Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Stephen Harper and the Beat of the Fascist Drum



He couldn't have had a better excuse to miss the return of Parliament, and dodge all those questions about his catastrophic economic record.

For there he was at the funeral of a dead Mountie.

Looking suitable sorrowful, and posing as a Great Crime Busting Leader.

Which like everything he did today was choreographed to the max. 

And accompanied by the distant beat of a fascist drum.

For shortly before Parliament resumed, the military conveniently revealed more information about the once secret activities of our special forces. 

Canadian snipers on the front lines in Iraq have once again killed Islamic State militants during their non-combat mission advising Kurdish forces – part of an evolving role for this country’s soldiers as the battle accelerates to win back the northern city of Mosul.

Something they NEVER used to do before, but are now bragging about on an almost daily basis. While failing to explain why our troops are the only ones engaged in this obvious mission creep.

Roland Paris, director of the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa, said mission creep is under way. “The U.S. military indicated last week that American troops currently in Iraq are not being deployed with Iraqi units to front-line positions. Rather, they are training Iraqis behind the wire at four major military bases. The assertion that deploying Canadian troops to the front lines is an inevitable element of advising and assisting is, therefore, misleading,” he said.

So when Tom Mulcair demanded an explanation:

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair called on the Conservatives to concede Canada is now in ground combat. “Last fall, the Prime Minister specifically said that Canadian Forces would not be pinpointing targets on the ground. The Chief of the Defence Staff agreed that it would be a semi-combat role and it would not fit with a non-combat mission,” Mr. Mulcair noted.

Harper's trained seal ferret Rob Nicholson could reply like this:

Mr. Nicholson said the Conservatives don’t believe in leaving the “heavy lifting” to others. “That has never been the Canadian way for 200 years.” We do not stand on the sidelines, we get out there and we stand up for those who are oppressed.”

And go on to say he's PROUD to work for a leader who fires back at his enemies. In an obvious attempt to try to portray the opposition as weaklings.

And his Great Strong Leader as the only one who can save us from the terrorist menace...



While Great Closet Leader sat in a crowded arena in St Albert, next to the RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson.

The man who more than any others has helped Harper construct the idea of that terrorist menace, by claiming that the killer who stormed Parliament Hill was guided by "ideological motives."



But who has now apparently decided that we will NEVER see the tape Michael Zehaf-Bibeau made, so we can decide for ourselves whether he was a real terrorist or a MANIAC.

Which can only lead to two very disturbing questions. The one Tasha Kheiriddin asks here. 

The question for Canadians today is: Will our conflict with Islamic State be Stephen Harper’s Falklands War? There are many parallels: an economy plunging into recession in parts of the country, a government accused of seeking to balance the books at all costs after trailing in the polls for a year. In this environment, the Tories sorely need an issue that can rally voters. 

For Harper, as for Thatcher, war appears to be a winner. While Harper must respond to the terrorist threat — he is the prime minister, after all, and that’s part of the job — the fact remains that the more the Islamic State conflict remains in the news, the higher his numbers go. If an election were held today, the Tories would eke out a victory — and the Trudeau Liberals would form the opposition.

Is he trying to emulate his Con icon the ghastly Margaret Thatcher, and using the patriotism card to try to win himself another glorious majority?



The Conservatives are playing the patriotism card — and it’s a move that should worry the opposition. It’s the same card Thatcher played into a winning hand in 1982, rallying Britons around the glory of their military heritage. It works brilliantly on a gut level: Stand with us, and you are a proud, true Canadian. Stand against us, and you’re not.

While grinding us into the rubble of our civil liberties, and changing Canada beyond recognition.

For let's not forget how it worked for Thatcher.

The war didn’t just ensure the Conservatives’ election victory. It gave the government the mandate — and the confidence — to bring about deep socioeconomic change. The Guardian’s Simon Jenkins wrote: “The Falklands changed everything. The miners were confronted, left-wing local government crushed, Europe riled and universities humbled. Most crucial of all, the patrician Tory moderates were diluted and eventually driven from power. The now-familiar Thatcher came into her own and ‘the Eighties’ began.”

