Taliban `on run,' says O'Connor

[CHIMO]

Just a day after conceding Canada couldn't hope to beat the Taliban "militarily," Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor changed his tune again, saying that Canadian troops had "broken the back" of an insurgent uprising west of Kandahar.

"They're basically being suppressed and on the run at the moment," he said. "Our people are flowing more freely through the area right now but we always have to be wary of the Taliban from a security point of view and we will," O'Connor said. And he hinted Canada might be sending more military resources to help troops expand development work in the battle-scarred region of southern Afghanistan. I want more projects produced, I want more development activity," O'Connor said.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1157753409756&call_pageid=968332188774&col=968350116467

Bush Says Major Combat in Iraq Over

WASHINGTON — Hours after making an historic landing aboard a moving aircraft carrier, President Bush told sailors manning the USS Abraham Lincoln Thursday that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,85777,00.html



http://cagle.msnbc.com/news/CarrierPhotoOp/main.asp

[daleo]

1. They are sending ten tanks

Add in tank crews and maintenance personnel, and I think they will increase our numbers by at least 100 in the near future.

[CHIMO]

2. Canada doing more than ‘fair share' in Afghanistan, says MacKay

Canada doing more than ‘fair share' in Afghanistan, says MacKay

OTTAWA — More military help is needed in Afghanistan, says Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, but it's time for Canada's NATO allies to “step up” rather than for Canada to contribute more.

Published reports over the weekend suggest the Canadian Forces are set to ship as many as 20 Leopard tanks to Afghanistan — along with up to 300 military personnel to support them — to assist the combat troops and provincial reconstruction teams.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060910.wmackay0910/BNStory/Front

A bit ambiguous but probably a lead into Steve's speech tomorrow.

[daleo]

3. I should have known it would be more

It's always more, more, more (tanks and troops, I mean).