The Canadian Press
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan pledged Canada’s enduring support for Iraq and the war against Islamic State group on Thursday – but stopped short of extending Canada’s military mission in the region, most of which is set to expire next spring.
Rather, after hosting a meeting with representatives from more than a dozen countries to discuss the future of Iraq and Syria and plot next steps in the effort to destroy ISIL (also known as ISIS), Sajjan said the government continues to weigh Canada’s long-term role in the region.
“Today, we reaffirmed our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS’s own network of foreign terrorist fighters, financing and propaganda,” the minister said in a statement after the meeting at a government-owned estate on Meech Lake, near Ottawa.
“Moving forward, the coalition’s continued collaboration and partnership remains crucial, and the strategic advice and direction provided during this morning’s meeting will be essential in shaping our next steps toward winning this fight.”
The comments came shortly after Canada’s top general told a parliamentary committee that while progress has been made in the fight against ISIL, it’s still too early to say when Canadian soldiers might no longer be needed in Iraq.
Defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance said many of the political, economic and social problems that contributed to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s rise more than four years ago remain.
And while ISIL has lost all the territory it once held in Iraq, Vance says ISIL remains a threat and that Canada and its allies must remain on guard against any attempts to re-assert itself.
“At some point in the future, I would look forward to being able to provide the advice that Iraq has come far enough and (ISIL) has gone backwards enough that we don’t need the military forces there anymore,” Vance said. “We’re not at that point right now.”
A recent U.S. Defense Department report that said that ISIL has started to dig roots as an “effective” insurgent group – and that it could take “years, if not decades” before the Iraqi military can deal with it on its own.
Canada earlier this year assumed command of a NATO training mission that includes 250 Canadian troops and whose aim is to train the Iraqi military so that it can ensure security.
However, hundreds of other Canadian soldiers not assigned to the training mission have continued to fly transport and refuelling aircraft, collect and analyze intelligence and provide medical assistance to coalition efforts against ISIL, also known as ISIS.
Vance also revealed that Canada still has an undisclosed number of special-forces soldiers in Iraq who have been working with Iraqi security forces as the latter hunt down ISIL forces left over from earlier battles.
Without an extension, the non-NATO mission is set to expire in March.
The question heading into Thursday’s meeting at Meech Lake was whether the federal government would opt to keep them in Iraq longer, change the overall mission or begin to withdraw from the country.
Sajjan and his co-host, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, said coming out that they had “reaffirmed our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS and defined our vision moving forward.
© 2018 The Canadian Press
Showing posts with label Canada and Iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada and Iraq. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Friday, October 12, 2018
CAF Drawing up plans to Extend Iraq Mission
Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- The Canadian military is drawing up options to extend its mission in Iraq even as growing political instability and competing foreign interests threaten to plunge the country into yet another cycle of bloody violence.
The mission, which includes hundreds of special forces soldiers, transport and refuelling aircraft, a military hospital and counter-explosive experts, recently entered its fifth year and is currently set to expire at the end of March.
But Brig.-Gen. Colin Keiver, the commander of Joint Task Force-Iraq, said the Iraqi government will continue to rely on Canada and other international partners for the foreseeable future despite the Islamic State's defeat last year.
"They recognize they need continued assistance in order to ensure security and work on stability and prosperity in Iraq," Keiver said on a call with reporters on Friday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in June that Canada would contribute 250 soldiers to lead an expanded NATO training mission in Iraq whose focus will be helping local forces bring peace and stability to the country.
But military planners have started working on proposals for an extension to the rest of Canada's mission beyond March, which Keiver expects will be presented to cabinet ministers for a decision sometime this fall.
Peace and stability appear a long way off for many Iraqis, thanks to political infighting and deep ethnic and religious divisions across the country.
Keiver said the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has become a shadow of its former self thanks to sustained pressure by Iraqi and allied forces, but the militant group that once threatened to take over the whole of the region remains a threat nonetheless.
