The Israel/Palestine issue is the foreign policy issue to which politians are most expect to have a cogent answer to. It is a necessary right of passage and, for many, a litmus test for political support. Unlike many other countries and regions to which my research has not indicated extensive
Continue readingTag: Israel
Peace, order and good government, eh?: Inciting hysteria
The Vancouver Sun has a report on the reaction to our prime minister’s recent statements regarding Iran from an Iranian expatriate named Trita Parsi who is head of the “Washington-based National Iranian American Council.” A prominent Iranian expert says Prime Minister Stephen Harper is inciting “hysteria” with his comments about
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: A domestic foreign policy: Iran, Israel, and the US
Foreign policy is ostensibly something to do with other countries. However, when politicians talk about it they are largely doing so for their own domestic interests. Discussions of foreign policy are constantly evolving in the ideas, rhetoric, policies and details; the discussion of Iran today is very different than it
Continue readingMadonna saves the world. Fans beg Netanyahu to delay WWIII until after Madonna concert.
Suddenly I have reason to like the pop queen. Or at least her Israeli fans. In a newly launched Facebook page, Israeli fans of U.S. pop megastar Madonna are pleading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off any such plans to strike Iran until the Queen of Pop’s planned show
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Dear John Baird
You recently suggested that Israel has no better friend than Canada. So perhaps you would be the best one to have a chat with our friends and suggest that this kind of thing is generally frowned upon. Deadly attacks on Iranian nuclear scientists are being carried out by an Iranian
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: John Baird’s response to the Israel/Iran conflict
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird Right now, we have one sovereign United Nations member making explicit overtures about launching a unilateral military attack on another sovereign United Nations member. It isn’t just rhetoric, there is a nontrivial possibility that this might actually occur and they have both the motive and
Continue readingNiall Ferguson cheers on war between Israel and Iran
“Hi folks, this used to be Israel. Or, was it Iran? I forgot. Oh well. Where’s my paycheque?” Or, more like an Israeli attack on Iran. The money quote: War is an evil. But sometimes a preventive war can be a lesser evil than a policy of appeasement. The people
Continue readingRedBedHead: Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Drops The "H-Bomb"
I’m not talking about that other H-bomb, the one that the US government dropped on innocent civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. No, I’m talking about Adolph Hitler, yes, that H-Bomb. Every time our leaders want to justify a war against another people they whip out the Hitler’s name. He is
Continue readingMontreal Simon: John Baird and the Minister of Margaritas
I’ve always had my doubts about the wisdom of making John Baird our Foreign Affairs Minister, instead of the Minister of Margaritas. But now I feel that even more strongly. “Hitler wrote Mein Kampf more than a decade before he became Chancellor of Germany and they take these issues pretty
Continue readingRedBedHead: Is America Worried Israel Is Gonna Go Ape Shit On Iran?
Apparently the US Defence Secretary Leo Panetta is very worried that Israel will attack Iran come March. Those Israelis just can’t control themselves in the face of Iran’s intransigence over their – admittedly non-military – nuclear program. I mean, what if, you know, Iran decided down the road to make
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Speaking of political theatre
While the National Post does its best to hype the threat posed by Iran, here’s the news I can’t seem to find from a Canadian source: WASHINGTON, Feb 1, 2012 (IPS) – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey told Israeli leaders Jan. 20 that the United
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Occupy Boston: No War On Iran
On Saturday, February 4, The Action for Peace Working Group of Occupy Boston will co-sponsor a rally and march as part of an international day of action to demand NO WAR ON IRAN. The march, …Read More
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: When is the Price of a Politician Too High?
Since Citizens United paved the way for the wealthy to buy U.S. political candidates outright, there is more for Americans to worry about than losing their democracy, though that is certainly a blow to a once democratic country. The people with all of this money expect something in return and
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: First It Was International Law. Now Israel’s Supreme Court Trashes Human Rights.
Israel’s paper thin veneer of being a Western-style liberal democracy is being shredded. It’s the inevitable result of Israel having to come to grips with issues it has for decades been able to duck. Issues such as breaching international law to enable Israeli companies to exploit Palestinian resources in the
Continue readingHarper’s paranoia reaches a new level … a dangerous level?
Stephen Harper was in full psychic mode on a Calgary call-in show Thursday. He telepathically declared that Iran is “a regime that wants to acquire nuclear weapons … and has indicated some desire to actually use nuclear weapons.” An impressive feat—reading the minds of the mullahs. The man is starting
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: In Israel, Even the Top Court is an Outlaw
When Israel’s top court runs headlong into international law it’s an ugly day for the rule of law. The Israeli Supreme Court had to decide whether Israeli companies can exploit resources in the Palestinian territory, the West Bank. International law forbids occupying powers from doing just that. Faced with the
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Women’s rights under threat in Israel
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently criticized the growing exclusion of women from public life in Israel. Her timing couldn’t be better given news reports of segregated public transportation, ‘Mea She’arim’ streets, the defacing of ads that show female models and even bizarre concerns raised in some Orthodox quarters
Continue readingGingrich plans to be next rising of Netanyahu: Palestinians are ‘invented’ people
Showing that he has lost none of his talent for shooting-in-the-foot hyperbole, Newt Gingrich has gone all likud Netanyahu, diminishing the Palestinian people in a sweeping statement of support for Israel: “I believe that the Jewish people have the right to have a state, and I believe that the commitments
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: Loontastic!
If anything seems to elicit the barely disguised lunatic aspect of almost every Republican politician (with a few notable exceptions such as Ron Paul and Gary Johnson), it’s their desperate need to almost comically “out-crazy” one another with bellicose, war-mongering rhetoric whenever speaking to radical right-wing Jewish special interest groups.
Continue readingRedBedHead: Arab Democracy Makes Netanyahu Nervous
I’ll give the Israeli PM this: he’s at least honest. Israel’s interests lie with the continued existence of Arab dictatorships that are bought and paid for by the USA. Why? Because Israel is a vile colonialist and racist regime whose existence is only made possible by the fact that tens
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