Minister says Canada's soldiers are 'going to take a rest'

[Newsjock]

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/01/16/pratt040116

EDMONTON - Canada's defence minister has hinted that the country's role in international peacekeeping operations may be put on hold while its soldiers get some rest.

"There comes a point where you have to say for the sake of your troops that we're going to take a rest for a while," said Defence Minister David Pratt.

In the past two years, soldiers from 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, have been to Afghanistan once and Bosnia three times.

The request for no more missions for at least a year came from brigade commander himself. "We would be challenged to go off to do an international operation of any magnitude," said Col. Tim Grant. "This brigade needs time to get its house in order, to take that breath to refresh ourselves."

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[POed_Ex_Repub]

1. Our support is drying up...

Perpetual war doesn't seem too popular with anybody. I can't imagine how Bushco can have designs on Iran/Syria when they are already streched to the limit with the current ill advised conflicts.

[J B]

2. I've watched this develop in Canada for a whole decade

This rest IS needed, and is far beyond the point of total legitimacy... it's not really related to helping the US per se, it's ALL of Canada's many international commitments... they just piled far too high.

[rooboy]

3. The Brits and Aussies are buggered too...

lots of peacekeeping etc has left a lot of countries with tired troops. I guess people like Uncle Dick and Richard Perle can't see that through the bottom of their glasses of Chardonnay...

[auburnblu]

4. Right when France wants 6000 peacekeepers for the Ivory Coast

Thanks Canada. The U.S. is balking at the French request for some reason, but it definitely seems like Canada will not participate

[Media_Lies_Daily]

6. IMHO, Canada should do what's right for Canada,....

...not what's right for the NeoCon Junta. Why should Canada participate in any of the madeness perpetrated by the rightwingers currently in control of Washington, DC?

And unless you've been completely isolated from the news over the last year or so, you would also know why Junior and the NeoCons will do everything they can to keep from providing assistance to France. They have to maintain that air of hating all things French because France refused to help invade Iraq.

[pink_poodle]

5. Message to America: YOU SHOULD TAKE A REST ALSO.............

Enough is enough already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[donsu]

7. Can. needs their military to stay home & protect them from US

I wish us americans had a military that would come home and protect us from the criminal bloody hands bushgang.