The Canadian Peacekeeping Myth (Merged Topics)

[dimsum]

Are the french wearing blue berets/helmets in Mali, where they currently have a 3000 troops stationed?

Nothing I've seen seems to suggest that.

Operation Barkhane (the successor to Op Serval in Mali) isn't a UN Peacekeeping mission - it's specifically a French anti-insurgency mission in the Sahel.  My WAG is that if we go into Africa again under a UN mandate, it won't look anything like what the French have there now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barkhane

 

[Good2Golf]

Even if the French are in with green and maroon berets, it's not to say the Canada won't try and become "top dog in UN Blue..." 

 

[a_majoor]

It's sad the myth has so much traction, because the reality is that virtually all the UN peacekeeping missions were or are failures. Even sunny Cyprus, when looked at in a larger context, was a total waste after the shooting stopped in 1974; the island was just as divided when I was back on decompression in 2007 as it was when I was there as a young peacekeeper in 1989, and there is no evidence that there is any movement towards a political settlement (if anything, it is probably going backwards, the rhetoric I heard in 2007 seemed much harder than 'way back in '89). And Canada had Blue Berets there since the 1960's...

But since the Liberals seem set on doing this, at least our own leadership should insist on a clearly defined mandate, "exit strategy" and robust ROE's so we don't descend into a Rwanda or Yugoslavia again (IFOR rather than UNPOFOR).

 

[FSTO]

Damn right the "Peacekeeping Myth" is alive and well.
I was in a gas station today and the young lady behind the till asked me what my ribbons were all about. As I mentioned that one had to do with A-stan the gentleman who was her supervisor said "Canadians have always been peacekeepers before Afghanistan" I said no and mentioned the world wars and Korea. I also added that because we are a professional combat capable military we can carry out peacekeeping operations fairly seemlessley unlike if we were a peacekeeping force only. The man I was talking to was from South America because he finished by saying "Canadians are liked better in S America because unlike the americans they will keep their noses out of our business." I sort of chuckled at that but he ended with thanking me for my service
The girl said that she appreciated the information.
I think that was a pretty good interaction with the public.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

You forgot the Cold War, FSTO.

I always use it as a good illustration to disillusion civilians of the myth.

I usually tell them that, at the height of our peacekeeping commitments, we had about 2300 people out on peacekeeping. But that at the same time, we had more than 7000 soldiers and airmen deployed in Germany to confront the Soviets, with about 25 000 more ready to go on short notice in Canada, that 10,000 more airmen were involved in keeping the Soviets in check as part of NATO or NORAD, while 10,000 seamen played games on a near daily basis against the Soviet submarines and surface forces.

Then I go for the jugular by concluding that, compared to our daily involvement in the Cold War, peacekeeping was just a side show ... and a side show at that which existed because of its supporting role in the politics of the Cold War.

At that point I usually get blank stares.  :nod:

 

[ModlrMike]

So on one hand we have the gov't talking up the return to UN peacekeeping, while on the other hand, CBC runs a story discrediting the UN peacekeepters in Haiti.  Just a little bi-polar, no?

 

[Altair]

I'm just happy and grateful at the chance to go somewhere.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I'm just happy and grateful at the chance to go somewhere.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Altair]

Be careful what you wish for.

In terms of how I wish to spend my time in the army with options currently available or soon to be available.

Peacekeeping>Latvian maple resolve>responding to natural disasters >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>making puppies on base.

 

[CBH99]

Seems like the boredom is coming to an end.  I know a lot of younger people who joined the CF will be thankful, as well as people who have stuck with it since Afghanistan winded down.

Whether your looking for a Latvian maple resolve, thankless 'peace support operations' in some hellhole, policing/support in a 2nd world country (Colombia), training anti-ISIL forces in Iraq, training Ukrainian military in Ukraine - looks like there are a LOT of cool opportunities coming down the pipeline!

This should help with recruiting, big time.  Now if DND could just figure out how to buy boots, radios, trucks (without it being a constant headache) etc - we will be rockin!

 

[Loachman]

... making puppies on base.

Planning a posting to a certain regiment in Shilo?

 

[Altair]

Planning a posting to a certain regiment in Shilo?

Hopefully not, but what else is there to do in shilo?

 

[The Bread Guy]

Planning a posting to a certain regiment in Shilo?

I'm surprised it took as long as it did for someone to ask ...

 

[PuckChaser]

I'm just happy and grateful at the chance to go somewhere.

I'm pretty sure the guys with severe OSI from Rwanda and Somalia would love the chance to stay home and go to MAPLE RESOLVE instead. There's not a whole lot of confidence left in what ROE we could get from the UN that Trudeau will agree to.

 

[George Wallace]

I'm pretty sure the guys with severe OSI from Rwanda and Somalia would love the chance to stay home and go to MAPLE RESOLVE instead. There's not a whole lot of confidence left in what ROE we could get from the UN that Trudeau will agree to.

Not get picky, but those are only two UN missions, of many, that have had severe consequences on the the health and welfare of Canadian Service Members.  The numerous missions to the Former Yugoslav Republic and Kosovo have not been without exposure to atrocities, nor have the missions to Cambodia, Vietnam and other nations.  Many UN missions have exposed Canadian troops to atrocities against mankind that have left many with OSI and other problems.

 

[PuckChaser]

I didn't want to list them all, only the ones where I personally knew people who had suffered because the ROE didn't allow them to stop atrocities they witnessed live, and within reaction distance.

 

[OldSolduer]

Who cares what the French are doing.

True but I bet their ROE isn't as restrictive as the UN ROE.

 

[Good2Golf]

True but I bet their ROE isn't as restrictive as the UN ROE.

Let's share that bet!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0LU1TSdARM

 

[The Bread Guy]

Let's share that bet!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0LU1TSdARM

"Robust"

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Wasn't it an infamous African dictator who coined the phrase: "No man can outrun a bullet."  ;D