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Comment:
"ATTITUDES"
While Canadians were busting each others'
chops -- literally, figuratively and verbally -- throughout
this past summer and into the fall we here in the little farmland
town of Aurora (north of Toronto) watched from a somewhat
existentialist viewpoint -- close enough to be involved, but
sufficiently remote to be spectators.
Since the days of the fiesty but ill-fated
1987 defence white paper, the world -- and Canada -- seems to
have been going through a metamorphosis. I think the truly ugly
stage for Canadians (not fluffy caterpillars, and not yet pretty
butterflies) is now. Or did we just go through it?
The past summer was ugly/bad/great. It
really tore deep into the gut to see Canadians behave the way
they did over the Meech Lake thing and at Oka and Kahnawake. Too
many put their own interests well ahead of their country's. But
it was summer.
We each have our own thing. For me, like
my dad and grand-dad, it's aviating and motorcycling -- each a
good way of 'getting away' and clearing out the cobwebs. As
editor of The Wednesday Report I put in long hours, but
like every Canadian, I find ways. Mornings during the summer,
often as the sun barely glinted, I would roll out of bed (thud),
skip the shave, stumble down the stairs (bumpety-bump), and head
for the fresh outdoors. Straddling my gleaming second-sweetheart,
a sleek Harley Davidson freedom-machine, I'd stir the birds with
its deep rumbling thunder, twist the throttle, squirt a gulp of
fuel-mix into her massive 1200cc engine, and chuff down the
highway. Five hundred meters from home, the town ends and rolling
farmland glides past each shoulder.
Motoring along Highway 9 at 80
kilometers the rush of dawn's cool air is crisp and clean.
There is a delicious mixed sight and scent of pines, maples, and
fertile farmlands, warm on the hills, chilled in the valleys. At
the end of the half-hour run is a sweet little restaurant nestled
in the trees near Orangeville. Approaching it you can sniff the
back bacon across two valleys. Ahhhhh, breakfast. Life is
great.
But the ritualistic reading of The
Globe and Mail and other morning papers while sipping
breakfast's orange juice became a rude intrusion. Sylvia the
waitress says she doesn't read the papers or watch the news any
more, she hears all she needs from customers. "Meech On ... Now
Off ... Canada's Breaking Up ... Partisan Politics Killing Canada
... Mulroney's Fault ... Police Attack With Machine Guns ...
Recession ... Peace Negotiations In Oka ... The Army Moves In ...
Saddam Hussein Invades Kuwait ... Saboteurs Topple Power
Transmission Lines ... Senators Threaten To Hijack
Parliament."
It's colder now. The air is still fresh,
farmers have taken off their crops, and life is still great.
Too often it rains. But when the skies are dry the eyes open to
autumn's myriad patterns of golds, reds and bronze as nature
signals, "button-up warmly". The ritual continues til the snow
flies. The relaxing trip home for shower, shave, shirt and stroll
to the office has comprised many hours of reflection. The daily
headlines have been a diary to ponder of a country behaving like
a teenager -- a teenager with an 'attitude'.
It has now been some 12 weeks since Iraqi
troops invaded Kuwait. A recent Gallup poll here in Canada
shows that a softening 58 percent of the Canadian population
continues to support Prime Minister Mulroney's decision to send
you to the Gulf region. We see two different ways of looking at
that.
Firstly, we at The Wednesday Report
are somewhat embarrassed by the demeanor of our
countrymen. Very recent Gallup polls show quite a different
disposition among European and American peoples. Seventy percent
of Americans said they supported President Bush's decision to
move troops into the Gulf. Eighty-six percent of Britons back
military action to free Kuwait. When other Europeans were asked
by Gallup, 75 percent of France's population said "Yes." Similar
positive support came from Germany (63 percent), Italy (59
percent), and Spain (66 percent). Canada's 58 percent is the
lowest.
The second view, and likely the most
practical and least subjective puts the Canadian statistic in
the context of a nation that today is wrangling with a bratty,
adolescent phase of nationhood. If you have or once were a
teenage son or daughter who hit a stage of irrational, cranky,
obstreperous behaviour, maybe you can imagine an entire
population acting out in the same manner.
Fifty-eight percent is pretty good in
the context of a nation wherein the politics of grievances has
become obsessive. When geriatric Senators beat the hell out of
their desks and blew kazoos in that so-called high place they
call the "Upper Chamber"; native Indians stormed about with
AK-47s, M-16s, homemade bombs and God-knows-what-else; after
every tiny minority group has taken to the streets to demonstrate
against taxes, this and that; and when nobody agrees with
anything, the population as cranky as the devil; fifty-eight
percent is the highest consensus you'll get on any issue.
I guess what I am trying to tell you is
that no matter how many Chicken-Little-Says-The-Sky-Is-Falling
headlines you might read, we are all behind you. All the way. And
when your mission is done, the beautiful rolling farmlands, the
pine stands, the maple trees and the clean, fresh, country air,
they're all here: Canada, waiting for the day you return. God
Bless. Come home safe.
Micheal John O'Brien
THE AGGRESSOR -- SADDAM
HUSSEIN
He has an unsophisticated astuteness for
the nuances of terror and psychological warfare and he employs
that knowledge to the fullest. A pseudo-fundamentalist Moslem
with a serious antisocial personality disorder by any definition,
Saddam Hussein is also intelligent, credible, cognitive of the
axioms in the 'science' of mass manipulation, and has an
impassioned desire to control the moment. He seems to know very
little about the West, and too little of the value that western
cultures place on human life. But he is certain of the West's
vulnerabilities.
He is practically unable to distinguish
right from wrong within the set of values established by most
civilizations of the world. He too, as did Hitler, has an uncanny
ability to identify weaknesses in his prey and work the hell out
of any vulnerability he may discover. Thus, Saddam has an
incalculable capacity to ignite tensions and erupt the violence
ever-burbling in the Middle East.
By early summer this year, Hussein was
losing some control and saw the tedious progress in
negotiations with Kuwait over war debts and oil rights to be a
direct challenge to his personal power. Typical of one with his
disordered personality he invaded Kuwait knowing his soldiers, in
uncontrolled fashion, would rape, pillage, brutalize and steal
from helpless people of that kingdom.
Although not so utterly disordered as was
Adolph Hitler, and it is a very serious disorder in any
measure, Saddam Hussein (also spelled "Husayn") is given to
dramatic, gruesome action. Don't let anyone fool you. He is a
vile yet savvy aggressor with infinite ambition. No, he is not
the only villain on earth, nor is he likely the worst, but he is
now the most powerful. He has threatened the globe with
pervasive, naked aggression. He has wrecked the lives of
millions.
Saddam Hussein is inclined toward radical
action more so than he is prone to sit back and issue
threats. He does not need any large measure of assurance that his
actions will yield what he seeks to achieve, he is satisfied
merely in their doing, happy that he is in control of the moment.
Beyond that, little matters to him. He will indiscriminately
hurt, and that hurt will be directed at anyone as it suits his
purposes. Even little children.
Fear and hurt are his chief operatives. Imagine
your horror if the youngsters in your family came home from
classes telling of their school's air-raid drill during which
they were taught how to wear a gas mask. Think about your
revulsion when civil emergency authorities out of necessity must
teach mothers how to treat oozing blisters on their babies'
flesh. Saddam has threatened to destroy half of Israel with "dual
chemicals". Although there is no evidence to indicate Iraq has
matured development of binary nerve gas, no one was certain about
what agents Saddam was referring to, Israeli leaders must
nonetheless redirect resources to civil defence training and
equipment. In Israel, school children routinely don gas masks as
part of their air-raid drills. Recently, a process began to equip
each Israeli with gas masks as well as antidotes and remedies for
nerve gas and blistering agents. Worse, with the passage of time,
the threat may expand to include agents of biological origin with
the help of another scoundrel, Muammar Gadhafi. Saddam must be
stopped.
He is a coldblooded murderer. He has
indiscriminately gassed and killed more than 50,000 Iranian
soldiers and citizens. Not even as an act of war, in March 1988,
the Kurdish families of the Iraqi town of Halabjaby, by Hussein's
order, were condemned to the same painful and undignified death
as were the gassed Iranians. His thirst for gore braces his grip
on power. He imprisons, tortures and kills his political
opponents.
He is a manipulative tyrant. That the Arab
countries of the Middle East are no more than desert tribes with
a flag, there is little doubt for him. His masterful manipulation
of the fundamentalists, the Palestinians and the extremists has
sent shock waves through the region and set his Arab state
adversaries into a frenzy of fear. Hussein has set the 'cat
amongst the pigeons' with his hot-blooded plea to the steamy
fundamentalist masses for a "Holy War". Jordan's leadership is
tied up in knots with conflicting loyalties and a pro-Iraqi
public. Religious leaders and extremists like George Habash
support him while legitimate Arab rulers are desperately afraid
of Saddam. Tension in Egypt has been heightened with the recent
assassination of a government minister.
Yes, he must be stopped. He intends to
control the Arab world. But forces allied under the aims of the
United Nations have not just entered a 'pissing' contest with a
misbehaved heathen over a lust for cheap oil. We are dueling with
a wily, powerful dictator, who, like Adolph Hitler, has the worst
traits of a psychopath. With absolute power in his own country
and with his recently blooded million-man army he has his own set
of keys to destruction forged by followers, some of whom live
within nations George Bush now calls "friends".
The Middle East has for all its time been a
place of treachery and deceit, many of its people sharing the
belief that our world is evil and should be destroyed at any cost
in lives.
There may be more bloodshed in the Middle
East before the scourge of Saddam Hussein has been
terminated. Be wary. Don't let his cunning and treachery dissuade
you from your purpose nor your belief in justice and freedom for
all peoples of the world. Your will to protect weaker nations
from the tyranny of stronger ones is your strength -- a strength
and virtue far more powerful than the cowardly dictator who
bullies and kills his gentle neighbour. Saddam and his
ruthlessness must be stopped before he gathers so much momentum
that the price in blood to free the oppressed from their
aggressor is more than any group of nations can afford.
Micheal John O'Brien
OPERATION SCIMITAR: DEALING WITH THE AGGRESSOR
Should Iraqi aggressors 'pick a fight' with
our sailors, they'll get an awful 'bloody nose'. If HMCS
Athabaskan's crew with their standard equipment, 2 quad-launchers
of Sea Sparrow don't do the job first, gunners aboard the three
ships will repel or punish attackers with 3"-50, 3"-70, and 5"
medium calibre ordnance; .50 calibre machine guns; 40mm L60
Bofors guns; and 20mm gatling guns of four Phalanx CIWSs.
