The End of Canada’s Bombing Mission

By Rupert Johnson
PRIDE Columnist

There has been a heightened furor over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to end the bombing mission of the CF-18’s fighter jets against ISIS targets in Iraq.

It should be noted, that the opponents of Prime Minister’s decision, are oblivious to the fact that the fight against ISIS will ultimately be won from the ground not from the air.

The proponents of saturated conventional bombing missions fail to realize that historical evidence have shown that aerial bombardments have never won a decisive battle much less a war.

One only has to look at the military operations during World War 11 in Europe to see that a preponderance of air power did not bring about the end of the Second World War. It was the sustained operations of the ground forces that accounted for the demise of Germany.

There is no doubt that aerial bombardments generally give the appearance of muscular, macho military prowess. But on close examination this type of military operation can be said to be a cowardly way to fight the enemy.

The soldiers, advisors, and trainers on the ground are the real heroes, since they are at greater risk than the air men.

I am sick and tired of listening to the comments that highlights the notion that other members of the Western Coalition are doing the heavy lifting of daily bombing against ISIS while Canada is planning to withdraw from this type of warfare.

To these armchair bombardiers I say: There is no heavy lifting flying around in the skies to evade gunfire, and then destroy the infrastructure of villages, towns, cities, innocent civilians, and a few terrorists.

May I emphasize the fact the soldiers, advisors, and trainers etc. are the ones who are doing the heavy lifting.

It is now quite evident that a great deal of bombing by our Western Coalition forces in Iraq have killed hundreds of innocent civilians and have completely destroyed the infrastructure  of many villages, towns, and cities.

Cities like Ramadi, Sinjar in Iraq, and Kobani in Syria have been wiped out, and will take many years to rebuild.

It is extremely ironic that the liberation of these cities is brought about at the expense of total destruction.

It can be said that there has been a preponderance of air power by the U.S., Britain, and France in Iraq, thus Canada’s presence with six war planes is merely symbolic.

We are only there to send a message that our country is in the big league of macho bombardment.

Our presence looks good, that’s all. It merely gives a visible appearance that Canada is doing something bombastic to fight ISIS. The proponents of Canada’s bombing role are merely trying desperately to stroke their egos.

Our Prime Minister sees things differently.

By tripling the number of advisors, trainers and intelligence operatives to work alongside the Iraqi, and Kurdish forces on the ground, these tangible initiatives will ultimately help the Western Coalition to face the belligerence of ISIS head on.

The P.M.’s focus on humanitarian aid in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan is also

wise and commendable.

The multi-faceted and coordinated plan of Prime Minister Trudeau will do a lot more to bring about the demise of ISIS than the mere dropping of a few bombs from above.

Rupert Johnson can be reached at: r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca