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The Liberals promised back in the fall of 2014 that, if elected, they would unilaterally withdraw Canada’s six CF-18 fighters.

It was a political decision premised on the belief the war in Iraq would go badly and turn out to be unpopular. It may yet, but for now opinion polling suggests Canadian participation in the air war is the preferred role for our armed forces.

The CF-18s will be withdrawn within two weeks even though, by all accounts, their mission has been a success.

As chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance said in a Monday status update, the air war’s targeting of ISIL’s infrastructure and senior personnel has curtailed its ability to manoeuvre in large numbers, shattered morale and allowed Iraqi forces to retake towns like Ramadi.

Vance twisted himself into a pretzel trying not to contradict his political boss.

Justin Trudeau believes we can “best help” by retreating from a combat role.

“This mission is better than our last mission … it’s the right thing to do,” he said of the refocused military plan that will now concentrate on training Iraqi security forces.

But as for the ‘murderous gang of thugs and terrorists’ — first, they need to be confronted. First, they need to be defeated

This new mission encompasses “all the different aspects where Canada is good,” he said — a statement that will upset the air force, given the inference that bombing is not one of those things.

When asked why the combat mission has to end, the prime minister was no more convincing than in the past.

It is clearly not for moral reasons, since we will continue to provide aerial refuelling and surveillance to assist other nations in bombing ISIL.