The earlier poster was right about RCMP training Iraqi police
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/news/n_0401_e.htm. The idea that Canadian military personnel on exchange have served with the US in Iraq isn't new either. The PM even confirmed it recently saying "There have been a small number of Canadian military personnel embedded in American and allied units. That's been the case since the beginning of the war. Nothing has changed on that front." That's from a story by the dreaded CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/03/23/canadian_role060323.html (scroll down to part about the PM)
but this has been common knowledge since the Iraq war started.
Having said that, CANADA IS NOT AT WAR IN IRAQ. The Canadian government decided not to significantly participate in the war on Iraq. But international politics is a complicated thing. The US is our most important ally even if they do stupid things. To stop cooperating with their military (such as the example of the exchanges) would be a major blow to our alliances and to our national defence. RCMP officers training Iraqi police sounds like a good idea to me. We are not getting involved directly by sending troops to Iraq but are still trying to help Iraqis create a stable society. As for the Canadian companies involved in supplying the US military, what is the alternative? Banning all Canadian defence manufacturers from trading with the US? That sounds realistic, given our national interests. :
The war in Iraq was in my opinion a large mistake mixed with a touch of deliberate deception. I think 9/11 and the real fight against Al-Qaeda was used by the Bush administration to go into Iraq for wider strategic and economic reasons. However right some of these reasons might or might not have been, I think the conclusion is that the invasion should never have happened. There is still the humanitarian reason, but considering all the deaths which have resulted and the ongoing hopeless situation, I don't think it was worth it. I really hope that I turn out to be wrong about that...but I doubt it. To me, no WMD's=Massive Mistake.
As much as the anti-war protesters make me instinctively sick, I think it is important to have people who are willing to question what they are told. Obviously, if given a lawful command, that is not the job of the military (to protest against what they are told) but in a democracy it is vital for citizens. I just wish the protesters would think a little more clearly. As I implied in an earlier post, Iraq does not equal Afghanistan, the Oka crisis, the need to become a granola-eating, vegetable juice drinking vegan, or whatever other pet cause happens to be fashionable.
As much as I disagree with them, I do agree they have a right to protest. I am also free to express my own opinion: that the vegan anti-Afghanistan types are full of s---, that Bush is full of s---, and that we should support the troops in Afghanistan until hell freezes over if necessary. But then that's just my opinion.