Canadian Military History Volume 19 Issue 4 Article 2 2010 “But he has nothing on at all!” Canada and the Iraq War, 2003 Timothy Sayle Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Recommended Citation Timothy Sayle "“But he has nothing on at all!” Canada and the Iraq War, 2003." Canadian Military History 19, 4 (2010) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. : “But he has nothing on at all!” Canada and the Iraq War, 2003 “But he has nothing on at all!” Canada and the Iraq War, 2003 Timothy A. Sayle n Hans Christian Andersen’s Canada must be prepared to deal with fable The Emperor’s New Clothes, Abstract: In March 2003, Canada a United States whose international I abstained from participating in the an emperor is swindled into buying invasion of Iraq. Despite international outlook was coloured only in black a new wardrobe. The wardrobe, pressure from Canada’s close allies, and white. Although Afghanistan of course, does not really exist and the United States and Great Britain, and would undoubtedly be the first target the emperor appears publicly in the against the urging of some domestic of the American response, Kergin nude. He and his courtiers, convinced lobby groups and the Official Opposition, knew that American retaliation Prime Minister Jean Chrétien chose not only the worthy can see the garments, to provide military or political support for was not likely to be limited to one 1 are unwilling to admit they see the invasion. Chrétien’s decision was a country. In the mean time, while wholly through the new clothes. In controversial one, but one made early Afghanistan was the only front in Andersen’s version, one young child in the crisis and before the outbreak of the response to the terrorist attacks, loudly exclaimed the emperor was war. Although Canadian public opinion Canadian policy easily matched that and the professional advice of Canadian naked. In 2003, a similar drama – diplomats and intelligence officials expected by the Americans. Jean though with far greater consequences counselled against participation in Chrétien honoured those killed in – played on the world stage. the war, these arguments served only the attacks, publicly supported the In the lead-up to the invasion to buttress Chrétien’s initial negative United States at the United Nations of Iraq, France and other states reaction and his desire to work within and dispatched special operations the United Nations. called out shrilly that they could see forces, naval assets and later a battle through the American case for war. group to Afghanistan.2 Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, too, relevant player in the United Nations As American and allied operations noticed early the United States’ case debate. When international approval in Afghanistan began in earnest for war was built on a faulty premise, had not been gained by the eve of war, in the autumn of 2001, it became but he avoided the adversarial tones the prime minister stood fast with the increasingly obvious that the United adopted by the French. Rather than position he had communicated to States was considering a second publicly embarrass the Americans, both Bush and British Prime Minister target.3 Soon after 11 September 2001, Chrétien told President George W. Tony Blair in the late summer of 2002, Canadian officials noticed American Bush that Canada would support and kept Canada out of the war. intelligence reports paying special military action against Iraq if the Shortly after 11 September 2001, attention to Iraq, isolating it from lists United States could convince Canadian ambassador to the United of other countries and noting Iraq’s the international community an States Michael Kergin arrived in failure to express sympathy with the invasion was necessary. By basing Ottawa to brief the government on Americans.4 Around the same time, his test of support on overwhelming the ramifications of the terrorist Chrétien was alarmed by a television international approval – and not attacks. He described the Manichean interview with United States Senator ruling out Canadian participation worldview Washington had adopted Jesse Helms calling for an invasion – Chrétien ensured Canada was a in the wake of the attack, and warned of Iraq. 5 It was not long before the Published© Canadian by Scholars Military Commons History @, Laurier,Volume 2010 19, Number 4, Autumn 2010, pp.5-19. 