Canada commits six CF-18 Fighter Jets to Libyan effort
Posted Mar 19, 2011 7:41 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A foreign policy expert warns Canada’s commitment to send six, CF-18 fighter jets to Libya may be a case of too little, too late.
Carleton University’s Fen Hampson adds, despite assurances to the contrary, Canada and the United States may well find themselves sending ground troops into the North African country.
Hampson tells the Calgary Herald, “This is the beginning of what could be a longer commitment.”
Hampson made his comments on the eve of Prime Minister Stephen Harper taking part in talks this weekend with leaders of the European Union, Arab League and African Union about the increasingly volatile situation in Libya.
Hampson says by the time the international forces get organized, rebel forces could fall to Moammar Gadhafi’s troops in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.
He also notes dealing with the rebels could be no better than dealing with Gadhafi, calling the rebels a “rag-tag” group with no government or leader in waiting.