"What we see is them trying to reconstitute and trying to regroup to potentially do bigger things in the future and the Iraqi security forces are really keeping the pressure on them right now," Keiver said of ISIL.
"We watch it very closely. It is something that Iraq has to stay on top of."
The more immediate threat appears to be political infighting, corruption and public anger.
The country remains without a government four months after parliamentary elections, and there are concerns that tensions between different political groups -- some backed by the U.S. and others by Iran -- will erupt into civil war.
Those fears have escalated in recent weeks after Iran destroyed a Kurdish political headquarters in Iraq, a protest destroyed the Iranian consulate in the oil-rich city of Basra and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was shelled. Iranian-backed militias also continue to prowl the country.
Violent protests have also erupted in recent weeks over the slow pace of reconstruction and rampant government corruption and many Iraqis are angry at the lack of economic opportunity and development within the country.
The different challenges have not directly affected Canadian military operations in Iraq, Keiver said, though he added that officials are watching developments closely and feel Baghdad needs to start taking action or risk further problems.
"They've got to get on with the business of forming a government," he said. "They've got to address things like unemployment and reconstructions and all these things like that. (ISIL) can't exploit those potential opportunities, but they're working hard to get there."
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
TAPVs Well Suited for New Iraq Mission
By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch
Canadian military planners are currently going over options for the upcoming mission to Baghdad starting in the fall. The deployment includes a force protection group of about 125 personnel. They will provide on-site security for the NATO headquarters in the Iraqi capital city as well a mobile force protection group. The force will be outfitted with armoured vehicles for transportation, according to the Canadian government.
Defence Watch asked Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office if LAV-llls were going to be sent. But Byrne Furlong, Sajjan’s press secretary, said no final decision has been made yet on the type of armoured platform troops will use.
One Department of National Defence official suggested that armoured SUVs could be used since the patrols will largely be in Baghdad.
Which raises the question- what about using the new Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle?
The vehicle is highly mobile and provides a very high degree of protection for its crew, according to the Canadian Army. It is not as big as the LAV-lll and could be better suited for an urban environment.
Furlong said more information on the composition of the mission and equipment it will use will be released at a later date.
While security is tight in Baghdad, there still attacks. The United Nations reported that 19 people were killed and 18 injured in various attacks in the city in June. In January, suicide bombers killed 38 people and injured more than 105 others
Monday, July 16, 2018
New Iraq Mission Deploys Four Additional Griffon Helicopters
By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch
Canada’s ongoing Iraq mission has a maximum cap of around 850 personnel, according to Department of National Defence officials. There are only around 500 to 600 assigned to the mission currently. So the commitment announced this week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of 250 personnel will be new personnel heading from Canada to Iraq.
Canada’s ongoing Iraq mission has a maximum cap of around 850 personnel, according to Department of National Defence officials. There are only around 500 to 600 assigned to the mission currently. So the commitment announced this week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of 250 personnel will be new personnel heading from Canada to Iraq.
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| A Canadian Forces Griffon helicopter flies over a Internal Displaced persons camp near Erbil, Iraq, February 20, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz ORG XMIT: RYR112 |
The new mission will need up to four Griffon helicopters. That will be in addition to the four Griffons already based in Erbil in Northern Iraq.
“This is a new deployment of up to four helicopters, as requested by NATO,” Byrne Furlong, press secretary for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan told Defence Watch.
“This detachment will be capable of transporting personnel and equipment around the NM-I Joint Operations Area,” she added. “These helicopters will be based out of the Taji Military Complex in order to best support of NATO in and around the Baghdad area.”
The heavily fortified complex is in a rural area, 27 kilometres north of Baghdad.
The helicopters will be in Iraq for the next 12 months.
Canadian special forces will remain in Iraq separate from the NATO mission, Furlong explained. “They will continue what they have been doing in the north in and around Mosul,” she added.
“This is a new deployment of up to four helicopters, as requested by NATO,” Byrne Furlong, press secretary for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan told Defence Watch.
