John Baird in his Santa’s lap
“I am concerned that there is a little bit too much enthusiasm as a result of the different tone. And what we hope is, the world won’t take the pressure…
Iran
Iran & Syria: Obama Talks Softly but carries a Big Stick
Teddy Roosevelt’s Big Stick Policy President Obama has confounded his domestic and international critics by adopting the negotiation posture first espoused by President Teddy Roosevelt: The widespread use of ‘speak…
John Baird does not trust Iran
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Canada remains ‘skeptical’ of Iran despite a historic telephone call between U.S. President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Friday. (Jacques Boissinot/The…
The Incredible Shrinking Steve Harper
Golly. If Stephen Harper's stature on the world stage keeps shrinking we're going to have to swap that magnifying glass for a microscope eh? Yesterday we found out how low…
Democracy Now interview with Noam Chomsky on Syria and related matters: U.S. ‘torturing’ Iran for 60 years
In this talk hosted by Democracy Now, Noam Chomsky raises a number of key points with respect to the U.S. government’s approach to Syria and Iran. He also addresses the…
Chemical Weapons in Syria? Merely a Pretext [Iran, Shhh.]
” It’s the Economy, Stupid.” If you think you know why Syria is happening , you’re probably missing a number of the elements at play. Don’t expect western governments or…
Sanctions—deadlier than war?
Most Canadians, I suspect, don’t pay much attention to the use of sanctions in international politics. War, yes—people being shot, bombed, and apparently even gassed is hard to ignore—but sanctions…
Obama & Syria: A Rehearsal for Iran?
After Prime Minister David Cameron’s failure to bring along with him a majority of the MPs in the British Parliament, America has been reduced to vocal support from Germany (but…
The U.S. war against democracy in the Middle East
The CIA’s recent public admission that it masterminded the 1953 military coup against Iran’s democratically elected government reminded me once again of the fickle U.S. support for democracy in the…
U.S. arms for Syrian rebels: inflaming Sunni-Shia sectarianism
The Obama administration’s decision to authorize the arming of the Syrian rebels is opposed by a large majority of Americans. A recent Pew poll indicates that 74 percent of independents,…
Who are we trying to impress?
Canada ends all trade with Iran citing ‘grave and sincere concern’ over nuclear program Canada ended all trade with Iran on Wednesday, citing “grave and sincere concern” over the Islamic…
Israel and Peace in the Middle East
What is the biggest threat to stability and peace in the Middle East? It is not Iran, Iraq, or Syria… it’s Israel. The government of Israel – especially prime ministers…
Veterans for Peace: Please Don’t Iraq Iran or Any Other Nation
By: Veterans for Peace | Press Release: WASHINGTON – April 1, 2013 – Veterans for Peace has released the following statement: With the 10-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq…
And How Did That Work Out For You?
It’s settled now that Iraq’s oil riches pretty much sealed Saddam Hussein’s fate. The Anglo-American conquest of Iraq was heavily an oil-driven decision. And wasn’t it nice of the Americans…
Iran’s Aerial Snake Oil
A few weeks back I put up a survey of various nations that were getting into the stealth game with either aircraft or UAVs under development or actually in testing.…
Argo: American propaganda wins best picture at the Oscars
The Hollywood-White House embrace was front and center when Michelle Obama was beamed into the Oscars, military personnel behind her, to announce the best picture pick. Surprise, surprise… Argo, replete…
Canadian activist says Harper is wrong about Iran, gets CSIS visit
By Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Feb. 22, 2013: In January, 2012, outspoken labour and anti-racism activist, Ken Stone argued that “Harper is Wrong in Demonizing Iran” in an…