With Canada?s upcoming expansion of its military presence and activities in Afghanistan , the Canadian government would be prudent to consider this shift as a potential catalyst for the elevation of Canada?s profile as an enemy of Islam within jihadist eyes, thus heightening the general, strategic threat of jihadist terrorism against the country.

Among jihadists, nations? military participation in the invasion and perceived occupation of Iraq is utilized as a provocation and justification for terrorist threats and attacks against those countries. Spain and the UK , both having deployed troops into Iraq, were the target of jihadist attacks in recent years (Terrorist Incident, Terrorist Incident, and Terrorist Incident), and jihadist communiqu?s and discourse continue to cite military participation in Iraq as a casus belli.