Canada Went Beyond U.S. Expectations in Afghanistan Mission, Academic Says

A Canadian academic says Canada exceeded U.S. expectations in Afghanistan, defending Ottawa’s military role after criticism questioning NATO allies’ frontline contributions.

Eugene Lang, an adjunct professor at Queen’s University in Canada, says Canada performed beyond United States expectations during its military mission in Afghanistan over many years.

Lang made the remarks while responding to comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed NATO forces contributed little and often avoided frontline responsibilities in Afghanistan.

He noted that Canadian armed forces spent more than a decade operating in dangerous areas in and around Kabul, regularly placing soldiers at significant risk during security operations.

Lang added that in 2003, then U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld officially requested Canada to lead the International Security Assistance Force mission in Kabul, which Canada accepted.

According to Lang, Canadian troops played a critical role in stabilizing Kabul and supporting preparations for Afghanistan’s 2004 elections, although several Canadian soldiers were killed during operations.

Canada deployed thousands of troops to Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014, participating in combat, stabilization, and reconstruction missions as part of NATO-led international operations across the country.

President Trump previously questioned NATO’s reliability, saying he was unsure allies would defend the United States and claiming many NATO members stayed away from frontline fighting in Afghanistan.

Lang stressed that criticism of Canada’s contribution is inaccurate, arguing that U.S. forces relied heavily on Canadian participation during critical stages of Afghanistan’s security operations.

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