There is an old parable along the following lines:

A two-horse team was pulling a heavy load up a long slope. One horse was pulling flat out -- giving its all. The other was barely leaning against the traces. Alongside the team was the dray-master; whaling away with his whip, beating the horse that was pulling mightily. An observer called out, "Why don't you beat the other horse?" The response was, "Don't you know? You always whip the horse that pulls."

For this parable, Afghanistan is the hill; the dray-master is the NATO secretary general, and the "horse that pulls" is Canada.

But with his casual but calculated comments earlier this month, stating that "from an Alliance point of view, I would strongly regret if (a Canadian withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2011) became the final outcome of the Canadian consideration," newly minted NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen sadly misspoke. And in so doing, he probably did more damage to any prospect of continued Canadian military presence in Afghanistan than if he had said nothing at all.

The Canadian position on Afghanistan is both well known and artfully ambiguous. The 2008 parliamentary commitment to withdraw its military combat presence from Kandahar in 2011 leaves open a number of options. Canadian combat forces might stay in Kandahar until Dec. 31, 2011; theoretically they might be deployed elsewhere in Afghanistan; and Canadian military, but not combat forces, might stay in Afghanistan past 2011 to assist in training the Afghan military and/or doing construction projects and logistical support assignments. Or even, since December 2011 is still almost two and a half years away, circumstances in Afghanistan could be so improved that the departure of Canadian combat forces would hardly be noticed. Unlikely? Just think how a comparable length of time changed Iraq.

Every NATO secretary general feels his way into the role. Rasmussen, formerly Danish prime minister, literally has just started his tenure as of Aug. 1. The secretary general traditionally is both a cheerleader for alliance causes and a co-ordinator of an often fractious organization --now 28 members. In his cheerleader mode, he has just visited Afghanistan where, in the process of praising Canadian efforts and effectiveness, he expressed openly what many observers quietly hope, that Canada finds a way to continue its Afghanistan commitment.

Unfortunately rushing the net (rather than quietly making these points to Canadian officials) has resulted in a return volley blast from Canadian officials, notably Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon re-emphasizing the 2011 deadline. In contrast, Washington, while presumably also eager to maintain Canadian forces in Afghanistan, has not pressed the point publicly. Ottawa's commitment through 2011 is more than most NATO members have made, and Washington appreciates this reality.

Indeed, Canada's Afghan commitment is highly fragile. Popular support has swayed back and forth over the years (usually in response to high profile casualty reports) but recently has been negative; it appears as if Canadians have simply decided to grit it out until/through 2011 and then wrap up the commitment. Although, given the disposition of combat forces and the increasing availability of U.S. military in the Kandahar sector, a heavy loss of Canadian troops is unlikely, one could question whether the Canadian public would accept serious casualties regardless of the 2011 commitment.

It is irrelevant that total personnel losses over five years in Kandahar would not have been worthy of mention during combat action in the First or Second World wars. For example, Canadian D-Day losses in the attack on Juno Beach are cited as 500 dead and 621 other casualties. We must deal with 2009 reality not historical debating points.

Consequently, despite the horse and cart parable, Rasmussen needs to readjust his flogging. The horse that isn't pulling -- most of the rest of the NATO contingent in Afghanistan -- deserves a few strokes of the lash.

David Jones is a former U.S. diplomat who served in Ottawa. He now lives in Arlington, Virginia.