Mosul fight could spiral out of control
Re The battle for hearts and minds, Oct. 23 It is deeply disturbing to read about Mosul, which is a continuation of the havoc wreaked by the U.S. occupation of Iraq in 2003.
Mosul is the latter successor to the ancient city of Ninevah that was first settled about 8,000 years ago and became an important urban centre. It has long been a crossroads of cultures. It served as a meeting point for Arabs, Kurds, Turkomans, Assyrians, Armenians, Sunni and Shiite Muslims, Christians, Jews, Yazidis and Shabaks. All these peoples lived together peacefully most of the time. It created a unique, multi-cultural atmosphere up to the beginning of the 13th century.
Fast forward. By forging alliances with mutually antagonistic state and non-state forces in the course of its joint interventions, the U.S.-backed offensive has inflamed the sectarian divisions in Iraq and Syria. The likelihood of this conflict spiralling out of control and drawing in the major powers in a wider war is a great possibility.
The most critical aspect of the battle of Mosul may not be whether Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL) is defeated. It may be whether Iraq’s deeply divided factions can find some way to cooperate if they win. The alternative could be worse than ISIS: Sunni versus Shiite, Arab versus Kurd, and Turkey, Iran, outside Arab states, Russia and the U.S. all competing to serve their own ends.
In the final analysis, as to the result of operations in Mosul, the city will be liberated. But at what cost? Javed Akbar, Ajax Re Sajjan stays silent on Canadian soldiers’ role
in Mosul offensive, Oct. 26 We often heard the Trudeau Liberals, when in opposition, chastising the Harper government for not being forthcoming on providing information to the Canadian public on exactly what the mission was for our troops in Syria and Iraq.
Now the Trudeau government is doing the exact same thing, as it simply refuses to tell us the role currently being played by our military in the ongoing assault to retake Mosul from Daesh.
From recent reports by the military it certainly appears our troops have had to become engaged in direct combat, not merely a training mission. The Trudeau government needs to come clean, informing Canadians and the opposition parties exactly what is going on, rather than continuing to stonewall. Larry Comeau, Ottawa