U.S. Northern Command, Canada Command establish new bilateral Civil Assistance Plan February 14, 2008
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — U.S. Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and Canadian Air Force Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, commander of Canada Command, have signed a Civil Assistance Plan that allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency.
“This document is a unique, bilateral military plan to align our respective national military plans to respond quickly to the other nation's requests for military support of civil authorities,” Renuart said. “Unity of effort during bilateral support for civil support operations such as floods, forest fires, hurricanes, earthquakes and effects of a terrorist attack, in order to save lives, prevent human suffering and mitigate damage to property, is of the highest importance, and we need to be able to have forces that are flexible and adaptive to support rapid decision-making in a collaborative environment.”
http://www.northcom.mil/News/2008/021408.html
The Canadian Navy and the Mexican Marines already "helped" the U.S. in a domestic capacity during the first test of the NATO Rapid Response Team after Katrina hit. Are these soldiers required to swear to uphold and defend the Constitition of the U.S. and the respective states before they're allowed to provide miliary support for military actions against the American civilan population? Does that even matter to us anymore? And really, what difference does it make what language our protectors speak? I'm trying to decide if I'd rather be directed into a compoud or onto a bus by a BlackWater special forces operative or an enlisted Canadian foot soldier. Hmmm.
