U.S. seeks Canada‘s help in event of Iraq war

[John Nayduk]

U.S. seeks Canada‘s help in event of Iraq war

ERIKA TUSTIN
With a report from Canadian Press The United States has sent a letter to
Prime Minister Jean Chretien, asking whether Canada would contribute in the
event of a war with Iraq.
Mr. Chretien‘s office said yesterday that it had received the letter and is
"currently discussing how we would assist them," spokeswoman Thoren Hudyma
said last night. Ms. Hudyma, of the Prime Minister‘s Office, would say only
that the letter asked whether Canada could contribute "various things." She
would not elaborate on its contents, or when it was received.
Other allies received the letter from the United States, she said.
Last week, during a visit to Canada, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
asked Canadian officials what this country could contribute to an attack on
Iraq.
Mr. Powell said then that he didn‘t bring any "specific requests" for
<Canadian> <military> help, but he told Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham
the United States would be looking for support.
The letter arrived in Ottawa before Parliament had a chance to debate
whether Canada should participate in any war with Iraq.
Defence Minister <John> <McCallum> would not say yesterday what Canada‘s
contribution would be, adding that the United States must give the United
Nations a chance to disarm Iraq to prevent war.
"We‘re not there yet," Mr. McCallum told CTV. "We hope a war might be
averted, so it‘s premature to talk about what we might do in a hypothetical
war."
Canada has supported the tough U.S.-backed UN Security Council resolution
that paved the way for the return of weapons inspectors to Iraq but has said
it will not support any military action that is not approved by the UN.

 

[ninty9]

It is in the best interests of the US to gather as many allies as it can before going to war with Iraq obviously.

From that it already sounds like we are contributing something to an unavoidable war. I think thats what the author wanted to imply. Probably isn‘t 100% true, however.

None the less, very interesting.

 

[Dacier]

If a war in Iraq leads to a terrible politicaly problem, whatever it may be, the USA doesn‘t want to be the only one to have the blame thrown on them. Can‘t say I blame them realy, I would do the same thing.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I agree it‘s obvious their trying to make it look like a good guys against bad guys deal instead of US against IRAQ, which it obviously is.
If anything having canada "with" them will be a burden. We will need to have them transport us over there, protect us, go out of their way to include us in all their plans. Then we can insult them when they try and offer ou soldiers medals and NDHQ shuts them down.

 

[Dacier]

An even bigger burden will be thrust on the USA if they go at Iraq alone. USA right now is the world super power, and history tells us all world super powers will start military actions.

-British Empire
-Rome
-etc.

I‘ve never read of a super power that was created by pure peaceful means or was successful to bring peace across the world. It just doesn‘t happen.

 

[John Nayduk]

U.S. asks about JTF2 for Iraq war
By DANIEL LEBLANC
From Wednesday‘s Globe and Mail
Wednesday, November 20 – Online Edition, Posted at 2:19 AM EST

Ottawa — The U.S. government wants to know whether Canada can contribute its ships, planes, light-armoured vehicles and JTF2 special forces, among other assets, to a potential military strike against Iraq.

As part of initial contacts with about 50 of its allies, the Bush administration has asked what each could offer if current diplomatic efforts to disarm Iraq fail and the U.S. military leads coalition forces to oust President Saddam Hussein.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell sent a letter to the Canadian government on Friday listing possible contributions to the coalition.

The letter expressed interest in the Canadian Forces‘ Coyote light-armoured vehicles, units usually used for reconnaissance and surveillance, which were successfully deployed in Afghanistan this year.

It also asks about Canada‘s Joint Task Force 2 special forces, which were involved in a number of key operations in Afghanistan, including the capture of suspected al-Qaeda members.

Other forces of interest to the United States are Canada‘s planes and ships currently assigned abroad that could be transferred to an Iraqi conflict.

Canada‘s forces in that category include Hercules transport planes, frigates and Aurora maritime patrol-and-surveillance aircraft.

