Canada's Involvement in the Kosovo Crisis: A Shift in Military Strategy
As the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) presses ahead with its air campaign against Yugoslavia, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien warned parliament that stopping the country's aggression and the exodus of Kosovo Albanians will not happen overnight. Military action is an uncertain endeavour, but the government will never enter into reckless action that puts more Canadian lives on the line without full consideration of the consequences.
Key Takeaways:
- NATO's air strikes will probably force Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to negotiate a peace settlement, making the question of ground troops hypothetical, according to Prime Minister Chrétien.
- The Reform Party and Bloc Quebecois support the use of ground troops, but only with a vote in the Commons.
- Opposition MPs generally reiterated their support for NATO, but New Democratic Party Leader Alexa McDonough warned against demonizing all Serbs and wondered if the allies have exhausted every opportunity to find a diplomatic solution.
- Reform Party Leader Preston Manning questioned the clarity of NATO's war objectives, asking whether the goal is peace for Kosovo within a federal Yugoslavia, a partitioned Kosovo, or an independent Kosovo.
- The Liberal government is disregarding Parliament by not allowing a vote on the country's involvement in the military action, according to Progressive Conservative House Leader Peter MacKay.
- Grit MP John McKay expressed concerns that Canada is dropping its commitment to international law and the UN by getting involved in an ancient conflict.
Statistics:
- At least 10 civilians were killed when a Yugoslav train was hit by NATO bombs (Source: The Globe and Mail).
- Hundreds of civilians have been killed or wounded as a result of the air campaign, according to Yugoslavia (Source: The Globe and Mail).
- The Kosovo crisis has forced opposition MPs to put partisanship on hold (Source: The Globe and Mail).
Sources:
- >The Globe and Mail <