Any Iraqi pilot who is stupid enough to
think he can penetrate the barrage should be warned about the
sharp-eyed, air defence marksmen of the 119th Air Defence
Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) from Chatham N.B. who
will be aboard Athabaskan, Terra Nova and Protecteur comprising
15 detachments equipped with the Shorts "Javelin" Mk 1. What they
see they'll hit.
But, the gunners may not get their
chance. The dingbat Iraqi flivver-flyer turned aggressor will
likely be jumped first by the best fighter pilots in the world
flying the hottest fighter aircraft ever to go sonic, Canada's
CF-18. Such is the potency of Operation Scimitar; such is the
mindset of its resourceful, well-trained, highly-skilled
personnel.
If the aggressor will not back down
peaceably, if rights and freedom are not returned to his
victims, our Canadian Forces personnel are just as capable as any
Western nation's to 'link heart and mind together with peace
defenders of other countries and go full-tilt boogie for freedom
and justice'. Yes sir!
Throughout NATO, Canadians are renowned for
their resourcefulness. And they come by it honestly. A joke
about CF-18 pilots from the Hornet's early days, in an odd sense,
tells why.
"How many CF-18 pilots does it take to screw
in a light bulb?" (You've heard this, right?) The answer is
"Ten! Yes. One climbs the ladder, removes the old bulb and screws
in the new one. The other nine pilots huddle at the base of the
ladder bickering that 'the old one was better'."
Hidden there is a stunning reality.
Those innovative pilots did miraculous things with their
venerable, comparatively crude CF-104s. Thus, when our fighter
pilots got their brand new CF-18s, they were able to teach the
world's best a thing or two about how to fly 'em.
Our sailors too have learned to be
resourceful. Soon they will sail new patrol frigates, the
first of which is a splendid beauty, HMCS Halifax. But for
more than twenty years there has been a steady decline in
Canada's naval strength due to the critical aging of equipment.
With an increasingly disinterested population, deteriorating
public awareness, and no budget nor government will to slow the
pervasive "rust-out" until lately, the men and women of Maritime
Command have learned to make do with what they have.
But let's all be certain of one thing.
The crews in the Gulf serving aboard the venerable fighting ships
Athabaskan and Terra Nova will kick-ass if that's
what's required of them. Nobody will do any U.N. sanction-busting
if it means they have to get past our sailors. Saddam had better
wake up, pay attention to what the whole world is telling him,
and get his butt out of Kuwait.
An all-volunteer, highly educated,
well-trained force, Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen
have collectively become the most resourceful, innovative and
effective military team in all the world. And when they tell you
that they can do a particular job -- believe it. What was
accomplished dockside in Halifax N.S. was nothing short of
miraculous for mere mortals, but it was a cakewalk for 'our
boys'. And when they say they will do Canada's share in making
effective the will of the united nations of the world and enforce
U.N. sanctions against a roguish Iraqi tyrant, you can bet they
will.
Staff
CONTENDING WITH FEAR
My soft-spoken friend, recently-retired army
Colonel Glen Decker suggested to me in a chat last week that,
"With a crackpot like Saddam Hussein on the loose, any serving
man or woman stationed in the Gulf who says 'I am not afraid' is
certainly putting on a courageous face." From my own experience
in the cockpit I think I can understand what he meant. We
probably all know that a healthy balance of confidence/fear for a
well-trained individual -- especially when there's a demon like
Saddam Hussein on the loose -- could be as high as 80/20.
Long ago, a combat-veteran flight instructor
explained to me that the best way to see a ripe old age was
to climb into the cockpit with eighty percent confidence based on
one's trust in his mates, his training and instincts; and twenty
percent fear based on an honest appraisal of the threat and the
risk. The wise old flyer also said, "Fear is normal, panic is
abnormal, the difference is training." Good continuous training
works. It builds confidence and prepares one for the test that
any emergency can pose.
We think that you, the Canadian Armed Forces
are the best prepared in the Gulf. For each man and woman,
the Canadians to your left, right, top and bottom are the best
you could ask for. Be good to them. Count on them.
The Canadian Forces is an all-volunteer
organization trained by the best and the brightest in the
world. Whereas Canadian serving men and women have not 'fired a
shot in anger' since the last U.N. effort, the Korean War, they
are part of a defence force that is focussed, without
distraction, on being totally prepared. And we believe you are.
In August we told Canadians at home that we knew "Canada has
mustered an impressive Middle East Task Force." Your actions in
the Gulf have continuously proven that to be true.
Micheal John O'Brien
IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU READ, 'BEEF' ABOUT
IT
There's quite a gulf between the sands and
waters of the Middle East and the peaceful town of
Unionville, Ontario where this Toronto writer for The
Wednesday Report keys words into his computer. Here the trees
are turning gold and red, and people are cleaning up their yards
while the local markets sell pumpkins and Hallowe'en candy. In
over-the-hedge conversations my neighbours talk of simple, homey
things -- roses, or the new porch planned for next spring.
The conversation often comes around to the
Gulf. We noticed that one of our Canadian sailors was a
little peeved about an article he read in a newspaper. Us too. I
cannot swear to the morale of each and every one of you, but my
years of reporting about Canadian Forces personnel tells me what
it is collectively. That experience also lets me understand the
effect that unbalanced reporting can have on you in the Gulf and
on your friends and family at home.
There is something you can do about it.
