Canadian Military involvment in Iraq, and Canadian political support. - The Canadian Forces going to Iraq?
- Thread starter McG
- Start date
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
Brent,
Babicima had it right, go to the Brits or the Yanks. If you want combat, they will provide you with the opportunity. If you want combat as a Canadian soldier, then there are no guarantees. Sorry about that chum.
PS
Ever hear of a "psychobaby?"
Babicima had it right, go to the Brits or the Yanks. If you want combat, they will provide you with the opportunity. If you want combat as a Canadian soldier, then there are no guarantees. Sorry about that chum.
PS
Ever hear of a "psychobaby?"
- Reaction score
- 1,029
- Points
- 1,010
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040609.wnato0609_3/BNStory/International/
By OLIVER MOORE
Globe and Mail Update
Quitting the G8 summit a day early to resume a tight election campaign, Prime Minister Paul Martin left open the slim possibility Wednesday that Canadian troops could become involved in Iraq.
He was questioned on the issue after U.S. President George W. Bush called for a greater NATO involvement in Iraq, where several nations in the military alliance are currently deployed but where NATO, as a whole, remains absent.
â Å“We are members of NATO and we're perfectly prepared to take our responsibilities as members of NATO,â ? Mr. Martin told reporters at a televised news conference from the summit site on Sea Island, Ga.
â Å“If the Iraqi people wanted NATO to be there and requested that, I am sure that NATO would agree to accede to that request and Canada would participate. But we're already present in Afghanistan, we're already present in Haiti and everyone recognizes the extent to which Canada has dedicated troops to those two countries.â ?
A senior official told Canadian Press before Mr. Martin spoke that Canada will offer an increase in its non-military assistance to Iraq. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that institution-building would remain the focus of Canadian involvement.
Mr. Martin picked up the same theme in his remarks, saying that Canada currently has no troops to send but would do what was necessary to fulfill its role in the military alliance.
â Å“Fundamentally, with the new Iraqi government in place, it is up to that government, after assessing the situation, to make those requests,â ? he said.
â Å“If the new Iraqi government were to ask for further NATO involvement, then that's obviously something that all of the parties would be prepared to take a look at,â ? he said. â Å“I have said that we're certainly prepared to participate, I do not believe we'd be participating with further troop movements, but we're certainly going to participate with expertise.â ?
Mr. Bush, who got a boost this week with a new United Nations Security Council resolution endorsing a multinational force in Iraq, told his G8 colleagues he wants a bigger role for NATO in Iraq, perhaps in training the Iraq army. He conceded, though, that many NATO nations do not have any surplus troops to commit.
France's Jacques Chirac, a vocal critic of the Iraq war, said more NATO involvement wouldn't be "relevant or well-understood."
"I do not believe that it is NATO's purpose to intervene in Iraq," he said. "I have reservations vis-a-vis this initiative."
Any NATO role in Iraq would depend on requests from the Iraqi government and decisions made by all the allied countries, a spokesman for the military alliance told Associated Press Television News on Wednesday, echoing Mr. Martin's position.
At his own news conference, Mr. Martin defended his decision to leave the summit early while the heads of the other industrialized nations carry on for another day of meetings. He said that the agenda Thursday consists of topics that he has discussed with the other leaders, who know full well where Canada stands.
â Å“The plans were that I was going to return, and that's why I spent so much time in the bilaterals, meeting with all of the individual heads of state,â ? he said. â Å“I've probably done more bilaterals than almost anybody, in order to make sure the Canadian point of view was felt. I will have made, by the end of this day, three major presentations.â ?
He said that, by the time he leaves Georgia, he will have made major presentations on private-sector development, nuclear proliferation and the security meltdown in Haiti.
â Å“In the time that has been open to me here I've done a great deal, and I think Canada has marked some very, very important points.â ?
Although he has no public events planned for Thursday, Mr. Martin made it clear that he is reverting to campaign mode.
â Å“There are times when ... you do public events and there are times when you do other kinds of work in the middle of a campaign,â ? he said.
By OLIVER MOORE
Globe and Mail Update
Quitting the G8 summit a day early to resume a tight election campaign, Prime Minister Paul Martin left open the slim possibility Wednesday that Canadian troops could become involved in Iraq.
He was questioned on the issue after U.S. President George W. Bush called for a greater NATO involvement in Iraq, where several nations in the military alliance are currently deployed but where NATO, as a whole, remains absent.
â Å“We are members of NATO and we're perfectly prepared to take our responsibilities as members of NATO,â ? Mr. Martin told reporters at a televised news conference from the summit site on Sea Island, Ga.
