Hi Folks- I do not want to wait until I have finished our short report on the event (that I will circulate to all), to thank all of you for coming to the Round Table Video Conference and for your contributions to our discussion. I also thank you for your patience during the predictable and inevitable technical glitches that,thankfully,really didn't disrupt things too badly. I do wish to recognize the special work of our Vice-President Elizabeth Fraser for taking notes of the discussion and also bringing extra chairs, Ken Summers for marshalling and consolidating questions as well as arranging the room, Alan Breakspear for being everywhere we needed somebody - arranging furniture, meeting and assisting entrances and exits, assisting the caterer, and Past President Derek Fraser for his chair-fetching and question development! During the latter stages of our discussion we discussed access to information on Afghanistan and I recommended the Canadian Government site www.afghanistan.gc.ca For more general news on military and international affairs, the Canadian Forces College award-winning Spotlight on Military, National and International Affairs (SOMNIA) is at http://www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/257-Eng.html and a recommended daily 'must read'. We discussed the Taliban, and Ambassador Samad made reference to the many facets of the so-called Taliban. The attached article Who Are the Taliban? by journalist Anand Gopal is as good a comprehensive yet concise analysis I have seen. It makes it clear as to how complicated the insurgency is as well as the difficulties created by routine criminals and corrupt warlords, among other factions, that inhabit the Afghanistan space. I commend it to you as a further step in understanding a most complex situation in which our Canadian Forces and their NATO and other allies are trying to bring some semblance of security and development for the beleaguered Afghan people. Thanks you again for coming. For those of you not members of the Canadian International Council, I do invite you to become members. We are truly dedicated to trying to raise the quantity and quality of public discussion on Canada's role in international affairs.Our next luncheon is on 19 January at the Ambrosia Centre and our speaker is Dr. Peter Jones, now a professor at Ottawa University but a former official in the Rrivy Council Office and in a number of intelligence and arms control negotiation positions. He will be speaking on "Track Two Diplomacy and the CIC". Please let me know if you would like to attend. Also, please do visit the CIC website at www.canadianinternationalcouncil.org, where you may also become a member. o not hesitate to call med directly if you have ant questions regarding the CIC or comments on the Afghanistan Round Table event. Best wishes to all for a very happy holiday season and a prosperous 2009. Sincerely Don W.Don Macnamara President Victoria Branch, Canadian International Council 250-654-0731
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