If you see media coverage you don't think is fair, let the
appropriate publication know about it. You might want to write a
simple, responsible letter. As Master Seaman J.B. Eldershaw of
Athabaskan found out when The Globe & Mail published his
criticisms of a Paul Koring article on "low morale" on his
vessel, it is possible to rebut such jabs.
"Let me make this very clear:" wrote Master
Seaman Eldershaw, "our morale is very high. In fact, I have
never seen it higher and I've served aboard Athabaskan for
the past four years." That missive told several million Canadians
that there was another opinion, one that really counts.
Well, I hope you find this issue of our
publication interesting. We sure have been thinking about you
a lot. And we've published a lot of articles about the good work
you are doing. As a longtime writer for The Wednesday
Report, I consider it a privilege and an honour to have this
chance to send you best wishes and tell you sincerely that my
prayers and those of a great many other Canadians are with you.
Keep up the good work and come home safely.
Dale Grant
Message:
Gen. John Cabot Trail, Commander of the Cape
Breton Liberation Army
(a.k.a. Dave Harley, Halifax radio personality and
local comedian.)
How's she going boys? Ya know, there are
three things Canadian sailors miss about Halifax: the nude
beaches, Bud the Spud, and Friday night fights on Gottigen
Street. When the sailors left for the Persian Gulf they took
everything -- guns, bullets, bombs, the noonday cannon from
Citadel Hill, Ron Wallace's boxing gloves, and the doorman from
The Misty Moon.
I saw where Saddam Hussein made a 72-minute
tape for American television. Too bad America's Funniest Home
Videos is only 60 minutes long.
The Cape Breton Liberation Army is getting
ready to send you help. It has a new weapon for the Persian
Gulf, a solar powered submarine -- it only comes out at night.
Take care, boys and come back soon, and remember, Up the
Causeway.
FROM THE HALIFAX HOMEFRONT
The Wednesday Report's Patrick McManus in
Halifax, Nova Scotia went to work and
gathered messages from your local compatriots and dignitaries.
They all wanted you in the Persian Gulf to know that your
families have become foremost in their minds.
The Mayor of Dartmouth says if you have
concerns, "...just wire me at Dartmouth City
Hall".
"We extend best wishes and the citizens
of Dartmouth join all Canadians in wishing the sailors a safe
mission, a speedy return and Godspeed. We will do everything in
our power to make certain the families of those serving in the
Canadian Task Group are as comfortable as possible and reassured
as we can. If individual sailors have any concerns or questions
they can just wire me, Mayor John Savage, at Dartmouth City
Hall." -- Dartmouth Mayor John Savage, former British
army doctor who also served on Red Cross teams in Nicaragua in
1983 and 1985.
"We hope the fact we haven't been called upon
to do warranty work since you left is a measure of the
quality of the work we did to prepare you for your task. We're
proud of what you're doing and proud of our achievements to get
you there. The prelude to action is the work of the Ship Repair
Unit and friends (with apologies to Admiral Jellicoe)." --
Captain (N) Roger Chiasson, commanding officer of the Ship
Repair Unit (Atlantic). (The organization which retrofitted the
naval task force with modern weapons.)
We at The Wednesday Report must tell
Leading Seaman Gerry Fox aboard HMCS
Protecteur that his little Alex sure is remembered by
Canadian television viewers. He was the little boy on the wharf
telling his dad, "Don't cry" as the three-ship task group was
about to sail from Halifax harbour. Since then the sweet little
face of this four-year-old has appeared in vignettes during
several TV news reports. Sorry to single you out Gerry, but we
thought you'd love to know that little Alex has become a real hit
with folks across the country. We chatted with Shelley. She says,
"Tell him we love and miss him very much and hope he comes home
soon." Alex too. The little guy says, "Tell him I love him very
much too." Take care Gerry. You and your shipmates are in all of
our thoughts and prayers. -- Staff
"You are doing the job that we need a navy
for. We are backing up the United Nations the same way we did
40 years ago. When the government called, the Canadian navy was
the service ready to go quickly. That's why we need a navy to
protect our national sovereignty. I am proud of you as
peacekeepers."-- Rear-Admiral (retired) Fred Crickard,
former deputy commander of Maritime Command and professor of
strategic studies at Dalhousie University.
"Tell them the base chief sends his best
wishes, good luck, and hopes to have
them back real soon." Chief Warrant Officer
George Cook, Base CWO, CFB Halifax "We fully support their role
and are thoroughly behind them, and we're looking forward to the
day they come home. We're behind them 100 percent and I hope they
know that."
-- Commodore Charles Westropp, Chief of
Staff (Personnel), Maritime Command
CANADA's SECOND CITY HUMOUR GANG
SENDS GREETINGS TO THE GULF
Throughout their thirty-one years, the
hilariously humorous gang from The Second City have spawned
hundreds of great Canadian comedians like Dan Aykroyd, John
Belushi, and John Candy. The producer, cast and crews all send
you their warmest of greetings and thank you for the work you are
doing. The Wednesday Report spoke to Sally Cochrane,
Producer of The Second City in Toronto. She said, "We had several
possibilities for our Review opening November 1 -- Reviews titled
`What'Suddam Funny' and `Between Iraq and A Hard Place' were just
a couple. But we so very much hoped that the Gulf crisis would be
resolved peacefully in a very short time and would be old news
long before the end of our show."
"New Democrats On The Block" is The
Second City's new show running in Toronto for about seven months.
