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“The fact is that the situation in Iraq has been caused very much by the intervention of 2003 that I refused to participate in,” said Chrétien.

“You know, when there is milk on the floor, somebody has to go and pick that up,” he said, referring to how the U.S. has now been asked by the Iraqi government for help to defeat ISIL, also called ISIS.

“But I think that we should not go massively from the West there. I think that they should try to induce the other countries who have the problem for themselves of ISIS there to be participants in the military activities.”

Chrétien said there’s a long history of western intervention backfiring in the region. “You know, we left some scars there since 1919 that are still remembered by a lot of people. I mean France and Great Britain.”

Earlier this month, the Conservative government committed Canada to a combat exercise of up to six months. About 600 Canadian military personnel are deployed for a mission involving 10 planes, including six CF-18s. The New Democrats and Liberals oppose the mission, saying it lacks a coherent purpose and there isn’t enough emphasis on humanitarian efforts.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has been criticized for not taking a suitably clear or high-profile presence on the issue.

Chrétien’s op-ed sparked questions about whether he was trying to help Trudeau out of political trouble. But Chrétien said he was just responding to media requests to outline his views, which he said are reflective of the position advanced by Trudeau.