“This detachment will be capable of transporting personnel and equipment around the NM-I Joint Operations Area,” she added. “These helicopters will be based out of the Taji Military Complex in order to best support of NATO in and around the Baghdad area.”
The heavily fortified complex is in a rural area, 27 kilometres north of Baghdad.
The helicopters will be in Iraq for the next 12 months.
Canadian special forces will remain in Iraq separate from the NATO mission, Furlong explained. “They will continue what they have been doing in the north in and around Mosul,” she added.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Trudeau announces new Canada-led training mission in Iraq
The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canada will assume command of a new NATO training mission in Iraq.
This will include the deployment of up to 250 Canadian Armed Forces personnel for one year beginning in the fall of 2018.
They will be deployed to Baghdad and the surrounding vicinity along with up to four Griffon helicopters to support NATO activities.
Trudeau made the announcement this morning at a discussion session as part of the NATO summit in Brussels.
He described the mission as a natural next step for Canada in the fight against Islamic State militants by continuing to help build institutional capacity in Iraq.
Canada’s leadership of this new NATO training mission will complement existing efforts in the global coalition against ISIL.
Under Operation IMPACT, the Canadian army is already providing training and assistance to the Iraqi security forces and helping regional forces build their capacity.
Canada also contributes mobile training teams to NATO’s counter-improvised explosive device capacity building efforts for Iraq.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canada will assume command of a new NATO training mission in Iraq.
This will include the deployment of up to 250 Canadian Armed Forces personnel for one year beginning in the fall of 2018.
They will be deployed to Baghdad and the surrounding vicinity along with up to four Griffon helicopters to support NATO activities.
Trudeau made the announcement this morning at a discussion session as part of the NATO summit in Brussels.
He described the mission as a natural next step for Canada in the fight against Islamic State militants by continuing to help build institutional capacity in Iraq.
Canada’s leadership of this new NATO training mission will complement existing efforts in the global coalition against ISIL.
Under Operation IMPACT, the Canadian army is already providing training and assistance to the Iraqi security forces and helping regional forces build their capacity.
Canada also contributes mobile training teams to NATO’s counter-improvised explosive device capacity building efforts for Iraq.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Canada Puts Hold on Kurdish Weapons Shipments
By: Murray Brewster, CBC News
Up to $10 million worth of weapons originally purchased by Canada to help Kurdish fighters beat back ISIS could end up in the hands of the Iraqi government, or helping to support NATO's military training mission, said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.
The federal government originally promised the materiel — grenade launchers, sniper rifles, mortars, anti-tank rockets and other military equipment — over two years ago, when it first reconfigured the size and scope of Canada's contribution to the U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS.
The fate of the weapons, currently stored in two warehouses in Montreal and Amman, Jordan, has been up in the air for months following the refusal of the central government in Baghdad to sign off on their transfer to separatist-minded Kurds.
Now, the defeat of ISIS on the battlefield is prompting the Liberals to overhaul the mission terms once again — and that includes reconsidering who will end up with the weapons.
"What we're looking at is, where are the needs?" Sajjan told CBC News.
"We are looking at where we can do the best capacity-building and at the same time looking at where we can best counter a resurgence of Daesh [ISIS]."
Fighting between the Kurdish peshmerga fighters and the Iraqi army, in the aftermath of last fall's Kurdish independence referendum, forced a halt to a program of training and assistance for Kurdish fighters conducted by Canadian special forces.
The threat of a new civil war
Critics of that support program have argued that arming the Kurds could help tip Iraq into civil war.
Thomas Juneau, a University of Ottawa professor and former analyst at National Defence, said the decision to arm the Kurds made sense back when ISIS was a primary threat and the peshmerga fielded the most effective local force on the battlefield.
Canada's policy is to support a united Iraq. Juneau said that with the defeat of ISIS as a military force, it's only natural that Ottawa's policy would tilt towards Baghdad.
"The need has changed," he said, and Canada needs to be taking steps now toward "fighting an insurgency and building a legitimate government."
In doing that, Juneau said Canada and the other allies will have to walk a fine line.