â Å“If the Iraqi people wanted NATO to be there and requested that, I am sure that NATO would agree to accede to that request and Canada would participate. But we're already present in Afghanistan, we're already present in Haiti and everyone recognizes the extent to which Canada has dedicated troops to those two countries.â ?
A senior official told Canadian Press before Mr. Martin spoke that Canada will offer an increase in its non-military assistance to Iraq. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that institution-building would remain the focus of Canadian involvement.
Mr. Martin picked up the same theme in his remarks, saying that Canada currently has no troops to send but would do what was necessary to fulfill its role in the military alliance.
â Å“Fundamentally, with the new Iraqi government in place, it is up to that government, after assessing the situation, to make those requests,â ? he said.
â Å“If the new Iraqi government were to ask for further NATO involvement, then that's obviously something that all of the parties would be prepared to take a look at,â ? he said. â Å“I have said that we're certainly prepared to participate, I do not believe we'd be participating with further troop movements, but we're certainly going to participate with expertise.â ?
Mr. Bush, who got a boost this week with a new United Nations Security Council resolution endorsing a multinational force in Iraq, told his G8 colleagues he wants a bigger role for NATO in Iraq, perhaps in training the Iraq army. He conceded, though, that many NATO nations do not have any surplus troops to commit.
France's Jacques Chirac, a vocal critic of the Iraq war, said more NATO involvement wouldn't be "relevant or well-understood."
"I do not believe that it is NATO's purpose to intervene in Iraq," he said. "I have reservations vis-a-vis this initiative."
Any NATO role in Iraq would depend on requests from the Iraqi government and decisions made by all the allied countries, a spokesman for the military alliance told Associated Press Television News on Wednesday, echoing Mr. Martin's position.
At his own news conference, Mr. Martin defended his decision to leave the summit early while the heads of the other industrialized nations carry on for another day of meetings. He said that the agenda Thursday consists of topics that he has discussed with the other leaders, who know full well where Canada stands.
â Å“The plans were that I was going to return, and that's why I spent so much time in the bilaterals, meeting with all of the individual heads of state,â ? he said. â Å“I've probably done more bilaterals than almost anybody, in order to make sure the Canadian point of view was felt. I will have made, by the end of this day, three major presentations.â ?
He said that, by the time he leaves Georgia, he will have made major presentations on private-sector development, nuclear proliferation and the security meltdown in Haiti.
â Å“In the time that has been open to me here I've done a great deal, and I think Canada has marked some very, very important points.â ?
Although he has no public events planned for Thursday, Mr. Martin made it clear that he is reverting to campaign mode.
â Å“There are times when ... you do public events and there are times when you do other kinds of work in the middle of a campaign,â ? he said.
- Reaction score
- 35
- Points
- 530
Because Martin has proved himself to be completely two-faced hypocrite.
Without a doubt the biggest disappointment I've had in years.
Just to put this into context, I was very optimistic when he took over for Chretion and he's proven to be just pathetic.
Matthew. :-[
Without a doubt the biggest disappointment I've had in years.
Just to put this into context, I was very optimistic when he took over for Chretion and he's proven to be just pathetic.
Matthew. :-[
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 230
I, like Blackshirt was also optimistic when he took over. He was saying how good he's gonna be, for Canada and the Canadian Forces. Now whenever he's asked what his plans are for the CF he just says we are waiting for the review to be finished. It won't be finished until after the election so that means he can stay out of the defence debate and try to make Harper look like a war monger. I wouldn't be suprised if once the get the review back they'll spout some bull about how no major funding increases are needed.
meni0n
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 45
- Points
- 330
MONTREAL (CP) - A leading member of Iraq's National Assembly urged Canada on Thursday to send peacekeepers to help stabilize the war-ravaged country.
"This is a time where we need Canada to participate," Dr. Rajaa Khuzai said in a speech at McGill University. "We need Canada to participate in the peacekeeping forces. Iraqis want to live in peace, that's all." She said international forces are required to help foster peace and security in her embattled Middle Eastern country.
The British-trained obstetrician, who is on a North American tour, returned to her homeland in 1977. She endured years of wars, retribution from Saddam Hussein's forces and medical shortages caused by international sanctions.
After being asked by the Americans to be one of a few women on the former Iraqi governing council, Khuzai worked to ensure Iraq's constitution required that a quarter of political positions be filled by women.
She defended the military strikes on insurgents in Fallujah and thanked Americans for "liberating" her country.
Some expatriate Iraqis challenged her characterization of U.S. involvement in Iraq.
"They came to end the (Hussein) regime they made," said Amar Sabih, 42, who preferred to call the Americans occupiers.
"What we got was only the freedom of speech, not the freedom to act."
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/11/11/710336-cp.html
"This is a time where we need Canada to participate," Dr. Rajaa Khuzai said in a speech at McGill University. "We need Canada to participate in the peacekeeping forces. Iraqis want to live in peace, that's all." She said international forces are required to help foster peace and security in her embattled Middle Eastern country.
