Tony Lambert delphine1939@videotron.ca

18 jabcier 2008

U.S. defence secretary tries to mend fences after criticism of NATO forces in Afghanistan

Mike Blanchfield, The Ottawa Citizen

Published: Friday, January 18, 2008

U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday he made a special effort to reassure Canada after he criticized shortcomings in the NATO efforts in Afghanistan in a American newspaper.

"I did reach out to the Canadian defence minister yesterday. They had suffered a loss near Kandahar, I think the day before, and I wanted to make sure they understood our respect for their contribution and how much of an impact they are making," Mr. Gates told a news conference in Washington one day after the Pentagon moved to avert a diplomatic row with its allies after an interview he gave to the Los Angeles Times, which quoted him as being critical of NATO's ability to fight a counterinsurgency.

Mr. Gates praised Canada by name, along with its other major allies for their "valour and sacrifice" in fighting on the front lines of the Taliban insurgency in southern Afghanistan. His list also included Britain, the Netherlands and Denmark.

"The transatlantic alliance is in Afghanistan together," said Mr. Gates.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper also responded to the controversy yesterday, saying the comments made by Mr. Gates should not be misinterpreted.

"Officials from the United States at all levels have always conveyed their appreciation and confidence in Canadian Forces and I've heard that from both military and non-military sources and I believe Secretary Gates conveyed that to Minister MacKay yesterday. So there should be no misinterpretation of those comments vis à vis Canada," the prime minister told a news conference in Saskatchewan.

Mr. Harper also said the American contribution to the mission in Afghanistan has been "significant" and "we need to see NATO as a whole step up to the plate."

Mr. Gates had already made a round of telephone calls to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, as well as his alliance counterparts -- including Defence Minister Peter MacKay -- on Tuesday to give them advance notice of the Pentagon's attempt to deploy an additional 3,200 marines to the south in a bid to counter the expected spring offensive by the Taliban.

By chance, that was the same day that Canada suffered its 77th military fatality in Afghanistan, so Mr. Gates was also able to offer his condolences.

But once the imbroglio over the Times story erupted Wednesday, Mr. Gates was on the phone again to Mr. MacKay to reassure him that none of his remarks was directed toward Canada.

Mr. MacKay said Mr. Gates told him he had been quoted out of context, but expressed "regret and embarrassment" over the report.

Mr. MacKay said he was originally "taken aback" by the report, but that he accepted Mr. Gates' explanation.

Mr. Gates reiterated that NATO as a whole has had a lot to learn about fighting counterinsurgencies.

He said he has aired his views on NATO's shortcomings in the past, including at the recent gathering in Edinburgh, Scotland, of countries fighting in the south. The U.S. is urging its allies to seek counterinsurgency training in Kabul with American forces, he added.

"We have to acknowledge the reality that the alliance as a whole has not trained for counterinsurgency operations even though individual countries have considerable expertise," he said.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2008

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PS: He's trying to save his skin. Now he has to live with what he said to the L.A. Newspaper.