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If Canada wanted to quietly end its participation in the bombing of Islamic State forces in Syria, now might be the opportune moment.

Raids flown by Canada’s CF-18 fighters, never more than a small part of the allied air campaign against ISIL, have fallen sharply reduced since the election call on Aug. 2. The skies over Syria have meantime become increasingly crowded. France announced its first air strikes against ISIL a week ago, followed by Russia’s sudden appearance on the scene, as President Vladimir Putin launched ground and air support for Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

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If Canada’s fighters simply stopped flying and quietly returned home, the practical impact would be so negligible it might easily go unnoticed anywhere but Washington, where the White House would likely be displeased. Nonetheless it would be a bad idea. Canada’s participation in the Syrian mission was never predicated on the notion that our minimalist contribution might help turn the tide of the conflict, much less bring about an end to the violence. It was based on the belief that, as a prosperous, important, democratic country, and a member of the world’s most developed nations, we owe a certain responsibility to actively opposing the sort of barbaric forces at play in Syria and the Middle East today.