The Arab spring, one of the most encouraging events from a democratic perspective in recent years, has unfortunately mostly failed. Egypt, the most important Arab country, and the country where democrats’ hopes where highest, has lapsed back into an increasingly oppressive military dictatorship. But one country, the one where it
Continue readingTag: Middle East
drive-by planet: ‘Terrorism threat’ hyped to fuel Harper government’s reactionary right-wing agenda
Following the Ottawa shooting both the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star ran headlines that signaled the nation was under assault. The Globe went with the single word “Attacked” superimposed on a silhouette of parliament, with a solitary red-and-white Canadian flag fluttering against the background gloom. The Star went
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: The DWR Sunday Religious Disservice – Religious Child Abuse
Our imperial conquests in the Middle East are, of course, busily blowing up in our face. The new normal is a murderous state of higgledy-piggledy brought on by us wiping out the quasi-stable societies that had kept the peace (of sorts). Because nothing says we love peace like bombing the
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Principled Abstention: Why Liberal MP Irwin Cotler Abstained From Iraq War Vote
Did Liberal MP Irwin Cotler rebel against party leader Justin Trudeau when he abstained from Tuesday’s House of Commons vote on Harper’s decision to drag Canada into an unwinnable military campaign in Iraq? The post Principled Abstention: Why Liberal MP Irwin Cotler Abstained From Iraq War Vote appeared first on
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Some Recent History in the Middle East – ISIS and US.
Fascinating reading about some of the circular nature of events that are playing out in the Middle East as of late. This excerpt from the Counterpunch article titled Once More, Into the Quagmire. The Middle East Needs Our Military Might One can hear, in the reverberating noise of mainstream
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Ten Questions about the Harper Government’s embrace of war with ISIS-ISIL-IS
Ready, Aye, Ready! Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird whips up the War Party in the House of Commons. Below: Stephen Harper, the prime minister, and Edmonton Centre MP Laurie Hawn. Stephen Harper, John Baird, Laurie Hawn and the rest of the boys yesterday finally got the war in Iraq they’ve
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Trudeau “cannot and will not” support Harper’s Iraq war motion
Responding to Harper’s Iraq war motion, introduced Friday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said his party “cannot and will not support this Prime Minister’s motion.” The post Trudeau “cannot and will not” support Harper’s Iraq war motion appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Elizabeth May Responds To Harper’s Iraq War Motion
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May agrees with Harper that “Canada cannot stand on the sidelines,” but warns that “bombings have never ended an Islamic or any religious extremist terrorist threat.” The post Elizabeth May Responds To Harper’s Iraq War Motion appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Closer You Look …
The closer one looks at the ISIS thing, the more it starts looking like a sectarian war in the Middle East. Yesterday in the Globe and Mail, Robert Fowler very nicely articulated the problem with short term solutions to the mess in Iraq, and today I spotted a really interesting
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper Speech Announces Canada’s Air Strikes Against ISIS
Here’s an unedited text of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s speech in the House of Commons on Friday, announcing Canada’s air strikes against ISIS in Iraq. The post Harper Speech Announces Canada’s Air Strikes Against ISIS appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingWho is "part of the problem," Mr. Cameron?
Recently British PM David Cameron, even while encouraging Iran to help deal with ISIS, couldn’t resist taking a shot at the country. In his UN speech, he stated superciliously that Iran can be “part of the solution, not part of the problem.” Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, took umbrage, declaring the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Cheap Rhetoric Versus Practical Questions
With regard to the ISIS threat, here is what Prime Minister Harper had to say in the House: “These are necessary actions, they are noble actions” …. “When we think that something is necessary and noble, we don’t sit back and say that only other people should do it. The
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper Lied About U.S. Requesting Canada’s Military Help In Iraq
American officials say Canada offered further military help to fight the Islamic State in Iraq – not the other way around as Harper told the Wall Street Journal earlier this week. The post Harper Lied About U.S. Requesting Canada’s Military Help In Iraq appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper Lied About U.S. Requesting Canada’s Military Help In Iraq
American officials say Canada offered further military help to fight the Islamic State in Iraq – not the other way around as Harper told the Wall Street Journal earlier this week. The post Harper Lied About U.S. Requesting Canada’s Military Help In Iraq appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Israeli spy veterans refuse to “harm innocent Palestinians”
34 Israeli intelligence veterans who have served in Unit 8200 write to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explaining why they refuse to serve and “harm innocent Palestinians.” The post Israeli spy veterans refuse to “harm innocent Palestinians” appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Israel committed war crimes in Gaza: Human Rights Watch
Human rights groups says Israel committed war crimes during Gaza conflict, urges the International Criminal Court to facilitate the “prosecution of serious international crimes by both sides.” The post Israel committed war crimes in Gaza: Human Rights Watch appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: ISIS, IS or ISIL … Whatever It’s Called This Week
It comes as no surprise that Harper is in a great hurry to commit Canada to a shooting war in Iraq/Afghanistan/Syria. Make no mistake, “military advisors” is a euphemism. Harper is committing troops to a shooting war that frankly we have no business involving ourselves in. I remember saying back
Continue readingCanadian Dimension | Articles: Israelis, stop swimming in our shit
Palestinians in Gaza are starting to wake up from the shell-shock of Israel’s 51-day Ramadan Massacre, which left over 2,131 Palestinians killed (of which more than 500 were children), over 10,000 injured (more than half of whom are estimated to be permanently handicapped), and scores of homes and businesses demolished.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper Nobel Peace Prize nomination “a disgrace and insult”
A fast-growing online petition on Change.org is calling on the Norwegian Nobel Committee to reject Prime Minister’s Stephen Harper’s pending nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize for his unequivocal support of Israel. The post Harper Nobel Peace Prize nomination “a disgrace and insult” appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Driving Round Pegs Into Square Holes – Why We Keep Screwing Up in the Middle East
Since 1918 with the defeat of the Kaiser’s Germany triggered the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the West has established a reputation for screwing up in the Middle East. It can be said to have begun with the French and British carving up the place to suit their interests, drawing
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