Tuesday, July 22, 2014

More And Worse Conflict

                                                                          http://en.wikipedia.org/

Michael den Tandt writes that Stephen Harper's foreign policy will outlive Harper:

It is axiomatic for Harper’s critics, certainly for those who churn out talking points for the Dippers, Grits and Greens, that this prime minister is a ham-fisted and embarrassingly unsubtle foreign-policy actor. The prima facie evidence is his notorious letter to the Wall Street Journal in 2003, penned with Stockwell Day, lamenting Canada’s refusal to participate in George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq.

Never mind that mistake, writes den Tandt:

But here’s the thing: Harper and Baird’s basic positions have been borne out by events — both in the conflict with Hamas, and in Ukraine, since the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 by a rocket attack, killing all 298 people aboard.

Really? Could it be that his minor error on Iraq has helped destabilise the entire Middle East? And could Harper's support of Israel -- while completely ignoring its occupation of Gaza  -- not have something to do with the increased rocket technology which Hamas has now aimed at Israel?

Jonathan Kay wrote a short time ago that the Harper regime is populated by punitive moral absolutists. They have tried to legislate their values into Canadian law. And they are convinced that, by exporting their philosophy to the rest of the world, they will make it a safer place.

We are approaching the one hundredth anniversary of the Guns of August. If Harper knew anything about history -- and the treaty which ended World War I -- he'd know that punitive moral absolutism simply guarantees more -- and worse -- conflict.


8 comments:

thwap said...

OMG. I read your post. Then i thought i'd check the original post for a laugh.

But I just couldn't get through such moronic drivel. Such rank hypocrisy. Such partisan hackery.

How much is that idiot being paid to spew out such crap?

We allowed a murderous coup led by fascist anti-semites to take over the Ukraine and they proceeded to strip their Russian fellow citizens of their language rights and it's descended into ethnic civil war. harper and baird's moronic backing to the hilt of the USA's puppets contributes to the environment of armed crazies on either side firing rockets and missiles into the air.

And to blame Hamas at all reveals just total moral failure. Hamas is a symptom of the anger of the Palestinian people over more than half a century of theft, brutality, daily humiliations, racist cruelty.

The ongoing theft, the ongoing occupation, ... if Den Tandt believes that he would respond to such abuse with sweetness and light, ... I'd like to see him prove it.

Live it, you pompous sonofabitch.

Owen Gray said...

And they call it "moral clarity," thwap.

Good to hear from you again.

Rural said...

As they inflict their views upon the Canadian electorate and the world it is apparent that not only do they believe that their way is the right way and the end justify the means but also that those that have a differing opinion are not to be listened to or their opinion considered. That may be the conservative philosophy to ignore and silence those that speak out about their flawed logic but it sure is not democratic or bode well for the future of Canada either domestically or on the world stage.

Owen Gray said...

That's a symptom of people who believe that God is on their side, Rural.

Abraham Lincoln was a little more humble. He said he hoped that God was on his side. But he was never certain.

Anonymous said...

Contrary to den Tandt's claims, Harper will go down in history as one of the warmongers, like Bush and Cheney. And likely be called a chickenhawk too. Has Harper or his children ever served in the military: we all know the answer to that one, eh?

Someone should ask den Tandt what he thinks would have happened if the U.N. had instead carved out a piece of Alberta or Texas to form Israel? And Israel had gone on to acquire even more of Alberta/Texas?

Same outrageous hypocrisy in our MSM as in blaming Putin for arming and supporting the separatists while not holding the U.S. and Canada responsible for the civilian Palestinian deaths. The U.S. and Canada are either, directly or indirectly, responsible for these civilian deaths by arming and supporting Israel's military actions.

Even both Kerry and Obama now seem to be concerned that Israel had caused a lot of collateral destruction and civilian deaths already. But not our MSM: imagine what den Tandt would likely be saying if non combatant Albertan children had been killed playing soccer?

Rational people would have insisted that all parties responsible for killing non combatants, that is both Hamas and Israel, be charged and tried for violating the Geneva Convention. In that case, in this current conflict, based on reports, Hamas would have to account for two Israeli civilian deaths while Israel would have to answer for about 400 civilian deaths (75% of over 500 deaths).

Owen Gray said...

But that, Anon, would require putting yourself in the other person's shoes -- a perspective that eludes these folks.

Anonymous said...

Harper is a sociopath. Saying the children of Palestine are merely collateral damage? To me, the deaths of those children, are crimes against humanity,

What do Israel and Harper want to do? Push Palestine into the sea?

There are two sides to this story and Harper as usual, is the wrong side of the story,

An article on Harper's adventures in the Ukraine? Murray Dobbin wondered if, Harper was becoming, America's useful idiot?

Owen Gray said...

Dobbins piece was excellent, Anon.