We're In Afghanistan For How Long?!

Shades of George Bush. Do I hear an echo?

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canadian troops will remain in Afghanistan for "years," a sure sign soldiers will stay in the war-torn nation long after the current commitment expires in 2007.

Since we are already in Afghanistan and all troop activity will be troop renewal there will never be a vote in the house. Harper has already said that.

"Our troops are already deployed in Afghanistan, have been deployed for some time and as we know, will be there in some form in the next few years," Harper told the Commons during the afternoon question period.Canada now has 2,200 troops in Kandahar, a commitment that ends in February. Harper said a decision on the next deployment would be made in the "very near" future but left little doubt that more troops would be deployed."We're there for the long term and we support the mission of our troops," Harper said.

To go to war will remain the Governments prerogative, despite Canadians opposition.

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor isn't answering those questions either. In an interview with Maclean's, he interpreted Harper's position as an open-ended rejection of any debate or vote by MPs on troops in Afghanistan -- even if a further deployment is contemplated after the current commitment ends in February 2007. O'Connor said any future phase of Canada's armed presence in Afghanistan would be regarded as an extension of the previous Liberal government's decision to send troops over, a position fully supported by the Conservatives. "I think the Prime Minister has been pretty clear that we're not going to have a debate or vote on Afghanistan," he said. "That's his position, and I'm right in line with his position. This is a continuing commitment." Canada in combat

And without a vote you get a consensus parliament, proving that only having a No-Vote Debate is useless; Afghan debate not really a debate

All four parties voiced strong support for Canadian troops.

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