Canada’s aircraft to be based in Kuwait for ISIS combat mission

ABOVE: National Defence Minister Rob Nicholson confirmed to the House of Commons Thursday that Canada has been given the green light by Kuwait to begin launching airstrikes 

OTTAWA – The Conservative government has announced that Canada’s fighter jets and surveillance planes bound for the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant will be based in Kuwait.

A status of forces agreement with the emirate, which already hosts a Canadian military supply hub, has been concluded.

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READ MORE: Canada sends advance team to the Middle East ahead of ISIS airstrikes

The base will host CF-18 jet fighters, two CP-140 Auroras and a C-150 Polaris.

READ MORE: Harper plays politics with ISIL mission, says ex-Grit minister Marchi

It will be about three weeks before the aircraft are in place and ready to conduct operations.

New Democrat foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar says the delay makes a mockery of the government’s reasons for shutting down debate on the motion that saw Canada join the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

Defence Minister Rob Nicholson says they could have debated “30 years” and the NDP would have not supported the combat mission.