From the Toronto Star:
As Canadian soldiers marshalled for a major battle against Taliban forces in southern Afghanistan, NDP Leader Jack Layton called yesterday for Canada to pull its troops from the country by next February.
"Withdrawal should begin as soon as possible - working with our international partners to ensure a safe and smooth transition - but with a view to having it complete by February 2007," Layton said, calling Afghanistan the wrong mission for Canada.
"Canada can then focus on building a made-in-Canada foreign policy that moves us towards reclaiming Canada's place in the world. One that is clear, comprehensive and balanced," he said.
Balanced? How does the NDP achieve balance? By never taking sides. By never saying something is right and something else is wrong.
Layton reiterated his argument that Canada should be involved in the multilateral force in Lebanon.
Based on the anti-Israel pro-Hamas platform being considered for NDP policy, Jack Layton clearly thinks Canadian troops are needed to keep their weapons aimed at Israel.
Remarkably, an NDP MP disagrees, and is disagreeing very publicly:
NDP MP Peter Stoffer says he doesn't agree with his leader's call for Canadian troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan.
The Nova Scotia MP represents a military riding and says his own views are more in line with those expressed by Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh, who said the mission should be refocused but Canadian troops should remain.
“To be honest with you, Mr. Dosanjh got it right the other day when he said just to extend the mission for two years without a proper debate and a plan is wrong, but to do an immediate pullout, or a very quick pullout, is also wrong,” said Mr. Stoffer, his party's veterans affairs critic.
“Without a comprehensive plan, what are you pulling out for? What are you leaving behind?” he asked, adding that he respects the fact that the leader and the caucus have taken a different position than he would have liked.
So what punishment is in store for Stoffer? Right now he is the NDP critic of Fisheries and Oceans, Shipbuilding, Seniors, Veterans’ Affairs, and Amateur Sport. Lots to choose from. Perhaps strip him of all his duties. On the other hand, he is one of only two MPs from Nova Scotia, so being overly harsh with Stoffer might dramatically weaken the NDP presence in the Maritimes.
Jack Layton is going to have to walk a fine line when he decides to deliver a smackdown to a party members who has dared to disagree with Layton's take on geopolitics.
