Accomplice of the U.S. in monstrous Zionist genocide against Lebanon
Por: Pastor Valle-Garay
Senior Scholar, York University
Toronto – This week Canada buries two more of its soldiers assigned to the occupation forces in Afghanistan. Francisco Gómez, one of the soldiers killed, was born in Venezuela. Both died as a result of a suicide attack deemed a “cowardly action” by Cnel. Ian Hope, commander of the Canadian troops. A third is on its way, a victim of Israel’s attacks against Lebanon.
This business of “cowardly” is arguable. Deaths in combat would be closer to the truth. In war, however, perceptions conveniently change. The political leader-in-charge views and interprets these perceptions through his most subjective rose-coloured looking glass. Thus for many Canadians the fallen soldiers died heroically defending democracy. Deceitful argument. Whose democracy are we talking about? No one cares to know. No one dares explain. We would rather conveniently ignore that not too long ago the United States provided democratic and military training to Afghanistan’s militias in order to free themselves from the former Soviet Union’s occupation. Now we flip the pancake. We turn the Afghani militias, our democratic allies of yesterday, into the “cowardly terrorists” of today. How come? For defending their nation from foreign invasion exactly as they were trained by today’s invaders? Some democracy!
For the Afghanis who perished attacking the Canadian convoy, looking at things through rose-coloured glasses was probably the last thing in their minds. As the enemy, the Canadian soldiers became a target of war. Period. Reduced to cannon fodder by the whims of a Primer Minister servile to the White House, Gómez y his comrade-in-arms were more than simple traffic cops. Their mission in Afghanistan certainly did not match the traditional image of a peace force which has earned Canada world-wide respect. On the contrary. They were combatants in an army of occupation engaged in a merciless war against an Afghan militia equally determined to defend their nation’s sovereignty against foreign invaders. Everything else is academic.
There is no doubt however that Canada has evolved. Not for the best. Once recognized throughout the world for its sterling credentials as an effective mediator in international conflicts, Canada has now abandoned its peace efforts to become an aggressive combatant. Washington waved its magic wand and mild-mannered Little Red Riding Hood turned into the Ferocious Wolf. What’s truly astonishing is that the transformation practically occurred overnight. Without public consultation. Without adequate army training and without a navy or an air force to speak of.
It happened thanks to the perverse magic wand of President George W. Bush and his overwhelming influence on Stephen Harper, the malleable, neophyte Canadian Prime Minister. Harper, whose non-existent experience in foreign affairs is limited to a quick trip to the White House and a sojourn to Russia last week to attend the G-8 gathering, did not hesitate to back the White House’s request to engage Canadian ground troops in Afghanistan or to provide Bush and Israel with his unequivocal support in the brutal Zionist massacre of the Lebanese people.
With obscene haste and scant Canadian support, Harper immediately positioned his conservative government squarely on the side of Bush and Israel and justified the Israeli attacks against Lebanon as a “measured” response to actions by the Hezbollah militias.
Meanwhile Peter MacKay, Canada’s Foreign Minister, refused to join the call from other nations demanding that Israel reins in its military offensive. Taking his marching orders from Bush, Harper and Israel, and abysmally ignorant on international issues while demonstrating absolute insensitivity to the deaths of innocent civilians and to the incalculable damages caused by the Israeli bombing to Lebanon’s infrastructures and economy, MacKay obediently parroted the official Ottawa line during n interview on Canadian television. Speaking on CTV’s Question Period, MacKay indicated that “a ceasefire and a return to the status quo is a victory for Hezbollah. Let’s not forget that this was an unprovoked attack by a terrorist organization … The discussions have to focus on the long-term end of violence in the region.” In short, the Canadian government provided Israel with another green light to continue turning Lebanon into a pile of rubble.
In spite of the condemnation of Israel’s invasion by the United Nations, of the universal rejection of the Zionist attacks, and in spite of the pleas by Pope Benedict XVI, by the Movement of Non-Aligned nations, by most European and Arab nations for an immediate ceasefire, Canada thus far has refused to join the calls for peace. Instead Harper’s ultra conservative government shamefully opts to align itself with the imperialist designs of Israel and Washington.
This loyalty has provoked a backlash at home. Most Canadians reject the government’s complicity with Israel and with the United States. Over the weekend large demonstrations against Israel’s attacks, held in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and major cities across Canada, served to underscore the fact that Canada, the United States and Israel have become three solitudes, isolated from the rest of the civilized world for their perverse behaviour against humankind.
Meanwhile in Lebanon the brutality of Israel’s invasion has unified Arab and Christians more than ever before. In Canada the protests are bound to increase. On Tuesday Israel’s indiscriminate, savage bombings took the lives of four UN observers in the town of Jiam, Lebanon. Among the victims was a Canadian UN peacekeeper. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan described the killings as a “deliberate attack” by Israel against the unarmed peacekeepers. Canadians will not accept this gross violation of human rights.
Taking all of these circumstances under consideration, we ought to be very careful when characterizing “cowardly actions.” It is cowardly of Israel to target millions of innocent civilians for certain death. It is cowardly of Canada’s leadership to encourage Israel’s slaughter of innocent civilians and its territorial ambitions. Sooner than later Harper must answer to the Canadian people for his unqualified support of the criminal Israeli attacks against Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon. In the meantime it is doubtful that after sorely and permanently damaging Canada’s reputation as a respected world peacemaker anyone would think of Harper or MacKay as Canadian heroes. At best they have firmly established their own niche … Bush’s shameless bootlickers.
