The General was the former CO of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, a tanker.
Thursday » November 20 » 2003
Canadian to assume leading role in Iraq war
Posting highlights Ottawa's ambiguity toward conflict
Chris Wattie
National Post
Thursday, November 20, 2003
A Canadian general will become one of the most senior officers early next year of the coalition force fighting in Iraq, despite Ottawa's insistence Canada is staying out of the conflict.
Brigadier-General Walt Natynczyk is deputy commander of the U.S. Army's Three Corps, which is to take command in Iraq next year, and he has already been given approval to engage in "military operations up to and including participation in hostilities" under a recently declassified order from the head of the Canadian Forces.
Brig.-Gen. Natynczyk, a Canadian exchange officer, will take the posting even though Canada has pointedly avoided contributing to the U.S.-led coalition.
"I've got the approval from my chain of command," he said yesterday in an interview with the National Post. "I will deploy with them early in the new year -- we don't have fixed dates yet."
Brig.-Gen. Natynczyk could be named second-in-command of the more than 130,000 U.S. and allied forces in Iraq, but said yesterday the mission's command structure has not been finalized.
"At this time the exact disposition of staff within that headquarters is not firm ... what actual function I fulfill in Iraq is uncertain as of today."
Defence analysts and opposition critics said the general's appointment is a continuation of a bizarre and contradictory government policy on Iraq.
In his farewell speech last weekend to the Liberal convention that confirmed Paul Martin as his successor, Mr. Chrétien earned a standing ovation when he boasted about keeping Canada out of the war in Iraq. "It was because [of] our deep belief as Canadians in the values of multilateralism and the United Nations that we did not go to war in Iraq," he said.
In fact, about 30 Canadian exchange officers participated in the invasion of Iraq, serving with U.S. and British units involved in the conflict. As well, Canadian warships in the Persian Gulf were escorting U.S. supply vessels carrying equipment and ammunition for the war.
Mr. Chrétien suggested the soldiers served only in support roles, but news reports indicated many of the Canadians were on the front lines. Almost a month after open hostilities ended, one Canadian exchange officer with the U.S. Army was wounded near the Baghdad airport by a grenade explosion.
John Thompson, director of the Mackenzie Institute, a defence and security think-tank, said Ottawa has effectively supported U.S. actions in Iraq while publicly criticizing them. "The Americans are still baffled that we refused to support the war in Iraq, but still continued to support the war in Iraq ... I think they find it bizarre," he said.
"Canadian aircraft were flying into Iraq during the war and Canadian ships were interdicting vessels in the Persian Gulf and escorting convoys in support of the war ... it was: 'Support if necessary; but not necessarily support.' "
Defence officials said yesterday that there are currently two Canadian exchange officers deployed in Iraq, both with British forces. They would not reveal any information on the two other than their ranks -- a captain and a major -- citing security concerns.
Jay Hill, the defence critic for the Canadian Alliance, said Mr. Martin should make a change of policy on Iraq a priority for his government.
"Our non-involvement in the liberation of Iraq has been badly mismanaged, right from the get-go," he said.
"We've had people in harm's way from the beginning ... yet we aren't getting the credit for it."
He said the government's public condemnations of the United States over Iraq have caused significant harm to relations between the Canadian Forces and their U.S. counterparts.
"If we don't see a change in the attitude of the government ... despite all the hard work by our men and women in uniform on the ground, that relationship will be harmed. There's no question about that."
Brig.-Gen. Natynczyk, a 28-year veteran of the Canadian Forces, said Canada's refusal to join the U.S.-led war on Iraq did not have any impact on his relationship with his American colleagues.
"It's not been an issue," he said. "There's not been any awkward moments from me, from that perspective."
He said he is looking forward to the mission to Iraq, despite the dangers from suicide bombs and attacks by insurgents still loyal to Saddam Hussein.
"I think it's going to be challenging and enlightening ... especially because of the scale of the operation," he said.
Brig.-Gen. Natynczyk, of Winnipeg, has served overseas with UN peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, Bosnia and Croatia, including acting as commander of the Canadian troops in Bosnia from 1998 to 1999.
Almost half of the 42,000 troops belonging to Three Corps are already in Iraq and the massive formation's headquarters is expected to deploy to the region early next year as Lieutenant-General Thomas Metz takes command of all military forces in Iraq.
[email protected]
© Copyright 2003 National Post
Copyright © 2003 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest Global Communications Corp. All rights reserved.
Optimized for browser versions 4.0 and higher.
