Canada and the Iraq War

Canada Opts Out of the Invasion

In 2003, Canada chose not to join the United States' "Coalition of the willing" during the invasion of Iraq.

Opting out of the war in Iraq led to friction between the Canadian and U.S. governments. It was generally believed that Canada's position indirectly contributed to exacerbating trade disputes between the two countries, although this has never been questioned directly or proven. Canada's decision to not join the war was generally supported by the Canadian public and regarded by most as a decision made because of the initiative of then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

Canada has aided the United States in many ways aside from the actual invasion.

*Canada helps train police and army officers in post-war Iraq.
*Jean-Pierre Kingsley (a Canadian), served as head of the international team observing the 2005 Iraqi elections.
*In the summer of 2005, A group of Canadian experts was sent to help Iraq write its new constitution, including former Ontario premier Bob Rae. Both of these groups were based in Jordan due to security concerns.
*Canadian Forces Major General Peter Devlin has served as Multi-National Corps - Iraq Deputy Command General since December 14, 2006 as part of his role as Deputy Commander of the US III Corps through an officer exchange program. [http://www.mnci.centcom.mil/leaders/Biography-Devlin.pdf]

Canada did allow its NORAD stationed Air Force members to fly combat missions and deploy with the USAF E-3 AWACS during the war and allowed its exchange officers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force to deploy and fight with their US units. 40-50 Canadian Military Members participated in the conflict, the majority flying on the E-3 AWACS, based out of Tinker AFB, OK, where they are stationed as part of NORAD.

The Basis of Opposition

POV-section|date=December 2007Canada's public position for not joining the invasion force was based on international law and allowing time for due process to take place. Although Canadian Intelligence Services stated they believed it was likely WMD existed in Iraq, the Chrétien government did not want to falsely accuse Iraq of the same charges the United States and United Kingdom had so quickly pressed to attack on.

Canadian citizens were largely in favour of the government's decision because they don't fight and agreed with the basis it was made on Fact|date=February 2007, although opinion polling was ambivalent until the war's start. Public opinion polls showed that Canadians would have been more in favour of an Iraqi invasion had weapons inspectors found WMD Fact|date=February 2007. The Canadian Alliance was the only party who was willing to send troops into Iraq and 50 Alliance Members of Parliament voted to support the US. Then opposition leader Stephen Harper stated that "in reading only the polls, indulging a juvenile and insecure anti-Americanism, this government has for the first time in our history left us outside our British and American allies in their time of need," however the war was never explicitly backed by the Alliance beyond that.

Iraq Reconstruction

When the war began, the United States was not going to offer Iraqi reconstruction deals to countries who were not part of the invasion force. Canada's initial pledge of $300 million to help rebuild the war torn country faced no international scrutiny.

Canadian Deaths in Iraq

To date, five Canadians, Ali Alwan, Bernard Gooden, Vatche Arslanian, Jonathan J. Simpson and Michael Seeley are known to have died in the conflict. An Iraqi-Canadian, Alwan had lived in Canada for eight years but chose to return to Iraq in August 2004. He was killed in April 2005, with some reports of him being the victim of an American attack. [http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/04/27/iraq-canadian-050427.html] . Two other Canadians have been taken hostage by insurgents, but both were released. Cpl. Bernard Gooden immigrated to Canada in 1997, Gooden joined the Canadian Army Reserves (2 Field Engineers, Toronto) where he served for several years and took a number of combat engineering courses. He also attended Glendon College of York University for 2 years where he lived in Wood residence and studied Political Science. He was a serious and motivated student although short of money. When the 2000-2001 school year was interrupted by a strike at York and his money was running out, he joined the Marines with the belief that they would help with him with his education. Gooden was a member of the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division and died during a fire fight in April 2003. [http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/04/09/cdns_iraq030409] . Vatche Arslanian was a member of the Red Cross and was killed when his convoy was caught in a fire fight between American and Iraqi Forces. Sgt. Jonathan J. Simpson a Marine was a dual Canadian and U.S. citizen was killed in combat operation on Oct. 14 and Michael Seeley a Mi'kmaq from New Brunswick, was killed in a bomb attack on October 30 [http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/11/09/2290336-cp.html]

References

External links

* [http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/department/focus/weapons_mass_destruction-en.asp Pre-war DFAIT report on Iraq WMDs]
* [http://www.mapleleafweb.com/education/spotlight/issue_20/role.html Canada and the War Against Iraq]