Commons Uproar Over War In Afghanistan

Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor added to the uncertainty last week by suggesting in an interview that soldiers would likely not be able to come home until 2010 - one year past the Parliamentary deadline. And the Defence Department acknowledges it has been doing contingency planning for troop deployments up to 2011. In defending the recent purchase of 100 used Leopard 2 tanks, O’Connor also suggested Canada may be involved in overseas conflicts for as long as 15 years. “There are too many different answers to the same basic question, which is: how long we’re going to be (in Afghanistan),” said Liberal MP Michael Ignatieff, standing in for leader Stephane Dion. “When will this government begin to level with the Canadian people about its intentions in Afghanistan?” Both O’Connor and Prime Minister Stephen Harper repeated the government’s stock answer that the troops were committed until 2009. “If the government wants to extend it further, it will seek the approval of Parliament to do that,” said Harper. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=1f49c63e-9217-4a42-8a21-3c117205d0d9&k=9949

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