Articulate a reason why it makes sense to transfer these weapons. Because at this point, I don't see that argument.- Peggy Mason, Rideau Institute
"We shouldn't jettison the Kurds," he said. "We shouldn't forget about them, but there needs to be more support for Iraqi national institutions."
One compromise solution might be to use the weapons to bolster the planned NATO military training mission, which Canada has signalled in a preliminary way it will support.
"If the needs are there for training capacity, and if our resources in terms of equipment — including weapons — are needed, we will look at that option," Sajjan said.
The minister added, though, that whatever Canada decides to do, it will talk to the Iraqi government to ensure "they are OK with it."
Canada will need to take a great deal of care if it opts to transfer the weapons to the Iraqi government, Juneau said.
'Thuggish, corrupt and incompetent'
The sectarian political divide between Sunni and Shiite — which led to the birth of ISIS in the first place — is still very much alive, he said, and the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi still has a long way to go in healing that rift and avoiding civil war.
"It was a government in that was extremely thuggish, corrupt and incompetent and significantly contributed to the emergence of [ISIS] in 2014," Juneau said. "It is in the interest of the international community to build [a] legitimate ... national government, not only in the Sunni areas but in the country as a whole."
Peggy Mason, president of the Ottawa-based think-tank Rideau Institute, said the Liberal government seemed surprised when fighting erupted between the Iraqi army and the Kurds, even though most seasoned observers saw it coming.
Canada and its allies have tended to treat Iraq as a military problem, with development money thrown in, she said.
"I think the government should explain to us exactly what they are trying to do in Iraq and, if there is a role for those weapons, what is it?" Mason said.
"Articulate a reason why it makes sense to transfer these weapons. Because at this point, I don't see that argument."
There are also more basic questions that still need answers, including whether that stock of weapons meets the current conditions, said Juneau.
"Everything that's been sitting in warehouses for two years — is that right equipment? We don't know that it is," he said. "Chances are it might be, but then again it might not. It should be re-evaluated, not cancelled."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Murray Brewster, Defence and security
Murray Brewster is senior defence writer for CBC News, based in Ottawa. He has covered the Canadian military and foreign policy from Parliament Hill for over a decade. Among other assignments, he spent a total of 15 months on the ground covering the Afghan war for The Canadian Press. Prior to that, he covered defence issues and politics for CP in Nova Scotia for 11 years and was bureau chief for Standard Broadcast News in Ottawa.
 |
| Kurdish security forces stand guard in their defensive position in Alton Kupri, on the outskirts of Irbil, Iraq, Thursday Oct. 19, 2017. (Khalid Mohammed/The Associated Press) |
The federal government originally promised the materiel — grenade launchers, sniper rifles, mortars, anti-tank rockets and other military equipment — over two years ago, when it first reconfigured the size and scope of Canada's contribution to the U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS.
The fate of the weapons, currently stored in two warehouses in Montreal and Amman, Jordan, has been up in the air for months following the refusal of the central government in Baghdad to sign off on their transfer to separatist-minded Kurds.
Now, the defeat of ISIS on the battlefield is prompting the Liberals to overhaul the mission terms once again — and that includes reconsidering who will end up with the weapons.
"What we're looking at is, where are the needs?" Sajjan told CBC News.
"We are looking at where we can do the best capacity-building and at the same time looking at where we can best counter a resurgence of Daesh [ISIS]."
Fighting between the Kurdish peshmerga fighters and the Iraqi army, in the aftermath of last fall's Kurdish independence referendum, forced a halt to a program of training and assistance for Kurdish fighters conducted by Canadian special forces.
The threat of a new civil war
Critics of that support program have argued that arming the Kurds could help tip Iraq into civil war.
Thomas Juneau, a University of Ottawa professor and former analyst at National Defence, said the decision to arm the Kurds made sense back when ISIS was a primary threat and the peshmerga fielded the most effective local force on the battlefield.
