Clear articulation of Canada’s goals in Afghanistan needed
As articulated in numerous United Nations Security Council Resolutions, peace and stability in Canada and the rest of the world is clearly linked to bringing lasting peace and prosperity to Afghanistan. Despite its recognition that Afghanistan represents Canada's most important current foreign policy endeavour, the Canadian government has failed to make a clear, objective argument to the Canadian public for Canada’s efforts in Afghanistan. This failure has seriously compromised the Canadian government’s capacity to set the policies necessary to achieve success in Afghanistan, and is risking public support for the Afghanistan mission.

Current ineffective development efforts compromising Canadian troops
Canada’s military is doing its job and winning the battles in Kandahar, but Canada’s development and counter-narcotics failures are losing the war in Afghanistan. Canada’s incoherent development strategy is failing to address even the basic needs of Kandahar’s people, and this failure is increasing support for the insurgency. Nearly 50% of men in southern Afghanistan believe the Taliban will defeat NATO and Afghan troops. As the hub of the Taliban movement, Kandahar is of totemic importance for the future stability of Afghanistan. Losing Kandahar to the insurgents would further decrease support for the Afghan government and could represent the beginning of the end for the international community’s capacity to assist the Afghan people.

Dramatic change of course urgently needed to chart path to mission success
It is clear that for Canada to succeed in Afghanistan, a dramatic change in direction is needed. The Canadian government must chart a new course with clear, achievable targets that address southern Afghanistan’s on the ground realities. Specific measures of success will enable Canada to make steady progress towards the achievement of the international community’s overall mission objective to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan.

Clear measures of success will promote steady progress towards overall goal
A clear path to achieving the steady progress necessary to sustain support for Canada’s mission lies in addressing Afghan communities’ legitimate grievances by providing immediate access to food aid and health care. Canada must respond to the looming disaster of US-led counter-narcotics policies with economic development-based counter-narcotics strategies, and follow the Millennium Development goals to lay the foundation for sustainable peace and prosperity in Afghanistan.

Complete overhaul of development infrastructure necessary
To support the implementation of this necessary new course towards mission completion, the Canadian government will need to completely overhaul its development, aid and counter-narcotics infrastructure. A new strategy and structure is needed to both ensure that Canada’s development efforts complement those of its military, and to provide an influx of the human and financial resources necessary to achieve mission success.

Canada should stay in Afghanistan until mission objective achieved
Canada must stay in Afghanistan until the mission to bring lasting peace and prosperity to Afghanistan is complete. Canada must fulfil its commitment, as articulated in the United Nations Resolutions, to help the people of Afghanistan bring to an end the tragic conflicts in the country, and to promote national reconciliation, lasting peace, stability and respect for human rights, as well preventing Afghanistan from being used as a base for terrorism.


Full report in English (460 kb, pdf)