Por: Pastor Valle-Garay
Senior Scholar, York University
Toronto – This week Canada buries two more of its soldiers assigned to the occupation forces in Afghanistan. Francisco Gómez, one of the soldiers killed, was born in Venezuela. Both died as a result of a suicide attack deemed a “cowardly action” by Cnel. Ian Hope, commander of the Canadian troops. A third is on its way, a victim of Israel’s attacks against Lebanon.
This business of “cowardly” is arguable. Deaths in combat would be closer to the truth. In war, however, perceptions conveniently change. The political leader-in-charge views and interprets these perceptions through his most subjective rose-coloured looking glass. Thus for many Canadians the fallen soldiers died heroically defending democracy. Deceitful argument. Whose democracy are we talking about? No one cares to know. No one dares explain. We would rather conveniently ignore that not too long ago the United States provided democratic and military training to Afghanistan’s militias in order to free themselves from the former Soviet Union’s occupation. Now we flip the pancake. We turn the Afghani militias, our democratic allies of yesterday, into the “cowardly terrorists” of today. How come? For defending their nation from foreign invasion exactly as they were trained by today’s invaders? Some democracy!
For the Afghanis who perished attacking the Canadian convoy, looking at things through rose-coloured glasses was probably the last thing in their minds. As the enemy, the Canadian soldiers became a target of war. Period. Reduced to cannon fodder by the whims of a Primer Minister servile to the White House, Gómez y his comrade-in-arms were more than simple traffic cops. Their mission in Afghanistan certainly did not match the traditional image of a peace force which has earned Canada world-wide respect. On the contrary. They were combatants in an army of occupation engaged in a merciless war against an Afghan militia equally determined to defend their nation’s sovereignty against foreign invaders. Everything else is academic.
There is no doubt however that Canada has evolved. Not for the best. Once recognized throughout the world for its sterling credentials as an effective mediator in international conflicts, Canada has now abandoned its peace efforts to become an aggressive combatant. Washington waved its magic wand and mild-mannered Little Red Riding Hood turned into the Ferocious Wolf. What’s truly astonishing is that the transformation practically occurred overnight. Without public consultation. Without adequate army training and without a navy or an air force to speak of.
It happened thanks to the perverse magic wand of President George W. Bush and his overwhelming influence on Stephen Harper, the malleable, neophyte Canadian Prime Minister. Harper, whose non-existent experience in foreign affairs is limited to a quick trip to the White House and a sojourn to Russia last week to attend the G-8 gathering, did not hesitate to back the White House’s request to engage Canadian ground troops in Afghanistan or to provide Bush and Israel with his unequivocal support in the brutal Zionist massacre of the Lebanese people.
With obscene haste and scant Canadian support, Harper immediately positioned his conservative government squarely on the side of Bush and Israel and justified the Israeli attacks against Lebanon as a “measured” response to actions by the Hezbollah militias.
Meanwhile Peter MacKay, Canada’s Foreign Minister, refused to join the call from other nations demanding that Israel reins in its military offensive. Taking his marching orders from Bush, Harper and Israel, and abysmally ignorant on international issues while demonstrating absolute insensitivity to the deaths of innocent civilians and to the incalculable damages caused by the Israeli bombing to Lebanon’s infrastructures and economy, MacKay obediently parroted the official Ottawa line during n interview on Canadian television. Speaking on CTV’s Question Period, MacKay indicated that “a ceasefire and a return to the status quo is a victory for Hezbollah. Let’s not forget that this was an unprovoked attack by a terrorist organization … The discussions have to focus on the long-term end of violence in the region.” In short, the Canadian government provided Israel with another green light to continue turning Lebanon into a pile of rubble.
In spite of the condemnation of Israel’s invasion by the United Nations, of the universal rejection of the Zionist attacks, and in spite of the pleas by Pope Benedict XVI, by the Movement of Non-Aligned nations, by most European and Arab nations for an immediate ceasefire, Canada thus far has refused to join the calls for peace. Instead Harper’s ultra conservative government shamefully opts to align itself with the imperialist designs of Israel and Washington.
This loyalty has provoked a backlash at home. Most Canadians reject the government’s complicity with Israel and with the United States. Over the weekend large demonstrations against Israel’s attacks, held in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and major cities across Canada, served to underscore the fact that Canada, the United States and Israel have become three solitudes, isolated from the rest of the civilized world for their perverse behaviour against humankind.
Meanwhile in Lebanon the brutality of Israel’s invasion has unified Arab and Christians more than ever before. In Canada the protests are bound to increase. On Tuesday Israel’s indiscriminate, savage bombings took the lives of four UN observers in the town of Jiam, Lebanon. Among the victims was a Canadian UN peacekeeper. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan described the killings as a “deliberate attack” by Israel against the unarmed peacekeepers. Canadians will not accept this gross violation of human rights.
Taking all of these circumstances under consideration, we ought to be very careful when characterizing “cowardly actions.” It is cowardly of Israel to target millions of innocent civilians for certain death. It is cowardly of Canada’s leadership to encourage Israel’s slaughter of innocent civilians and its territorial ambitions. Sooner than later Harper must answer to the Canadian people for his unqualified support of the criminal Israeli attacks against Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon. In the meantime it is doubtful that after sorely and permanently damaging Canada’s reputation as a respected world peacemaker anyone would think of Harper or MacKay as Canadian heroes. At best they have firmly established their own niche … Bush’s shameless bootlickers.
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