Thursday » November 20 » 2003
Canadian to assume leading role in Iraq war
Posting highlights Ottawa's ambiguity toward conflict
Chris Wattie
National Post
Thursday, November 20, 2003
A Canadian general will become one of the most senior officers early next year of the coalition force fighting in Iraq, despite Ottawa's insistence Canada is staying out of the conflict.
Brigadier-General Walt Natynczyk is deputy commander of the U.S. Army's Three Corps, which is to take command in Iraq next year, and he has already been given approval to engage in "military operations up to and including participation in hostilities" under a recently declassified order from the head of the Canadian Forces.
Brig.-Gen. Natynczyk, a Canadian exchange officer, will take the posting even though Canada has pointedly avoided contributing to the U.S.-led coalition.
"I've got the approval from my chain of command," he said yesterday in an interview with the National Post. "I will deploy with them early in the new year -- we don't have fixed dates yet."
Brig.-Gen. Natynczyk could be named second-in-command of the more than 130,000 U.S. and allied forces in Iraq, but said yesterday the mission's command structure has not been finalized.
"At this time the exact disposition of staff within that headquarters is not firm ... what actual function I fulfill in Iraq is uncertain as of today."
Defence analysts and opposition critics said the general's appointment is a continuation of a bizarre and contradictory government policy on Iraq.
In his farewell speech last weekend to the Liberal convention that confirmed Paul Martin as his successor, Mr. Chrétien earned a standing ovation when he boasted about keeping Canada out of the war in Iraq. "It was because [of] our deep belief as Canadians in the values of multilateralism and the United Nations that we did not go to war in Iraq," he said.
In fact, about 30 Canadian exchange officers participated in the invasion of Iraq, serving with U.S. and British units involved in the conflict. As well, Canadian warships in the Persian Gulf were escorting U.S. supply vessels carrying equipment and ammunition for the war.
Mr. Chrétien suggested the soldiers served only in support roles, but news reports indicated many of the Canadians were on the front lines. Almost a month after open hostilities ended, one Canadian exchange officer with the U.S. Army was wounded near the Baghdad airport by a grenade explosion.
John Thompson, director of the Mackenzie Institute, a defence and security think-tank, said Ottawa has effectively supported U.S. actions in Iraq while publicly criticizing them. "The Americans are still baffled that we refused to support the war in Iraq, but still continued to support the war in Iraq ... I think they find it bizarre," he said.
"Canadian aircraft were flying into Iraq during the war and Canadian ships were interdicting vessels in the Persian Gulf and escorting convoys in support of the war ... it was: 'Support if necessary; but not necessarily support.' "
Defence officials said yesterday that there are currently two Canadian exchange officers deployed in Iraq, both with British forces. They would not reveal any information on the two other than their ranks -- a captain and a major -- citing security concerns.
Jay Hill, the defence critic for the Canadian Alliance, said Mr. Martin should make a change of policy on Iraq a priority for his government.
"Our non-involvement in the liberation of Iraq has been badly mismanaged, right from the get-go," he said.
"We've had people in harm's way from the beginning ... yet we aren't getting the credit for it."
He said the government's public condemnations of the United States over Iraq have caused significant harm to relations between the Canadian Forces and their U.S. counterparts.
"If we don't see a change in the attitude of the government ... despite all the hard work by our men and women in uniform on the ground, that relationship will be harmed. There's no question about that."
Brig.-Gen. Natynczyk, a 28-year veteran of the Canadian Forces, said Canada's refusal to join the U.S.-led war on Iraq did not have any impact on his relationship with his American colleagues.
"It's not been an issue," he said. "There's not been any awkward moments from me, from that perspective."
He said he is looking forward to the mission to Iraq, despite the dangers from suicide bombs and attacks by insurgents still loyal to Saddam Hussein.
"I think it's going to be challenging and enlightening ... especially because of the scale of the operation," he said.
Brig.-Gen. Natynczyk, of Winnipeg, has served overseas with UN peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, Bosnia and Croatia, including acting as commander of the Canadian troops in Bosnia from 1998 to 1999.
Almost half of the 42,000 troops belonging to Three Corps are already in Iraq and the massive formation's headquarters is expected to deploy to the region early next year as Lieutenant-General Thomas Metz takes command of all military forces in Iraq.
[email protected]
© Copyright 2003 National Post
Copyright © 2003 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest Global Communications Corp. All rights reserved.
Optimized for browser versions 4.0 and higher.
Comment