Canada could pull out of Bosnia by November, 2004

[Jason Jarvis]

I just saw this on the Globe‘s website. Good news for everybody, I‘d say.

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Canada could pull out of Bosnia by November, 2004

Canadian Press

Kabul - Canada could pull out of Bosnia completely before November 2004, Defence Minister John McCallum said Thursday.

“Discussions are ongoing...on an urgent basis to switch over the responsibility (for Bosnia) to the European Union,” Mr. McCallum said as he answered questions from soldiers during a visit to Camp Julien in Afghanistan.

“I‘m hoping that will allow Canada to have a total or near total withdrawal within a year.”

Plans are already in place to reduce Canada‘s troop commitment in Bosnia by 50 per cent before April.

The reduction is part of an overall NATO strategy to turn over policing of the state to European control.

“The 50 per cent reduction is for sure. The total withdrawal within a year is not for sure, but it‘s something that we very much want to happen,” said Mr. McCallum.

“We, as a country, I believe, have had enough of (Bosnia), and I clearly am trying to get us out as fast as I possibly can.”

The minister called the slow departure from peacekeeping in Bosnia “a success, not a failure.”

NATO isn‘t abandoning Bosnia, but rather the security situation there has stabilized substantially and Canada and other nations can afford to withdraw without sacrificing the country, argued Mr. McCallum. He described a growing fatigue among soldiers assigned there.

Canada has about 1,200 troops in the Balkan country and another 2,000 in Afghanistan.

Taking soldiers out of Bosnia would free them up for the longer-term reconstruction in Afghanistan.

Canada is currently committed to a one-year operation in Afghanistan ending in August 2004. Another rotation of about 1,800 soldiers is expected to begin arriving in February when Canada is scheduled to take over control of ISAF, the 5,500-soldier International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

However, there has been talk in military circles that “best-case scenario” plans are being developed to have Canada remain in Afghanistan for up to five years.

NATO has also been under intense pressure to provide more troops to help secure areas of the country outside the capital, Kabul.

Much of Afghanistan remains lawless and under the control of rival warlords.

This week‘s visit is Mr. McCallum‘s third to Afghanistan since late 2001.

He took the opportunity Thursday to thank Canada‘s soldiers for their work in Kabul, before visiting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Defence Minister General Fahim Khan.

 

[Armymedic]

Yeah, IRT bosnia, nothing for sure......

But we keep hearing we are closing the two smaller camps (Drvar and Bihac) by the end of our roto.

 

[JasonH]

Cool, just hope when I get around to going Active (Just enlisted today) that I might have a chance to goto Afghanistan if they do have the 5 yr plan.

 

[Armymedic]

Have a chance?

Son, if your in the infantry or Engineers, I‘d start looking for cheap land to buy for your new home in our next vacation spot.

5 yr plan...wasn‘t that something Stalin had too?

 

[JasonH]

Always wanted to die some place exotic

 

[Infanteer]

Sorry son, but Bosnia ain‘t that exotic

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Thank f__k.
Its about time (Drvar was nice though).
I bet Afganistan turns into the next Bosnia though.

 

[Danjanou]

I bet Afganistan turns into the next Bosnia though.

No bet here. Just like Cyprus became the next Bosnia... "honest guys we‘ll be here for one, two tours tops..."

BTW Jay, you want to die someplace exotic, try backpacking through the Darien Gap

 

[Armymedic]

You mean "Bosnia became the next closest thing to what Cyprus was". Mind you having been to both, Cyprus was much more a vacation then Bosnia ever will be. Won‘t find any exoticly gorgeous blondes from Sweden touring the beaches outside Zgon any time soon. And then theres that pesty 2 beer limit keeping you from having a real good time...

To be honest, the only thing keeping us safe is the fact that here nobody wants to screw with us, and lose the crime money they will make if we all leave. There are still ops here going on where the weapons pointed back at us are loaded, and being held by people who know how to use them.

BTW, the new "Offical" press release says that the gov‘t is planning to reduce forces in BIH and will cut troop levels by 50% by Apr 04, but has not made a formal decision on whether Canada will fully cease operations in BiH.

My opionon, not that it matters much, is that we still have another 2-3 yrs to be all done what we came here originaly to do. We are just getting out cause we‘ll run out of soldiers or money if we don‘t.

And if you want to go somewhere exotic, join the military to make money so you can travel there on your leave, cause you won‘t like sightseeing in vest with plates, helmets and carrying weapons were we end up going.

 

[JasonH]

Meh, I was never one for a fancy funeral or death etc. I wouldn‘t mind going to Afghanistan that would be cool. But I enlisted last month.

 

[axeman]

I wouldn‘t mind going to Afghanistan that would be cool. COOL??? it was freaking HOT 60+ c dust landmines jeez , i thought bosnia in early 90‘s was bad it way worse there. The new camp is a resort compared to what we had. AC like 2 places had AC on Apollo.

 

[JasonH]

I love the cold and I LOVE the heat, I‘d be in heaven. And no I‘m not american

 

[stukirkpatrick]

as recently as 1 week ago there are still plans for Roto 15, to be composed almost entirely of reservists, drawn from LFWA units.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Thank God for that. The reservists can have it. A bet its a bit of a jug-fu_k though.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Also Bosnia had over 10 years to build up to that state, in the beginning I‘m sure it wasn‘t too much fun.

 

[shaunlin41]

roto 15 was just cancelled

 

[gyrit]

from what i heard Roto 15 wasn‘t canned was was cut back to 50 troops and delayed to July 4th.

 

[Armymedic]

Gentleman,
When it comes to Bosnia, I don‘t think even Ottawa knows what its doing for sure. But don‘t be surprised if a rifle company/recce Sqn still goes over (max 500 pers all trades for the roto).

 

[gyrit]

I don‘t think Roto 15 is canned because i just put my name in for it. It is cut back and it‘s the "Last tour".

 

[Jarnhamar]

Just because you put your name in for it doesn‘t mean it will happen. We had up to roto 18 planned out and they just upped and changed it. Things change so much that trying to figure out what exactly is going on simply won‘t happen until a week prior.