Canadian Troops in Afghanistan Until 2011?

Via AFP:

MONTREAL (AFP) - Canada may keep soldiers in Afghanistan to help stabilize the worn-torn nation beyond February 2009, its current commitment, it was reported, citing military documents.

The French-language Montreal daily La Presse said 235 million Canadian dollars (200 million US) has been budgeted to maintain Canada's military presence in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011, according to files obtained through access to information legislation.

And the DoD response:

Defense department spokeswoman Carole Brown told AFP that planning for a longer stay was undertaken.

"This plan details what units will make up our first and second line of operation until 2010. But the fact that we have identified particular units in no way implies that we will necessarily be using them in Afghanistan after 2009," she said.

"It does not mean that its going to occur. It's part of our normal process of prudent and contingent planning."

Last week during question period, an opposition member questioned Harper about Canada's commitment to NATO in Afghanistan beyond 2009. His answer was that a decision on that couldn't be made until we approached the deadline for this mission. In other words, he's in favour of extending the commitment past the deadline if he thinks circumstances warrant it and has obviously already made budgetary plans to do so.

But is that what Canadians want? There's already growing unease and a lack of support for our participation in that war and I highly doubt that's going to change this year, next year, or in 2009.

According to a November, 2006 Environics poll, only 10% of Canadians favoured extending the mission past 2009.

8. In your opinion, should Canadian Forces %
Stay in Afghanistan past the year 2009 10
Stay in Afghanistan until 2009 and then return to Canada, or 23
Return from Afghanistan before 2009? 59
Depends –
Don't know/No answer 8

If Harper is still the PM by the time that decision needs to be made and has a majority government situation to do it, I'm convinced he'll keep our soldiers in Afghanistan for years on end regardless of what Canadians want. The opposition parties need to grab onto this issue during the next election to promise that once our current mission is done, our troops will be coming home - if not before then.

I'm a part of that 59% that thinks they should be brought home before 2009.

Canada lost its 45th soldier, Corporal Kevin Megeney, in Afghanistan this week.

How many more will die in this war?