That's true, and Mr. Bachand raised some valid concerns. This is why we've been clear that if there's going to be a change of benchmark for some reason, the reasons for it have to be stated. The vast majority of benchmarks have not changed, but some have reason to be stated.
We'll watch over the next quarter and take advice from this committee and others on that particular benchmark and the 65%. If it looks like this is going to be consistent in terms of the number of operations led by Afghans, then obviously we should raise that benchmark to continue to see progress. This is what this is all about, which again reflects back on Madame Lalonde's question.
You're not going to have progress without security. That's why the military aspect will continue, but I believe we've shown, and the Canadian example has been clear, that we believe this is not entirely a military mission. That's why we're so heavily involved on the development side.
There are two competing schools of thought, and this is what the U.S. administration is dealing with right now. You have the new report from General McChrystal talking about the type of counter-insurgency operation that has been relatively successful in Iraq. The Canadian Forces have done that just outside Kandahar City in a place called Deh-e-Bagh. They moved in there with Afghan forces and basically secured the area, secured the village. When it was secured, they then moved ahead with, for instance, the establishment of solar-powered street lights. We might not think that's a big deal, but that is a very big deal if at night there can be lights on your street. They put a number of positive developments into that particular village, and we have achieved what we believe is peace and security in that village.
As we know, peace and security requires eternal vigilance, but we have demonstrated, with Afghan forces significantly taking responsibility, that an area can be secured and the standard of life can be increased. Teachers can go into the area. Schools can be maintained with some degree of confidence. On a small portion, the Canadian Forces have shown that they have won the confidence of the citizens in that area, and I believe they deserve credit for this. That's not true of all the areas we're in, where we haven't won that confidence, but this is the process. It's village-to-village, city-to-city progress that needs to take place if the people of Afghanistan are going to be in control of their own destiny and their own security.