Canadian general spreads Christmas cheer

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Gen. Rick Hillier, Canada's top-ranked soldier, was spending Christmas Eve with 2,000 Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

He arrived at the Kandahar military on Sunday, and will be serving up Christmas dinner, handing out gifts and trying to spread a little holiday cheer, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported.

Hillier's main goal was to give the troops' morale a boost, since they are in the middle of a new NATO mission.

Operation Falcon's Summit is a campaign by Canadian, U.S., British and Afghan troops to try to drive away Taliban fighters and persuade locals to return to their homes.

Before he flew to the Kandahar base, Hillier spent Friday aboard the patrol frigate HMCS Ottawa in the Persian Gulf, CBC said.