Um, about that "threat"
It's interesting sometimes to see the differences in perspective when Canadian stories get reported internationally. A recent example is how the recent Manley report and the government's response to it has been reported.
Take CNN:
Canada will extend its military mission in Afghanistan only if another NATO country puts more soldiers in the dangerous south, the prime minister said Monday, echoing the recommendation of an independent panel to withdraw without additional forces.
. . .
The panel, led by John Manley, a former Liberal deputy prime minister and foreign minister, recommended last week that Canada coninue its mission only if another NATO country musters 1,000 troops for Kandahar.
. . .
"Both of those recommendations will have to be fulfilled, or Canada will not proceed with the mission in Afghanistan," he said.
Then we have the BBC:
Canada has told US President George W Bush that it will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan next year unless Nato deploys more soldiers there.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is demanding that a further 1,000 Nato troops be sent to Kandahar province where Canada's 2,500 troops are based.
. . .
White House press secretary Tony Fratto said that in reply, the president had "noted the deployment of 3,200 additional US marines to Afghanistan".
It is not clear if the additional US troops meet Canada's requirements for more troops in Kandahar.
Somehow, I think those additional US troops will meet Harper's requirements, because as Cathie has noted, and the foreign news services above have missed, is that the debate within Canada has shifted over time:
Somehow, the Harper promise that the mission in Afghanistan wouldn't be extended unless Canadians supported it has morphed into the Harper promise to "ensure Canadian soldiers get the help that will allow them to stay ... indefinitely".
To a large extent, that was the whole purpose of the Manley report. Harper, who has always supported an extension, hand-picked a panel of "experts" who all supported extention, who then wrote a cut-and-paste report calling for extension, that Harper could use as ammunition to get the extension.
The so-called "threat" is just an escape valve if, despite the kabuki theatre as Cathie puts it, Harper still can't get the support required to extend the mission. But as long as Harper has any say over it, Canada is staying put.
