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The 'Spectre of Another Rotation' Looms
Monday, May 6, 2002
By Jane Taber
The National Post

With files from Mike Blanchfield, Southam News, & The Canadian Press

Image Credit: Jim Hollander -- Reuters.

''I would be both disappointed and shocked if we were not to extend because at this stage it would mean giving the Americans very little warning that we were leaving, and you don't do that to your allies,'' retired major-general Lewis MacKenzie said.

OTTAWA -- NP
The commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan says a decision is needed soon on whether the mission will be extended beyond the original six-month assignment.

''We would hope to see a decision in the coming days. These issues are before the minister right now,'' said Brigadier-General Michel Gauthier, commander of Operation Apollo, the Forces' combined air, sea and land contribution to the U.S.-led military anti-terrorism coalition.

''The reality is that planning a redeployment back to Canada with 800 some odd soldiers, with all of their equipment, is a substantial undertaking, especially when those soldiers happen to be in Afghanistan. It takes about three months of planning to actually make that happen.''

But the government is not expected to make a decision for several weeks, Randy Mylyk, director of communications for Art Eggleton, the Minister of National Defence, said yesterday.
(More: The National Post Online News Source)
2002 © National Post Online.

Dan