“CANADIANS MARVEL AT KABUL’S TRANSFORMATION:”

KABUL – As Afghanistan wrestles to adopt a new constitution, and the United Nations strengthens its call for more soldiers outside Kabul, Canadian soldiers are noticing dramatic changes in the security and economic well-being of the Afghan capital.

“You can see buildings that weren’t there a couple of months ago,” said Lt.-Col. Don Denne, the commanding officer at Camp Julien, the largest Canadian Forces base in Afghanistan, as he toured Kabul on Saturday.

“I’m beginning to see new shops everywhere. Some pretty nice houses too.”

Even some of Canada’s hockey greats, in Kabul to boost the morale of Canadian troops, have recognized the impact the soldiers have had on security in the capital.

“I just talked to my Afghan interpreter, and asked him ‘Do you want the Canadian soldiers here?'” Former NHL tough guy Dave (Tiger) Williams said Sunday.

“He said ‘They have to stay, they have to stay.’ Every day, he says, they’re saving thousands of lives.”

Can we offset those thousands against the millions that Chomsky predicted we’d kill?