Extended Afghan mission will require 1,000 troops

Mid-level officers will shoulder most of the weight of a non-combat mission post-2011.

As news broke Sunday that Ottawa was considering leaving some troops behind to train the Afghan army after Canada’s combat mission ends next year, estimates were that 650 Canadian soldiers would be required for the new mission. It’s now believed up to 1,000 troops will be needed, 700 to 750 of them experienced mid-level leaders buttressed by about 200 support soldiers. Critics say this will put strain on a force that will need to recharge after five years of fighting in Afghanistan, but the mission is a perfect political solution for Stephen Harper’s government because it will satisfy not only Canada’s NATO allies but also the Liberals, who have been calling for an extended non-combat presence in Afghanistan for months.