Attn: Canadian Members � Your Thoughts Please

I received this in my in-box last night. Since you have to be a member of the site to receive these Daily Commentaries, I�m not sure the links will work for non-members. So I will quote the entire article.

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ZNet Commentary
Canada's Illegal War October 02, 2004
By Chris Spannos

Last week's statement by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, that the US led war on Iraq was "illegal", comes in the wake of renewed Canadian support for the US war. Canada will now be supplying one of the most basic necessities for US occupation forces in Iraq: bullets.

When asked if he viewed the invasion of Iraq as illegal, in a BBC interview, Annan said "Yes, if you wish. I have indicated it was not in conformity with the UN charter from our point of view, from the charter point of view, it was illegal."

Canada has long denied any role in the US war. However, General Dynamics, the US "defense" contractor, recently announced a deal with Canada's SNC Technologies Inc. as part of a multinational consortium of small-caliber ammunition producers. Their purpose is to supply between 300 million-500 million more bullets to occupation forces per year, and potentially for at least five years.

The high demand in bullets is in response to a recent U.S. Army market survey for a "Small-Caliber Ammunition Systems Integrator". The Financial Times reports that the US occupation forces will need 300m to 500m more bullets a year for at least five years. And because the single army-owned, small-calibre ammunition factory in Lake City, Missouri, can produce only 1.2m bullets annually, the army is suddenly scrambling to get private defense contractors to help fill the gap.

"We're using so much ammunition in Iraq there isn't enough capacity around," said Eric Hugel, a defense industry analyst at Sephens Inc. "They have to go internationally."

Iraq Body Count reports up to 14,000 civilian deaths in Iraq. The People's Kifah reports well over 37,000. Canadian contracts such as the one with SNC Technologies Inc. should pierce any myth that Canada is neutral. Canada is now literally, without doubt, providing the ammunition to kill Iraqis.

But sadly, this ammunitions contract is only the tip of the iceberg. Canada has quietly supported the US led war on Iraq even before Canada had taken an official position.

As early as February, 2003 Canada had provided strategic support for the war on Iraq by transferring 25 military planners from US Central Command in Tampa, Florida to the US command post in Qatar.

Other evidence that Canada supported the war includes the use of Canadian military personnel aboard the US Air Force's E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning And Control System air craft. The E-3 Sentry provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications for the military. According to the US Air Force, one such aircraft, "carried approximately 180 members from the 552nd Air Control Wing -- the wing's Canadian component -- and 513th Air Control Group reservists. The units were deployed supporting operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom."

More, also in February, 2003, Commander Roger Girouard assumed command of the navy Task Force 151, located in the Persian Gulf, under an agreement by Ottawa and Washington. The Task Force was responsible for escorting ships, intercepting and boarding suspect ships and guarding against attacks on shipping. Girouard was in charge of up to 20 allied ships from several different countries, including the United States, France, Italy, Greece and Canada. The Canadian Government even allowed US planes on route to Iraq to fly through Canadian air space and to refuel, this ended after the first 3 weeks in March, 2003.

This latest SNC Technologies contract is probably the easiest way for people to make the direct connection that Canada is providing the ammunition for the US to wage its illegal war.

This should outrage Canadians for four reasons.

One, Canada has no reason whatsoever to be participating in this war.

Two, while providing military and strategic support, Canada is impinging on the right of Iraqi's to democratically control their own country, and this becomes even more important as the country spirals into further violence and more Iraqis die.

Three, if the lessons from the recent terrorist bombings of Spain's Madrid train station and Russia's Beslan school have anything to teach Canada, it's that contracts like the SNC's put Canadians at risk for terrorist retribution.

And, fourth, according to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, this war is against international law.

Canada's track record of support for the war indicates that Canadian officials will most likely ignore Annan's warning. It's up to Canadians to pressure their government to end all military, strategic and diplomatic support for the US war. A good place to start is with the SNC Technologies contract.

Chris Spannos volunteers for Vancouver Coop Radio, the Vancouver Participatory Economics Collective and ZNet.

If I understood correctly, when the story broke about Canadian forces being present in the Gulf alongside American forces, our government told us that they just happened to be there as a result of an ongoing exchange program between the two countries (a sort of student exchange program for the military). The supply contract for the bullets is purely economical, but perhaps immoral given our �official� stand against the war.

What do Canadian members think?

And what do other member make of this?

This is a big problem, and I honestly don't know what international law will make of it.

Canada has a great reputation abroad as a honest broker and peacekeeper, and many countries applauded when Jean Chr�tien said he wouldn't support the war on Iraq. However, if the evidence shows that we are indeed discreetly getting involved in that war - no matter on which side - we are in danger of losing what really gives us a lot of respect internationally.

Sadly, I think that before to long we'll get fully involved. Paul Martin's minority government is getting weaker, not stronger, and it may be only a question of time before Stephen Harper's Conservatives come to power. And Harper will be George W. Bush's lapdog.

America is too great of a influence to Canada. Basically we do everything as soon as they snap their fingers. Almost all of the Canadian exports are exported to USA and just a little problem can cause catastrophic damages to the canadian economy. Our money's value have already rised quite alot so our companies are already doing as much as they can to compensate and I don't think they need more problems to worry about. The 500m bullets will just create more jobs in Canada, something we really need.

