National Post: NATO and the Judgement of Paris
The lessons of Afghanistan were purchased at a bitter cost: the war claimed more lives, more years, and more money than any other campaign in NATO's history. Unless the alliance…
ISIS
Putin’s Christian crusader
After 9/11, the Americans declared war on terrorism. Now Russia has gone them one better. According to the Very Reverend Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, prominent spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church,…
Putting Things Into Perspective
The bigoted backlash against Muslims in light of the recent ISIS attacks is given short shrift by This Hour Has 22 Minutes:Should the time come when we no longer have…
When Is War, War?
Don Maroc One thing we can feel secure about, a lot of out neighbours seem to know a great deal about what’s happening in Paris, France and Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan,…
On Keeping Perspective
With the cacophony of voices calling for Canada to continue to “Bomb, Baby, Bomb.” and Canadian miscreants retaliating against Muslims by setting fires to mosques, it is crucial for voices…
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and their progeny
Neil Macdonald had an interesting article on the CBC website Monday morning about the options for dealing with ISIS. One of the comments—by “western island”—had a suggestion that in my…
Collective Amnesia
In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, it seems that the world is about to embark on even greater military intervention in the Middle East, intervention that will undoubtedly…
Could Syria Become the 21st Century Sarajevo?
There were plenty of proxy wars during the Cold War only back then the principals had enough sense to avoid direct clashes. That was then, this is Syria where today…
As Clear as Mud
In under 2-minutes, the BBC explains who is fighting whom in Syria. It’s as clear as mud.
No Scrutiny Please, They’re Saudi.
This op-ed appeared in The Ottawa Citizen on October 1, 2015. In 2014, on the shores of Lake Geneva and next to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for…
ISIS and Terrorism – A Reality Check
“The responsibility of intellectuals is to speak the truth and expose lies.” – Noam Chomsky “In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” – George Orwell…
Robert Fisk
Last evening my wife and I attended a talk given by Robert Fisk, the renowned British journalist who has lived in and covered the Middle East for almost 40 years.…
Need To Know: On Syria And The Migrant/Refugee Crisis
This was initially meant to be a lengthy Facebook post for those who look to me for information on complex matters (which I do happily, by request). However, it received…
Why Stephen Harper and Thomas Mulcair Have Got it so Wrong on ISIS
Recently the Toronto Star posted a piece on Thomas Mulcair and the fight against ISIS: Mulcair Would Pull Canada From U.S. Led Mission in Mid-East if Elected. This is a…
Why Stephen Harper and Thomas Mulcair Have Got it so Wrong on ISIS
Recently the Toronto Star posted a piece on Thomas Mulcair and the fight against ISIS: Mulcair Would Pull Canada From U.S. Led Mission in Mid-East if Elected. This is a…
Why Stephen Harper and Thomas Mulcair Have Got it so Wrong on ISIS
Recently the Toronto Star posted a piece on Thomas Mulcair and the fight against ISIS: Mulcair Would Pull Canada From U.S. Led Mission in Mid-East if Elected. This is a…
The Tragedy that Will Return Harper to Office. . . .
We are eager to write off Harper and his government as dead in the water. We were especially eager to write them off after their reaction to the tragedy of…
A Poll Assesses Harper’s Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis
Nelilfu Demir’s photograph of the body of three year old Alan Kurdi washed up on a Turkish beach has taken its place among other iconic photographs that, in the words…
Dear Mr Harper: About that Poll…
On Thursday I answered the phone and it was you Mr Harper (well, your robot pollster lady) wondering whether I’d answer a 30 second political survey. While I can’t be…