Posted on 03/02/2008 10:18:18 AM PST by Grzegorz 246
OTTAWA (AFP) - Visiting Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek on Friday urged NATO countries to play a larger role in routing insurgents from Afghanistan, noting his nation is doubling its troop deployment this year.
"Like Canada, we're calling upon other countries to take their share of responsibility and to participate even more visibly in peacekeeping and peace-building in Afghanistan," Topolanek said following meetings with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and several Canadian ministers.
He also indicated that the Czech Republic will double its number of soldiers taking part in the US-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan this year to about 550.
But the Czech parliament must still approve the plan to deploy 120 of its special forces alongside some 435 infantry, he added.
Canada has been pressing NATO allies to send reinforcements, as well as helicopters and drones for use by its forces in volatile Kandahar province, where its 2,500 troops are based, if it is to extend its mission to 2011.
If none are forthcoming, Canada has said it would withdraw from southern Afghanistan in February 2009 at the end of its current mandate.
Topolanek said: "There has not been any final decision made regarding the location of our troops, be it Kandahar or some place else."
But, he added, "We agree with Prime Minister Harper that there is no way we can leave Afghanistan. It is in our opinion the responsibility of the international community and NATO to rebuild this country."
"Afghanistan is like a laboratory or test case for the future whether we're able to rebuild this country."
"We agree that we must call on the other NATO countries to participate more visibly, more tangibly in this enterprise."
The Czechs get it. I’d suggest we trade Nancy Pelosi for Mirek Topolanek but the Czechs have already seen enough of communism.
Seems they do get it. As much as I, openly and aggressively, give vent to my disgust and outright hatred of “old europe”, I do believe the former Warsaw Pact nations can’t be held to the same expectations.
Old Europe has existed as parasites for nearly the entirety of living memory. New Europe is still trying to rebuild itself and recover from decades of failed Sovietism.
My primary hatred of the EUnix comes from the reality that the enemy we fight means just as much threat to the EUnix as it does to the US. And, as per established pattern, the EUnix do as little as possible in standing against that enemy while doing as much harm to the US as they can get away with and curry favor with our common enemy.
Any nation not standing up fully and harshly against this threat deserves total annihilation. We are far, far too forgiving. And our kindness has long ago fallen over into weakness.
EUnix... LOL! Can I quote you on that?
I didn’t make it up. I think I got it from some commenter at No Pasaran! site.
Still.. it’s a prime name :)
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