Gen. Walter Natynczyk has gone to Afghanistan for his first visit with troops there since becoming Canada's top soldier earlier this month.
Natynczyk used his five-day visit -- which wasn't made public until this weekend -- to put a positive spin on the security situation in the war-torn country which has seen a resurgence of Taliban activity over the past year. Natynczyk, who became Chief of Defence Staff on July 2, said the increased violence is negligible.
"We're generally along the same lines as we have been the past few years,'' Natynczyk said at a news conference Sunday at Kandahar Airfield.
"Looking at the statistics, we're just a slight notch -- indeed an insignificant notch -- above where we were last year.''
According to The Canadian Press, which cited statistics from a prominent security firm that provides analysis of the region, the number of attacks in Afghanistan has actually increased by 77 per cent from 2007.
During a visit to Dahla dam, a $50-million Canadian irrigation project to help local farmers, the defence chief downplayed the perceived abilities of the Taliban.
"They are not 10 feet tall," Natynczyk said.
"They know that if they take us on directly, they'll either lose or they'll have to flee."
He also said there have also been important security improvements made to Canada's forward operating outposts.
"I've compared that with my three previous trips and we've made significant progress,'' he said.
'Very important' visit
Despite concerns from analysts about rising insurgent violence, the general's visit is "very important" for a number of reasons, according to Retired Maj. Gen. Lewis MacKenzie.
"He very wisely went and visited our navy personnel in the region and spent some time aboard Canadian ships," MacKenzie told CTV Newsnet on Sunday.
"It's important for him to make the mark that he's Chief of Defence Staff of the entire forces, not just the Army."
MacKenzie said Natynczyk's visit comes at a time when the mission is receiving some negative publicity internationally.
That's "because NATO, quite frankly, isn't living up to its obligation to provide adequate resources to the commanders on the ground," MacKenzie said.
He said he expects Natynczyk to be just as dedicated and "hands on" when it comes to Afghanistan as was his predecessor, Gen. Rick Hillier.
"He'll have no choice ... whether you like it or not, with all the financial challenges, it's your number one issue. It's got to be hands on."
MacKenzie said few Canadian heads of the military in recent decades have had to deal with a "hot war" on a daily basis.
There will be "morning briefings, evening briefings, night briefings, being woken up in the middle of the night to be advised of casualties or fatalities. Whether you like it or not, it's your number one issue as chief," MacKenzie said.
