Commentary

Another Liberal Flip-Flop on Iraq

Two weeks ago, Canada's Defence Minister John McCallum exited a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and told reporters that Canada might participate in a U.S.-led attack on Iraq even without UN Security Council authorization. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham echoed that position later that same day. Now Jean Chretien has contradicted his ministers, stating that his government's position is that it will participate in such a war only if it is sanctioned by the UN.

Of course, very few Canadians actually trust Jean Chretien's assurances. It is widely believed that, if Washington demands that Canada participate, Chretien will capitulate and send Canadian forces to the Gulf region. In fact, the Canadian navy already has two ships in the area, supposedly as part of the "war on terror" and more could be on their way soon. McCallum also admitted to discussing plans with Rumsfeld for Canadian troops to relieve American forces in Afghanistan to free them up to be redeployed in Iraq.

It is impossible to say what assurances McCallum gave to the Americans regarding his government's support for the U.S. war effort. However, whatever they were, the Bush administration appears satisfied, since it issued no loud protests following Chretien's contradiction of the position presented by McCallum and Graham. No doubt they have worked out a plan whereby the Bush administration will provide a pretext, however implausible, whereby Chretien can announce that everything has changed and Canadian forces will be committed to fight under U.S. leadership once again without even the formality of a Parliamentary debate.