Should Canada go to war with Iraq?

Simple question. Do you think Canada should participate in the attack on Iraq. Im not saying yes or no, im asking YOU our members what your thoughts are on this. This is not American bashing so dont even go there.

No, Canada has nothing to gain by sending military resources half way across the world. Besides I think it's too late the US already has all the plans and equipment in place for a quick decisive victory.

The mandate for Canadas military should only be for the defence of Canada and the North American continent in cooperation with the United States.

Screw peace keeping, screw world conflicts. screw NATO, the Cold War is over. Canadas status should be neutral in these world conflicts. Unlike Mobile, Chevron, Exxon, and British petrolium, Petro Canada and the Canadian oil industry has no intrest in Middle East oil.

Saddam is a madman that has to be stopped but Canada is in no position to stop him or make any difference at all. Neutrality is the best option for Canada not just in this conflict but all others that don't affect us as a nation.

I'd have to say No, war isn't exactly the best answer for our country and its *Cough* government, especially the way it is now, our forces are supposedly exhausted, I haven't checked the facts yet, and furthermore we have absolutely no proof of Saddam Hussein housing weapons of mass destruction yet......anyways there's no reason to be dragged along behind the americans into another gulf war.

I say yes.........Not because I especially WANT a war, no sane soldier truly does.......However, Canada's credibility as a world player is at stake. Those who feel that we should become isolationist, should look at the US.......The US has had isolationist policies throughout it's history and look how they are viewed by many in the world and even Canadians......Make no mistake the US has other intentions for the region, but believe it or not, freeing the Iraqi people is up there on their priority list........

Yes, our forces are stretched..........The soldiers we have here can do it, make no mistake about that.......People who say screw NATO and the UN......Well, lets see..........the only thing standing between world chaos at the moment, militarily and economically is the UN and NATO......Does it need improvement? SURE it does!! Beaurocrats with their sticky fingers and political aspirations tend to ruin anything......However, it's all we've got for the time being......

Canadian soldiers have lost their lives in the service of the UN and NATO.........I think that the families and friends of those lost would be disappointed if Canada pulled away from it's world responsibilities.....Was WW2 and Korea someone elses problem, or a world problem? Soldiers shouldn't give their lives in vain......Their legacy is our country's continuing contributions to these organizations......The public of course has the right to voice an opinion, however I certainly hope that once our troops are commited, they will be supported completely by the Canadian public........I would also cautiously pose a question.....I don't know if you've served, if you have, in my mind it's in your right to have this opinion on our military's involvement, but is it right for those who have never served to call down the occupations of those who do? I'm sure, most soldiers, from what I've read and talked to, who served in Afghanistan felt that what they were doing there was important........Iraq IS a terrorist regime, like the Taliban........They support the downfall of our way of life.

Canadian soldiers have died, on Peacekeeping missions, NATO missions and other missions to defend not just our borders, but the way of life we have become accustomed to here in our safe little country. Please don't forget that multiple thousands have died so we can still voice our opinions.........

Once again I think some of you are nuts if you don't think the US has had proof ALL ALONG about something we, the general public doesn't know about.....You think the US and Britian are spending that much $$$$$$$$$ to move troops into the region if they didn't have HARD evidence? The inspections are part of the political solution, not the effective solution. Once the inspections are complete, the security council will be provided the evidence......Wait for it........Then Bush will flip the bird to all the naysayers.........He wants war yes, but is it a new war or is the fight continuing against terror?

I for one am guardedly for our involvement. I would be prepared, if asked to assist if needed...........

Well, maybe I was a little overreacting on the no proof part, but I'd feel a lot better if our troops were given more equipment and outfitting before sending them out. Our troops have always held their own with or without the right equipment (Desert uniforms for example :roll:

) but they deserve more. There's bound to be some proof involving the reasons American and her respective allies are mobilizing, but well, I just don't want to make myself look stupid until I know more of the facts

Hey DM........Sorry....I didn't mean to make you feel stupid, that wasnt my intention.......We're all ignorant of the facts on this, but we should look at what Bush is saying.......How could he retain his credibility in his own country if he didn't have hard evidence? The US can't have a war if the public isn't on side.......look at Vietnam......