("Hope you're back in time to take in a show.") Sally says, "We
figured that `Premier Bob' [Rae] would at least be around til the
end of our Review." -- a lot longer than that rat Saddam
Hussein.
SOME 600,000 CANADIANS
HAVE A SPECIAL COMMITMENT TO YOU
Our aerospace and defence industries' men
and women export most of their products and services. From
within a country which exports some thirty percent of its output,
the exploits of these Canadians have taught them well about the
competitive world within which we must coexist with many
different peoples. Patriotism rides high. They are well-travelled
Canadians who far more often
than others, proudly say, "I am from Canada!".
These folks who serve their country in the competitive battles of
the international business arena bolster our nation's exports and
grow our Gross National Product. They serve their country in a
different way. They, like you, have a special love for Canada,
for just like you, they stake their careers on it.
I can't begin to tell you how much support
you have among these people, your comrades. (As you probably
know, many thousands of people in these industries have also
served.) When some of these companies, our regular subscribers,
heard through the grapevine that our October 24 issue was being
shipped to you in the Gulf, they `passed the hat' just a few days
before press day and contributed funds that paid half our extra
printing costs to get this issue to you. We are
just a little company and don't have large
resources. For us it was especially nice to know that so many of
our readers took that initiative. We really wanted you to know
that so many Canadians are thinking about you in such a special
way. We invited some of these folks to write you a little
message. They are what follows. -- Micheal John O'Brien,
Editor
HEARTFELT SUPPORT FROM
ALLIED-SIGNAL AEROSPACE CANADA
To the Canadian men and women in the Persian
Gulf: soldiers, sailors, airmen, and all of those CF
personnel who are supporting you, the management and 2,400
employees of Allied-Signal Aerospace Canada in Montreal, Toronto
and Vancouver send their heartfelt best wishes. We think of you
often and support you in your efforts and the challenges which
face you. We know how important your role is and we all feel that
we share, at least in spirit, in the task at hand. We are behind
you completely. We all wish you Godspeed and a safe return home
to your loved ones.
BEST WISHES FROM OERLIKON PEOPLE AT HOME AND IN
THE FIELD
Seven hundred Canadians in southern
Quebec are thinking of you each and every day. The people of
Oerlikon Aerospace Inc. are fully conscious of your commitment to
oppose further aggression in the Middle East and contribute to
the successful fulfillment of U.N. resolutions. We pray for a
peaceful resolution to the Gulf crisis and are sharply aware of
the tremendous contribution you are each making to that goal in
which we Canadians have united with the rest of the world. The
personnel of Oerlikon in Saint Jean-sur-Richelieu and at the
training unit at CFB Chatham, New Brunswick bid you Godspeed and
a safe and early return home.
"A SAFE RETURN TO YOUR LOVED ONES" FROM FOLKS
AT PARAMAX
From all 1,200 employees at Paramax
Electronics Inc. in Montreal, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Saint John
and Halifax, we would like to extend our support and good wishes
to all of you stationed in the Gulf. We are proud of your
dedication and hard work. Our thoughts are with you and your
families and we can only hope that a speedy and peaceful
resolution can be found so you can be soon reunited with your
loved ones.
"GODSPEED IN YOUR MISSIONS" -- 3,600 CAE
EMPLOYEES
For many years, CAE Electronics has worked
closely with Canadian Forces personnel, both in the field and
at our plant in Saint-Laurent, Quebec. We are proud of our
contribution to the training of CF-18 and C-130 flight crews and
our role in support of your CF-18s. To all the men and women of
the Canadian Forces, we support and appreciate your role in the
Gulf -- and the 3,600 employees of CAE say hello from home,
Godspeed in your missions and a speedy, safe return.
"WISHES FOR A SPEEDY RETURN HOME" FROM
INDAL
The 360 employees at Indal wish you well and
a safe return for all. Indal Technologies Inc. of
Mississauga, Ontario is a manufacturer and supplier of aircraft
and cable handling systems and specialized structures. Personnel
aboard HMCS Athabaskan would know us best. Our Helicopter
Hauldown and Rapid Securing Device (HHRSD) also known as RAST
(Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse), telescopic helicopter
hangars and hangar doors, handling systems for Variable Depth
Sonar (VDS), towed line arrays and torpedo decoy subsystems are
in operation by many of the navies represented in the
Gulf.
PROUD OF YOUR DEDICATION -- CANADAIR
To all men and women serving in the
Gulf, our thoughts are with you in this time of international
strife. We at Canadair in Mirabel, Quebec proudly support
Canada's fleet of CF-18s, and we proudly support your efforts --
your dedication to world peace.
MIDDLE EAST NEWS BRIEFS
Naval interceptions to enforce the U.N.
embargo against Iraq have reached in excess of 2,500
interceptions and 240 boardings over the past two months. In 11
cases, commercial ships were diverted to ports other than their
destination after being suspected of carrying cargo bound to or
from Iraq.
Iraqi Oil Minister Issam Abdulrahim Chalabi
says Iraq has begun to ration gasoline this week for private
cars, trucks and taxis, but not the military. Sanctions may now
be taking their toll.
Last week, Canada suspended operations at
its embassy in Kuwait. Department of External Affairs
personnel have moved from their embattled embassy in Kuwait City
to Baghdad. Saddam ordered embassies in Kuwait closed after he
annexed the emirate, and although only the British, French and
U.S. embassies now remain open, most nations still recognize
Kuwait as a separate nation.
