Saturday, August 02, 2014

Great Fools

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Jeffrey Simpson has an interesting piece this morning on Canada's bullhorn diplomacy:

Today, without exaggerating Canada’s influence anywhere, it is instructive how offside Canada is on various issues with traditional allies.

For example, every country with which Canada has been traditionally allied has been calling for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas “conflict” (or “war” if you prefer). The Obama administration has been using whatever diplomatic leverage it could to bring one about. Canada, by contrast, stands mute, which is to say the government might like a cessation of hostilities (or maybe not for the time being), but will continue to take its cue from the government of Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel.

 On Iran, Canada is full of fire and brimstone:

It also lines up with the Netanyahu government in being fearful of nuclear talks with Iran. Yes, the Harper government nominally says it hopes the talks might reach an agreement, but the terms of success as articulated by Ottawa are those of the Netanyahu government and, as such, can never be the foundation of a negotiated agreement.

So, once again, Canada is offside with the United States, Britain, France and Germany, which are negotiating with Iran. Fire-breathing rhetoric continues to be directed from Ottawa at Tehran. The Canadian embassy there remains closed, whereas the British have just reopened theirs.

And, of course, Mr. Harper takes great pleasure in scolding Vladimir Putin:

On relations with Russia, Canada has the luxury of having limited trade and few contacts, a perfect setting for bullhorn diplomacy directed not just at Vladimir Putin, but indirectly and indiscreetly at European allies admittedly torn and dithering about how to handle Russia because they, unlike Canada, have substantial interests and a long intertwined history. Lectures from Ottawa will be as appreciated (and therefore unhelpful) in the capitals of Western Europe as the ones former finance minister Jim Flaherty used to direct about the European Union’s struggle with its economic policies in the years following the crash of 2008.

The Harper government -- true to its fundamentalist roots -- treats the other countries of the world like sinners in the hands of an angry God, sure that only Canada and Israel will be swept away in the Great Rapture.

The rest of the world views the Harper government as Great Fools.


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Harper the fool has been referred to as, the Americans useful idiot.

Harper's support rally for Israel, is an absolute embarrassment to most Canadians. Actually, Harper is an embarrassment no matter what he does. His henchmen, Baird, Kenny and MacKay are certainly no better than Harper.

All around the globe, there are citizens signing a petition against, Israel and their supporters. They were outraged that, the dead Palestinian children were, merely collateral damage.

Were the Jewish children with tattoos on their arms, merely collateral damage as well.

Owen Gray said...

The people who used to determine our foreign policy were much wiser than these folks, Anon.

e.a.f. said...

I say we all chip in a couple of buck and get Bennie and Stevie a room together. They can have their mutal admiration society meeting there.

Both Bennie and Stevie appeal to the extremists in their countries. However, both countries elected them. Now we have to live with it.

Stevie and Bennie actually have a great more in common with Putin than they think they do.

As to Iran, well, they had better be nice to them. They maybe all in the end which stands between ISIS taking over a lot more territory than they have to date.

Stevie is an embarrassment. He doesn't want to understand Europe has been dealing with Russia longer than today or since his reign of error. If Putin ever decided he wanted the North, and came over to stake him claim, you can bet Stevie would be shitting himself and re-locating to Australia.

Stevie is a coward and wouldn't last in a room with Putin 5 minutes. /We can only hope he is toast in 2015. It doesn't matter to me which party forms the next federal government, as long as its not the federal Conservatives.

Owen Gray said...

In so many ways Harper is simply out of his depth, e.a.f. But you can bet that he will do whatever it takes to keep swimming in 2015.

Unknown said...

Just wait until the "Islamatic State" [ISIS ISIL etc.] takes hold.

We will witness the worst possible fear and war mongering the world has ever seen. A new enemy oh that's so nice for the arms and munition makers of the world Canada being one of them I cannot stand it.

We were a peaceful nation until Harper and his henchmen stole the reins of the country.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=the+new+ISIS+or+'Islamic+State%22&rlz=1C1MSNA_enCA599CA599&oq=the+new+ISIS+or+'Islamic+State%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.22177j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Owen why Photo Sphere us?

Owen Gray said...

I'm sorry, Mogs, I don't understand your question. What do you mean?

Unknown said...

aximum slnerst
I apologize for misunderstanding but I have to use the words "Photo Sphere" now in order to log in to leave a comment and as far as I can tell it is blatant advertising for a consumer product? Clue me in is what I meant why "Photo Sphere"?

Owen Gray said...

I'm mystified, Mogs. I have made no changes. I assumed everyone was logging on through their Google account.

Unknown said...

hOwen go to the library and try to log on on your blog and see?

I do not know but this 'Photo Sphere" has taken over your "Please prove you're not a robot..."

Owen Gray said...

Apparently, Photo Sphere is connected to Google Maps, Mogs. Perhaps the computers at the library are somehow connecting you to Photo Sphere and not to your Google account.

Owen Gray said...

Others seem to be getting through, Mogs.