Canada's Kurdish allies in northern Iraq are anxious and impatient for the Trudeau government to deliver on a promise to supply weapons to carry on the fight against Islamic State militants. The promise to provide small arms, ammunition and optical sights to Peshmerga fighters was made last February
Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan and Canada's top military commander, Gen. Jonathan Vance, asked Kurdish officials, both political and military, last spring to urgently draw up lists of what they required, since then there has been silence, much to the frustration of the Iraqi security forces and Shia militias, who are locked in a bitter, bloody struggle to liberate Mosul from ISIS control.
Canadian officials have had a few concerns about sending weapons over, because they thought the Kurd's might use the weapons in a war of independence, following the defeat of the Islamic State. Kurdish allies continue to assure Canada that these weapons will be used to stop the enemy in mind, and that fears Canadian weapons might be used in potential violations of the laws of war are unreasonable.
The Kurds are asking for an extensive list of heavy weapons, over and above what the Canadian government is prepared to offer. Specifically, they are looking for armored patrol vehicles and anti-tank weapons. Canada's over seas commander was interviewed about the topic of fighting alongside the Kurds against ISIS, he said it is a political decision. The Canadian military relieved earlier this week that they will be downplaying its involvement in the fighting alongside the Kurds.
I picked this current event because this directly relates to Canada as a country, its a big deal when were talking about giving our weapons to other countries to help fight their battles.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/kurds-weapons-canada-delay-1.3853986
Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan and Canada's top military commander, Gen. Jonathan Vance, asked Kurdish officials, both political and military, last spring to urgently draw up lists of what they required, since then there has been silence, much to the frustration of the Iraqi security forces and Shia militias, who are locked in a bitter, bloody struggle to liberate Mosul from ISIS control.
Canadian officials have had a few concerns about sending weapons over, because they thought the Kurd's might use the weapons in a war of independence, following the defeat of the Islamic State. Kurdish allies continue to assure Canada that these weapons will be used to stop the enemy in mind, and that fears Canadian weapons might be used in potential violations of the laws of war are unreasonable.
The Kurds are asking for an extensive list of heavy weapons, over and above what the Canadian government is prepared to offer. Specifically, they are looking for armored patrol vehicles and anti-tank weapons. Canada's over seas commander was interviewed about the topic of fighting alongside the Kurds against ISIS, he said it is a political decision. The Canadian military relieved earlier this week that they will be downplaying its involvement in the fighting alongside the Kurds.
I picked this current event because this directly relates to Canada as a country, its a big deal when were talking about giving our weapons to other countries to help fight their battles.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/kurds-weapons-canada-delay-1.3853986