As for the stuff the Canadian Military has...........The desert uniforms are on the way..........The army is going through a gear change.........This takes time.........The new load bearing vests (GREAT piece of kit) is going operational in Bosnia next month.........It takes time..........The gear is on the way, the public just needs to demand more $$$$$ for the military......Keep up the debating, it's what makes this site so great!

Heh, no prob, It's incredibly late right now over here....well in my opinion anyways, and I've been posting extensively on destroycanada.com :roll:

the Desert Uniforms are stashed away now....since their no longer needed of course, it's rediculous how we got them AFTER we pulled out, but I won't go there. Like most Canadians I just want more funding for the military, as they are the ones who have time and time again protected and guarded this countries honour and freedom.
I'm not particularly fond of Anti-Military people but thats also another thing I won't go on about.
I just hope the rest of the population realizes how important it is to effectively maintain this countries armed forces....and our government hasn't really done anything to help it.
Well I have no idea what I'm posting about now, so I'm gonna sleep, I provide better arguements when it comes to subjects like human cloning

Amen Brother! You make some excellent points!

I voted YES and i'll explain why "I" voted that way.
Iraq is becoming a powerful military force who is attempting to subjugate its neighbours.
It has practiced genocide against the Kurds going as far as to use chemical weapons.
Look what it did in Kuwait not that long ago.
Canada was at one time a "super power" in world affairs, and must not lose that position in the world, or it will never be taken seriuously ever again.
We as Canadians have more than once fought on a LARGE SCALE against this kind of despot and know all too well that it can become VERY expensive, and VERY costly in term of lives if it Iraq does continue unchecked and starts a global conflict.

Now most of you are very young, and what you know of the second world war you know from movies and so on.
Hitler started in very much the same way back in the 20's,'30's.
He slowly consolidated his hold on power until there was no one to oppose him as is the case in Iraq.
He made people vanish who were a threat to his plans such as in Iraq
He had ideas for the final solution against the Jews, such as Saddam has with the Kurds...
What is happeneing here is that insted of Chamberlain giving in to Hitler and letting him get away with what he did over the next 10 years, thus
Pres Bush and PM Tony Blair are seeing to it that a repeat of those dark times in our recent past do not happen again. By being complacent back in the 30' we allowed a mad man to kill millions of people and destroy most of Europe in the process. That may be why England has stuck with the U.S over these happeneings. The British know all to well and suffered so much during the last great war.
Yes Canada is part of the G-7 Meaning one of the 7 great nations on the earth. We have a moral obligation to particpate here, and if we are to maintain our identity as a great power in todays world we will have to be there, or our crediblity will be no more. and then we WILL become some ones puppet nation

I'm with RH on this one too and here's why.
Article 2 (4) of the Charter outlaws war unless authorised by the Security Council, or in self-defence. That seems to win the appeasers' case. Except that Article 51 makes states the judges of what constitutes self-defence. President Bush - and Mr Blair - take the view that Saddam's secret development of weapons of mass destruction breaches the right of their countries, but also of all other law-abiding states, to defend themselves. They think a war against Saddam is justified under the Charter.

How can the new appeasers argue otherwise? They would say that nothing has been proved against Saddam. They would dispute that they are appeasing him. They represent Saddam as a weak little man, wicked perhaps, but not worth any violation of their interpretation of international law to bring down.

The history of appeasement does not change. Hitler was once a weak little man - and it was the concessions of the appeasers of his day that allowed him to grow strong. Once Saddam has his nuclear weapons, he will beat the drum of war. It will be a war that the new appeasers, like the old appeasers who rallied to Churchill after Hitler's first blitzkrieg, will bitterly regret that they did not fight when they had the chance to win.

ay, Regina and RH!

Exactly how I feel.

RH, thanks for that analogy. I hadn't thought about it in those terms. You've given me more to think about then all the news (propaganda advertising) or anything else has.

I'm truly truly greatful. Must go and mull things over now.......