In Kuwait, Iraqi troops have placed
explosives at oil fields, gas and gasoline storage tanks as
well as on bridges and viaducts, according to Sheikh Mishal
Mohammed al-Sabah, an exiled Kuwaiti from the emirate's ruling
family.
Iraq via Radio Baghdad has told all
foreigners still in Kuwait to register by November 5 and says
that "anyone who does not get a valid residence visa will be
fined or jailed." Jordanians, Egyptians and Yemenis were excluded
from the order. Iraq has already warned Kuwaitis that anyone
caught harboring a foreigner could face execution.
The U.S. Air Force will orbit a
geosynchronous satellite at 460 miles altitude over the
Middle East sometime next month. Although details are yet
sketchy, various reports suggest that the bird will be a
22,000-pound photo-reconnaissance unit providing real time data
on Iraqi troop and vehicular movements. The satellite will be put
into orbit when space shuttle Atlantis flies next month. Tests
were to be conducted today.
SOVIET NAVY OFFICIALS VISIT HALIFAX
As friction heats in part of the world, it
appears to be cooling in another. More evidence of this came
with senior-ranking Soviet naval officers who were in Halifax
last week as part of a post-glasnost agreement to make the high
seas safer for themselves and the Canadian navy.
The Soviets were in Canada as part of six
planned exchanges under the Incidents at Sea Agreement signed
last November in Moscow by External Affairs Minister Joe Clark
and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze. The purpose of
the agreement is to prevent any near brushes on the high seas
which could lead to an international incident with awful
consequences. Led by Vice-Admiral D.M. Komarov, First Assistant
of the Soviet Chief of Naval Staff, the team was in our country
to discuss communication procedures, mostly flag and light
signals.
Commander David Cooper, director of Maritime
Doctrine and Operations in Ottawa told The Wednesday Report
that the agreement is similar to ones between the Soviet Union
and the United States, Britain and France. Commander Cooper says
the Soviet team, which included international naval arms control
negotiator M. Granowskij, visited CFB Halifax as part of the
confidence-building aspect of the agreement. The commander also
noted that there has fortunately never been a major incident or
reported near-miss between the Soviet and Canadian
navies.
The system received an initial testing in
Vladivostok in June when four Canadian warships on a goodwill
visit tested the new communications while leaving harbour. HMCS
Annapolis, Huron, Kootenay and Provider reportedly
cleared the test smoothly.
CANADAIR PROPOSAL FOR CF FLYING TRAINING
REQUIREMENTS
Canadair's Military Aircraft Division of
Mirabel, Quebec will bid for the Canadian Forces flying
training project, together with subcontractors Field Aviation
Company Inc., Atlantis Aerospace Inc., and Dynamair
Inc.
If the bid is successful, Canadair as
prime contractor would manage the contract and would be
responsible for all flying training under the project as well as
the supply of resources, facilities, and infrastructure. As
principal subcontractor, Field Aviation would provide maintenance
and logistic support for training aircraft. Atlantis Aerospace
would participate by providing part task and procedure trainers
for PFT (primary flying training) and MET (multi-engine
training). And continuation flying training (CFT) would be made
available to students at Collège Militaire Royale de
Saint-Jean by the consortium's fourth partner,
Dynamair.
Along with PFT, MET, and CFT programmes,
the Canadian Forces training project also includes basic
helicopter training (BHT) for which Atlantis Aerospace previously
supplied the procedure trainer now used by the Canadian Forces.
DND will issue a Request for Proposal in November and expects to
award the contract in mid-1991.
DND TO MOVE CLOSER TO CANADIAN SOCIETY WITH NEW
COMMITTEE
The Minister and the CDS want to improve
communication and understanding between members of the Canadian
Forces and Canadians. To help achieve that, the National Defence
Consultative Committee on Social Change has been created. It will
be comprised of individuals from large corporations in the
industrial and service sectors; university representatives;
persons from recognized social agencies; and members of the
Canadian Forces. From this group the Minister can seek advice on
matters of mutual concern to DND and Canadian society.
BRISTOL BAGS $827,000 WSPS CONTRACT
Bristol Aerospace Limited
of Winnipeg, Manitoba has received a contractworth $827,000 (U.S.) from Agusta Aerospace Corporation in
Philadelphia, PA. The contract calls for the design adaptation
and production of Bristol's ubiquitous Wire Strike Protection
System (WSPS) for the Agusta A109 military helicopter. The
Belgian Army is the first customer for this reconfiguration
having placed an order for 46 aircraft. Deliveries will begin
following design adaptation scheduled for spring 1991. Agusta and
Bristol have also signed an agreement in principle for WSPS
design adaptation for the A129 helicopter currently in production
for the Italian Army.
IRAQ's ADVANCED 155mm GUN HAS MAIN ORIGINS IN
CANADA
As reported over past months in The Wednesday
Report, Canadian born Dr. Gerry Bull
and his Canadian-based Space Research Corporation (SRC) were
directly responsible in the late 1970s for the development of
advanced guns as well as full-bore and base-bleed ammunition
technologies within South Africa. Later, from the early 1980s
until recently, he brought more advanced expertise to Iraq. A key
product of Bull's endeavours, the G-5 155mm self-propelled
howitzer has surfaced in original form or in variants within
Chile, Austria, Germany, Belgium and perhaps most significantly,
Iraq.
