Slip of the Tongue or Trial Balloon?

Col. Mike Cessford, second in command of the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, told CanWest News Service, (look at the end of the article) that it "...might not be unlikely..." that Canadian forces could be in Afghanistan for a decade, "...given the length of time Canada has had forces in former hot spots such as Cyprus."

How likely is it that the number two CF officer in Afghanistan said this on his own?

Though personally I think even a decade is a low ball estimate.

To actually achieve the lofty goals NATO keeps articulating will likely require at a minimum two generations and probably more.

Without massive long term investments in modern education programs there is no likelihood whatever of altering the ancient tribal patterns of that drive the culture.

And that's only if the fighting actually slows or stops long enough to get on with the job of building all the various and sundry infrastructures required to begin the process of introducing modernity to the country.

Aside from all that though I wonder if the rightie-tighties will now have to blast Cessford a new asshole for what he said.

They've blasted everyone else who said anything similar.