Leon Panetta, the revered former U.S. secretary of defence, is speaking about war.

“Leaders have to understand,” Panetta says in an interview, “that when you send people into war, you better damn well have a very clear mission for what they’re doing and why they’re doing it.”

KINSELLA: Mark Carney's flip-flopping stance on Iran war hurts Canada's reputation – and his own Back to video

“And, if you constantly change that mission … that really begins to screw up what soldiers are thinking. The reason they’re out there, putting their lives on the line. It begins to hurt your own effort.”

This, of course, is Donald Trump’s main problem in the Iran-Israel-America war: Why did he give the order to attack? The mission’s objective seems to change daily. Is it for regime change? Is it to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons? Is it to stop the spread of terrorism and hate?

Any of those reasons are laudable goals, in this writer’s opinion. Any one of them justifies the action the United States has taken against the maniacal sadists who presently rule Iran. So, defining and defending the war in Iran is mostly Donald Trump’s problem. True.

Iran war not without consequence for Mark Carney

But, increasingly, it is Mark Carney’s problem, too. Even though Canada was not consulted before the U.S. and Israel started bombing Iran’s rulers last weekend – even though we do not (to our knowledge) have a single military asset involved in the war – the war is not without consequence to our Prime Minister. It is, more and more, a political problem.

It is a problem of Carney’s own making. Immediately after Israel and America commenced their military action, Carney issued a statement on his letterhead.

“Canada’s position remains clear: the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world’s worst human rights records, and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons,” the statement read.

“Canada reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself and to ensure the security of its people. Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security.”

It was an astonishing statement, for two reasons. One, it marked the first time anyone could recall Carney applauding Israel. Two, it unambiguously supported what Israel and the United States did: “Canada’s position remains clear,” he said.

Two days later, Carney seemed to completely reverse himself. Speaking to media in Canberra, Australia, the Liberal leader said: “We do, however, take this position with regret because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order.”

From clearly “supporting” the war to, 48 hours later, saying he did so “with regret” – and that it was a “failure.”

As bad as that was, Carney was not done. Two days after the first volte-face, he did it again.

Asked by reporters in Australia if he could foresee Canadian troops getting involved in the war, Carney sniffed that the question was “hypothetical,” but then added: “One can never categorically rule out participation.”

Well, actually, you can. My former boss prime minister Jean Chrétien did so, exactly 23 years ago this month. He said Canada would not participate in another Middle Eastern war – George W. Bush’s war on another dictator, Saddam Hussein.

“Canada will not participate,” Chrétien said on March 17, 2003. 

That’s all it took – four words. Everyone knew where Chretien and his government stood on war.

Mark Carney? Not so much.

PM’s inital statement a moment of clarity

Carney’s first statement was an important moment of moral clarity. He followed it with a farrago of vacillation and qualification. He then followed that with what seems like yet another reversal, raising the prospect of actual participation in the war.

Canada is not a combatant in it. But neither are we a mere bystander.

On Jan. 8, 2020, for example, Iran shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 and murdered 85 Canadians.

On Oct. 7, 2023, seven Canadians were slaughtered by Iran’s proxy, Hamas, in Israel.

On Nov. 18, 2024, former Liberal cabinet minister Irwin Cotler revealed that Iran had plotted to kill him.

And, for many years, Canadians have been have been targeted by terror plots that were funded and facilitated by Iran.

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So, Canada may not be fighting in Iran but we have stakes in the outcome. Iran has killed and wounded many Canadians, and never paid a price for that.

Our Prime Minister, then, should heed the words of Leon Panetta. In times of war, soldiers – as well as citizens – are owed “a very clear” statement about why the war is needed. They are owed clarity and transparency.

Mark Carney has offered neither. And, this week, he has hurt our country’s reputation – and his own.

© Edmonton Sun