Bush speech.
The U.S. president said an additional 3,200 U.S. troops would be sent to Afghanistan and remain “for the foreseeable future’’ to help American and NATO forces combat an expected spring offensive by the Taliban.
“For NATO to succeed, member nations must provide commanders on the ground with the troops and the equipment they need to do their jobs,’’ Bush said.
“As well, allies must lift restrictions on the forces they do provide so NATO commanders have the flexibility they need to defeat the enemy wherever the enemy may make a stand.’’
Ottawa has made the same argument, pushing for other nations such as Germany and France to loosen rules of engagement for their troops so Canadians would not be doing a disproportionate amount of fighting and dying in Afghanistan.