Op IMPACT: CAF in the Iraq & Syria crisis

[Good2Golf]

That's the Breaking News headline- What's everyone's best guess about this- with Dion, Sajjat and the PM making the announcement together tomorrow...

With only 24 hours (or less) to go, I'm content to wait and hear what they have to say, when they say it. 

:2c:

G2G

 

[The Bread Guy]

That's the Breaking News headline- What's everyone's best guess about this- with Dion, Sajjat and the PM making the announcement together tomorrow...

I'm going to risk a WA guess and move this one here ...

 

[Old Sweat]

I just did a search of the three English TV networks and the CBC is the only one that has mentioned it as of a few minutes ago.

 

[PuckChaser]

I wonder if Trudeau will also announce the name change from OP IMPACT to OP MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF EFFORT, seems more fitting to their stated policies.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Nothing on the usual Info-machine feed either as of this post.

op:

 

[GRACE OMALLEY]

This in the Ottawa Citizen a few hours ago


The announcement will be made at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

As Postmedia has reported, there will be details on police training and the contribution the Canadian Forces will be making. The CF-18s, as promised by the Liberals, will be withdrawn.

op:

 

[Good2Golf]

This in the Ottawa Citizen a few hours ago


The announcement will be made at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

As Postmedia has reported, there will be details on police training and the contribution the Canadian Armed Forces will be making. The CF-18s, as promised by the Liberals, will be withdrawn.

op:

FTFY

 

[Quirky]

I wonder if Trudeau will also announce the name change from OP IMPACT to OP MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF EFFORT, seems more fitting to their stated policies.

OP TOKEN CONTRIBUTION.

With so many countries providing air power our withdrawal will have minimal effect me thinks. The refuelers and aurora's have a bigger impact. Platforms dropping bombs from 20,000ft is never a shortage among our allies.

 

[PuckChaser]

OP TOKEN CONTRIBUTION.

With so many countries providing air power our withdrawal will have minimal effect me thinks. The refuelers and aurora's have a bigger impact. Platforms dropping bombs from 20,000ft is never a shortage among our allies.

Minimal operational impact, likely. International political impact, it will create "ripples" as the MND likes to say.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

OP TOKEN CONTRIBUTION.

With so many countries providing air power our withdrawal will have minimal effect me thinks. The refuelers and aurora's have a bigger impact. Platforms dropping bombs from 20,000ft is never a shortage among our allies.

Don't be so sure.  Which of the coalition partners have bomb trucks in the AO?  Although you are not quite right on the 20,000ft part, it's probably not a good thing to discuss anything like that, at all.  :2c:

 

[CougarKing]

Despite this, Trudeau probably will still be piping the same old tune of "we need to contribute in another, non-violent way" in March in order to continue appealing to the peacenik base who make the core of his Liberal party (and probably to NDP members who voted for him as well):

CBC

Most Canadians disagree with Trudeau's plan to withdraw CF-18s, poll suggests

CBC
February 6, 2016

A new poll suggests that majority of Canadians disagree with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's pledge to withdraw Canada's CF-18 fighter jets by the end of March from the U.S.-led bombing mission against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

When asked what Canada's role should be in the fight against ISIS, only 27 per cent told the Angus Reid Institute that they were on the same page as Trudeau in wanting to stop Canada's bombing mission and focus only on training local troops in Iraq and Syria.

Meanwhile, 11 per cent of respondents wanted to stop Canada's involvement in the fight against ISIS altogether.

(...SNIPPED)

 

[The Bread Guy]

Despite this, Trudeau probably will still be piping the same old tune of "we need to contribute in another, non-violent way" in March in order to continue appealing to the peacenik base who make the core of his Liberal party (and probably to NDP members who voted for him as well):

CBC

Don't forget the rest of the survey results, showing that even if PMJT pulls the fighters out, a bit more than 50% of those surveyed would still be confident in his ability to manage Canada's involvement in the mission against ISIS/ISIL.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

The official term for the enemy is now ISIL.  This was from the PCO on down thru my CofC very recently.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The official term for the enemy is now ISIL.  This was from the PCO on down thru my CofC very recently.

Thanks for that, too.

Here's the official advisory (with a listen-only dial-in number for out-of-town media):

On Monday February 8, 2016, the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, the Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, and the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, will make an important announcement.

A technical briefing will follow the ministerial announcement with officials from National Defence and Global Affairs Canada.

DATE: February 8, 2016

TIME: 10:30 a.m. (EST), Announcement to be followed by a media technical briefing.

LOCATION: National Press Theatre
150 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario

Journalists who are not members of the National Press Gallery will require accreditation from the gallery in advance. For more information, contact Collin Lafrance at collin.lafrance@parl.gc.ca.

Out-of-town journalists can also dial in to listen to the news conference, as well as the technical briefing. Please note these will be set up as listen-only mode lines.

International callers must dial the local phone number for proper access.

Participant dial-in numbers
Local: 613-960-7527
Toll-free from Canada and U.S.: 877-413-4815
Pass code: 1972076

(...)

 

[The Bread Guy]

First reporter Tweet out of the news conference:

Six CF-18s out; Cda w/ triple mil'y training personnel; keep surveillance planes, 830 Cdn troops to back Iraqi/coalition ops against #ISIS.

Another TWITREP:

Govt will withdraw CF18s on February 22nd.

News conf just got under way (1052EST) ...

 

[jollyjacktar]

Well, we all knew it was coming.  :not-again:

 

[Altair]

The official term for the enemy is now ISIL.  This was from the PCO on down thru my CofC very recently.

A good thing for every person named Isis, a name that was used to be associated with a Egyptian goddess before it became associated with a death cult.

 

[The Bread Guy]

(from live feed) Question from reporter to PM:  what, exactly, is wrong w/bombing?

PM:  There's a role for bombing in the short term, but there are other things we can offer "the best help in a different way" (e.g. training, offering stability), making this mission better than the last one and the best one possible.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I believe I am being proven correct (in great part anyway) for one of my past comment: Anybody noticed the frequent use of "Subject to further discussion with the Government of Iraq and coalition partners, we will ..."

What they  wish to do and offer, after all this time and the negotiation has still not been asked for or agreed to by the parties we are offering it to and which needs to approve it for it to happen. It is smoke and mirror that we are doing more when in fact, we haven't got the authorization to do so yet.

Moreover, am I the only who thinks it is hypocritical to say, in effect, I won't drop bombs, but I will increase my ability to help you in locating exactly where to drop yours.

Finally, terminating the air mission on 22 February 2016: How much time before the actual scheduled end of the mission is that? Isn't it three weeks. And note that the brief doesn't say what will happen with the CF-188: It says they "will be redeployed in a phased approach" whatever the hell that means. If they are coming home, what about saying they are coming home in no uncertain terms!

And anybody notice the little line slipped at the top of page 2: "examine ways to enhance in-theatre tactical transport". Are we looking at sending Hercs? Why then, and at who's request?

 

[Edward Campbell]

OK, it's in the "promise made, promise kept" category, so it is very good politics even if I, personally, am doubtful about how good it is as policy.

It also, concomitantly, takes a bit of hear off the CF-18 replacement file. Since the aircraft are not will not be in combat anymore then there is risk risk of someone saying "you're depriving our brave boys (and girls) of the modern tools they need to fight the dastardly enemy" ... someone will still say it but there is less risk of anyone listening.