5 1 Sayle - Iraq War REV.indd 1 1/24/2011 12:27:44 PM Canadian Military History, Vol. 19 [2010], Iss. 4, Art. 2 American press started reporting on captured the two main elements in agreement between Canada and intelligence leaks that linked Saddam Chrétien’s conception of the crisis. the United States. By all accounts, Hussein to Al-Qaeda, and by January Only weeks after Himelfarb’s the relationship between Chrétien 2002 Kergin was fielding questions warning, Chrétien informed Blair and Bush was a friendly one with from reporters curious if Canada and Bush of Canada’s position on good personal chemistry aided by would support an invasion of Iraq.6 war with Iraq. The prime minister’s a mutual interest in baseball and By August 2002, there was no comments to Bush and Blair would golf.10 It was strange for all observers, doubt in Ottawa that the United States set the approach Canada would however, when the two men opted would target Iraq. Expanding the follow through the difficult months to meet in private before their “War on Terror” beyond Afghanistan to come. While meeting with Blair announcement, without the usual was not something Canada in Johannesburg in early September, retinue of staffers to hear or record would agree to without careful Chrétien expressed his discomfort their conversation.11 After the half- consideration. On 14 August, Clerk with regime change in Iraq. He hour meeting, Chrétien de-briefed of the Privy Council Alex Himelfarb warned of the dangers of “getting Kergin, telling him he had expressed sent Chrétien a memorandum stating in to the business of replacing concern over the impending invasion bluntly: “U.S. action against Iraq leaders we don’t like” without of Iraq. Chrétien had told Bush the to implement regime change is being covered “under the flag of international community would not a question of when, not if, using the UN.”8 No country, Chrétien told accept an invasion of Iraq without the justification that the Iraqi Blair, could invade Iraq without credible evidence of weapons of mass government is a sponsor of terrorism UN authorization. Clearly, Chrétien destruction. Chrétien had also made and a developer of weapons of mass believed any military action would clear the United Nations Security destruction (WMD).”7 Himelfarb not simply be a continuation of Council was extremely important to noted the international community United Nations pressure on Iraq to Canada, and Canada would require was deeply split on the issue, but disarm, but part of a new American its approval to participate in a war.12 the Canadian position “has centred concept of national security that Chrétien left the meeting highly on the return of UN arms inspectors threatened to undermine the sceptical of the American evidence to Iraq to resolve the disarmament international structures Canada had for war, but still on good terms with question and to address the issues worked to create. 9 Bush.13 of terrorism when clear evidence is On 9 September 2002, less Chrétien’s comments in Detroit available.” The memorandum’s faith than a week after meeting with came to serve as the speaking points in the United Nations inspectors Blair, Chrétien and Bush met in for the Canadian government. and disapproval of regime change Detroit to announce a new border Kergin returned to Washington equipped with the prime minister’s position; from now on his standard response to any inquiries on Canada’s participation in an invasion would stress the importance of the Security Council. Across the Atlantic, Canada’s high commissioner to the United (AP Photo/Doug Mills) (AP Photo/Doug Kingdom, Mel Cappe, informed the British that Canada sought agreement Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien salutes members of the US Border Patrol as President George W. Bush looks on after the two leaders watch a Free and Secure Trade “Fast” Lane demonstration, at the Ambassador’s Bridge, Fort Street Cargo Facility, in Detroit, 9 September 2002. Bush spent the day making his case to Chrétien, who said the previous week he has yet to see evidence that would justify Canadian support for a military campaign against Iraq. https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol19/iss4/26 2 Sayle - Iraq War REV.indd 2 1/24/2011 12:27:45 PM : “But he has nothing on at all!” Canada and the Iraq War, 2003 President George W. Bush addresses the UN General Assembly in New York City. among the international community before military action, preferably through a Security Council Resolution at the United Nations.14 Deputy Prime Minister John Manley told the press that Canada had not “signed on” to “going in and changing the regime” in Iraq.15 Underlying this standard message, however, was the prime minister’s scepticism of American motives. Chrétien already assumed the goal of military intervention was regime change. Warnings from Paul Heinbecker, Canada’s ambassador The confusion inherent in 1441, help.” Concerned by this, Graham to the United Nations, stressed a and Blair’s promise, led to further told Powell that if the United States new American security strategy intense negotiations in New York.