Canada: Reaping What we Sow, Government Still Doesn't Understand Security - Rising Anti-Canadianism, Time for "O, Canada!", Hope-Syria & Lebanon

Reaping what we sow National Post, March 2, 2005

[. . . . ] last week's decision to opt out of the U.S. missile shield.
Recent developments in the United States will help make their case. It was little secret that our closest friend, neighbour and ally would be offended by our refusal to offer even symbolic support for its continental security initiative. Even so, the response from Washington has been surprisingly swift.

Most notable was the apparent cancellation of a mid-April visit to Ottawa by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- a decision that CTV news has reported was . . . . a NORAD surveillance project in Goose Bay, Labrador -- one that would enhance Canada's role in continental security while creating 340 short-term jobs and 100 permanent ones -- appears to be in jeopardy, with U.S. officials having cancelled a related information briefing following last week's announcement.

Response from the U.S. media has been equally disturbing. [. . . . ]

They still don't understand the concept of security yet

Paul Cellucci, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Canada, was a keynote speaker at the American Assembly, and he told the participants that "security trumps trade, while we must keep trade flowing."

The closer we get, the farther apart we are -- Report warns of rising tide of U.S. 'anti-Canadianism' Scott Stinson, National Post, Mar. 2, 05

Canada and the United States are at their most acrimonious point in recent history, despite being more reliant on each other than ever, an assembly of 70 high-profile citizens of the two countries warns.

"It is by now evident that Canada is losing influence in Washington," says the report, the product of the American Assembly, a series of meetings last month in New York. [. . . . ]

Remember Richler's title? "Oh Canada, Oh, Quebec" -- Well, it is time for "O, Canada!"

(If I have misremembered the title, I apologize.)

O, Canada! March 02, 2005, Fox News, John Gibson

What she [Condoleezza Rice ] is mad about -- and what I am mad about -- is that Canada decided it would pull out of the American-sponsored and American-paid-for North American Missile Defense Program (search).

This program involves the U.S. building a missile defense system and hopefully being able to shoot down missiles aimed at America -- presumably from some nut job nation like North Korea (search). [. . . . ]

Search: sovereign airspace




A Loosening Grip -- Protests in Lebanon give hope to two nations. March 02, 2005, Q&A by Kathryn Jean Lopez

Go to the website and read Farid Ghadry's qualifications online for being asked to take part.

[. . . . ] National Review Online: How big of a deal is the government resignation in Lebanon? Were you surprised by it?

Farid Ghadry: It is a huge deal because not only did it show that the peaceful will of the people can prevail in curbing despotism, but it also showed how weak Syrian Baathists are. And that is very important. The Syrians and Lebanese have lived the last 44 and 29 years respectively under fear from a powerful police state that is accountable to no one. The Lebanese experience with the killing of Hariri has demolished the concept that Syrian Baathista are all-powerful and they are accountable to no one. The Lebanese people are emboldened by the support of the international community and members of parliament like Ahmad Moufatfat and Walid Ido have warned high Syrian intelligence officers that they seek to bring them to justice if implicated in the killing of Hariri. [. . . . ]

NRO: How much of a risk is it for these people who are out in "martyrs' square" protesting? [. . . . ]

NRO: Is it realistic that Syria might wind up leaving Lebanon? [. . . . ]

NRO: Are the people in Syria liable to be seriously encouraged by the Lebanese? Or is the Baath grip too strong? [. . . . ]

NRO: What would a pragmatic U.S. policy toward Syria look like? [. . . . ]

NRO: What should Americans know about the people you talk to inside of Syria? [. . . . ]

Link and read his responses.