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien hinted yesterday that Canada would offer some kind of assistance in the event of war, though officials said that not all of the items listed would necessarily be made available.

The Canadian government has yet to respond to the U.S. request, and has not indicated when it will do so. The letter itself has not been released.

Mr. Chrétien insisted that the U.S. request remains hypothetical and that everyone hopes that the United Nations will find a peaceful solution to the crisis.

He also signalled that Canada is likely to keep up with tradition and enlist its armed forces in a UN-sanctioned military intervention in Iraq. Mr. Chrétien said that Canada has been a member of most recent coalition forces.

"We are with them in Afghanistan, we were with them in Kosovo, we are in Bosnia, so we have always been in missions, at the forefront," he said after a cabinet meeting.

"We will see what we‘ve got, what we need. We have already ships there, we have planes there, we have troops there, and they are doing very well. So it will be the same thing."

Defence Minister John McCallum said the United States has "laid out a range of options" that still need to be studied.

He acknowledged that the Canadian Armed Forces are stretched, saying that some of the options prepared by the United States "are easier to meet or more realistic than others."

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said he is hopeful that UN arms inspectors, now back in Iraq after more than three years, will be successful.

"My personal view is we‘re in the best position to avoid this at this time. Because of the strong resolution [adopted by the UN Security Council], we have a strong, clear signal to Saddam Hussein that he has to co-operate.

"In the event that the Security Council authorizes action against Iraq, we will have to look at exactly what we could contribute; and the Defence Minister and myself and the Prime Minister will discuss that in the days ahead."

Two officers involved in the war in Afghanistan testified before the Senate yesterday that their troops met the highest standard in their deployment. Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Stogran and Brigadier-General Michel Gauthier made it clear, however, that the forces are struggling to meet their goals on existing funding.

Col. Stogran said that the Canadian army had to "pull out all the stops" to ensure that troops in Afghanistan were equipped with necessary night-vision equipment.

Gen. Gauthier said that Canada could make a contribution in Iraq, but at a cost. "That‘s the judgment that will have to be made at the end of the day, is balancing the need, what‘s in the national interest, and on the downside, what sort of pain, if there is going to be pain, would there be in deploying a force?"

During a stop in Ottawa last week, Mr. Powell said that the United States is looking to allies such as Canada to participate in any military strike in Iraq.

"We would put together a coalition of like-minded nations. At the appropriate time, we would talk to Canada about it," he said.

 

[Jungle]

During a stop in Ottawa last week, Mr. Powell said that the United States is looking to allies such as Canada to participate in any military strike in Iraq.
"We would put together a coalition of like-minded nations. At the appropriate time, we would talk to Canada about it," he said.

"at the appropriate time..." does that mean after the fight, to mop up and keep the peace ??? THAT would be very Canadian...

 

[Sharpey]

I think the current state of affairs in th world are comming back and bitting us in the a$$! We are fighting for extra defence spending, and Bush and the US Ambassador to Canada have the nerve to encourage us to spend more on our Military, butt out! We are having our own difficulties in that fight. Our CF-18‘s, in their current state, are not suitable for any sort of role in the event of a war. There are talks of pulling all Canadians home for two years to save money. Our equipment is getting old, and our total strength is relativly low.

All this and there is a huge push on anti-terrorism going on, Iraq could be next, rebels rioting in other parts of the world, North Korea had their fuel oil imports cut off, i‘m sure that will peeve them a bit. So, how many citizens are out their pointing at Ottawa saying..."I told ya so."

Ok, just read some newspaper articles and had to vent...back to work.

 

[Dacier]

Our government tells other governments around the world to shape up on various topics.

Right now, our gov‘t is trying to push for large changes in the way the world treats the enviroment. Should we butt out of other peoples problems that affect us?

The USA I believe is right to be upset with Ottawa on the way our military is funded.

We are too small of a force to defend our own borders. The States know this, and I see nothing wrong with another country pointing out our faults, since we do it too others.

 

[John Nayduk]

Good point. It‘s easier to point fingers at others.