Defence Minister: Canada not at war in Afghanistan

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149027013385&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1112101662670


<snip>Fighting violent insurgents is just one task among many for Canadian soldiers trying to bring stability to the troubled country, O'Connor told a Commons committee yesterday.

"The military has to conduct a range of activities," he said under questioning from MPs.

"I don't consider this war."

Since 2002, 16 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan.

Liberal committee member Ujjal Dosanjh suggested the Tory government is avoiding use of the term war because it too closely mirrors U.S. terminology, as in the war on terrorism.

[unhappycamper]

1. Call me silly, but

when people are shooting at you, lobbing motars are you, ambushing you and shooting down your aircraft, it kinda seems like war. :sarcasm:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

2. the Canadian govt gets to call this a "police action"

the US govt. already used their "police action" card in Nam. Now play by the rules and play nice.

[glarius]

3. O'Connor is leading Canadian troops down Harper's foolhardy path!

Regardless of what Harper's lapdog O'Connor says, a top Taliban official says Canadian troops should get out of Afghanistan and stop acting like Americans, or face the insurgents' wrath at the same level the U.S. has experienced.
The Taliban military commander in Afghanistan has warned Canada, saying "But if they want to come here as fighting forces, we will view then just as we view the Americans. America is a big snake that wants to bite everybody."

Here's a link to the report on CTV....
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060503/taliban_warning_060601/20060602?hub=TopStories