In 1980 on June 16, Bull was convicted on
criminal charges in a Rutland, Vermont court for smuggling
gun barrels and ammunition to South Africa. He later pleaded
guilty in Montreal, on August 14 of the same year, to violating
U.N. arms sanctions also against South Africa. The Quebec court
fined SRC $55,000. The Canadian convictions involved "shipments
of howitzer parts" both directly and indirectly to South Africa.
On the U.S. charges, Bull eventually served a short prison
sentence in the United States and paid several thousands of
dollars in fines.
On March 22 of this year, Gerry Bull was
murdered in his Brussels apartment. Shortly afterwards, a
series of revelations tied him and SRC to voluminous arms
dealings with Iraq, including development of the fabled Iraqi 600
kilometer-range, forty-meter-barrel "Supergun". Evidence of the
monstrous gun surfaced when British officials on April 11
intercepted shipments of barrel parts destined for Iraq. The
sections were made by Sheffield Engineering, a subsidiary of
Sheffield Forgemasters. SRC had arranged for their
purchase.
SRC's technology development ties with the
Iraqis included the Scud B, extensive 155mm gun and
ammunition development, as well as 210mm self-propelled howitzers
currently manufactured in facilities north of Baghdad, and the
overall 155mm GC-45 artillery system. Other developments Bull is
believed to have been helping Iraq with included the amazing
1000/405mm (1000mm smooth bore saboted down to 405mm) Ultra Long
Range (ULR) gun with a 2.32 meter long shell having a mass of
around 1,800 kilograms. (See The Wednesday Report, April
18 and August 15.)
Iraq first acquired the G-5 155mm artillery
piece in the early 1980s from South Africa. Later in 1986-87,
a time when Bull's influence increased in Baghdad, Saddam
Hussein, who was at the time angry with South Africa, switched to
Austria as a principal supplier. The first of Iraq's G-5s were
built by South African firm Lyttelton Engineering Works of
Verwoerdberg and sold through Pretoria's roguish export firm,
Armscor. The original gun barrels were built by Krykor while
Summerset Chemicals (both of South Africa) built the explosive
charges for the gun. With technology transfers from South Africa
and later Austria, coupled with Gerry Bull's direct assistance,
the Iraqis now have the complete manufacturing capacity for
powder, shells and barrels. It is estimated that Iraq can
manufacture 1,000 replacement barrels per year.
Today more than two hundred G-5 155mm
howitzers exist within the arsenals of Iraq. The gun is
capable of firing a shell some 40 kilometers, greater than any
modern artillery of its type. The G-5 and its ammunition employ
one of Bull's favourite techniques. The accuracy of the gun is
greatly enhanced by firing base-bleed ammunition. Extra powder is
burned at the base of the projectile as it exits the barrel, thus
stabilizing the shell. The technology of the gun is
brilliant.
Once asked why he did not pursue sales of
such products to Canada, Bull told The Wednesday
Report, "Anything with my name on it you can forget for the
Canadian government."
NIGHTINGALE LEAVES SAINT JOHN SHIPBUILDING
LIMITED
Arthur Nightingale, the man who guided the
initial $3 billion Canadian Patrol Frigate programme through
rough, troubled waters is stepping down as president of Saint
John Shipbuilding Limited (SJSL) on November 1 to take over as
president of a new Irving company. Nightingale's replacement is
Larry Armstrong, a vice-president of J.D. Irving Ltd. Armstrong,
52, is an engineer, a former New Brunswick deputy minister of
transportation, and served SJSL previously in 1989 for six months
as vice-president of administration.
Under Nightingale's tenure, SJSL underwent a
$150 million modernization. Improvement in modularization
construction of the Canadian Patrol Frigates is credited with
winning the yard the contract to build all six ships in the
second batch. But, Nightingale leaves under a grey cloud. The
firm is involved in a $1.7 billion lawsuit with MIL Davie, the
Quebec yard subcontracted to build three frigates from the first
batch. The programme has been plagued with numerous
delays.
GENERAL PAUL MANSON TO BE PARAMAX PRESIDENT IN
'91
General (retired) Paul D. Manson has now
joined Paramax Electronics Inc. in Montreal, Quebec as Senior
Vice President. He is expected to replace Dr. W. Lee Shevel as
president of Paramax in the coming year. Meanwhile, Manson will
be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Paramax. He was
previously Director of Strategic Planning for Unisys Defence
Systems located in McLean, Virginia where for the past year he
was involved with the business operations of the company in the
area of strategic and operational planning.
Prior to joining Unisys Corporation, General
Manson served for 37 years in the CF. During his
distinguished military career he held various senior positions
culminating in his appointment in 1986 as Chief of the Defence
Staff. He retired from military service in mid-1989. The General
is a graduate of the Royal Military College and Queen's
University. Earlier this year he received an honourary doctorate
of military science from Royal Roads. He is a registered
professional engineer.
Paramax is a major supplier of complex
integrated electronic systems and a centre of advanced
technology for naval combat systems. It is a major participant in
the Canadian Patrol Frigate programme, responsible for managing
and integrating the combat system which includes more than 20
subsystems, as well as providing the integrated machinery control
system for all twelve of Canada's new Canadian Patrol Frigates.
The first ship of the class, HMCS Halifax, is currently
undergoing sea trials and last week her crew took Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney for a brief tour around Halifax
harbour.
