Statement by the Press Secretary on the Canadian Decision to Authorize Military Force Against ISIL

The United States welcomes the Canadian government’s deployment of fighter and refueling aircraft,  as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to participate in the campaign to degrade and destroy ISIL in Iraq.  We are also grateful for Canada’s deployment of troops to Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces as well as Canada’s continued provision of vital humanitarian assistance.  With these deployments, Canada demonstrates its continued leadership and resolve in addressing the urgent and critical security challenges that threaten Canada, its people, and the broader international community.  Canadians and Americans have fought alongside each other in several major conflicts over the past century, and we are grateful for Canada’s further contribution against terrorism.

We will continue to work with our international partners to expand our sustained and comprehensive approach to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a variety of means, including military actions, efforts to stop terrorist financing, countering flows of foreign fighters into the region, and delegitimizing ISIL's extremist ideology.