Afghan training mission risk of losses: report

Plan of the Canada to extend Afghanistan mission in three years in a training support role involves high risks and a low chance of success, according to a report published Monday.

Last November, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that Canadian Forces would act in a role of training combat safer until 2014.

But according to the report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Rideau Institute soldiers are likely to be killed or injured attempting a task that is doomed to failure.

According to analysts Michael Byers and Stewart Webb, always training, to pose hazards, and the Taliban have increasingly targeted training facilities all in infiltrating the Afghan army and police.

The report cites dozens of incidents in which staff with the International Security Assistance Force NATO attacked and killed by infiltrators among the Afghan army and police.

In the past six months:

On 29 November, an Afghan police officer killed six of its American trainers in the East of the Afghanistan. The Taliban claimed that he had been a sleeper agent.January 20, an Afghan soldier shot and killed two Italian soldiers the military base.February 18, an Afghan soldier three German soldiers wounded six others on a base in the province of Baghlan.Le 4 April, an Afghan border police officer killed two American trainers within a compound in the North of Faryab province.

The report explains that widespread illiteracy and the high rates of desertion among Afghan soldiers and police and a worsening of security in the country as a whole would condemn the effort to fail.

Even if training efforts are successful to some extent, the potential implosion of "the most corrupt and inefficient Karzai Government" leaves open the question of what sort of the scheme of these soldiers and police would, according to the report.

"Although they admit it, Western Governments more have already given up on the country," said co-author of the report Byers. "The mission of training is clearly an exit strategy that more Canadians will cost their lives".

The decision to extend the mission in Afghanistan beyond 2011 was made without a debate in Parliament, with the consent of the Liberal Opposition. Harper argued that an extension of the mission in a non-combatant role, no parliamentary vote was necessary.

"When we are simply talking about the technical missions or training, I think this is something the Executive can do on its own," said Harper.

Canadian trainers will remain "inside the wire," at their base, Harper said, but the report suggests that the need to provide training on the ground and security for databases will inevitably lead in "mission creep" and the need to engage in fighting with insurgents.

The report argues that attempts to train the Afghan army and police to take over security are a facade designed to facilitate an exit "with honour."

"Which raises the question," according to the report. "Why should Canadian soldiers suffer more victims in a prolonged mission"training", if the decision to abandon the Afghanistan to its fate has already been made."

The authors of the report concern the public debate on the mission in Afghanistan was set aside by the elections.

"Canadians must be aware of the risks of this mission," said Webb.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives described himself as an independent, non-partisan Research Institute, concerned with social, economic and environmental justice issues.

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