Canada has "the responsibility to downgrade" ISIL's capabilities,"
Canada's Minister of Defense Jason Kenney told media outlets including
the Winnipeg Jewish Review which participated in a teleconference
for media with Kenney on March 25.
Kenney spoke in anticipation of the Harper government 's intention
to bring forward a motion in the House of Commons seeking support
for the Government’s decision to extend and expand Canada’s
military contribution to the global fight against the
so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),
with the goal of significantly degrading the capabilities of ISIL.
As Kenney outlined, the motion would extend Canada's deployment by one year until the end of March, 2016, (The motion has since passed Parliament with a vote of 149 to 142 in favour of extending the mission.)
Kenney noted that "ISIL would have taken enormous amounts of territory in Syria and Iraq had it been left unchecked" including controlling oil. " ISIL has "sought to obliterate ethnic minorities, and "engaged in mass rape", forcing "Yazdis girls and women into sexual slavery."
Kenny said that "ISIL is now on the defensive but it still occupies 1/3 of the territory of Iraq," Kenney.
Canada will be expanding its air combat mission into Syrian airspace to strike at ISIL, and Kenney said it is necessary to do this even though the Syrian government has not invited Canada to do so. As Kenney noted, the Syrian government is " unwilling or unable to control its borders," to counter the ISIL threat. Kenney explained that "Canada is opposed to the illegitimate rule of Bashar Al Assad", who is"guilty of crimes against humanity", but this fact "isn't an excuse to give ISIS a free haven in Eastern Syria." Since October, Canadian warplanes have been bombing Islamic State targets in Iraq but militants are increasingly seeking safe haven in Syria, where their
power base lies. Canadian jet fighters will now be able to follow them there.
Kenney said that Iraq has a lawful right to defend itself, and that "ISIL is a huge threat to the peace and stability of the Middle East."
The size of Canada's mission is unchanged, according to Kenney. As many as 69 special forces soldiers will remain in northern Iraq training and advising Kurdish fighters and six CF-18 fighters will continue operating out of Kuwait along with two surveillance planes and an aerial refuelling aircraft.
ISIL has specifically threatened Canada, Kenney emphasized, noting they "inspired" two attacks on Canadian soil.
Kenney also said that "Canada not stand on the sidelines", and if it did, it would be "free-rider." ISIS doesn't recognize borders since it sees itself as bringing about a a 7th century Islamic Caliphite.
"Degrading ISIS will be significant in ending its ability to attract" radicals, according to Kenney.
Kenney also pointed to public opinion polls that indicate that there is "overwhelming public support" for the extension of Canada's mission.
In regard to humanitarian aid Kenney said that "Canada is the 4th largest contributor of humanitarian relief to ISIL's victims, "and we are number one [in humanitarian relief] per capita." He pointed out that Canada has contributed some $64.7 million for relief efforts in Iraq, plus several hundred million more spent in Syria.
The Harper government has rejected Canadian participation in ground combat operations.The extension will leave Canadian warplanes and troops deployed in the region during an expected September-October election campaign.
The Liberal Party of Canada has opposed the original mission as well as the expansion proposed by the Harper government. The Liberal Party has said that Canada ought to focus on providing humanitarian assistance only.
When Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau was in Winnipeg on February 14, 2015 the Winnipeg Jewish Review asked him about his opposition to Canada's original mission involving airstrikes in Iraq. This a conversation took place immediately following Truedeau's meeting with ethnic press. Specifically, the Winnipeg Jewish Review asked Trudeau about recent news reports suggesting that Jordan has had to rush more troops to its its border with Iraq to ensure that ISIL doesn't destabilize Jordan and potentially overthrow King Abdullah. (In the event Jordan were destabilized by ISIL, then these jihadi terrorists would be on Israels doorstep, with an intention to make their way to Jerusalem. ISIL has claimed it will take over Jerusalem ) Trudeau answered that he opposed Canada being involved in airstrikes, saying that Canada ought to be providing humanitarian reflief only. He said that Harper was steadily involving Canada in a deeper "combat role" in Iraq. Trudeau also said Harper was not telling Canadians the truth about the full extent of the mission.
In this week's Parliamentary debate Trudeau said that "the Prime Minister told Canadians the purpose of the mission would be “to advise and to assist” and that Canadian troops were “not accompanying the Iraqi forces into combat. We now know that Canadian troops have been at the front lines, calling in airstrikes and engaging in several direct firefights.In a matter of months, despite assurances to the contrary, the government steadily – and stealthily – drew Canada into a deeper ground combat role in Iraq.And with this motion, they seek to deepen our involvement even further."
http://www.macleans.ca/politics/for-the-record-justin-trudeau-on-the-fight-against-isis/
Trudeau also expressed opposition to a mission which could strenghten Bahsar al_Assad. He said that "The Syrian people have for years been oppressed and terror-ized by their own government, under the rule of Bashar al-Assad. This is a man who has used chemical weapons on his own citizens, and whose regime is responsible for torturing and killing many more innocent people than even ISIL.We cannot support a mission that could very well result in As-sad consolidating his grip on power in Syria."
Trudeau also said that the government has not clearly articulated the mission's objectives, there isn't consensus as to what the ultimate goal is (ie degrade ISIL's capabilities as opposed to defeating them). He also questioned whehter Canada's involvement would really end next March or would this turn into a much longer term mission.
According to the noted report of March 27 in the Huffington Post, "The New Democrats are strongly opposed to Canada's expansion of the mission and want Canadian soldiers pulled from the region immediately. The Liberals suggest Canadians could remain in the area but only to train existing security forces." The Huffington Post report also indicated that the Harper government's proposal to conduct airstrikes over Syria against ISIL militants was praised by Britain's Foreign Minister Philip Hammond.http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/03/27/uk-endorses-harper--gov_n_6958458.html.
In In the teleconference, Kenney was asked by one media outlet about the anticipated cost of the extended mission. He answered that he anticipated the cost for the next year to amount ot $400 million dollars, indicating that this was an estimate.
For those interested in the issue of Israel and ISIL, see a recent article by the Telegraph: On the Golan Heights an ISil flag would bring jihad to Israel's back door:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/11483227/On-the-Golan-Heights-an-Isil-flag-would-bring-jihad-to-Israels-back-door.html
Jordan Sends Troops To Iraqi Border To Prevent infiltration of ISILhttp://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150210/1018059433.html
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