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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ichy Smith who wrote (204644)	9/28/2006 7:07:43 PM
From: bentway	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Critics blast Musharraf Comments anger family of soldier GLORIA GALLOWAY AND DANIEL LEBLANC OTTAWA, BUCHAREST -- Opposition leaders tore into Pakistan's President yesterday for accusing Canadians of whining over their casualties in Afghanistan, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives refused to join in the condemnation. Liberal Leader Bill Graham said he was "very surprised" to hear General Pervez Musharraf diminish Canada's loss. "This is not whining," he told reporters outside the House of Commons. "This is about establishing the fact that Canadians are . . . risking their lives and putting their blood into the country of Afghanistan. It's an honourable thing that's being done and certainly shouldn't be criticized in that way." Gen. Musharraf said in a CBC-TV interview aired Tuesday that Pakistan has borne the brunt of the fighting in Afghanistan and that any country participating in the war should expect casualties. Print Edition - Section Front Enlarge Image More World Stories World's nuclear haves and have-nots beginning to play 'let's break a deal' 'Experienced' and 'vibrant' retired from British job ads Thai junta pulls plug on grassroots radio Critics blast Musharraf Displaced Afghans too afraid to go home THE FEUD: Tension high at leaders' gathering Go to the World section "We have suffered 500 casualties, Canadians may have suffered four or five," he said in the interview. "You suffer two dead, and there's a cry and shout all around the base that there are coffins. Well, we've had 500 coffins." In fact, 37 Canadians have been killed in the effort to rout the Taliban from the country and to bring stability to a people who have endured years of war and oppression. Nancee Payne, whose 32-year-old son Randy was killed when a roadside bomb hit his armoured jeep in April, was taken aback by Gen. Musharraf's comments. "He's a bit out on his numbers, isn't he?" she said from her home northwest of Peterborough. "That's not right what he's saying. He didn't lose a son or a daughter. We lost a son and it kills." Aides said Mr. Harper was briefed on Gen. Musharraf's comments, but he did not respond directly when asked about them by reporters. "Pakistan is an important ally in the fight against terror," Mr. Harper said in Bucharest, where he is attending the 11th Francophonie summit. "We're all aware of the cross-border movement of insurgents between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and we know that Pakistan has increased its efforts in this regard and we'll continue to encourage them to do so." A Canadian official later said the Prime Minister deliberately avoided criticizing Pakistan. Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, appearing before a House of Commons committee to discuss the importance of the spread of democracy, likewise refused to respond to Gen. Musharraf's remarks. "We're not going to get drawn into the nuances of what was said," Mr. MacKay said. "It's more important for us to focus on how we can promote this issue in a very positive way." When asked if he thought the Pakistani President understood Canada's sacrifice, Mr. MacKay told reporters: "I think all countries understand that it's a sacrifice to be there. All countries understand that there is considerable risk. And certainly Canada is there because we believe that risk is justified. "We've lost soldiers, they've lost soldiers. That is a very emotional issue," he said of the Pakistanis. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who was in Washington yesterday to meet with Gen. Musharraf and U.S. President George W. Bush, said on a working visit to Canada last week that Pakistan was the source of many of the problems afflicting his country. He said there are religious schools in Pakistan that breed hate into Taliban fighters, who then enter Afghanistan to kill both Afghans and the foreign troops deployed to help them. Gen. Musharraf's denigration of Canada's role in the region was a reaction to the suggestion by critics that Pakistan could do more to prevent the Taliban from crossing into Afghanistan. Mr. MacKay conceded yesterday that Pakistan presents a major challenge to those who are trying to assist the Afghans. "We're an important partner with the Pakistanis, just as we are with the Afghan people in trying to deal with this very, very difficult and thorny issue of security in southern Afghanistan." But NDP Leader Jack Layton said Mr. Musharraf's comments suggest the dialogue between Canada and Pakistan has not been extensive enough -- and that the Conservative government has failed in communicating Canada's interests and involvement in the region. "This is deeply distressing and I certainly call on the Prime Minister to engage, as I have done in the House and as I have done for many weeks, in trying to bring all parties to the table to discuss this issue seriously," Mr. Layton said. theglobeandmail.com