# Military has its orders on Afghan withdrawal



## 57Chevy (7 Jun 2010)

Military has its orders on Afghan withdrawal: Natynczyk

OTTAWA — Gen. Walt Natynczyk says the military is obeying "very clear instructions" from the government to withdraw from Afghanistan next year and he won't speculate on whether some troops could or should stay behind.


The chief of defence staff declined at a news conference Monday to be drawn into a debate sparked last week by overtures from Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae suggesting the official opposition would support a post-2011 training mission for Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.


"It's not even worth, from my standpoint, speculating about future operations," Natynczyk said. "We have got very clear instructions from the government of Canada to move out on the withdrawal and that's what we're going to continue to plan on."


He quoted from the 2008 parliamentary motion requiring an end to the military mission and withdrawal starting in July 2011 and said a military team is in Afghanistan planning the logistics.


"Soldiers, sailors, airmen and women need those clear orders to get on with business," Natynczyk said. "So we're moving on those orders."


He noted the institutions that will continue a non-military mission for Canada in Afghanistan include Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian International Development Agency, the RCMP and the correctional services.


Last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the government is sticking by the 2008 parliamentary motion.


Natynczyk's news conference was with Admiral James Winnefed, the new commander of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command).


Winnefed is visiting Ottawa to discuss, among other things, security when world leaders gather in Huntsville, Ont., for the G8 summit June 25-26 and in Toronto for the G20 summit June 26-27.


NORAD's role for the summits will be similar to that during the Olympics — to provide surveillance, assess potential threats, monitor aircraft in the area and alert forces if necessary.


"If something were to happen, heaven forbid, we would be receptive of course to a request from Canada for support," Winnefed said.


"We've got complete confidence in Canada's ability to handle quite a wide range of events so I wouldn't want to indicate in any way, shape or form, that we don't have that sort of confidence. But we're always ready to assist a neighbour and we have the structure in place to do that and we would certainly do it if necessary."

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service


Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Military+orders+Afghan+withdrawal+Natynczyk/3122762/story.html#ixzz0qCkQP8Cp


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## 57Chevy (7 Jun 2010)

More details:

Time running out in Afghanistan: Top general
 http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Time+running+Afghanistan+general/3122762/story.html#ixzz0qDKHbCHP


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