Canada Calls NATO's Bluff

Thanks to John Burtis for pointing out this story, via Canada Free Press:

The plight of the Canadians ought to shame other allies. Mr. Harper
warned that his country wouldn't extend its 2,500-strong mission in Afghanistan
's unstable southern provinces unless Europe ponies up troops and equipment. His
minority party will soon put the deployment to Parliament, where the opposition
wants a withdrawal. "If NATO can't come through with that help, then I think,
frankly, NATO's own reputation and future will be in jeopardy," he said this
week. Canadians aren't known for hyperbole...Though the mission flies a NATO
flag, Germany , Italy and Spain put caveats on their troops, preventing them
from leaving more peaceful areas to reinforce the Canadians and others in the
south and east. With a limited presence on the ground, France would appear best
placed of the big European countries to contribute 1,000 new troops or
more.

Out of some 42,000 Western troops in the region, the article reveals, 30,000 are US forces. The European socialist state has made the richest countries in the world too comfortable, allowing the Anglo nations to carry their defense burden far too long.