What is the future of the Canadian forces?

[Pte. Albano]

will Canada ever have a powerful military presence in the world or will we be known as UN's main supply of their peacekeeping force?

 

[ArmyRick]

We haven't been deploying large scale UN missions for a little while now. ISAF, SFOR and KFOR were all NATO deployments (NATO ROE are much better to work with IMO)

Does anybody remember if East Timor was a UN deployment?

 

[vangemeren]

I thought it was, so I went to the U.N. website to check.
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmiset/background.html

For what I understand (correct me if I'm wrong):

United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) was the mission that involved civil transfer of power (11 June 1999). After military unrest, INTERFET (headed by Australia) was created (by Security Council resolution S/RES/1264)  to restore peace, order, and to protect UNAMET.
(12 September 1999).

Then,

"In February 2000, marking the complete deployment of UNTAET, command of military operations was transferred from INTERFET to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. ..."

It goes on to say:

"... A successor mission, known as the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), was set up by resolution 1410 (2002) unanimously adopted by the Security Council on 17 May. The Mission was established for an initial period of 12 months, starting on 20 May 2002, with the following mandate: to provide assistance to core administrative structures critical to the viability and political stability of East Timor; to provide interim law enforcement and public Security and to assist in developing the East Timor Police Service (ETPS); and contribute to the maintenance of the new country's external and internal security." 

Sorry about all the reading, I didn't want to leave anything out.

Jack

 

[pbi]

I've been on three UN missions and one NATO mission, and I remain extremely skeptical that traditional PSOs ever actually achieved much that was truly decisive, as opposed to what was achieved by behind the scenes pressure from bigger powers or other interests, or just other factors that discouraged the combatants from going at it again. I am not aware of any situations since Korea in which a UN force that Canada participated in actually stopped combatants who were determined to fight each other. I am, on the other hand, aware of several that failed to do so. UNPROFOR comes to mind, in particular in the face of the Croat OP STORM in 1995, as does the Angola 1992 mission and of course Rwanda.

Cheers.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

I am not aware of any situations since Korea in which a UN force that Canada participated in actually stopped combatants who were determined to fight each other.

Greece and Turkey?

 

[George Wallace]

Greece and Turkey?

Although we are no longer in Cyprus, the Brits and many others are carrying on the role of Peacekeepers and devision of the Island.

I would not consider that a "Peaceful outcome" yet.

GW

 

[PPCLI Guy]

I would not consider that a "Peaceful outcome" yet.
GW

How long do they have to go without fighting each other on the field of combat for it to be considered a "peaceful outcome"?

 

[Zipper]

How long do they have to go without fighting each other on the field of combat for it to be considered a "peaceful outcome"?

When they can withdraw all UN forces from the border between the two sides and either they agree on one side getting total control, or for Cyprus to become its own self determining country. Until that happens, as soon as the border drops the two sides will begin again to bicker, then threaten, then start shooting.

 

[George Wallace]

When they can withdraw all UN forces from the border between the two sides and either they agree on one side getting total control, or for Cyprus to become its own self determining country. Until that happens, as soon as the border drops the two sides will begin again to bicker, then threaten, then start shooting.

And even then that doesn't guarantee any true Peace has been achieved.  We set up some of our first Peacekeeping Missions in the Gaza Strip; which is in just as bad, if not worse off, than it was in the 1960's.

GW

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Sometimes, there is no "end game".  That does't make the intervention ineffective - just inefficient

 

[Zipper]

Sometimes, there is no "end game". That does't make the intervention ineffective - just inefficient

And we can afford neither...      ...nor are we equipped, or as it looks like, will we be.

 

[civvy3840]

There never will be an end game. There are always will be bad guys, and there will always be war.

 

[Matt-Z]

"Paul Martin wants to be a statesman."

Yeah a liberal statesman....   the CF is going to a small part in any goal Paul might have.   To me the Amry and the Liberal party just don't mix.

I completely agree... It seems though that liberal government are starting to realise that they HAVE to do something about the CF because frankly neglect may offset the voting and make them loose the next elelection.. Personally I believe that the CF is going to be bandaged no matter what happens. If the liberals stay in power then they give us the 10billion that they promised, if they loose we get a left wing Conservative party that hopefully will repair the CF even more. Im not saying that these new plans will fix our army, more so than raise the quality to a more organized level.