USA continues to plead for Canada's help. Please. Anything.

[Dinner]

Hey Ben, if you feel so strongly about the Afghan war and fighting Islamic extremism, why haven't you volunteered your fat ass? I'm sure you'd make a great decoy.

Dear God. Not even the Canadian army would take him.

[Ben Kenobi]

They actually are more stringent, the cutoff is -7 for vision.

[Wezil]

Here's hoping Harper sticks to his guns on this one.

There is considerable pressure being applied for the gov to extend some way, some how. It's important for the people to continue to be heard on this one.


DD (and others) - It's not just a military/political decision at this point. Severe economic factors are at play. Unlike the US, we have no desire to bankrupt ourselves.

[Wezil]

Oh, and to state the obvious - Ben supports a continued Canadian presence. Think about that people.

[Ben Kenobi]

Well sure. I've been consistant here. You start **** you need to finish it.

[Wezil]

Yep. That's the extent of your logic.

Having lost a hand in the wood chipper you'd dive right in.

[Wezil]

My father argues the Canadian Forces have nothing better to do anyway so they might as well stay in Afghanistan. Also a stellar argument.

[Ben Kenobi]

Well sure, I did argue they shouldn't stick their hand in the woodchipper in the first place. You might want to blame Chretien for that...

[DinoDoc]

DD (and others) - It's not just a military/political decision at this point.

I doubt that. Most countries when they fail to see a compelling national interest in continuing with an armed conflict will start seeking ways out of it. Without such an impetus, it's only natural for Canada to draw down its forces especially when it is essentially cost free wrt the American relationship as the rest of NATO has shown.

[Wezil]

I can tell you....but I can't make you listen.

The strongest support still remaining for the mission is in the conservative base. Harper would be the last of our federal leaders to withdraw for ideological reasons.

[DinoDoc]

I'm unsure who that's a response to.

[Wezil]

You and your argument that $$ is just an excuse. It's not.

Several years ago (before the money crisis hit) our deadline was set for 2011 for political reasons (the minority conservatives could not get support for anything more). Now that the deadline is closing in, money is the problem. The Libs could be persuaded with a training role but the cash just isn't there. After 10 years, we are done.

[Patroklos]

DD (and others) - It's not just a military/political decision at this point. Severe economic factors are at play. Unlike the US, we have no desire to bankrupt ourselves.

Is deploying around 2,500 soldiers really capable of bankrupting you?

[DinoDoc]

I don't really know why we're argueing as we're essentially saying the same thing. Canada only sees costs to maintaining a military pressence in Afghanistan and few if any benefits. The reasons for that are irrelevent as they lead to the same conclusion.

[Patroklos]

http://icasualties.org/OEF/Nationality.aspx

Casualties by country, for reference. They list Canada at 141.