Royal Canadian Air Force headed to mission in Africa ‘very soon’: top general

[PuckChaser]

Don't forget the bit of coloured ribbon for the DEU.    :nod:

2 bits if they put everyone under a UN alphabet soup mission name, free CPSM for your first tour!

 

[Zoomie]

... who never come close to the battlespace but go home with *tour stories*.

One time - the pool was closed for 4 weeks....  <gasp>  :warstory:

 

[dimsum]

One time - the pool was closed for 4 weeks....  <gasp>  :warstory:

Or "the wi-fi was down and I can't watch my Netflix".

Wait, that's legit.    >

 

[Eye In The Sky]

One time - the pool was closed for 4 weeks....  <gasp>  :warstory:

As long as the ice cream machine and/or Krispy Cream donuts didn't disappear at the same time...

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Or "the wi-fi was down and I can't watch my Netflix".

Wait, that's legit.    >

How are you supposed to order from Amazon with no wi-fi?  :tempertantrum:

 

[Journeyman]

Good thing the tread title reads "Canadian Army  headed to mission in Africa"..... 

You Zoomies would be pretty traumatized to find that the 'pool' is actually the sh*t pond.  ;D

:subbies:

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Why would a hotel put shit in their pool ???

;D

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Why would a hotel put shit in their pool ???

;D

Reminds some guests of home.

 

[OldSolduer]

One time - the pool was closed for 4 weeks....  <gasp>  :warstory:

In Cyprus 82/83 we threw Barry Ashton (CO) and John Clark (RSM) in the pool but it was a legit pool in Cyprus....oh the good old days!

 

[a_majoor]

Sending Canadian Soldiers to Africa to shore up a bid for a temporary seat on the Un Security council. Our blood and treasure could be at risk for this?

https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/01/02/un-human-rights-council-welcomes-saudi-arabia-to-its-ranks/

UN Human Rights Council Welcomes Saudi Arabia to Its Ranks
BY MICHAEL VAN DER GALIEN JANUARY 2, 2017

You'll never believe which states joined the United Nations Human Rights Council. Or, well, if you know anything about the UN, perhaps you will believe it:

Welcome to the new 2017 membership @UN_HRC:

Saudi Arabia

Venezuela

China

Cuba

Iraq

Qatar

Burundi

Bangladesh

United Arab Emirates#UNreform pic.twitter.com/Z355F8mI8Z

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) January 2, 2017

That reads like a who's who of human rights abusers. Nowadays, however, these regimes -- which routinely oppress women, and jail, torture, and even kill critics -- are somehow deemed to be the protectors of our universal human rights. I'd laugh if it wasn't so incredibly sad.

But wait, the UNHCR says, don't criticize Saudi Arabia! According to Sharia they have "fair gender equality"!

Saudi Arabia begins 2017-2019 term @UN_HRC. Don't worry: "Saudi Arabia supports empowerment of women" & "guarantees fair gender equality." pic.twitter.com/J5ZIKWboZR

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) January 2, 2017

Satire, right? Nope, the UNHCR is dead serious.

Tell me again why Canada needs to be validated by third world dictators, kleptocrats and thugs?

 

[Altair]

I guess there are no other reasons to do peacekeeping other than to win a UN Security Council seat.  :facepalm:

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Well, as noted you can get a double-double for your services... ^-^

2 bits if they put everyone under a UN alphabet soup mission name, free CPSM for your first tour!

 

[MarkOttawa]

One trusts any RCAF Griffons sent to Africa will look like this--official tweet:
https://twitter.com/CanadaNATO/status/816177780282912768

Canada at NATO Verified account
‏@CanadaNATO

#Forces2016 #OpImpact @CanadianArmy @RCAF_ARC @CanadainIraq @CanadaKuwait @coalition @CanadianAlly

Earlier:

Canadian UN Peacekeeping in Mali? RCAF Helicopters?
https://cgai3ds.wordpress.com/2016/07/26/mark-collins-canadian-un-peacekeeping-in-mali-rcaf-helicopters/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

Trump effect putting major Mali mission on hold for now, France and Germany unhappy:

Liberal peacekeeping decision paused because of uncertainty around Trump
France and Germany working back-channels at UN to express worry over Canada's peacekeeping pause
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/peacekeeping-pause-trump-1.3945847

Jan. 19 from John Ivison:

...Canadian policy will have to adjust to the new U.S. government.

Sources suggest additional defence spending may be required to satisfy Trump that Canada is doing its part as a NATO ally.

All NATO members signed up to spend two per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2024. Canada spends less than one per cent and has shown few signs of making progress toward the two per cent target.

Trump’s lieutenants are said to have conceded that Canada often punches above its weight in times of conflict, and that the quality of the contribution is as important as the amount of money spent.

But some concession toward a bigger NATO contribution can be expected, perhaps in the upcoming federal budget.

A potential casualty of that commitment may well be Canada’s planned peacekeeping mission in Africa [emphasis added].

Officials concede that it is not 100 per cent certain the mission to send up to 750 military, police and civilian personnel to aid a United Nations mission in Africa will proceed, as Canada attempts to accommodate a U.S. government less disposed toward the UN than its predecessor...
http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/john-ivison-in-what-will-be-a-bumpy-ride-trudeau-has-to-appease-trump-to-avoid-falling-off-trade-wagon

'Twould be a YUGE climbdown for this gov't, very hard for Liberals to stomach; would think at least some personnel will still be sent if not helos, infantry unit, whatever (i.e not much big equipment).  From November via MND Sajjan:

Canadian Forces into Africa with UN for Three Years: Where? (hint Mali plus…)
https://cgai3ds.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/mark-collins-canadian-forces-into-africa-with-un-for-three-years-where-hint-mali-plus/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Kirkhill]

The Obama administration, according to sources with knowledge of the file, made it clear to Canada that it was free to engage in more peacekeeping as along as its other commitments to NORAD and NATO were fulfilled.

From the cbc article referenced above....

Glad that we are a sovereign nation.

 

[jmt18325]

I can see that Obama allowance (we're still a sovereign nation, but we do have commitments) as the reason for increasing our fighter requirements to handle all foreseeable NORAD and NATO deployments.

 

[Kirkhill]

I can see that Obama allowance (we're still a sovereign nation, but we do have commitments) as the reason for increasing our fighter requirements to handle all foreseeable NORAD and NATO deployments.

And also for the Latvian deployment - despite some reluctance on the part of the PM and his Foreign Minister at the time.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I can see France working back channels to convince Canada to go into Africa, especially to help them in Mali, where they could use another first world armed forces' assistance. But Germany? They don't do anything outside of their own country except NATO. What bloody business would they have to tell Canada what to do and where?

 

[Kirkhill]

I once heard this description of the French-German relationship in the European Union:  Germany is the horse that France rides.

 

[Jarnhamar]

[quote author=Oldgateboatdriver]What bloody business would they have to tell Canada what to do and where?
[/quote]

Or, France and Germany want Canadian peacekeepers in their own country to help them with their guests.