[edit on 2-10-2004 by COWlan]

This is a perfect example of the cynical nature of the previous Chretien adiministration talking out of both sides of its mouth. Say one thing for domestic consumption, do the opposite for political expediency.

The was no integrity in that admin, just an all consuming desire to maintain power. A confederacy of weasels.

Is SNC technologies a private company? If so, I guess they do as they please. Still, you can put pressure on. I had a feeling that over time something like this would implicate Canada. Must be frustrating.

Originally posted by cargo
Is SNC technologies a private company? If so, I guess they do as they please. Still, you can put pressure on. I had a feeling that over time something like this would implicate Canada. Must be frustrating.

Yes a private company so as I stated before it is a purely economical situation. No one has control of where those bullets will end up being used and the Governement would not be able to step in unless there were some sort of "sanctions" on the US.

It is the fact that our military personel are present due to an exchange program that bothers me most. If Canada opposes a certain military action then its soldiers should not be present on the front no matter what the reason. Why didn't we pull them out of there?

Otts. Steven Harper will never become PM, he just does not have the base of support for his policies here in Canada. We are much more politically savvy than required for a far right-wing government to come to power right now. I hope that does not change.

Canada does'nt have any army or adequate �quipement....what would we do in Iraq with that?!?!
Even if we wanted to go....we have nothing
But, I'm so against any kinda war, that I'm happy Canada is a peaceful country. Canadians are good people, we are not too much patriotic with the gov, we mind our own buisness, we have our province, and we keep low profile....I would never want to live in the U.S!!!! I'm so good in Canada even if i get but frozen every winter....Do you think terrorists or any kind of secret dark agenda would affect us?! I mean Canadians


Ameliaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxfrom Montr�al, Qu�bec

Originally posted by Amelia
...I would never want to live in the U.S!!!! I'm so good in Canada even if i get but frozen every winter....Do you think terrorists or any kind of secret dark agenda would affect us?! I mean Canadians

Ameliaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxfrom Montr�al, Qu�bec

Amelia. Welcome to another member from Montreal!

I must have missed your introduction.

We do have it VERY good here and I love all four seasons! I also do not think that Canada is in the minds of the muslim terrorist as a target, but perhaps as a staging ground into the US. So we do have to be careful.

Canada has absolutely no reason to fear war since our foreign policy does not generally antagonise other nations. I have posted many times on these issues and you can find them by searching for my posts.

You are right about the equipment issues. The airlift of aid to Haiti for hurricane relief was delayed because all of our military transport aircraft were busy with other commitments.

We do need to rethink our military spending with an eye to supporting OUR foreign policy and not necessarily supporting US foreign policy which is becoming more and more at odds with one another.

I'd like to know exactly what we are doing embeded with the US military.

typo edit

[edit on 10/4/2004 by Gools]

Ah ben esti de c�lisse de tabarn....my french swearing hehehe

COOL!!!! I think we have to support each other since we are canadians and we are peaceful...Americans don't always understand our way of thinkin since we don't have the same mentality at all. Canadians will never be americans, even if we do have similarities

Love ya Canada...r u ready for win-ter!!!!

Ameliaxxxxxxxxxxx

-SNC Tech is a private company and is not affiliated with the Canadian government, it's like giving BFGoodrich a hard time for supplying hummvie tires.

-Soldier exchange program was already in place before the Afgan/Iraq war took place, plus it also involves G8 countries like Germany, France etc.

-Canada is lending UN support for the War/Rebuild of Afganastan which is located near Iraq, part of the UN support involves monitoring the Persian Gulf.

Results: the source is looking for something that really isnt there.

My personal view: i'm glad Canada decided to sit this one out and not support the war in Iraq, we knew from the start that this war had/has nothing to do with September 11/2001. I'm sure 90% of the world will agree that planet Earth is better off without a Saddam Hussien, but the real murderous criminal Osama Bin Laden is still out there and the mission to find/capture him has faded away in the spotlight of the Iraq war. As a 100% Canadian born man, i grew up in the highly ethnical area of Toronto as a white male and have come to love all different types of culters. One of my good friends is Asian and my girlfriend is European, My next door neighbour is east Indian and his views in life are certainly good hearted, he's a good man and we enjoy chatting about world politics from time to time. One thing we can agree upon these days is since the US led war in Iraq with all the US negativity amungst Islam, Muslims and the Middle east in general, his life has been affected directly in Canada! He no longer feels safe amungst white Canadians because of the American media influence on our country. He sells real-estate and his selling ability has significantly dropped since 9/11 amungst white Canadians yet has risen in ethnical customers.

So I have no intentions to support a war based on lies and the tragic death of 3000 innocent Americans. For being Canadian and living close to the US:CAN border, i have great concern in American politics and especially their current foreign interests which apparently has effected the people who live around me.

shame shame

There was a protest last week in downtown Toronto, going through the financial district protesting Canadian companies involvement with such things as training Apache helicopter pilots, bullet production, etc., focusing on companies such as CAE and CCC. It was quite lively and there was a good turnout. I guess Canadians can no longer say Canada isn't complicit in the deaths of Iraqi's when they're producing the bullets they're being killed with. Might as well join the effort full out.