The British-trained obstetrician, who is on a North American tour, returned to her homeland in 1977. She endured years of wars, retribution from Saddam Hussein's forces and medical shortages caused by international sanctions.
After being asked by the Americans to be one of a few women on the former Iraqi governing council, Khuzai worked to ensure Iraq's constitution required that a quarter of political positions be filled by women.
She defended the military strikes on insurgents in Fallujah and thanked Americans for "liberating" her country.
Some expatriate Iraqis challenged her characterization of U.S. involvement in Iraq.
"They came to end the (Hussein) regime they made," said Amar Sabih, 42, who preferred to call the Americans occupiers.
"What we got was only the freedom of speech, not the freedom to act."
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/11/11/710336-cp.html
N
NavyGrunt
Guest
We're a peace keeping nation......and they are asking us specifically for peacekeepers....to me that rings like "put up or shut up", we cant say we're peace keepers if we wont answer the call. just my 2. But again i dont see it happening. We wouldnt want Europe to think badly of us :
Im being sarcastic in this post. ;D
Im being sarcastic in this post. ;D
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 430
Aaron how are we suppose to change our reputation of being just peacekeepers when members of the CF such as yourself considers ourselves as such? Maybe its not the Canadian publics view we have to change but the view of the CF.
N
NavyGrunt
Guest
Ex Im the one who thinks we use the term peacekeeper as a cop out. Now someone has called our bluff. If we arent warriors, or "peacekeepers", what are we? Im frustrated Ex.
Ex-Dragoon said:
Whether or not the CF should be peacekeepers or not isn't the point. The point is, is that the government calls the CF peacekeepers, and now a country in trouble is asking for those peacekeepers. Should Canada ignore them now? I can understand not going in at first when the U.S. asked, but now, it's not the U.S. asking, it's the Iraqi's. Should we not help them now because we didn't agree with the American's reason for going in?
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 410
Not to split hairs here....but, this person is a "leading member of the Iraq national assembly". That means she's very much like one of our MP's, but deffinitely not like the PM. In addition, she made this statement at a speech at McGill university, not in a formal address to our government. Now if one of our MP's, (let's just for fun use Carolyn Parish as an example) went down to the US and in a speech at MIT stated that the US has no place in Iraq, would it really mean anything? Other than that she's an idiot?
If the Iraqis really wanted Canadian troops over there that badly, they'd make an official request to our government. As it stands, this is just one person voicing her own beliefs/desires.
If the Iraqis really wanted Canadian troops over there that badly, they'd make an official request to our government. As it stands, this is just one person voicing her own beliefs/desires.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
I believe the Iraqi Government has made requests to the UN, the EU, and the international community in general for more troops. The US has certainlt let it be known they they're looking for more troops.
Would, or could, we participate? Thats a politically dangerous question, and I would suspect that as long as the US retains control over the posture and mandate of the forces, or until a UN mandate is given, we would not send anyone.
I personally believe the world should get over their opposition to the US, accept that the war happened, but realize that its in everyone's interest to help out the Iraqis on humanitarian grounds - but this would require compromise from the US as well.
Would, or could, we participate? Thats a politically dangerous question, and I would suspect that as long as the US retains control over the posture and mandate of the forces, or until a UN mandate is given, we would not send anyone.
I personally believe the world should get over their opposition to the US, accept that the war happened, but realize that its in everyone's interest to help out the Iraqis on humanitarian grounds - but this would require compromise from the US as well.
Matt_Fisher
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 3
- Points
- 430
Recce41 said:
?
Could you explain this a bit more?
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
She can call for as many Canadian Peacekeepers as she wants. All the PM has to do to weasel out of it is say "We can't do anything unless it's sanctioned by the UN"
Even Iraqi's themselves can cry for Canadian soldiers. It won't make a difference as long as we let the UN decide our foreign policy and make our international decisions.. :
Even Iraqi's themselves can cry for Canadian soldiers. It won't make a difference as long as we let the UN decide our foreign policy and make our international decisions.. :
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
Even if we wanted to contribute troops to Iraq, I submit that we simply couldn't manage it without a large scale callout of the Reserves, and even then it would be difficult once we started to sustain casualties. Any small scale effort would seem token to the rest of the countries participating there and it would be a disservice to the Canadian military members who would go. If we were to commit to any effort in Iraq, our troops would deserve the full combat capabilities of our military, not just one or 2 companies from here and there. One could argue though whether or not Canada could manage a long term, sustained combat operation. As much as I believe in and support our soldiers, I don't think we're capable of it with the current situation in the CF. 
Similar threads
