immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

Syrian President Bashar and Syrian Government

John Baird: Since the onset of hostilities in the spring of 2011, Russia has covertly supported embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to The Chronicle Herald. Russia support for the Syrian government was roundly denounced by Western leaders — including Canada then minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird — who were all in support of the Syrian rebels. The topic of their discussion focused on Russia new pledge to openly intervene militarily in the Syrian civil war. Of course, that was before it became apparent that those fighting to oust Assad were primarily Islamic fundamentalists including al-Qaeda and ISIS. Once the ISIS threat in Syria spilled into northern Iraq in the spring of 2014, the U.S. cobbled together an international alliance — which includes Canada — to commence airstrikes in order to contain ISIS advances. Although ISIS fighters are battling Assad loyalists, the U.S. and Canada maintain the public position that we are not fighting in support of Assad, we are simply fighting against his enemies. That mandate soon morphed to allow the air alliance — which includes Canadian warplanes — to attack ISIS targets inside Syria. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.