Nato defence ministers meeting today are not expected to offer any more troops for Afghanistan, despite a plea from military commanders for another 7,500 soldiers, alliance sources said yesterday.
...And this is why Harper and co. want the HOC vote before April, when our dear NATO allies tell us to get stuffed. Also interesting is that the motion will be "Manley Minus"
meaning that it will call for an extension of the combat role, without mentioning some of the recommendations made by the Manley panel on humanitarian aid, diplomacy, and more open communications by the federal government.
You can interpret this as being a gesture to the Liberals--some of Manley's stuff can get added to the motion via LPC amendments--or (more likely) you can interpret it to mean that diplomacy and humanitarian aid are so much chin music to the Tories and they really are willing to commit to a war without end.
