While Chrétien sounds a warning, Trudeau’s Liberals fall in behind the Harper Conservatives on Iraq conflict

This weekend, former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien pointed out that by agreeing to sending soldiers into Iraq, we’re already involved for the long-haul. He cast doubt on claims that Canada won’t be involved in combat. He also added:

"You have only to [look at] the way the Americans got involved in Vietnam. They started with a few advisers."– Jean Chrétien, CBC Radio, September 20th, 2014

This stands in stark contrast to the position Trudeau and his brain trust came up with:

“Mr. Trudeau, however, did not completely rule out sending jet fighters in the future” – Globe and Mail, September 11, 2014

And the Liberal Foreign Affairs critic made even clearer:

“My party supports the limited military role recently proposed by the government.” – Marc Garneau, House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, September 9, 2014

Over the weekend, Garneau added:

“Few parallels between Iraq now and Iraq in 2003 (remember those Weapons of Mass Destruction!)”– Marc Garneau, Twitter, September 20th, 2014

Exactly, right? … Oh wait:

“There is the use of weapons of mass destruction, if they can get their hands on them. We have seen that. We have seen efforts by al Qaeda, by groups inspired by it, to try to get hold of chemical weapons and dirty bombs.”– Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, House of Commons, September 16, 2014

So while Chris Alexander is talking about weapons of mass destruction, just like in 2003, and Jean Chrétien is sounding a warning about our government being all-in for an extended conflict in Iraq – the Trudeau Liberals seem happy just to fall in line behind the Harper Conservatives.

Canadians deserve better.