July 26, 2006: Bud Talkinghorn

Hezbollah's revenge on their "infidel" fellow citizens

The stunning disregard for the consequences of their reckless actions is apparent. You see, the Shi'ite population of southern Lebanon lives in poverty and reduced infrastructure, so why shouldn't their neighbours. They want a theocratic (Shi'ite, of course) state. The more "infidel" Sunnis, Druze and Christians who give up on the country and emigrate, the better. Already, through having huge families the Shia are demographically winning the game, Still, there is much to do to conquer the entire country. Beggering your neighbours in the northern section is a good start however. And Syria and Iran--through Hezbollah--can begger Israel at the same time. How good is that?

On the deepest level, the concordat between the Sunni Hamas and the Shi'ite Hezbollah is tissue thin. Both have visions of their sect emerging triumphant in the Middle East. One doesn't have to be a seer to imagine a future war between these groups. Both will be filled with limited industry, huge unsupportable populations, and festering resentments. Both will have their disaffected youth, whom the fundamentalists will indoctrinate into suicide attacks. Killing an apostate Muslim gets you the 72 virgins, as well. Will the jihadis in heaven have to duke it out up there as well, with Allah as a negotiator? Or will he play favours? Seems to me a tough theological nut for Muslims to crack.

© Bud Talkinghorn


The Lebanese citizens of convenience

Garth Turner, a Conservative MP, had the nerve to openly say that Lebanese-Canadians, who actually live in Canada, should have had first crack at evacuation. This statement exposed the large number of people who use Canada solely to gain a Western passport. One representative of the Montreal Lebanese community estimated that 20% of the evacuee arrivals were permanent Lebanese citizens. In BC we see the same thing operating with our Chinese population--along with marriages of convenience. Maybe this is the ultimate in a "distinct society"--people who can't be bothered even living here. Now we have an influx of Lebanese, who have given nothing for years to the country, but will soon help swell the welfare rolls and have to be re-located into society. When Lebanon settles down again, they will leave us again. I always feel that when the foreign grifters, opportunists and religious fundamentalists pick through the Western countries, Canada comes out on top for immigration / refugee laxity. Then, to have some of these ex-pat Lebanese bitch about their evacuations is too much. Real bad PR there, folks.

I just heard about the latest Leger poll on Canadians' attitudes towards Muslims. Only one in five hold a positive view. Gee, with Islam's world-wide reign of terror attacks, the Islamic internecine slaughter in Iraq, and the Hezbollah, Iranian and al-Qaeda threats, I can't understand why.

© Bud Talkinghorn