Ignatieff says he sees no reason to renew Afghan mission for Cdn soldiers: Knowledge Driven Revolution

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Ignatieff says he sees no reason to renew Afghan mission for Cdn soldiers DENE MOORE MONTREAL (CP) - Liberal leadership front-runner Michael Ignatieff says he sees no reason to renew the mission of Canadian troops in Afghanistan beyond 2009.

When asked about the war by youth delegates at the party's leadership convention, Ignatieff said he supports the extension of the Canadian deployment over the next few years. Ignatieff backed the Conservatives' decision earlier this year to extend the mission but said Thursday, "I see no reason to renew it."

"We will have done seven years of work for which I have the utmost respect," said Ignatieff, who will be hoping to attract additional delegate support after being criticized in some circles for endorsing the mission extension.

He said Canadians have to understand what the soldiers are doing.

"The mission is not chasing terrorists around the Hindu Kush (an Afghan mountain range)," Ignatieff said.

"The mission is a good Canadian mission, that is to support and defend a democratically elected government, the first democratically elected government Afghanistan has ever seen."

Ignatieff also said he'd like to see young Canadians heading overseas, bringing Canadian values to some of the world's hot spots including Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.

Ignatieff, who spent the better part of three decades outside of Canada, said he had that kind of international experience as a youth and wishes the same for today's generation.

"This is a generation that can lead the world," he said. "I want to be the leader who got this generation out to Zimbabwe, to Afghanistan, to the places where Canada can make a difference."

Ignatieff said Canadians should share their tolerance, bilingualism and federalism with the world.

He said he would like it if "simply what you do when you finish university, when you finish higher education, that you go overseas and you put back not just to Canada, but to the world."

Although Ignatieff's camp was quick to clarify he does not intend young Canadians to go to the war-torn country as soldiers, Ignatieff did tell young Liberals he supports what he called a "good Canadian mission" in Afghanistan.

The eight candidates vying for the liberal leadership were divided about the war.

Bob Rae said he's not comfortable that the mission was extended to 2009.

"I do think we have to continue our active discussion with our NATO partners about what we're doing there," Rae told youth delegates.

"We do have to find a mission that is actually balanced in a way that could work."

Gerard Kennedy and Stephane Dion, who round out the top four contenders in the race, both said the mission needs a new mandate to continue.

Kennedy said Canada should leave Afghanistan "with their heads held high" when the original commitment expires next February.

"Our additional work in Afghanistan should be conditional and contingent on a successful mission," Kennedy told reporters.

That success would be measured in terms of economic development and humanitarian aid, he said.

"Without those things, our troops are not well-served and we've already done a lot and, if you look at the casualty figures, a disproportionate amount of short-term security."

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