Friday, July 08, 2016

The Lessons Of War



The Chilcot Inquiry has totally discredited Tony Blair. But, amid the rubble of his reputation, Paul Heinbecker writes that there are five lessons to be learned:

A first lesson for Canada is that foreign policy decisions, especially those involving peace and war, must be guided by values as well as interests. The report makes it clear the essential purpose of the British government going into that war in Iraq was to maintain its privileged relationship with Washington. The British went along to get along.

A second lesson Canada should draw from the report is to be wary of group-think and overly confident intelligence services. According to Chilcot, “there was an ingrained belief in the U.K. policy and intelligence communities that Iraq had retained some chemical and biological capabilities; that it was determined to preserve and if possible enhance them – and, in the future, to acquire a nuclear capability; and that it was able to conceal its activities from the UN inspectors.”

A third lesson we should draw from the Iraq Inquiry report is the importance of the role of the UN Security Council. According to Mr. Chilcot, “most members of the Security Council could not be convinced that peaceful options to disarm Iraq had been exhausted and that military action was therefore justified.”
A fourth lesson is that, with the Chilcot report on Iraq, the Butler Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction and other reviews, the British have manifested an appetite for accountability that is probably unmatched elsewhere. 

A fifth lesson for Canada is that, especially on crucial foreign-policy decisions, it is never true that we have no choice but to support our allies. We always have a choice, if we are willing to pay the cost required by our values. And as it happened, those costs in the case of the Iraq war were entirely bearable.

It's worth remembering that Mr. Harper claimed that he did not believe in going along to get along. But he was hellbent to join the Coalition of the Willing. And he joined every succeeding Middle East military mission.

Rumour has it that he plans to start his own international consulting business. The world would be better off if he bought a Tim Horton's franchise.

10 comments:

The Mound of Sound said...


He'd never make it owning a Tim Horton's, Owen. He's a sullen, foul tempered prick. A guy like that is toxic and incapable of retaining employees.

I worry about what NATO has become. It's the ultimate "go along to get along" club. Back in the days when the prospect of massive formations of Soviet tanks pouring through the Fulda Gap was a real threat, NATO made sense. Now it's a vehicle for expanding geo-political frontiers.

Lorne said...

Bravo, Owen. Your last sentence puts into proper perspective the small-mindedness of our last prime minister. It would be indeed fitting if he put his money where his limited values and intellect are.

Owen Gray said...

Even as he left office, Lorne, it was clear that Harper never learned the lessons of war. He really isn't very bright.

Owen Gray said...

NATO used to be about defense, Mound. Now it's another version of Israel's expanding settlements program.

Steve said...

I wonder if we stil have little Petes forward operating stations all over the globe?

Unknown said...

Bets Owen that Canada joins NATO in sending weapons and boots on the ground in Eastern Europe. Trudeau seems to accept anything that the US/NATO says about Russian "agression"
In Eastern Europe NATO and the US is playing a dangerous game. I guess the days of Canada being a broker for peace are long gone. Instead we are helping in the advancement of American Imperialism. We have this bully on our border,
that other Prime Ministers have said no to when asked to join in their wars. I guess those days are also long gone.

Owen Gray said...

Good question, Steve. I suspect there are more of them and -- because of advances in technology -- they're smaller and harder to find.

Owen Gray said...

We invented peacekeeping, Pam. Our present leaders seem to have forgotten that.

Steve said...

JT is kissing US butt by deploying this paper tiger. However he has to kiss US butt, so he is just picking which cheek.

Owen Gray said...

As his father said, Steve, it's tough living next door to an elephant.