Reprinted from Yves Engler’s website.
Some are pushing Canada to join Israel’s war on Iran. It may already have.
On X a former advisor to Quebec’s economics minister Jean Phillipe Fournier posted, “The US will likely join the Iran-Israel conflict eventually. Canada should stop morally equivocating and do all it can to help Israel defend itself as well, with whatever capabilities it can spare. Preventing Iran from getting a bomb is in the World’s interest.”
A few others have made similar statements. As I’ve written, Canada has emboldened Israel to attack Iran by isolating and demonizing that country. They’ve also justified Israel’s attacks and enabled Zionist expansionism.
But are Canadian soldiers directly involved in its attacks? That’s likely.
The Canadian military is so entangled with their US counterparts that if its forces are engaged significantly somewhere, it’s likely Canadians forces are as well. And we know the US military is assisting Israeli operations. While it’s probably far more extensive than what has already been reported, US forces are refuelling Israeli fighter jets, delivering it arms and providing significant intelligence assistance to Israel’s war on Iran.
How might Canadian forces be assisting?
Through NORAD hundreds of Canadian soldiers assist the US with monitoring West Asia. NORAD supports missions led by US commands stationed worldwide.
Through Operation FOUNDATION Canadian forces members directly support the US Central Command’s (USCENTCOM) Middle East operations. Eighteen Canadian forces members are deployed to support these efforts in Qatar, Bahrain, Tampa and Jordan.
A few Canadian troops have also been coordinating US-UK strikes on Yemen. Three Canadian officers were formally added to the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian.
Other Canadians soldiers deployed at Canada’s base in Kuwait may also be assisting the US or Israelis.
The Canadian navy has also assisted US forces in the region. Through Operation ARTEMIS hundreds of Canadian personnel have been contributing to the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a United States-led naval coalition of 44 member nations to monitor the region.
In addition to assisting US forces, Canada has substantial direct ties to Israel’s armed forces. There’s a Canada-Israel Strategic Partnership and after Hamas’ October 7 attack the Canadian Air Force flew at least 30 Israeli reservists back to the country. At that time Global News also reported that the Canada’s JTF2 special forces were in Israel and through Operation Proteus Canadian troops in the West Bank have coordinated with their Israeli counterparts for two decades.
This is what integration with the US military means in real life. They decide, we act.
Antiwar activists should be demanding Ottawa redeploy any Canadian soldiers assisting the US or Israel in striking Iran. They should also be raising the question of why our military follows orders from a US president who wants to make Canada part of the United States.
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Yves Engler is the author of Stand on Guard for Whom? A People’s History of the Canadian Military and twelve other books.