Canada's policy is to support a united Iraq. Juneau said that with the defeat of ISIS as a military force, it's only natural that Ottawa's policy would tilt towards Baghdad.
"The need has changed," he said, and Canada needs to be taking steps now toward "fighting an insurgency and building a legitimate government."
In doing that, Juneau said Canada and the other allies will have to walk a fine line.
Articulate a reason why it makes sense to transfer these weapons. Because at this point, I don't see that argument.- Peggy Mason, Rideau Institute
"We shouldn't jettison the Kurds," he said. "We shouldn't forget about them, but there needs to be more support for Iraqi national institutions."
One compromise solution might be to use the weapons to bolster the planned NATO military training mission, which Canada has signalled in a preliminary way it will support.
"If the needs are there for training capacity, and if our resources in terms of equipment — including weapons — are needed, we will look at that option," Sajjan said.
The minister added, though, that whatever Canada decides to do, it will talk to the Iraqi government to ensure "they are OK with it."
Canada will need to take a great deal of care if it opts to transfer the weapons to the Iraqi government, Juneau said.
'Thuggish, corrupt and incompetent'
The sectarian political divide between Sunni and Shiite — which led to the birth of ISIS in the first place — is still very much alive, he said, and the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi still has a long way to go in healing that rift and avoiding civil war.
"It was a government in that was extremely thuggish, corrupt and incompetent and significantly contributed to the emergence of [ISIS] in 2014," Juneau said. "It is in the interest of the international community to build [a] legitimate ... national government, not only in the Sunni areas but in the country as a whole."
Peggy Mason, president of the Ottawa-based think-tank Rideau Institute, said the Liberal government seemed surprised when fighting erupted between the Iraqi army and the Kurds, even though most seasoned observers saw it coming.
Canada and its allies have tended to treat Iraq as a military problem, with development money thrown in, she said.
"I think the government should explain to us exactly what they are trying to do in Iraq and, if there is a role for those weapons, what is it?" Mason said.
"Articulate a reason why it makes sense to transfer these weapons. Because at this point, I don't see that argument."
There are also more basic questions that still need answers, including whether that stock of weapons meets the current conditions, said Juneau.
"Everything that's been sitting in warehouses for two years — is that right equipment? We don't know that it is," he said. "Chances are it might be, but then again it might not. It should be re-evaluated, not cancelled."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Murray Brewster, Defence and security
Murray Brewster is senior defence writer for CBC News, based in Ottawa. He has covered the Canadian military and foreign policy from Parliament Hill for over a decade. Among other assignments, he spent a total of 15 months on the ground covering the Afghan war for The Canadian Press. Prior to that, he covered defence issues and politics for CP in Nova Scotia for 11 years and was bureau chief for Standard Broadcast News in Ottawa.
Monday, March 26, 2018
Future of CAF in Iraq in Limbo
By: Vassy Kapelos, CBC News
Six months after it was suspended, Canada's advise and assist mission in northern Iraq remains in a state of limbo, with no immediate end in sight.
The mission was suspended after fighting broke out between Iraqi and Kurdish forces following a controversial Kurdish independence referendum in September. The two groups had been working together to defeat ISIS, but long-held tensions boiled over after an overwhelming majority of Kurds voted to separate from Iraq.
At the time violence broke out, roughly 200 Canadian special forces were stationed in and around Erbil. They had been training Kurdish troops in the fight against ISIS, and providing logistics support for front-line operations as part of Canada's Operation Impact. Those activities were suspended "temporarily" in late October.
So what's happened since? And why is the mission still suspended?
It's not easy to get answers.
What we do know is there are fewer Canadian special forces on the ground in Iraq. Sources at the Department of National Defence say they now number about 120, down from a peak of 210 last year. Since their mission was suspended, they have helped put together potential options for what happens next.
But those options have been handed off to the government, and the waiting game persists.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Iraq, but spokesperson Byrne Furlong said there is no exact date for when a decision will be made. She insisted, however, that the government is committed to renewing the mission sometime this spring.
