This is an older poll from Angus Reid. nevertheless it gives an idea of the negative views of Afghan missions in five European countries. The French are particularly negative but Sarkozy is bound and determined to suck up to George Bush. Canada is simply incidental. In fact the mission is not popular at all in Quebec either. Actually Canada was the most optimistic but even in Canada the ratio of success to failure is just one to two.
Polling Data
(Your country) has contributed troops to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mission in Afghanistan. So far, do you think the war against militant groups in Afghanistan has been mostly a success or mostly a failure?
BRI Britain
FRA France
ITA Italy
GER Germany
CAN Canadian
A success
16% Britain
12%
18%
15%
22% Canada
A failure
63% Britain
63%
66%
69%
49% Canada
Not sure
21%
25%
16%
16%
29%
Source: Angus Reid StrategiesMethodology: Online interviews with 5,075 adults in Britain, Canada, France, Germany and Italy, conducted from Jul. 26 to Aug. 11, 2007. Margin of error for each country is 3.1 per cent.Complete Poll (PDF)
Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Europeans, Canadians See Afghan Mission as Failure
August 27, 2007
Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few adults in five nations that have provided military assistance in Afghanistan believe the mission is proceeding adequately, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. Only 22 per cent of respondents in Canada think the war against militant groups in Afghanistan has been mostly a success.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few adults in five nations that have provided military assistance in Afghanistan believe the mission is proceeding adequately, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. Only 22 per cent of respondents in Canada think the war against militant groups in Afghanistan has been mostly a success.
Italy is next on the list with 18 per cent, followed by Britain with 16 per cent, Germany with 15 per cent, and France with 12 per cent. More than 60 per cent of German, Italian, British and French respondents—as well as 49 per cent of Canadians—think the military effort in Afghanistan has been a failure so far.
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Friday, February 8, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
France heeds Canada's call for more troops
Harper will no doubt be able to claim that his requested troops and equipment has been provided. Now it remains to be seen what the Liberals will do. Dion actually is acting as if he has some backbone but there will no doubt be pressure within the party not to be the cause of an election based on the Afghanistan mission. The polls do not favor the Liberals but then they are not all that great for the Conservatives either.
France heeds Canada's call for more troops
Last Updated: Thursday, February 7, 2008 7:02 PM ET
CBC News
France is considering sending a new contingent of soldiers to the volatile southern regions of Afghanistan in a bid to appease Canada.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay speaks with reporters in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Thursday.(Murray Brewster/Canadian Press)
The country already had planned to send more troops to Afghanistan, and on Thursday, French Defence Minister Herve Morin said he would be willing to have those troops stationed in the south, where Canadians are currently working alongside British, American and Dutch soldiers.
"I said we would help the Canadians," Morin told reporters in Vilnius, Lithuania, where NATO defence ministers are meeting to discuss the mission.
On Wednesday, Canada's Conservative government announced it is tabling a motion to extend the Afghan mission beyond a scheduled February 2009 withdrawal date. MPs will likely vote on the motion in late March.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said he supports an extension under the condition that NATO sends more troops and equipment to help the 2,500 Canadian soldiers fighting the Taliban in the dangerous Kandahar region.
Morin implored Canadians to wait on making a decision. He noted final details about France's troop increase would be presented at a later date by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"Be patient," he said.
A Canadian delegation is travelling to Paris Friday to talk to French officials about the troops, CBC News has learned. It is not clear how many soldiers France will be sending, although some reports have suggested 700.
France currently has about 1,300 soldiers in Afghanistan.
'We need 1,000 troops'
Morin made the troop announcement after holding a side meeting with Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
MacKay outlined Canada's political timelines and realities to his 25 NATO counterparts at closed-door meetings on Thursday. He noted that the Afghan mission vote will be a confidence motion, meaning if it fails, the Canadian government will be dissolved and a general election will be called.
The vote will likely come prior to a key meeting of NATO leaders in Romania in April, when the alliance is hoping to finalize a new and more comprehensive strategy on Afghanistan.
MacKay stressed to NATO leaders how important it is for Canada to get more troops and support.
"It's not a negotiable item," MacKay told reporters before going into the meetings.
"We need 1,000 troops. We have to deliver on that commitment before we can extend our mission."
NATO spokesman said MacKay was clear
After the meetings, a NATO spokesperson said the defence ministers at the meeting clearly understood Canada's position.
"He couldn't have been more clear. I don't think there's any doubt as to what Canada is looking for," said James Appathurai.
Appathurai wouldn't say how the other ministers responded, only saying the mood around the table was "cautiously optimistic."
The talks are the first high-level meetings since John Manley, a former Liberal deputy prime minister, released his report on Canada's Afghan mission in January.
The report, commissioned by Harper, recommended Canadian troops withdraw in 2009 unless they are supported by 1,000 extra troops and new medium-lift helicopters and high-performance unmanned aircraft.
