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Canada will not participate in the war without a new UN resolution, but will participate in the rebuilding of Iraq.
Canadian Forces to Play No Role in Iraq War

Reuters
Monday, March 17, 2003; 3:00 PM

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Jean Chretien said on Monday that Canadian forces would play no role in any attack launched on Iraq by the United States -- Canada's closest ally and largest trading partner.

Chretien however said Canada wanted to play a role in rebuilding Iraq after a war was over.

In the last two weeks Canada has tried hard to bridge the splits at the U.N. Security Council over Iraq but its attempts came to nothing. The United States and Britain now look set to attack Iraq without U.N. authorization.

"If military action proceeds without a new resolution of the Security Council, Canada will not participate," Chretien told Parliament to storms of applause.
"We will hope there will be no war. I'm not very optimistic."

Canada has around 30 armed forces personnel serving with U.S. and British contingents in the Persian Gulf and has contributed two warships to a naval force currently stationed in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf.

Chretien did not respond to questioners in Parliament who asked if the forces in the Gulf would be withdrawn.
Polls show most Canadians oppose a war on Iraq outside the auspices of the United Nations. Last month Chretien effectively washed his hands of the problem by agreeing to send 2,000 troops to a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Kabul.
Officials admitted the move meant the cash-strapped and overstretched armed forces would not be able to contribute to a war on Iraq.

Chretien said that although Canadian forces would not take part in an attack, Ottawa wanted to be involved in the efforts to rebuild the country after a war.

"If there is a war, of course Canada will participate in reconstruction. It is something we have always done and we will do it if there is a war," he said.
 
 

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