Canada willing to send Mounties to Iraq, PM says

Toronto Star ^ | Apr. 11, 2003 | CP (uncredited)

[No Truce With Kings]

Canada willing to send Mounties to Iraq, PM says

OTTAWA (CP) — Canada is willing to send RCMP officers to help restore order in Iraq but nobody's asked for them, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said today.

"We've sent RCMP officers to Haiti and elsewhere," Chrétien said during a news conference. "If it is a contribution that we can make, we will do it. If they want us to do something else, we will do something else."

But Chrétien said Canada can't just send police officers without some preparation and planning.

Looting continued in Baghdad for a third straight day today. Marines were starting to enforce a dusk-to-dawn curfew in parts of the city, but officials said they were not going to take on policing duties.

Looting and lawlessness spread to other Iraqi cities as the last remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime fell.

Chaos is not unheard of in the immediate aftermath of war, Chrétien pointed out.

"In Kosovo, there wasn't an easy transition either," he said. "When there's that kind of change that occurs, there is chaos for a certain period of time. I don't know exactly what they intend to do or what kind of intervention they are planning. We are certainly prepared to help out as soon as possible."

In a television interview, Deputy Prime Minister John Manley said more than Mounties could be involved in such a contribution. Municipal officers have also been involved in establishing and training police forces.

"This is something that we have some experience and expertise in and it's something that if the world community judges that that's where we can best help, then Canadians should be prepared to do it," Manley said.

The prime minister said he has been given no reason to believe U.S. President George W. Bush will cancel his planned visit in May, when he is scheduled to address Parliament.

While reaffirming his decision not to support the war, Chrétien said it would be understandable if the trip were postponed, given Bush's agenda these days.

[Living Free in NH]

Do you suppose they would've offered if we were under chemical or biological attack? Piss on them, France, Germany, Russia, Turkey,...I can go on & on & on.

[Calvin Locke]

More like they'd have the RCMPs granting political asylum to all the bad guys, just to French things up.

Chretien is like Clinton. Anything to cause problems for his successor and to leave a legacy.

[NYFriend]

FYI, at work RCMP wear body armor, dark blue (or black?)police uniforms and carry Smith and Wesson pistols. I know that at least some of them are trained with rifles and shotguns.

[schaketo]

In another war related casualty today; Canada hit the ground when they tried jumping on our bandwagon.

[arly]

Isn't that nice !.. now that the work and expense is getting close to done, the French, Germans, Russians and now even the MOUNTIES are ready to step in!

[carl in alaska]

I figured they didn't wear red on the job. There's a Canadian company that makes an excellent assault rifle. I think the British Royal Marines use that rifle. They will need to issue one to all those guys, even if they just keep it in their humvee most of the time. Baghdad is going to be one heck of a dangerous place for several years.

[tm61]

kanadian kops, : umm, good day mr mullah, eh? .hey hoser, come back with my beer. anyone seen my tuke?

[F-117A]

But Chrétien said Canada can't just send police officers without some preparation and planning.

Well then, why didn't Chrétien plan and prepare for it? He should have had units ready to go in. At this point it is just grandstanding!

[ZULU]

"Canada is willing to send RCMP officers to help restore order in Iraq but nobody's asked for them, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said today."


They are probably all western Canadian Anglo-phones who are pro-American that Chirac wants to get rid of.

Why doesn't he volunteer some Quebecois to check out any poison gas we might find??

[IvanT]

FYI, at work RCMP wear body armor, dark blue (or black?)police uniforms and carry Smith and Wesson pistols. I know that at least some of them are trained with rifles and shotguns.

They're trained and carry fully automatic weapons when necessary, along with the body armour. The Red tunics are ceremonial.

[No Truce With Kings]

"Baghdad is going to be one heck of a dangerous place for several years."

I doubt it will be any more dangerous than, oh, Toronto, in a few months. By that time the Fedayeen Saddam and Special Republican Guard thugs will all be dead or gone. Most of the criminals in Iraq were recruited into those organizations. Kill them and you have a pretty crime-free environment.

[goose]

Sorry, Canada. You're a day late, and a dollar short...Sorry, that shoud be 1 month late, and one mmmeeellllion Canadian dollars short.

[IvanT]

Man that picture gets me steamed, every time I see it I want to smash things. While I like Jonah's writing and read him regularly, why'd he have to use that pic of all things? This is just about the biggest insult I can imagine.

[Consort]

Did anybody check with Nell?

[ambrose]

We're not the Mounties
We're handsome ,we're brave, we're strong
We're not the Mounties, cos we enforce the law
You can try to run but you can never hide
Unlike the Mounties we always get our man
We're not the Mounties
We're handsome ,we're brave, we're strong
We're not the Mounties cos we enforce the law
You can try to run but you can never hide
Unlike the Mounties we always get our man
We're handsome ,we're brave, we're strong
Cos we enforce the law
You can try to run but you can never hide
Unlike the Mounties we always get our man
Hey Jacque you're the man

[carl in alaska]

I hope you're right. But there are so many people with scores to settle, and so many rival factions and clans in Iraq that I can see some serious fighting going on there for a few years. But in a few months Baghdad will probably be no more dangerous than South Central LA, and the heavily policed areas will be as safe as Toronto.

[schaketo]

This is something that we have some experience and expertise in and it's something that if the world community judges that that's where we can best help, then Canadians should be prepared to do it," Manley said.

Hate to break the news to you big boy … the world community ain’t runnin’ this popcorn stand. We are.

[IvanT]

I dunno why he can't get that thru his thick skull.....

[-YYZ-]

"They're trained and carry fully automatic weapons when necessary, along with the body armour. The Red tunics are ceremonial."

Hell, even the OPP (Ontario's version, the Ontario Provincial Police) are armed with automatic weapons "when necessary." Last Friday the 13th run in Port Dover (A big motorcycle/biker happening) the roads had checkpoints with cops wearing body armor and armed with MP-5s.

Anyways, scoff if you like, but the RCMP have experience with international policing (Haiti, Kosovo, etc), part of their job being to help train/re-educate local police to more of a north American way of conducting business. You could do worse. Of course, if you want to do it all yourselves, be my guest.

[CarmelValleyite]

I actually agree with you; it's likely many Mounties would've been happy to serve. The Canadian "leader," Chretien, and his followers are the persons to blame.

That National Review cover was indeed in rather poor taste.