Canada Forced to Withdraw Its Occupation Forces from Iraq
Iraqi Resistance Successfully Targets U.S. and NATO Presence in Iraq
During the U.S./Israeli war on Iran, crushing blows from Iraqi resistance forced the remnants of NATO forces, which had been hunkering down in protected areas, to leave Iraq. This signified the utter defeat of the U.S. and NATO occupation of Iraq under whose auspices there have been horrendous crimes against humanity.
Since the war on Iran started on February 28, the Iraqi resistance had struck U.S. military targets in Iraq on a daily basis, including all its so-called safe zones in Baghdad. The U.S.-operated Victory Base near Baghdad airport was targeted regularly with rocket and drone strikes. The U.S. military had been using the site as a logistical centre, which the Resistance has now brought to an end. Other targets that came under heavy attack included Harir Air Base, serving U.S. and coalition forces in northern Iraq, as well as the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad. Other bases where Italian, French and British NATO forces were located were also targeted.
In the first 12 days alone after the start of the U.S.-Israeli unprovoked aggression against Iran, Iraqi resistance forces reported more than 290 operations, with as many as 29 actions in a single day. The Resistance in Iraq downed several drones including an MQ-9 Reaper used by the U.S. for intelligence and assassination attacks. Most significant was the downing of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft in Anbar, killing its six-member crew, a major blow to U.S. aerial support capabilities over Iraq.
On March 22, the Iraqi Resistance announced that the U.S. and NATO had called for a 24-hour ceasefire so that some 600 NATO personnel could be evacuated. Abu Mahdi al-Jaafari, spokesperson for the Awliyaa Al-Dam Brigades, stated that the U.S. and NATO requested mediation through the Iraqi government "to obtain a temporary 24-hour truce from the resistance factions, with the aim of completing the withdrawal of their forces from the Victory Base in Baghdad." He added that sustained attacks on the base had made it impossible for NATO aircraft to land and take off, noting that in the previous 24 hours the Resistance had carried out 21 attacks against their enemies.
Canadian troops were part of the NATO evacuation. They were participants in the U.S.-led NATO Mission Iraq launched in 2018. According to NATO, this Mission was to assist "in building more sustainable, transparent, inclusive and effective armed forces and security institutions, so that Iraqis themselves are better able to stabilize their country, fight terrorism and prevent the return of ISIS/Daesh."
What is not mentioned by NATO of course is that the instability in Iraq was caused by the illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the U.S. with "a coalition of the willing" made up of NATO members and others. It was carried out under the false pretext that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had "Weapons of Mass Destruction."
Then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien claimed that Canada would not be involved because the war was not approved by the UN Security Council. This was a spurious claim on two counts. Firstly, the Chrétien Liberals had no problem with Canada fighting under the U.S. in the illegal bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 nor, following the criminal Gulf War against Iraq, did Canada have any trouble justifying its participation in the illegal U.S. war against Afghanistan in 2001 after 9/11. Far from it, Canada has been instrumental in getting the UN Security Council to adopt all kinds of sanctions, which are acts of war, and to veto any attempt to hold the U.S. and Apartheid Israel to account. Amongst the many other egregious crimes in which Canada has participated are the bombing and destruction of Libya and the wanton assassination of its leader.
Secondly, the Canadian navy was involved in supporting the U.S. invasion of Iraq from the Persian Gulf and Canadian Air Force personnel flew on U.S. missions to help U.S. pilots find and attack Iraqi targets. Neither the U.S. nor any of the "coalition of the willing" of NATO and other allies, such as Australia, have ever expressed remorse for the war crimes committed against the Iraqi people. The millions of people killed, the destruction of the Iraqi economy and the desecration of its historic and cultural sites, not to mention the brutal assassinations of its leaders and the crimes committed in the course of the aggression and war, the use of depleted uranium, the black ops, torture camps and security certificates were all to justify a phony war on terror while the real terrorists were the United States and NATO allies. This is what initiated what is termed the "ongoing instability in the country" being blamed on the forces fighting for Iraq's freedom and independence.
According to Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty, following the withdrawal of Canadian troops involved in the NATO Mission Iraq: "As we continue to monitor the situation in the region, we call on all states to respect international law and uphold the fundamental principles of international prosperity and security."
The Iraqi Resistance is gaining in strength and has affirmed that it will continue to carry out armed actions against the U.S. and its allies in support of the Iranian people, the Lebanese people and the Palestinians, and to affirm the Iraqi people's right to be.
(With files from Canadian Encyclopedia, Palestine Chronicle, Al-Jazeera, CBC.)
This article was published in
Volume 56 Number 3 - March-April, 2026
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/TML2026/Articles/M560316.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca