Canada's Fight

From the BBC:
"Canada plans to expand air strikes against IS militants"

 

Canada will extend its air strike campaign against Islamic State (IS) into Syria, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced. "In our view, ISIL [IS] must cease to have any safe haven in Syria," Mr Harper said in the House of Commons. Canada's mission against IS will also be extended for one year, beyond October's election and well into 2016. The move means Canada will be the first Nato country, other than the United States, to strike inside Syria.

IS controls land on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border - and the US expanded its air strike campaign against the militant group into Syria in September.  It has been joined in similar strikes by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

The Canadian prime minister announced the change as he asked for a vote on the measure in the House of Commons on Tuesday. "The government recognises that ISIL's power base, indeed the so-called caliphate's capital, is in Syria," Mr Harper said, adding fighters and heavy equipment were moving across the border from Iraq for protection against strikes. Mr Harper said Canada would not seek the "express consent" of the Assad government. "Instead, we will work closely with our American and other allies, who have already been carrying out such operations against ISIL over Syria in recent months." The measure is expected to pass as Mr Harper's Conservative Party controls the House of Commons.  Mr Harper had said he will provide details about extending and expanding the mission this week. It was due to expire in April. In addition to assistance to Kurdish forces, Canada has provided six CF-18 fighter planes, as well as surveillance and refuelling aircraft and about 600 personnel to the US-led mission.

^ It's good to see another country (other than the US) taking a more active role against IS. ^


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32029156