A8

Michael Tutton
THE CANADIAN PRESS

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HALIFAX - Defence ministers with troops in southern Afghanistan meet in a tranquil Nova Scotia village Thursday and Friday, eager to hear how fresh brigades of U.S. soldiers may help contain rising militant violence.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay says details of the U.S. plan will be a key topic in informal and wide-ranging talks in Cornwallis, which are scheduled to include the defence secretaries of the United States, Robert Gates, and Britain, John Hutton.

They will meet at a converted naval training centre, along with other key members of the International Security Assistance Force, to discuss strategies and how a surge of troops might occur.

"The big 800-pound gorilla in the room will be this subject of troop commitments from the Americans," MacKay said in an interview. "Secretary Gates will of course, we hope, be able to enlighten us in terms of time frames and numbers."

MacKay noted that U.S. president-elect Barack Obama repeated his pledge on Sunday to begin drawing down troops from Iraq as soon as he takes office on Jan. 20, and "shore up efforts" in Afghanistan.

During the election campaign, Obama said his administration would dispatch two or three additional brigades to Afghanistan in 2009, on top of the brigade President George Bush decided to send this January. Each brigade contains between 3,500 and 4,000 soldiers.

MacKay said he'd like to know more.

"Everybody is talking about this, but nobody really knows. ... The numbers coming into Kandahar province will be telling as far as our future success there," he said.

"It's also means understanding what comes with it. Troops are critical. With it comes equipment, command structure."

MacKay said the ministers will also have a chance to discuss the Afghanistan government, the training of Afghan forces, and the election in 2009.

"When are the elections going to be? What is (Afghan) President Hamid Karzai going to do himself to address some of the internal corruption issues within his government?"

The meeting comes as the usual winter lull in fighting degenerates into a period of continuing killing of civilians by the Taliban, roadside bombings and attacks by Pakistan-based insurgents on a key supply route from Pakistan through the Khyber Pass.

Dutch Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop, whose country leads a task force in the province of Urzugan, said in a telephone interview he is "grateful" the Americans are planning to step up their efforts as his nation begins plans for withdrawal at the end of 2010.

He said there's a need for close co-operation with European forces in the province.

"We can tell them about the special tribal nature of this country," he said.

"It's a very fragile province, of course, we can tell them what are the sensitivities and risks, of course, so we can have a real combined ISAF mission."

In addition to discussions on reinforcements, MacKay said the Taliban's use of Pakistan as a safe haven will be a topic of conversation.

"We're still seeing a significant flow into the country of Taliban," he said.

There has been controversy over the past week over the U.S. practice of launching missiles from unmanned drones at Taliban operating in the wild, northern boundaries of Pakistan.

An upcoming campaign to take on the drug lords of Afghanistan may also generate debate, as the Canadians and Dutch seem to have misgivings about the recently approved plan.

NATO's force in southern Afghanistan also includes Estonia, Australia, Denmark and Romania.

Both MacKay and van Middlekoop said they have some concerns about using soldiers to raid drug labs, and they are still pondering whether to participate.

"In Brussels, they are now working out how to do it. It's difficult from a legal point of view," said van Middlekoop.

"I will take time for that because it's risky. For instance, we need to face the problem of civilian casualties, what are the effects in the long run."

One unknown as the ministers gather is the likely fate of Gates once Obama becomes president.

John Manley, who led a Canadian commission that examined the Afghanistan war, said Gates's uncertain future, along with the informal nature of the talks, means the public shouldn't expect major decisions to be taken.