Mid East Message To Stephen Harper, Stockwell Day et al
Ten Senior American security advisors (a mix of Democrats and Republicans) have now advised the new President in a letter as well as in a Report, which they all signed:
The 10 signatories — of both the four-page letter and the report — include Paul Volcker, former national security advisers Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski, former Senator Chuck Hagel, former World Bank President James Wolfensohn, former U.S. Trade Representative Carla Hills, former Congressman Lee Hamilton and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Thomas Pickering.
Their thinking appears to coincide in significant degree with that of both George Mitchell, Obama’s Middle East envoy, and Gen. James Jones, Obama’s national security adviser who worked on security issues with Israelis and Palestinians in the last year of the Bush administration, an often frustrating experience.
This overlap gives the report particular significance.
Here’s the deal: Of Hamas, the target of Israel’s futile pounding of Gaza, the eminent Group of 10 writes that, “Shutting out the movement and isolating Gaza has only made it stronger and Fatah weaker.”
And here’s the recommendation: “Talk to Hamas”.
Let George Galloway speak.
Get with history guys.
Smarten up.
Hey Jim.
I have been pounding the keys writing letters to Iggy, Harper, Jack, et al regarding the ridiculous stance this Government has taken regarding George Galloway and what he has to say.
It’s the same attitute prevailing that if you criticize actions taken by the Governments of any Country you are anti-that Country’s people, which is ridiculous. No one is saying that Hamas has not participated in terrorist activity, but so has Israel, the U.K., America, and on and on, but good old George is allowed to come here and spout his garbage at $400.00 per plate. Hamas also is involved with many programs to help the Palestinians recover from the brutal attack on Civilians. They are democratically elected and many agencies have given help to the government in Gaza, not just “georgeous george”. Canada is one of the only Countries labelling them as terrorist and I must say, that my poor Canada seems to have gone bye, bye. Harper is still hanging on to the Bush Doctine.
Send a cheque for $5 c/o your MP’s office, made
out to the Respect Party of Britain.
Our lickspittle yellowbelly electeds can’t
destroy them, can they?
At a minimum they’d have to mail them back.
10,000 of these would make a difference purely
as a buggeration-factor, don’t you
think.
They’ll have to figure out what it is first.
The growing influence of the Israeli lobby, the shutting down of free speech, CSIS stating that they will certainly make use of “intelligence” obtained through torture, growing unemployment and poverty, massive bailouts to banks and corporations while workers are blackmailed and forced to accept less and less, the rising death toll in Afghanistan while that country continues to mire in violence, drugs and corruption, and a frightened, apathetic bovine citizenry.
The stage is set.
All of this simply goes to show just how pathetically out of touch our government is with reality.
We have a foreign affairs Minister now…Lawrence Cannon…Mr. Loose…who – believe it or not, is WORSE than Peter McKay.
And that indeed is saying something.
On the contrary Jim, I believe they are VERY in touch with reality- only the reality of the manipulation of public opinion, the dumbing down of Universities to comply with corporate america, the labelling of anyone who questions the official line as anti semite, the bread and circuses that is the popular media, the rise of fundamentalist religions of all stripes, the inventing of enemies or the creation of them by invading their countries, Newspeak, propaganda, control, and a Military-Corporate agenda. Fear, insecurity, increasing poverty, unemployment, the destruction of hard worked for pensions, the obscene hate on for workers who had the nerve to bargain collectively with their unions for decent pay and benefits, the slow erosion of public services and the demonization of peoples who have the gall to object to our killing their citizens and occupying their land. The increasing militarization of our country in the guise of “support our troops” .
Erik Arthur Blair aka george orwell was only off a few decades. We have always been at war with Oceana.
Sent today….
Mr. Kenney
Mr. G’s demagogue-persona frightens me a little, but he is right about one thing, you ARE a coward.
However you aren’t stupid. Galloway would eat you (and the combined Conservative cabinet) alive in debate.
And the “clown” comment from Ignatieff to a nicey-nice audience takes the prize, coming from the ultimate parachute candidate, insulting a many-times elected Commonwealth MP from a far tougher constituency than his.
But Ignatieff, for all his repellent qualities, is apparently in favour of free speech, unlike you.
You are all taking Canada down the toilet.
A pox on both your houses. I hope you wear this rotting albatross for some time.
Anthony
Really well written Anthony, I totally agree.
Said much better than I could have.
CBC Take 2: G20 group photo to be snapped again after Harper’s absence….
He was in the washroom.
Left the best part in there, I guess….
The best part of any person – male or female is their “balls” … in a figurative sense, if you get my drift.
So I disagree…he did not leave his “best part” in the washroom.
In his case, he has no “best part”.
Sent today to Hon. JL
Thank you Sir Layton.
I have $100 here to be spent 50/50 on the judicial hearing on the pathetic Bush admin legacy on which Kenney based his abuse of power, and towards Galloway’s legal costs in suing those responsible for tarnishing Canada’s reputation around the world.
In fairness to USA, they for once had no part in this disgraceful and insulting treatment of a Commonwealth member of parliament.
It’s all ours. Made in Canada.
None but the narrowest bigots in Canada would object to Mr. Galloway’s highly effective dog-and-pony shows.
I come from Galloway’s background and wouldn’t necessarily cross the street to hear him.
I might, I might not.
But that choice wasn’t mine to make, something I bitterly resent.
If you and the NDP aren’t prepared to stand up for free speech and for the 99% of Canadians who support it, you will get no further support from me.
What you have done to date on this issue isn’t nearly enough.
Please send the mailing addresses of the offices I seek.
Respectfully
I agree with you whole heartedly. Totally and completely on every aspect of what you say.
Pathetically, Mr. Layton is unlikely to respond one way or ‘t’other…as he is captivated and seconded by some exotic parliamentary aroma emanating from beneath the useless asses of the so-called “representatives” sitting on the benches of all sides.
There are:
1. the backbenchers of the governing Party…afraid to speak out under any circumstances.
2. the Ministers of the governing Party…ordered to maintain the “silence of the lambs” err…sheep.
3. the Liberal Opposition, who are utterly unclear as to what they ought to do under the laughable leadership of the Harvard Hatter.
4. the inept and out-of-touch old new dems, who are clueless in the extreme….
5. leaving only the separatist PQ to articulate the lost Canadian Dream.
Go figure.
I searched today for ….”Canadian Federation of Independent Candidates” and there is no such thing.
There damn well should be.
Rather than minority populist bleating from the failed and/or unelectable and other MMP fartcatchers wanting to “serve” their party (i.e. themselves) as List candidates, a standing wave of Independents across Canada would deliver diversity with far more integrity and effect.
What would these candidates have in common?
For starters:
A natural-born obsession with thinking for themselves and taking whatever time it takes to do it, rather than jumping in line when the party-bosses tells you to.
A steadfast dedication to the Canadian Charter of Rights.
And to all things which can be demonstrated to benefit the average taxpayer IN THEIR CONSTITUENCY.
ABSOLUTE unavailability to individuals, lobbies and media outside their constituencies.
A dedication bordering on fanaticism to separation of Church and State.
I’d want our Constitution to be lean and fit. Everything that counts is already there, but our current politicians are progressively corrupting the work of those who came before them.
Ready?
Spirit of Tommy Douglas, guide us.
All this proves is that their is a lot of naiveté to go around, including here.
An argument based on some principle (an idea), rather than just a consensus of ‘security advisers’ would carry far more weight (and i could cite 10 other experts with opposing views).
Of course, we would then have to establish the validity of the priciples/ideas involved, but that is a much larger and more difficult task.
So…Greg…what do you think about candidates running as Independents?