Coalition forces in Afghanistan will go on the offensive this fall, says Lt.-Gen. Marc Lessard, the commander of Canadian troops overseas.
His comments to reporters in Kandahar on Saturday echoed those made by British Maj.-Gen. Nick Carter, commander of coalition troops in southern Afghanistan, who said up to 32,000 Afghan and coalition soldiers will try to clear 500 to 800 insurgents from around Kandahar city before December.
Lessard described the coalition push as "massive activities." The attacks will be followed by development projects and efforts to strengthen the local governments.
Lessard said Canadian soldiers must improve conditions by the time they're scheduled to pull out next July. He called it part of Canada's legacy in Afghanistan.
"With the 150-plus killed, the hundreds of seriously injured, from our Canadian point of view, that's our legacy."
Well, I can predict the Taliban will fall back to the border area by Pakistan and lay low while the NATO troops push ahead in the Khandahar province. Either that or just hide their weapons very well, and instantly become "innocent civilians" and collect western for a year or so.
I believe our legacy is we sent our Armed Forces into Afghanistan for a long time, lost 154 of our best and hundreds more wounded; and I foresee Afghanistan devolving into what it more or less has been for a long time - A country led by warlords who get rich in the narcotics trade.
I guess time will tell the tale, and I do truly hope our sacrifices will contribute to a better life for the average citizen.
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