Manley Recommends Extending Afghan Mission Conditionally

A high-profile panel appointed by the prime minister is recommending that Canada’s military mission in southern Afghanistan be extended — on two conditions.

Canadian troops should continue their mission in Kandahar province beyond 2009 if they receive additional equipment and more support from other countries, says the panel headed by former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley.

The panel also suggests gradually refocusing the mission on reconstruction, training and diplomacy rather than combat.

The military mission in the war-torn country is due to end in February 2009, but the 90-page report says the mission should be extended if:

• A new battle group is deployed by the UN’s International Security Assistance Force to Kandahar province, enabling Canadian forces to accelerate training of the Afghan National Army.
• The government secures new, medium-lift helicopters and high-performance unmanned aerial vehicles by February 2009.

“We are recommending a Canadian commitment to Afghanistan that is neither open-ended nor faint-hearted,” Manley said in a statement.

“What is evident is that the commitment to Afghanistan made by successive Canadian governments has not yet been completed.

“The ultimate objective is to enable the Afghans to manage their own security.”

The report is sure to reignite debate over one of the thorniest issues facing Parliament and the Conservatives.

Polls suggest most Canadians would like to see Canadian troops come home as scheduled next year.

Harper has promised a vote on the mission’s future, and Canada’s NATO allies need to be informed by May or June at the latest.

Just days after naming the panel, the Conservative throne speech made it clear the government wanted to maintain the military mission in Afghanistan until at least 2011.

All evidence since then suggests planning has continued behind the scenes based on that scenario.Regiments to cover the next three years have already been identified by staff officers at National Defence.

A source said the call went out within the army in November for reservists to volunteer for rotations in the fall of 2010.

Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, is staffing positions at the provincial reconstruction base in Kandahar City well into 2009.

And earlier this month, National Defence posted a call for tenders on major construction projects worth between $500,000 and $10 million in Kandahar — suggesting military planners don’t anticipate a major shift of Canadian operations in just 12 months time.

Some critics said the fix was in on the panel from the get-go.

Harper appointed the five-member group in October to, in the prime minister’s words, “make sure we have a rational and considered debate.”

Manley, a prominent former Liberal foreign affairs minister, was a hawkish member of the Jean Chretien government.

He was joined on the panel by: Derek Burney, former ambassador to Washington, chief of staff to Tory prime minister Brian Mulroney and the leader of Harper’s 2006 transition team; Jake Epp, a former Mulroney cabinet minister; Paul Tellier, former clerk of the privy council; and broadcaster Pamela Wallin, a former consul general in New York when the 9-11 terrorist attacks occurred there.

“I’m very confident that we will get a report that the government will be very comfortable with having a public debate on,” Harper told reporters last Oct. 12 as he announced the panel.

By naming the well-respected Manley to lead the group, Harper insulated himself from official Opposition criticism.

“When you have a tough job to do I guess you have to find a Liberal to give you the advice,” Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae said at the time.

Manley Report Recommendations

1) Canada should assert a stronger and more disciplined diplomatic position regarding Afghanistan and the regional players. Specifically, Canada, in concert with key allies, should press for:

a. Early appointment of a high-level civilian representative of the UN Secretary-General to ensure greater coherence in the civilian and military effort in Afghanistan;

b. Early adoption by NATO of a comprehensive political-military plan to address security concerns and imbalances, especially the need for more troops to bolster security and expedite training and equipment for the Afghan National Security Forces;

c. Forceful representations with Afghanistan’s neighbours, in particular with Pakistan, to reduce the risks posed to regional stability and security by recent developments in that country; and

d. Concerted efforts by the Afghan government to improve governance by tackling corruption and ensuring basic services to the Afghan people, and pursuing some degree of political reconciliation in Afghanistan.

2. Canada should continue with its responsibility for security in Kandahar beyond February 2009, in a manner fully consistent with the UN mandate on Afghanistan, including its combat role, but with increasing emphasis on training the Afghan National Security Forces expeditiously to take lead responsibility for security in Kandahar and Afghanistan as a whole. As the Afghan National Security Forces gain capability, Canada’s combat role should be significantly reduced.

• This commitment is contingent on the assignment of an additional battle group (of about 1,000 soldiers) to Kandahar by NATO and/or other allies before February 2009.
• To better ensure the safety and effectiveness of the Canadian contingent, the Government should also secure medium helicopter lift capacity and high-performance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance before February 2009.

3. Canada’s contribution to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan should be revamped giving higher priority than at present to direct, bilateral project assistance that addresses the immediate, practical needs of the Afghan people, especially in Kandahar province, as well as longer-term capacity building.

4. The Government should systematically assess the effectiveness of Canadian contributions and the extent to which the benchmarks and timelines of the Afghanistan Compact have been met. Future commitments should be based on those assessments.

5. The Government should provide the public with franker and more frequent reporting on events in Afghanistan, offering more assessments of Canada’s role and giving greater emphasis to the diplomatic and reconstruction efforts as well as those of the military.

Read the entire report here.

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