Canada excluded from anti-Islamic State coalition meeting

[webfact]

Canada excluded from anti-Islamic State coalition meeting
By ROB GILLIES

TORONTO (AP) — Canada has been excluded from a meeting of defense ministers in Paris this week to discuss the fight against Islamic State militants. The apparent snub follows new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement that he would remove the country's six fighter jets from the anti-IS coalition at a time the U.S. is looking for its allies to step up their contributions.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter didn't mention Canada last week in a speech in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, when he said he would meet defense ministers from nations who are playing a "significant role" in the coalition.

Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan tried to suggest it wasn't a big deal on Tuesday, saying this isn't the only meeting.

Ministers from the Netherlands, France, Australia, Germany, Italy and Britain will take part in the talks on Wednesday.

Carter wasn't asked about Canada by reporters on the flight to Paris, but he was asked about the lack of any Arab representation at the meeting. In response Carter said that this was a gathering of countries that have been the most active in Iraq and Syria. He said other nations have made contributions and will continue to do so, but this meeting was not designed to exclude anyone, "it's to get more ideas for how we can do more."

The U.S. has asked coalition members to boost their military contributions in Iraq and Syria against IS after the deadly attacks in Paris in November.

Trudeau has said allies understand that Canada will step up military training for forces fighting IS. Canada has had 69 special forces soldiers in a training role in northern Iraq with the Kurds. A Canadian soldier was killed by Kurdish fighters in a friendly-fire incident last year.

The Canadian mission includes six CF-18 fighter jets, a refueling tanker aircraft, two surveillance planes and one airlift aircraft, with about 600 airmen and airwomen based in Kuwait. The Canadian jets continue to participate in air strikes, and it is unclear when Canada will remove the planes.

Australia has six jet fighters and has soldiers in non-combat roles in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. It has declined a U.S. request to do more. The Netherlands has four fighter jets in the mission while Germany is not involved in air strikes.

Canada's opposition Conservative party noted the previous Conservative government hosted an anti-ISIS coalition meeting last July. "Canada is deliberately being excluded because of this Liberal government's decision to withdraw our CF-18s from the mission against ISIS," the party said.
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Associated Press Writer Lolita Baldor contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-20

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Anyway we clearly see that those meetings are quite efficients...

[sanukjim]

Typical of Canada,Hide their head in the sand and the threat may go away." Hey it ain't our fight as we have had no bombs in Canada yet" "Yall take care of that problem,not us".

[Beats56]

Man your way off..Canada has never lost a war. Look at invasion in the 2nd world war. Bravest men ever on the beaches of Normandy

The Dutch till this day put signs to say they will never forget what Canada has done for them in the freeing them from the German occupation . Head in the sand...don't think so!

[Publicus]

SecDef Ashton Carter is in charge so the new far out leftist PM Trudeau needs to know his national security decisions for Canada have consequences.

Ash Carter has served with or formally advised 11 secretaries of defense. In 2006 Carter publicly advocated in a NYT op-ed precision strikes against North Korean missile test sites, which should have been executed then and there.

There is a fight going on against Daesh. Putin is complicating things already. SecDef Carter and Nato want assistance, not a war.

If Trudeau and his party want to think of themselves as a kind of Switzerland in the clouds, they'll have to relocate their country to there. Trudeau is the guy who caught hell for his remark in 2013 that he admired the CCP Beijing Dictatorship cause they get things done.

Good to see it didn't take Ash Carter long to get on Trudeau's case and there's more from where this comes from if Trudeau still doesn't get his head screwed on right.

[ggt]

Canada may feel that they need their fighter jets at home...to fight ISIS in their cities in the near future...

[Scott]

Please stay on topic. I think the war of 1812 is a little far off the mark.

[Beats56]

Canada may feel that they need their fighter jets at home...to fight ISIS in their cities in the near future...

[Beats56]

Another goofy reply..come on why need fighter jets in Canada. We are not letting them in like the EU are. Ever hear of Norad. On top of protecting Canada they watch Santa Claus on Christmas eve.lol

[Beats56]

Please stay on topic. I think the war of 1812 is a little far off the mark.

hey the topic was canadians have their head in the sand. Still on topic.

[Cats4ever]

Canada has made a call following a democratic change of government. They may be sick of mopping up after Mission Unaccomplished.

[Publicus]

While Trudeau's father Pierre was PM he was asked what it was like to sleep alongside an elephant.

His witty reply was that 'You move very carefully."

The young Trudeau has however demonstrated he still has some lessons to learn. That for instance sleeping alongside a dragon will get you burned. Possibly singed.

SecDef Ashton Carter is the residence advisor that hasn't any time or patience toward know it all glamour boy interns.

[chrisdodd]

Man your way off..Canada has never lost a war. Look at invasion in the 2nd world war. Bravest men ever on the beaches of Normandy

The Dutch till this day put signs to say they will never forget what Canada has done for them in the freeing them from the German occupation . Head in the sand...don't think so!

Your response is clever and accurate......our american friend whom you are replying to is still of that bush mentality where if you're not with us you're against US (that really worked out well didn't it)

[chrisdodd]

While Trudeau's father Pierre was PM he was asked what it was like to sleep alongside an elephant.

His witty reply was that 'You move very carefully."

The young Trudeau has however demonstrated he still has some lessons to learn. That for instance sleeping alongside a dragon will get you burned. Possibly singed.

SecDef Ashton Carter is the residence advisor that hasn't any time or patience toward know it all glamour boy interns.

I know carter...a yankee doodle dandy....right?

[Publicus]

While Trudeau's father Pierre was PM he was asked what it was like to sleep alongside an elephant.

His witty reply was that 'You move very carefully."

The young Trudeau has however demonstrated he still has some lessons to learn. That for instance sleeping alongside a dragon will get you burned. Possibly singed.

SecDef Ashton Carter is the residence advisor that hasn't any time or patience toward know it all glamour boy interns.

I know carter...a yankee doodle dandy....right?

One of the risks of dogsledding is that it sometimes creates mush.

Especially when supplemented by watching a lot of classic movies.

While the fire dies out.

[chrisdodd]

Canada has made a call following a democratic change of government. They may be sick of mopping up after Mission Unaccomplished.

Well said Cats4ever, Yes we are sick of continually mopping up after all of yankees mistakes ......we'll go our way and they can go theirs.....they don't deserve to have us as a friendly neighbor

[chrisdodd]

Typical of Canada,Hide their head in the sand and the threat may go away." Hey it ain't our fight as we have had no bombs in Canada yet" "Yall take care of that problem,not us".

Why do you call yourself happy jim? Anyways jim if "y'all" yanks left your bombs at home and store them along with all your household guns there wouldn't be a "problem to take care of"...thanks jim

[Scott]

Keep the discussion civil and stay on topic, otherwise suspensions will be given.