Call for TT military to ‘go to war’

IF TT AND CARICOM troops have to militarily intervene in Haiti as part of a peacekeeping operation, then such a development was long overdue, according to resident and founder of the Chaguaramas Military History and Aerospace Museum, Gaylord Kelshall.

“It’s about time, and I also think that they shouldn’t just be sent to Haiti alone but wherever there’s a conflict,” he said. “For experience and to broaden their horizons. Therefore, we should have a troop presence, be it within a UN peacekeeping operation or otherwise, like a CARICOM peacekeeping mission.” The former TT coastguardsman added that such an experience cannot be a negative development for TT and CARICOM troops because it will help them obtain valuable international military exposure. He said that they can learn about conducting various military methods used in international operations, like logistics and peacekeeping. “Whether it’s in Haiti or Iraq, I feel we should be there. We’re not a poor, third world country without resources because we have the money. So let’s use it. Once it becomes a UN operation, I don’t see why we shouldn’t become involved at all.”

He pointed out that in Iraq today, there are international coalition troops from several countries other than the USA and Britain, such as Japan, Poland, Ukraine, Italy, Spain and South Korea. “If we want to be in that category, we have to do that kind of thing because it goes with the territory. Furthermore, if we want to be a developed country by 2020, we have to act like a developed country and that means taking responsibility for becoming a part of such peacekeeping ventures.” When asked what dangers a CARICOM peacekeeping force would face in Haiti, he described them as being normal peacekeeping duties that  are part of the job. “They might have to sit between two warring sides and once that happens, there’s a very good chance they may be shot. “They might have to handle a riot or an actual gun battle as well as defuse improvised bombs. “They might even have to face terrorists, but that’s a soldier’s life. We, the people of TT, pay him to put his life on the line, to go into harm’s way at our behest. “He accepts that money on contract with the people of TT and, if necessary, that means losing his life in the job we sent him to do. “However, I don’t mean that we should throw away his life doing a foolish job.”

The Chaguaramas Military History and Aerospace Museum is an institution dedicated to preserving, educating and awakening in the TT public an awareness of the military history of this country. “We’re also dedicated to restoring standards of behaviour in the society.” The museum also retrieves military artifacts within the island and preserves them for future generations. It is also the largest military history museum in the English-speaking Caribbean.