"Discussions are ongoing on the next phase," Furlong said in an email to CBC News. "We are not in a position to presuppose them."
But defence sources say special forces will remain in Iraq in some capacity, probably as part of a NATO training mission. The options presented to the government are all predicated on the belief that ISIS may have lost its territory but it has not been defeated. So, each option involves some form of partnership to train one of the groups operating in Iraq.
Ultimately, though, what partnerships can Canadian forces establish given the tensions that persist in the region?
To be fair, the conflict between the Kurds and Baghdad isn't nearly as violent today as it was six months ago. The groups reached an agreement late last week that could be considered a breakthrough, as the Iraqis agreed to transfer badly needed funds to the Kurdish regional government.
But the fight for Kurdish independence hasn't gone away — it's decades old and shouldn't have surprised anyone when it re-emerged after ISIS's territorial defeat.
Kurdish officials hoped Canada's support on the battleground would have extended to its fight against Baghdad, but the federal government avoided weighing in on the conflict at all costs.
In deciding on a new mission, they might not have the same luxury. To ignore the tensions between Baghdad and Erbil again could be dangerous — and it makes many observers wonder: why weren't they taken more into account from the start?
Vassy Kapelos is the new host of CBC News Network's Power & Politics. She hosts her first program on Monday at 5 p.m. ET.
Six months after it was suspended, Canada's advise and assist mission in northern Iraq remains in a state of limbo, with no immediate end in sight.
The mission was suspended after fighting broke out between Iraqi and Kurdish forces following a controversial Kurdish independence referendum in September. The two groups had been working together to defeat ISIS, but long-held tensions boiled over after an overwhelming majority of Kurds voted to separate from Iraq.
At the time violence broke out, roughly 200 Canadian special forces were stationed in and around Erbil. They had been training Kurdish troops in the fight against ISIS, and providing logistics support for front-line operations as part of Canada's Operation Impact. Those activities were suspended "temporarily" in late October.
So what's happened since? And why is the mission still suspended?
It's not easy to get answers.
What we do know is there are fewer Canadian special forces on the ground in Iraq. Sources at the Department of National Defence say they now number about 120, down from a peak of 210 last year. Since their mission was suspended, they have helped put together potential options for what happens next.
 |
| Canadian special forces soldiers, left and right, speak with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters at an observation post in northern Iraq back in February 2017. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press) |
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Iraq, but spokesperson Byrne Furlong said there is no exact date for when a decision will be made. She insisted, however, that the government is committed to renewing the mission sometime this spring.
"Discussions are ongoing on the next phase," Furlong said in an email to CBC News. "We are not in a position to presuppose them."
But defence sources say special forces will remain in Iraq in some capacity, probably as part of a NATO training mission. The options presented to the government are all predicated on the belief that ISIS may have lost its territory but it has not been defeated. So, each option involves some form of partnership to train one of the groups operating in Iraq.
Ultimately, though, what partnerships can Canadian forces establish given the tensions that persist in the region?
To be fair, the conflict between the Kurds and Baghdad isn't nearly as violent today as it was six months ago. The groups reached an agreement late last week that could be considered a breakthrough, as the Iraqis agreed to transfer badly needed funds to the Kurdish regional government.
 |
| Iraqi Kurds carry torches as they celebrate Newroz Day, a festival marking their spring and new year, near the town of Akra on Tuesday. Baghdad and Kurdish leaders recently reached a deal on government funding that helped to defuse tensions in Iraq. (Ari Jalal/Reuters) |
Kurdish officials hoped Canada's support on the battleground would have extended to its fight against Baghdad, but the federal government avoided weighing in on the conflict at all costs.
In deciding on a new mission, they might not have the same luxury. To ignore the tensions between Baghdad and Erbil again could be dangerous — and it makes many observers wonder: why weren't they taken more into account from the start?
Vassy Kapelos is the new host of CBC News Network's Power & Politics. She hosts her first program on Monday at 5 p.m. ET.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Is There a New Role for CAF in Iraq?
