Canada's parliament easily passed a government motion on Thursday to extend its Afghan mission to 2011, provided that NATO allies provide necessary reinforcement to the military operations in southern Afghanistan.
The motion passed by 198-77. The New Democratic Party and the Bloc Quebecois voted against it. The biggest opposition the Liberal Party, who had reached an agreement with the Conservatives, voted in favor.
The motion calls for Canada's 2,500 troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond its current mandate of February 2009, but with a focus on reconstruction and training of Afghan troops. It also states a clear pull-out deadline of December 2011.
But to remain in Kandahar, Canada has demanded that NATO allies provide 1,000 more troops, as well as surveillance drones, helicopters and other equipment. Otherwise, it would still withdraw next year.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government has been under growing pressure to withdraw the troops as the death toll keeps mounting. A total of 80 soldiers and one diplomat have died there since Canada first sent troops to Afghanistan.
Thursday's motion is a confidence vote, meaning its defeat would have brought the government down.
Source:Xinhua
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