Canada’s mission in Iraq may be extended
OTTAWA — The deployment of more special forces advisers to Iraq is being considered as the federal government weighs its options to continue Canada’s contribution to the Iraq war.
Military officers say they expect the government to extend the Iraq mission. The expansion of the special forces training contribution makes the most sense, they added.
What is unclear is the effect on the government’s plans of the recent friendly fire death of a Canadian special forces soldier, Sgt. Andrew Doiron.
Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson said last week Canada would be in Iraq for the long term, even though the government hasn’t officially announced an extension to the mission yet.
“Our mandate is until April 7, but we’ve indicated that Canada is not a country that stands on the sidelines, and we’re looking at ways that we have contributed and what is available for the future,” Nicholson said after visiting Canadian special forces in northern Iraq and Iraqi government officials in Baghdad. “As I said, I indicated that we’re in this for the longer term to make sure that we do what we can to help.”
Defence Minister Jason Kenney said on the weekend the friendly fire incident that killed Doiron would not influence the government’s decision.
Yet extension of the mission will not be easy.
The Conservatives came under fire Monday in the House of Commons for “hiding the truth” about the nature of Canada’s military mission in Iraq.
“Since the beginning of this Iraq mission, the government has been hiding the truth from Canadians,” Megan Leslie, the NDP deputy leader, said as she led off question period.
“At the beginning, we were told that the mission would involve airstrikes and training. But now we discover that our service people are on the front line. They are targeted by the enemy and there are victims among our troops.
“The prime minister has to tell us the truth. How many Canadian service people are currently in combat situations in Iraq?”
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was not in the Commons, but Defence Minister Jason Kenney answered the questions.
Since Friday’s friendly fire death, Kenney has repeatedly said Canada’s 69 special forces troops on the ground in Iraq are there simply to “advise and assist” and are not engaged in combat.
Doiron was killed, and three other Canadians were injured, after being shot at as they approached an observation post about 200 metres from the front lines.
“Our soldiers are professionals, among the best in the world,” Kenney told MPs. “And they have been carrying out their mandate to advise and assist the Kurdish peshmergas.”
Steve Day, a retired colonel who commanded Joint Task Force 2, said Canada’s special forces has the capability to expand its presence in Iraq if required.
But Day said more needs to be done than just advising and training Kurdish forces. He said Canadian and other western special forces need to go on the offensive to strike at the leaders of Islamic State.
Canada has 600 military personnel involved in the Iraq mission. Most of those are in Kuwait, supporting the deployment of CF-18 fighter jets and other RCAF aircraft.
The Canadian government’s examination of its options — going after Islamic State leaders and financiers, helping build Iraqi government institutions for long-term success, or expanding the air campaign against Islamic State — comes as U.S. officials once again highlighted that a long-term military commitment to Iraq is needed if Islamic State is to be defeated.
Nicholson said Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet will make a decision on the Iraq mission within the next two weeks.