By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch
The Canadian military is currently examining how it can contribute to a new NATO training mission in Iraq.
More NATO troops will be headed to that country but NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says they will not be involved in combat.
The Canadian military is currently examining how it can contribute to a new NATO training mission in Iraq.
More NATO troops will be headed to that country but NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says they will not be involved in combat.
 |
| A Canadian Forces Griffon helicopter passes the Monastery of Mar Mattai/St Matthew, February 20, 2017 in northern Iraq. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz ORG XMIT: RYR111 |
Most of the NATO effort appears to be aimed at training ground forces and police.
At the same time, the U.S.-led coalition is decreasing its air support in Iraq.
American and Iraqi air force commanders say the coalition will launch fewer airstrikes in support of Iraqi forces and instead focus more on training Iraqi pilots. Currently, Iraqi F-16 pilots are trained in America and the maintenance and security of Iraq’s F-16s is largely carried out by U.S. contractors.
In addition, Iraq’s air force will assume more of the “missions, duties and responsibilities” against any effort against the Islamic State, according to a statement released by U.S. Air Forces Central Command.
Will Canadian Forces planners consider a role for the RCAF in the NATO mission?
The RCAF still has a presence in the region as the Polaris refueller has supported coalition fighter jets. C-130J Hercules have delivered supplies. Griffon helicopters are also attached to the mission, although since Canadian special forces are on the sidelines when it comes to training Kurdish forces it’s unclear how much support the helicopters are providing. (Details about Griffon flights are considered secret for security reasons.)
Canada could offer to continue using RCAF C-130Js to support cargo runs for a NATO training mission. The Griffons could be used to support in-country transportation for ground forces.
The Liberal government has committed the Canadian military to the Iraq mission until next year.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has not given any indication when a potential Canadian NATO mission contribution could be decided.
On Friday, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance told reporters that work on various options is still underway. “We are working diligently on plans including conducting reconnaissance and examining various options that I would ultimately be able to bring to the minister,” he said. “The timeline is to try and stay as relevant and with the flow of this conflict as we possibly can. So, there’s no point in adopting certain postures before it’s time to adopt that posture. We’re looking at all options. We’re certainly going to make certain that we stay as relevant and useful to the ultimate success of this conflict that we can.”
(With files from the Associated Press)
At the same time, the U.S.-led coalition is decreasing its air support in Iraq.
American and Iraqi air force commanders say the coalition will launch fewer airstrikes in support of Iraqi forces and instead focus more on training Iraqi pilots. Currently, Iraqi F-16 pilots are trained in America and the maintenance and security of Iraq’s F-16s is largely carried out by U.S. contractors.
In addition, Iraq’s air force will assume more of the “missions, duties and responsibilities” against any effort against the Islamic State, according to a statement released by U.S. Air Forces Central Command.
Will Canadian Forces planners consider a role for the RCAF in the NATO mission?
The RCAF still has a presence in the region as the Polaris refueller has supported coalition fighter jets. C-130J Hercules have delivered supplies. Griffon helicopters are also attached to the mission, although since Canadian special forces are on the sidelines when it comes to training Kurdish forces it’s unclear how much support the helicopters are providing. (Details about Griffon flights are considered secret for security reasons.)
Canada could offer to continue using RCAF C-130Js to support cargo runs for a NATO training mission. The Griffons could be used to support in-country transportation for ground forces.
The Liberal government has committed the Canadian military to the Iraq mission until next year.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has not given any indication when a potential Canadian NATO mission contribution could be decided.
On Friday, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance told reporters that work on various options is still underway. “We are working diligently on plans including conducting reconnaissance and examining various options that I would ultimately be able to bring to the minister,” he said. “The timeline is to try and stay as relevant and with the flow of this conflict as we possibly can. So, there’s no point in adopting certain postures before it’s time to adopt that posture. We’re looking at all options. We’re certainly going to make certain that we stay as relevant and useful to the ultimate success of this conflict that we can.”
(With files from the Associated Press)
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