Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor has hinted that Canadian troops might scale back operations in southern Afghanistan by year's end. Speaking with CTV, Mr. O'Connor said after the six-month rotation of the Royal 22nd Regiment, "we'll have about 3,000 Afghan army operating within the Kandahar province." In a related announcement, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay told CanWest News last week DFAIT is expanding diplomatic efforts in Kabul and Kandahar.