The U.S. Factor in Canada's Middle East Policy

Abstract

This article examines the influence of the United States on Canadian Middle East policy, focusing on Canada’s involvement in campaigns against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria. Canada’s policy, including its participation in Operation Impact, humanitarian missions, and contributions to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, underscores its alignment with U.S. strategic interests in the region. Drawing on a range of literature, policy documents, military agre­ements, and public statements, this study explores how U.S.-Canada relations shape Canadian policy in the Middle East. As the United States anchors the modern international order, NATO, and the global coalition, it has defined the context for Canada’s interventions. Main­taining international order and managing alliances provided indirect benefits to Canada, while fostering positive U.S.-Canada relations. Bilateral relations with regional states and their stability also played a role, though these were secondary considerations in Canada’s inter­vention strategy.