Preparation for Canada troops withdrawal from Afghanistan underway

Canada's Defense Department has already instructed its commanders to start preparing for the withdrawal of combat troops from Afghanistan, although disputes remain as to whether the troops will stay for civilian jobs.

Canada's Parliament has mandated the military troops to leave by the end of 2011 and the Conservative government has promised in many occasions to honor that deadline.

Chief of Defence Staff General Walter Natynczyk has ordered preparations to get under way involving the return of thousands of troops and their equipment from Afghanistan, according to Defense Department sources Friday.

There are about 2,800 Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, based primarily in the southern province of Kandahar. They are part of the international alliance troops fighting Taliban militants.

However, many observers predict U.S. President Barack Obama will ask Canada to keep troops in Afghanistan to protect civilian reconstruction efforts as the American military ramps up its effort to contain the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay has so far refused to rule out the possibility that some Canadian support troops might be kept in Afghanistan after the 2011 deadline. Last month he suggested to a parliament committee that Canadian troops may stay on in Afghanistan in a non-combat role. MacKay said that soldiers would be involved in development and reconstruction but did not provide specific details.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper reiterated the 2011 withdrawal in September and pointed out that he took that same message to U.S. leaders during recent meetings in Washington.

He also noted that the Canadian public does not want to keep soldiers in Afghanistan past that date.

Canada started to deploy troops in Afghanistan in 2002.

Source: Xinhua