Defence minister predicts a calmer Afghanistan

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor said Wednesday he thinks security in Afghanistan will improve over the year despite a recent upsurge in violence in the troubled country.

O'Connor, a retired general, madean official visit to southern Afghanistan to rally Canadian soldiers stationed there. More than 2,200 Canadian troops are in Afghanistan,the majority in Kandahar.

He said he believes public support for the mission is strong, even though opinion polls showsupport is slipping as Canadian casualties mount.

Eight Canadian soldiers have died in August. A total of 27 Canadian soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since Canada sent troops there in 2002.

Gordon told reporters in Kandahar that Canadians receive only part of the mission's storybecause headlines and storiesfocus on the increase in violence.

He said Canadians should not forget that the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed, were organized in Afghanistan.

Wednesday, he spentthe second day of his visit in Kandahar. Tuesday, hetouredthe Kandahar basewhilesoldiers offeredtheir views onimproving Canadian military equipment and trainingin Afghanistan.