Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, I would agree with Mr. Gilmore. I don't think, in our military mission now, or at least at this moment, we are seen as wholly associated with the Operation Enduring Freedom mission. There is at least a sense in Kabul and beyond that we are now part of this UN-mandated NATO mission.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you for mentioning the U.S. proposal or plan to send $750 million in development assistance. This is precisely what is needed—that some development assistance be provided. This is certainly an area to which Canada could contribute. The recent plans were also introduced by the Afghan government to hold peace jirgas, to bring together people on both sides of the border to perhaps initiate some level of dialogue that's needed.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you for your comment. First of all, I'll speak on the area that my research focuses on most, which is on building up the security sector. As I said in my presentation, I think there's a need for a substantial increase in investment in judicial infrastructure, everything from building courthouses at the district levels across the country to, at the provincial level, training judges.

Foreign Affairs committee  I would say this relates to one of the things I was discussing, and that's political will. Certainly there is a need for other NATO member states to make the necessary contributions to this mission, to relieve Canada perhaps in the south, to contribute to the southern mission. Although I don't think Canada should be considering withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan entirely, or from the south entirely, it is clear that other NATO member states will have to start pulling their weight.

Foreign Affairs committee  In terms of Pakistan, there is a lot of scope for more pressure to be placed on Pakistan. Of course, the actor that has the most scope in that regard is the United States. The United States is in the process of selling sophisticated fighter jets to the Pakistanis, and Pakistan is one of the biggest recipients of U.S. aid.

Foreign Affairs committee  I would say that the $27 billion figure I mentioned did not adequately consider the cost of security, and I agree with you there. That's why, for example, the recent U.S. contribution of $8.6 billion, just in the next couple of years, to rebuild and to sort of jump start the training of the Afghan security forces shows that the original figure was not adequate.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, I would agree with Mr. Gilmore and the comments in the question. I think, certainly, that Pakistan has deployed troops to the FATA, the NWFP, and North and South Waziristan and has taken a number of casualties. But it's clear that they could be doing more. All reports are that the ISI, the Pakistani intelligence service, is providing clandestine support for the Taliban.

Foreign Affairs committee  No, I couldn't give you an adequate figure. However, I would refer you to the Securing Afghanistan's Future report, a report I was actually involved in, an Afghan government report released in 2004, which was basically a recosting study to determine the cost of the reconstruction process.

Foreign Affairs committee  Okay.

Foreign Affairs committee  I have one more paragraph.

Foreign Affairs committee  Canada has paid a heavy price for its engagement in Afghanistan, and the reticence among some to maintain the current military commitment, especially when so many other NATO member states are watching from the sidelines, is understandable. But a Canadian withdrawal, in the absence of another state to pick up the slack, will deliver a significant blow to the state-building process.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much. First of all, I'd just like to thank you for allowing me to speak in front of you today and say what an honour it is. As many keen observers of Afghanistan have recognized in recent months, the Afghan state-building process is facing a tipping point. Most Afghans have yet to receive the peace dividend promised them by Afghan and international leaders following the collapse of the Taliban regime.