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[quote:cb814]Deal would let U.S. troops operate in Canada



By OLIVER MOORE
Globe and Mail Update


A Canadian officer has been named to head a planning group that will set guidelines for cross-border military operations in the event of another terrorist attack or natural disaster in North America.

Under the terms of a new deal signed Monday morning by high-level representatives from Ottawa and Washington, U.S. and Canadian troops could be allowed to operated in each other's territory, but only under the command of their host country's military structure.

Unveiled in Ottawa by Defence Minister John McCallum and Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham, the deal was presented as "a matter of mutual common sense" in a world of wide-ranging danger.

"The reality is that many of today's threats go across national borders," Mr. McCallum said. "Neither terrorists nor biologoical agents have any respect whatsoever for the 49th parallel; so it is only prudent, only common sense, for Canadians and Americans to plan together to protect the lives of our citizens."

Both officials took great pains to insist that the deal is not a loss of sovereignty for Canada, characterizing it instead as the modern equivalent of earlier alliances that were formed to fight fascism and guard against communism.

Mr. McCallum suggested that the real threat to Canadian sovereignty is global terrorists who have shown that they can strike anywhere with devastating effect. Mr. Graham noted that a chemical or biological attacks in many communities would be felt on both sides of the border, making it only logical to plan co-ordinated responses.

"Far from relinquishing sovereignty," Mr. McCallum said, "we are in fact preserving and promoting Canadian sovereignty." He explained by saying that the United States will draft crisis plans with or without Canadian participation, so that it only makes sense to be involved in deliberations that will affect Canadians.

"I cannot imagine a more frontal attack on the sovereignty of a nation than a group of terrorists intent on killing our citizens and destroying our property," he added. "By improving our defences against terrorism, the planning group enhances Canada's sovereignty in this respect as well."

Canadian Lieutenant-General Ken Pennie, currently serving as deputy commander of the North American Aerospace Defence Command, will head the planning group. He will report to Canada's chief of defence staff and to the U.S. general who commands both NORAD and the U.S. military's Northern Command.

"I can't think of a responsibility of government that is more fundamental than that of protecting and saving the lives of our citizens," Mr. McCallum said. "We must have plans and protocols in place in advance if one such crisis should happen, because once it happens it's too late to start the planning."

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Any opinions on this?

Personally I see this as a bad idea. I think we can handle our own problems and don't need the US coming in to sort things out for us. No offence but i'd rather see my own government handle things rather than another one. If we need help, we'll ask for it. I forsee this as an excuse for the US to have more control over Canada and whatnot. Were supposed to be a soverign nation, not an annexation of the united states,