No rift in alliance: NATO
Bitter divisions have emerged over the reluctance of countries such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain to send combat troops to the south.
Appathurai played down headlines about a rift within the alliance, saying media reports give a "false impression of a lack of solidarity."
"They are masking the progress we are making on the ground," said Appathurai.
Germany recently rejected a request by U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates to send more troops to Kandahar, instead saying it would deploy 200 more soldiers to the calmer north to replace a Norwegian unit.
Belgium said Wednesday that it was willing to send 100 soldiers to Kandahar, specifically to guard the main airfield.
NATO ministers will meet Friday with representatives from the European Union, United Nations and the World Bank to try to press their case for more help in Afghanistan, said Appathurai.
3,000 U.S. marines to bolster mission
Washington recently announced a one-time deployment of 3,000 U.S. marines to Afghanistan, seen by some as a sign the mission is faltering.
The top Afghan official in the southern province of Kandahar said the area is counting on the marines.
"The Canadians are fine, but Americans are Americans — the mentality is different," Ahmed Wali Karzai, chairman of the provincial council in Kandahar, told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Wednesday.
Last month, Gates told the newspaper NATO forces in southern Afghanistan didn't know how to properly combat a guerilla insurgency. He later scrambled to clarify his remarks, saying he wasn't singling out a specific country but was talking about the alliance as a whole.With files from the Canadian Press
France heeds Canada's call for more troops
Last Updated: Thursday, February 7, 2008 7:02 PM ET
CBC News
France is considering sending a new contingent of soldiers to the volatile southern regions of Afghanistan in a bid to appease Canada.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay speaks with reporters in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Thursday.(Murray Brewster/Canadian Press)
The country already had planned to send more troops to Afghanistan, and on Thursday, French Defence Minister Herve Morin said he would be willing to have those troops stationed in the south, where Canadians are currently working alongside British, American and Dutch soldiers.
"I said we would help the Canadians," Morin told reporters in Vilnius, Lithuania, where NATO defence ministers are meeting to discuss the mission.
On Wednesday, Canada's Conservative government announced it is tabling a motion to extend the Afghan mission beyond a scheduled February 2009 withdrawal date. MPs will likely vote on the motion in late March.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said he supports an extension under the condition that NATO sends more troops and equipment to help the 2,500 Canadian soldiers fighting the Taliban in the dangerous Kandahar region.
Morin implored Canadians to wait on making a decision. He noted final details about France's troop increase would be presented at a later date by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"Be patient," he said.
A Canadian delegation is travelling to Paris Friday to talk to French officials about the troops, CBC News has learned. It is not clear how many soldiers France will be sending, although some reports have suggested 700.
France currently has about 1,300 soldiers in Afghanistan.
'We need 1,000 troops'
Morin made the troop announcement after holding a side meeting with Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
MacKay outlined Canada's political timelines and realities to his 25 NATO counterparts at closed-door meetings on Thursday. He noted that the Afghan mission vote will be a confidence motion, meaning if it fails, the Canadian government will be dissolved and a general election will be called.
The vote will likely come prior to a key meeting of NATO leaders in Romania in April, when the alliance is hoping to finalize a new and more comprehensive strategy on Afghanistan.
MacKay stressed to NATO leaders how important it is for Canada to get more troops and support.
"It's not a negotiable item," MacKay told reporters before going into the meetings.
"We need 1,000 troops. We have to deliver on that commitment before we can extend our mission."
NATO spokesman said MacKay was clear
After the meetings, a NATO spokesperson said the defence ministers at the meeting clearly understood Canada's position.
"He couldn't have been more clear. I don't think there's any doubt as to what Canada is looking for," said James Appathurai.
Appathurai wouldn't say how the other ministers responded, only saying the mood around the table was "cautiously optimistic."
The talks are the first high-level meetings since John Manley, a former Liberal deputy prime minister, released his report on Canada's Afghan mission in January.
The report, commissioned by Harper, recommended Canadian troops withdraw in 2009 unless they are supported by 1,000 extra troops and new medium-lift helicopters and high-performance unmanned aircraft.
No rift in alliance: NATO
Bitter divisions have emerged over the reluctance of countries such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain to send combat troops to the south.
Appathurai played down headlines about a rift within the alliance, saying media reports give a "false impression of a lack of solidarity."
"They are masking the progress we are making on the ground," said Appathurai.
Germany recently rejected a request by U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates to send more troops to Kandahar, instead saying it would deploy 200 more soldiers to the calmer north to replace a Norwegian unit.
Belgium said Wednesday that it was willing to send 100 soldiers to Kandahar, specifically to guard the main airfield.
NATO ministers will meet Friday with representatives from the European Union, United Nations and the World Bank to try to press their case for more help in Afghanistan, said Appathurai.
