# Denmark Follows Canada's Lead - A Transport and a Couple of Commandos



## Kirkhill (15 Dec 2015)

http://www.thelocal.dk/20151215/un-slams-danish-refusal-to-send-troops-to-mali



> Danish troop refusal 'insanely annoying': UN
> Published: 15 Dec 2015 13:13 GMT+01:00
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## a_majoor (16 Dec 2015)

While the commander on the ground has a right to suggest what he needs to accomplish the mission he is given, the government ultimately decides what resources it is willing to send, and the amount of resources is (and always should be) proportional to how closely the mission engages the national interest.

The mission in Mali, while probably very challenging for the troops on the ground, does not seem to be in Denmark's "national interest" according to the government.

WRT Canada's national interest, it would be refreshing to have the government either say "we don't have the resources to carry out this mission" or "we refuse to participate as it takes scarce resources from our primary mission" (or ideally to have the government of the day actually fund and support a military capable of supporting Canadian interests at home and abroad).


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