Canada's FM presses for quick end to Iraqi war, quick start to aid

spacewar.com ^ | 25 Mar 03 | staff

[RightWhale]

Canada's FM presses for quick end to Iraqi war, quick start to aid

OTTAWA (AFP) Mar 25, 2003 Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham said Tuesday he hoped for a swift end to the war in Iraq and a quick start to a multinational reconstruction of the country.

He rejected a claim by an opposition member of parliament that the government was "wobbling and waffling" on the Iraqi question, insisting the government had not changed its position and still had no plans to join the US-led military coalition in Iraq. Ottawa was "very disappointed" the United States and Britain had not held out longer for a diplomatic resolution to the Iraqi crisis, but he said "now that the war has begun, in terms of the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, we do not want a long drawn-out war."

Graham recalled that Canada has so far committed nearly six million dollars (four million US) in response to two appeals from the United Nations for emergency aid to Iraq. He said he anticipated further appeals for more money to assist Iraqis affected by the war.

As far as the country's post-war re-construction, Graham noted that "some in the United States believe it should be US-led," but he preferred a "UN-led multilateral approach."

Talking with reporters later, Graham was asked whether he supported the allied goal of ousting Saddam Hussein. "No," he replied. "Canada is not in favour regime change (as one of the reasons for the war).

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On Monday, Graham told reporters: "We as a government are support of the United States' desire to get rid of Saddam Hussein, to deal with the weapons of mass destruction issue around the world."

[RightWhale]

These people are confused and running around in irrelevant circles.

[goldstategop]

Canada wants a piece of the action even though they're not the one shedding blood. Hypocrite.

[Semper Paratus]

Tell Cretin to supplying a few troops might help.

[SouthernFreebird]

4 million huh........ Brother, can you spare a dime.

[KansasCanadian]

Canada's liberal lips are moving, but we can't hear any sound

[conservativecorner]

Screw the canadian govt. and it's demands!

[Catspaw]

Has Foreign Minister Graham packed his bags for a trip to southern Iraq for his humanitarian work or is he just going to let others put their butts on the line to get in the goods? Right now, southern Iraq is a VERY dangerous place.

[ken5050]

That's enough to buy the Canadians a good right winger. (Pun intended)

[TonyWojo]

Francada just wants a piece of the post war bounty. Keep the UN out of Iraq

[mitchbert]

Interestingly, Graham's son is the National Post reporter stationed in Bagdhad.

[mhking]

[cherry]

I know.....I mean, a WHOLE WHOOPING SIX MILLION CANADIAN DOLLARS..........

[Mr. Lucky]

Waht's that? About $1.38 in real money?

[telebob]

The lion takes down the kill and then the scavangers move in for any easy pickin's...

[toddst]

The lion takes down the kill and then the scavangers move in for any easy pickin's...

You are exactly right. All these "we don't support the war" nations are sure anxious to "help" in rebuilding Iraq. They want some of our investment (plus the Iraqi oil money) to be used in reconstruction.

What a sorry bunch.

[Hazzardgate]

I heard that Patty's Light Brigade snipers are on the outskirts of Baghdad.....but Cretin would never admit it.

[cynicom]

Canada wants to make the quick buck from the blood shed by others. Cowards...Hypocrits...

[RightWhale]

Canada is certainly acting that way. But many Canadians are shocked [in a Canadian way] and disappointed at their gov't's actions and words, and are concerned that the individual citizens are being tarred with the same brush.

[AMNZ]

As long as they all stay in front of me, not behind my back.

[gcruse]

Canada wants a piece of the action even though they're not the one shedding blood. Hypocrite.

Maybe it has something to do with being a frigid country...expectations of something for nothing.

"SEVEN DAYS before the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan, Russia DECLARED WAR on Japan. Russia never had any MILITARY engagement against Japan, but for those seven glorious non-combatant DAYS of "declared war" against Japan, Russia was given control of the Southern Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands..."