Pubdate: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 Source: Hamilton Spectator (CN ON) Copyright: 2007 The Hamilton Spectator Contact: http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/181 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Afghanistan Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Senlis (Senlis Council) AFGHANS TURNING AGAINST NATO LACK OF AID, POLICIES: STUDY A survey from a European-based think-tank says Canada and other Western countries are losing the battle for hearts and minds in Afghanistan while the Taliban are seizing the advantage. According to the Senlis Council, nearly half of the men in Afghanistan's southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, where Canadian troops are based, believe the international community will lose the war against the Taliban. "The military forces are doing a remarkable job in extremely difficult circumstances," said Senlis's Canadian founder, Norine MacDonald. "But woefully inadequate aid and development, and misguided counter-narcotics policies are turning people against them and making their work much more dangerous." Canada is one of the world's top bilateral donors to Afghanistan, and dedicates $100 million a year to the strife-torn country. But the results often do not reach the neediest people, said MacDonald, a Vancouver lawyer who moved to southern Afghanistan two years ago. "The hospital doesn't deserve the name, there are no blood banks or ability to do surgery on the injured," she said. "Although we are running a military base to Western standards, we cannot get food aid to Afghans who are starving." The Senlis Council advocates an end to poppy eradication, instead, using the opium-producing crops to create legally marketable drugs. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake