Canada receives the news of the death of Osama Bin Laden with sober satisfaction. Sadly, others will take his place.

There is a dependence in the region that breeds a culture of defeatism.

I just think it would be unrealistic to suggest we're going to eliminate every last domestic insurgent in Afghanistan. Certainly, the history of the country would indicate that's not a very realistic objective, and I think we have to have realistic objectives.

We got into a recession because the global economy went into the recession and we're a big exporting nation.

As I constantly remind Canadians, there isnt really a Canadian economy anymore. It is a global economy.

We should have been there shoulder to shoulder with our allies. Our concern is the instability of our government as an ally. We are playing again with national and global security matters.

Canada remains alienated from its allies, shut out of the reconstruction process to some degree, unable to influence events. There is no upside to the position Canada took.