3,000 U.S. marines to bolster mission
Washington recently announced a one-time deployment of 3,000 U.S. marines to Afghanistan, seen by some as a sign the mission is faltering.
The top Afghan official in the southern province of Kandahar said the area is counting on the marines.
"The Canadians are fine, but Americans are Americans — the mentality is different," Ahmed Wali Karzai, chairman of the provincial council in Kandahar, told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Wednesday.
Last month, Gates told the newspaper NATO forces in southern Afghanistan didn't know how to properly combat a guerilla insurgency. He later scrambled to clarify his remarks, saying he wasn't singling out a specific country but was talking about the alliance as a whole.With files from the Canadian Press
Thursday, January 24, 2008
France asks U.S. to drop charges against Khadr
Sometimes I am very surprised by events. Sarkozy is right wing and in general goes along with Bush policies. Perhaps sometimes some politicians simply act on principle.
I find it difficult to explain otherwise why France would act in this way. The action should embarass Harper. Harper portrays himself as a champion of human rights but in Khadr's case he has steadfastly refused to defend the rights of a Canadian citizen while France defends his rights! I expect that Harper will just shrug the matter off. After all, Khadr is a member of a notorious Canadian terrorist family and there is not likely to be an outpouring of sympathy for him or any voter backlash.
France asks U.S. to drop charges against Khadr
Last Updated: Thursday, January 24, 2008 | 11:13 AM ET
CBC News
The government of France is urging the United States to drop charges against Canadian terror suspect Omar Khadr, saying he should be treated as a minor.
Pascale Andreani, a spokeswoman for France's Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Paris Wednesday that France considers any child associated with an armed conflict a victim. Khadr, who was 15 when he was captured in Afghanistan in 2002, is being held at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Omar Khadr is shown in a 2002 file photo, at the age of 15, around the time he was captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He has been detained at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
(Canadian Press) She said France considers "all children associated with an armed conflict … should be treated accordingly."
"As a minor at the time of the events, Mr. Khadr must be given special treatment — a point on which there is a universal consensus," Andreani said.
Khadr is expected to be tried by a military tribunal later this year on charges he killed a U.S. soldier with a hand grenade.
Under a United Nations protocol, fighters under 18 years of age are defined as child soldiers.
Khadr's American military lawyer Lt.-Cmdr. Bill Kuebler said France appears more interested in the rights of a Canadian prisoner than Canada.
"I think the clear violation of international law is what is of concern to the populations of Europe," he said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has so far refused to follow the lead of other Western countries, which successfully lobbied to have their nationals at Guantanamo returned home.
Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier has not responded to France's show of support for Khadr. A spokesperson at the department sent CBC News a statement written months ago that said: "Questions regarding whether Canada plans to ask for the release of Mr. Khadr are premature … as the legal and appeal processes are still ongoing."
I find it difficult to explain otherwise why France would act in this way. The action should embarass Harper. Harper portrays himself as a champion of human rights but in Khadr's case he has steadfastly refused to defend the rights of a Canadian citizen while France defends his rights! I expect that Harper will just shrug the matter off. After all, Khadr is a member of a notorious Canadian terrorist family and there is not likely to be an outpouring of sympathy for him or any voter backlash.
France asks U.S. to drop charges against Khadr
Last Updated: Thursday, January 24, 2008 | 11:13 AM ET
CBC News
The government of France is urging the United States to drop charges against Canadian terror suspect Omar Khadr, saying he should be treated as a minor.
Pascale Andreani, a spokeswoman for France's Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Paris Wednesday that France considers any child associated with an armed conflict a victim. Khadr, who was 15 when he was captured in Afghanistan in 2002, is being held at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Omar Khadr is shown in a 2002 file photo, at the age of 15, around the time he was captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He has been detained at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
(Canadian Press) She said France considers "all children associated with an armed conflict … should be treated accordingly."
"As a minor at the time of the events, Mr. Khadr must be given special treatment — a point on which there is a universal consensus," Andreani said.
Khadr is expected to be tried by a military tribunal later this year on charges he killed a U.S. soldier with a hand grenade.
Under a United Nations protocol, fighters under 18 years of age are defined as child soldiers.
Khadr's American military lawyer Lt.-Cmdr. Bill Kuebler said France appears more interested in the rights of a Canadian prisoner than Canada.
"I think the clear violation of international law is what is of concern to the populations of Europe," he said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has so far refused to follow the lead of other Western countries, which successfully lobbied to have their nationals at Guantanamo returned home.
Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier has not responded to France's show of support for Khadr. A spokesperson at the department sent CBC News a statement written months ago that said: "Questions regarding whether Canada plans to ask for the release of Mr. Khadr are premature … as the legal and appeal processes are still ongoing."
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