TCCCS/IRIS BID EVALUATION PASSES HALFWAY
MARKER
Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Sheremeta,
Deputy Programme Manager of the TCCCS/IRIS programme is happy --
his project's sophisticated evaluation processes are halfway
complete. The PMO (Project Management Office) seeks to acquire
Mobile Command's Tactical Command, Control and Communications
System/Integrated Radio and Intercommunications System. Two bids
are being evaluated. The two industrial team leaders are
Computing Devices Company and Microtel SI, a subsidiary of the
Lavalin Group. A contract award could come early next
year.
BOEING GROWS IN WINNIPEG
The employees and management of the Winnipeg
Division of Boeing Canada officially expanded into a $31.3
million addition on October 5. The new facility adds 31,679
square meters of fabrication and office space to the 11,891
square meters that was already situated on the 51.8 hectare site
adjacent to the Winnipeg Airport. The new wing will allow the
division to centralize operations under one roof and accommodate
new manufacturing work created by record sales.
U.S. FORCES MAY UTILIZE ISRAELI TECHNOLOGY IN
IRAQI CONFLICT
The Wednesday Report's Moshe Karem, in a
report filed Sunday from Jerusalem, says
that if the U.S. ultimately goes to war with Saddam Hussein, it
will take advantage of two Israeli-made weapons systems with
which U.S. forces have become familiar.
Although the AGM-142 (Have Nap) air-launched
missile has been in service with the Israeli Air Force since
1983, only a small number of missiles were available to the U.S.
for operational testing at the time of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.
The U.S.A.F. hastily obtained 24 additional missiles from
Israel's inventory for possible use in the Gulf. U.S. Strategic
Air Command could ultimately procure hundreds of AGM-142s which
are jointly produced by the Israeli company Rafael and Martin
Marietta Corporation of the U.S. The air-launched missile, says
Karem, is now being used on U.S. B-52 bombers based around the
Middle East. Originally known as the "Popeye", this standoff
weapon can hit sites such as command bunkers and ballistic
missile launchers with pinpoint accuracy from a distance of more
than 80 kilometers.
The U.S. Navy is once again using Israeli
"Pioneer" Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the Gulf. Their
seven-hour endurance provides for extensive reconnaissance and
minimizes the need for exposing pilots to possible enemy fire.
First deployed during the 1987-88 Kuwaiti tanker reflagging
operation, 12 Pioneer systems with three drones each are
currently in service in the region.
CANADA's SECOND CITY HUMOUR GANG SENDS
GREETINGS
Throughout their thirty-one years the
hilariously humorous gang from The Second City have spawned
hundreds of great Canadian comedians like Dan Aykroyd, John
Belushi, and John Candy. The producer, cast and crews all send
you their warmest of greetings and thank you for the work you are
doing. The Wednesday Report spoke to Sally Cochrane, Producer of
The Second City in Toronto. She said, "We had several
possibilities for our Review opening November 1 -- Reviews titled
'What'Suddam Funny' and 'Between Iraq and A Hard Place' were just
a couple. But we so very much hoped that the Gulf crisis would be
resolved peacefully in a very short time and would be old news
long before the end of our show."
"New Democrats On The Block" is The Second
City's new show running in Toronto for about seven months."
("Drop in and see it.") Sally says, "We figured that 'Premier
Bob' [Rae] would at least be around til the end of our Review."
-- a lot longer than that rat Saddam Hussein.
FOR OUR READERS IN THE
GULF -- The Wednesday
Report
Because of the specialized nature of the
publication, few Canadians more than vaguely know of us.
Apart from the occasional quote or reference in the general
press, many Canadians have never even heard of The Wednesday
Report.
Our readership is primarily, but not
exclusively confined to senior government; aerospace and
defence industry executives and employees; men and women of the
armed services; students; concerned citizens; veterans; and
defence academic levels. A blend of business and defence
journalism caters to the broadest possible range of
interests.
The Wednesday Report was born as a weekly
defence publication, the first of its kind
in Canada, written for the length and breadth of the defence
community. It is a subscriber-based weekly carrying no
advertising. The publication's aim is to provide the Canadian
defence and defence-industrial community, including government,
military and industrial leaders, with timely and accurate
information and commentary on all matters pertaining to Canadian
defence policy, Canadian defence procurement and the Canadian
defence industry. Created within the business publication
environment of Maclean Hunter Limited, the publication reaches
between the industrial and military reader carrying a broad mix
of news and features, policy and analysis. When the staff
acquired The Wednesday Report from Maclean Hunter early in 1989,
the publication expanded its industrial coverage for the benefit
of those readers who's endeavours cycle between commercial and
defence markets.
A blend of military, academic, business and
strategic studies backgrounds
coupled to the common denominator of
journalistic talent makes our writers a unique editorial team.
Some of our 'old-timers' have seen the hot spots, unfurled
sleeping bags in strange places, clicked camera shutters with
white-knuckled fingers, seen the muzzle blasts and watched the
shells fly. Thus, our keen understanding of life within the
Canadian Forces and the armed services of other nations brings us
an empathy that reaches deep.
DROP US A LINE
If in any way our staff can be of
service, don't hesitate to let us know. If you want a letter
forwarded and don't know the full address, if you need an errand
run in Toronto or at any of our bureaus listed on the masthead
(page 1), or if you have any kind of hunch that we just might be
able to help, just ask. But drop us a line anyway. Your letters
will be answered and unless you specify otherwise, published in
future issues. -- Editor
Write: The Wednesday Report
27 Yonge Street, South
Aurora, ON L4G 1L8 CANADA
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