Report: Afghan stability long time away

OTTAWA, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A report by a Canadian Senate committee says that Canada should consider withdrawing troops from Afghanistan unless NATO supplies more forces.

The report warned that bringing stability to Afghanistan is likely to take what Colin Kenny, chairman of the committee, called "an extraordinarily long time," the Toronto Globe and Mail reported.

"Canada and NATO must deploy more resources in Afghanistan and use those

resources in a better way than we have done," the report said. "If this proves impossible, Canada should be prepared to consider withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan as soon as our current commitment ends."

The report recommended sending 250 more Canadian soldiers and 10 police officers and supplying billions of dollars in aid to for local development and to provide alternatives to opium poppy production.

President Hamid Karzai must develop a plan to end corruption within a year, and a buffer zone between Pakistan and Afghanistan should be established, the report said.