Fact: Canadian Troops Are Under U.S. Command, On U.S. Mission, One Contingent D

Last fall, the Paul Martin Liberals committed them to what was supposed to be a NATO operation, with British and Dutch troops. The Dutch held a long parliamentary debate and agreed to the deployment but under strict conditions and starting only in September. The British, as is their wont, made little noise but delayed the deployment nonetheless, to sometime this summer. But the Canadians said, "Ready, Aye, Ready." So, a job designed for three contingents is being done by one. And our troops are on their own for "the next few months," in Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor's words. Some MPs even wondered whether the British and the Dutch would ever come. "What guarantees do we have that NATO will take over from the Americans?" asked the Bloc's Francine Lalonde. "Is it a sure thing?" asked Claude Bachand. Neither got an answer. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=1144878609715&call_pageid=968256290204'

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