Canada sits out battle for Tikrit

Allies fume as Iranian general leads Iraqi push

Canadian and other coalition air forces are sitting on the sidelines as Iraqi troops take part in one of their largest battles yet against Islamist extremists.

The new Iraqi offensive is against forces from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) who are in control of Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit. The battle is being coordinated by an Iranian general and involves thousands of fighters from pro-Iranian Shiite militias, much to the displeasure of the U.S. and its allies.

Royal Canadian Navy Capt. Paul Forget of Canadian Joint Operations Command confirmed Thursday neither Canadian nor coalition forces are supporting the Iraqis in their attempt to retake Tikrit.

“The push to Tikrit is an independent push undertaken by the Iraqi security forces,” Forget told journalists.

Iranian general, Ghasem Soleimani, commander of the elite Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force, is helping direct the push against ISIL. The Tikrit offensive, however, shows the major influence Iran now has in Iraq and in deciding the direction of the war.

Acknowledging any role for Iran in Iraq is a politically sensitive one for the Conservative government. It severed diplomatic relations with Iran and views that country’s government as a significant threat to global peace and security.

But Peggy Mason, president of the Ottawa-based Rideau Institute, noted that Iranian advisers and Iranian-backed militias have been behind many of the successful battles that have recaptured territory from ISIL. “The Canadian government portrays itself a major player in the Iraq war but that isn’t the case,” said Mason. “Much of the heavy lifting is being done by Iran.”

Still, the Conservative government has been keen to highlight Canada’s role in Iraq. Earlier Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson outlined both Canadian military and humanitarian aid being provided to Iraq and suggested both would continue over the longer term. “I’m proud to represent a government that refuses to stand on the sidelines,” he told reporters.

Nicholson was recently in Iraq to gather information about the Iraq mission. He said ISIL has suffered setbacks on the battlefield. But he did not mention the role of Iranian military personnel or the fact that Canadian planes were not taking part in one the largest battles of the war yet.

The Conservative government is looking at whether to extend the Canadian military mission to Iraq. It is expected that mission will be extended. There are 600 Canadian military personnel involved in the Iraq war. Those include 69 special forces inside Iraq.

Forget indicated Thursday that there would be no major hurdles for Canadian Forces to expand their operations into Syria if that is what the Conservative government wants. ISIL also controls parts of Syria. Canadian military personnel are currently being trained in preparation for the extension of the Iraq mission.

But Forget said there are no plans that he is aware of to expand Canada’s participation to dealing with ISIL in Libya.

Libya descended into chaos after rebels, supported by NATO warplanes, overthrew the regime of Col. Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

The Conservative government says Canada’s war in Iraq has cost at least $122 million so far, not including salaries and other fixed costs. (That figure also leaves out two months of air deliveries and the first month that Canadian special forces advisers spent in Iraq).