Iraq training mission should grow as Canada pulls aircraft
The new Liberal government is expected to expand Canada’s training mission in Iraq, which would take away some of the sting of withdrawing Canadian military aircraft from the region and help the U.S. as it starts sending troops into Syria.
Canada currently has six fighter jets, two surveillance aircraft and an air-to-air refuelling plane participating in the U.S.-led bombing campaign against ISIL. It also has 69 special forces troops training and operating alongside Kurdish forces fighting the extremist group in northern Iraq.
Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau and the Liberals pledged during the election campaign to end Canada’s bombing mission in Iraq and Syria. But while Trudeau reaffirmed the promise after the election, he declined to give specific details until after his government is sworn in on Nov. 4.
Experts say there are a number of unanswered questions about Trudeau’s plan for Iraq and Syria, including when the jets will return home and whether the new government will withdraw all Canadian warplanes or only the fighter jets. But most believe the special forces mission will get a boost.
“There will not solely be 69 people in a training capacity, and that’s it,” said defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. “They will be enhancing the training mission.”
Trudeau himself has signalled an expansion of the special forces mission on numerous occasions. Earlier this year, for example, he said Canada should be “building on” the training already underway. His party’s election platform says a Liberal government would “refocus” on training local Iraqi forces.
“If there’s going to be any noticeable refocusing, that implies you’re not just going to keep the same number of people there doing that particular function,” Perry said.
Expanding the mission would serve several purposes. Canada’s pending withdrawal from the bombing mission has already made headlines, and would represent a symbolic blow to the U.S.-led coalition against ISIL. Adding more trainers on the ground would dampen any negative message.
“The U.S. wants us in the coalition,” said Bessma Momani, a Middle East expert at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. “They want to be able to announce: ‘Yes, Canada withdrew six CF-18s. That’s OK. But they increased here.’ ”
Meanwhile, on Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama for the first time authorized sending U.S. soldiers into Syria to help train and assist rebels fighting ISIL. About 50 special operations troops will be based in Kurdish territory to work with local forces, the White House said, though more could soon follow.
Canada has one of the smallest contingents of trainers of the participating countries in Iraq. According to the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank, 11 allies had more troops in Iraq than Canada at the beginning of August.
While most of the experts believed Washington would try to pressure Trudeau into making some new commitment in Iraq, they were split on whether it would ask Canada to send trainers into Syria. But adding troops in Iraq, at least, would free up U.S. trainers for Syria.