Saturday, April 15, 2017

Ready, Aye Ready

That noble motto of the Royal Canadian Navy can now perhaps perversely be described as the modus vivendi of Justin Trudeau in his ongoing efforts to get on the right side of Donald Trump. The alacrity with which he danced to the Orange Ogre's tune on Syria after the latter launched his Tomahawk missile attack following Syria's gas attack on its own people should be a source of grave concern to all. Appeasement never works.





More and more people are discovering that there is far less than meets the eye when it comes to Trudeau's intellect and leadership. And, as always, it is heartening to know that Star readers are not letting anything slip by them:
Re: Trudeau following Trump’s dangerous path on Syria, Walkom, April 12

Trudeau following Trump’s dangerous path on Syria, Walkom, April 12


I appreciated Thomas Walkom’s clear insights into the crisis in Syria. It is important to note that the U.S. missile attack was illegal. Unilateral attacks, without UN approval or without imminent fear of an attack, are illegal

But I have been astounded at the Trudeau government’s seemingly automatic approval of the U.S. action. While spokespeople for the U.K. government, the UN and even Trudeau himself had stated that the chemical attack required investigation, that cool-headed appraisal ended quickly with Trudeau’s supplication to the U.S. and his mind-boggling reference to supporting regime change.

Other attempts at regime change around the world have yielded many failures and led to the deaths of many innocent people. But it seems that, in order to appease an erratic and suddenly interventionist president, we have jumped in to support this ill-conceived and war-mongering U.S. position.

Who would we install? How will this end? I doubt anyone can say, since Syria is a mess. There are many actors on this stage and none offer a palatable alternative to Assad.

I am outraged by Trudeau’s knee-jerk reaction. But, if I hoped that the loyal opposition might provide some balance, I was sadly disappointed. I watched Conservative Peter Kent on CPAC describe Trump’s actions as “courageous.” Disgusting.

Bruce Van Dieten, Toronto

It’s fascinating to watch Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s lightning change of heart. A few days ago, he was publicly cautioning that there still wasn’t firm evidence about who was responsible for the gas attack in Syria.

Now, despite still having no firm evidence of culpability, he is stating that Syrian President Bashar Assad is responsible and that his regime must go.

You wonder whether Trudeau’s Washington handlers yanked his leash, whether he just decided — after watching U.S. President Donald Trump in action — that hysteria is a good enough basis for conducting international relations, or whether he thought that playing the tough guy could rescue his sagging poll numbers, as it seems to have done for Trump.

Whatever the case may be, how reassuring that bugbears like evidence aren’t tying his hands, even when it comes to fanning the flames in a conflict that could tip us over into a world war.

Andrew Brooks, Toronto

Dear Prime Minister: I suggest that before you so quickly decide that deposing Assad is the way to go, take a lesson from what happened in Iraq and Libya when their leaders were deposed. Things ended up much worse than they were before. Deposing Assad is tempting, but could give Daesh just what it’s looking for: an Islamic state to call their own. At the very least, you should know who/what will replace Assad before diving in.

Al Yolles, Toronto

6 comments:

  1. .. ugh ..
    I note one commenter who caught Peter Kent on CPAC
    This is an elected MP.. though goodness knows how this can happen..

    Once upon a time.. another MP named Trudeau
    called out Peter Kent in the Commons as 'a POS'
    .. an astute appraisal
    but now we see Kent's accuser evolving into a POS !

    What kind of ignorant and oblivious sellout thug
    would describe Donald Trump as 'courageous'
    at the same time as our current PM sells Canadians out?

    Forget the polls (oh please) & ignore the platitudes
    the rhetoric, the rancid posturing and baloney
    the phony, completely fake 'diplomatic' language
    I myself would be highly impressed by hearing
    'no comment.. Canada awaits further information'

    We need to remember what the most expensive building
    in the history of Canada is.. Harper's useless CSIS building
    and that it appears to house multitudes of incompetant idiots
    or perhaps its stuffed with overpaid psycophants & bureaucrats
    who can barely find the washroom or traces of reality

    The old analogy always holds true ..
    When someone is pissing on your leg
    and tells you its raining .. what to assume

    Forget 'rainmakers' or responsible coherent representation
    Canada has a wealth of bullshit artists, partisan asshats
    sellouts & captured public servants.. pissing on our legs
    and much of mainstream media is holding their dicks

    Apologies re the course analogies & pithy references !

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    1. An accurate assessment, in my view, Salamander. When I look at our current situation, I see political arrogance that at one time took several years to manifest itself. Trudeau is a victim of his own press, and is underestimating (I hope) the capacity of Canadians' B.S. detectors.

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  2. The disappointment continues to grow, Lorne.

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    1. I'm sure Trudeau takes great solace that he is still the darling of the international press, Owen. He forgets, however, that it has no vote in the next election.

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  3. When JT came to power he filled a bushel basket with the low-hanging fruit - re-opening Coast Guard stations, the inquiry into missing First Nations women, the census, that sort of thing. He got doubters, including me, to begin questioning whether we had misjudged the guy. Then came the Saudi Death Wagon deal, C-51, bitumen boosting and pipelines, electoral reform and more and he showed and has kept showing his true colours.

    I've been wondering whether the decline in Liberal blogging isn't reflective of this malaise. People like Glenn Ashton (Curiosity Cat) once were great Trudeau supporters and have fallen silent, but not without bitterly criticizing the Dauphin. I think Trudeau has demoralized them. They were so energetic in lambasting Harper and now they're greeted with - this.

    We gleefully berate Trump for reneging on his solemn promises to his supporters. Trudeau is cut from the same cloth.

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    1. I suspect that as the memory of the odious Harper fades, Mound, more and more people will start to judge Justin more critically. I was one of those hoping for the best when he got elected, but the cracks in his public/policy/political persona became increasingly apparent as time when on, so much so that illusions and hopes are now shattered, I think, beyond repair for me.

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