And then there's the other disturbing question that I keep asking: are the police and the military playing political games, and doing all they can to help Harper win another bloody majority?

Because if they are, as I have said before, we are already living in a police state.

And the good news? If that doesn't motivate us to fight him and his sinister Con regime harder than ever, NOTHING will.

For as I have also warned so many times before, if that monster isn't stopped...



The beat of the fascist drum will only get louder.

He will lead us to a very dark place.

And we will wake up one day in the rubble of a country we don't recognize...

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24 comments:

Unknown said...

Montreal Simon and Sebastian I leave you with this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2-B0w3pSek

Now I have to protect my family from the fascists...

"I say Love is the seventh wave" Sting

Steve said...

A vote for Harper is a vote for ISIS. ISIS wants Harper as PM.

Omar said...

First order of the day for a new government in 2015 should be to sack that creep Paulson.

UU4077 said...

I wonder how many police officers have died in the line of duty since Harper became Prime Minister and how many of their funerals he has attended?

ron wilton said...

Apparently harper likes 'dark places' (especially closets) where truth is what he says it is regardless of reality.

Greece has shone a light for the rest of us to see, so it will be interesting to see how the harpercons paint that canvas black.

Anonymous said...

I really hope none of our troops are maimed for life, in this war with ISIS. Harper will not look after them if they are. Canadians see how Harper treats our Veterans of yesteryear and our Veterans of today.

Harper out and out blatantly lied when he said, the US requested him to take a role in this war. Obama said, he did no such thing. Harper pushed his way into this war, to try and redeem himself. Harper was an abysmal failure in Wales. Harper's speech to the UN, was in pretty much an empty room. No-one is interested in what Harper has to say. Harper is a pariah that no-one wants.

If there is a terrorist attack on Canada, Harper will wear it.

Anonymous said...

The far brighter light is Iceland where they let their "too big to fail" banks crash and burn, started new ones(as is always the case--nature abhors a void) and JAILED the banksters responsible for their economic woes. You gotta love those guys. Talk about a "leftie" sense of justice!

Marmalade said...

After Friday, anything posted online against Our Great Leader will be considered an "act of Terrorism"........any bets?

Anonymous said...

I love Nicholson's quote "We do not stand on the sidelines, we get out there and we stand up for those who are oppressed.” Unless of course you're very rich and or awash in oil. For those who fall for this hypocrisy while Harper uses the military and police as pawns are too stupid to be given the right to vote.

e.a.f. said...

yes there was Canada's great "hide in the closet" P.M. doing his latest acting bit. He couldn't buy this amount of time on t.v. another dead RCMP officer and another great photo-op. if he really cared about RCMP officers he wouldn't be cutting their budget. He would be ensuring they had adequate protective clothing, as in decent bullet proof vests, because the ones they have can't stop bullets. The cons would ensure the officers had guns that actually could do some damage, because no self respecting criminals in this country carry the shit the RCMP are required to use as weapons. Holsters for their guns, if they want good ones, they buy them themselves. Heavy weapons to return fire, like the needed in the Martines, they still don't have them.

Face it, the more dead RCMP officers the more photo-ops for stevie slime. he has passed 81 crime bills and not purchased one new up dated bullet proof vest for cops on out working. harper doesn't care about the murdered citizens of Canada, as he told the CBC, 1200 murdered women were not on his "radar". the guys a creep and a hypocrite.

David said...

I keep wondering... did Harper have any influence as to what day the funeral for Constable David Wynn was held?

Did Harper tells the funeral's organizers that Monday would be better for him to attend than Sunday... so he could miss the opening day of Parliament.

David said...

Like I said before, the only cards Harper have left to play is the "Great Strong Leader" and "Fear" cards. Can you imagine what would happen if one or more Canadian soldiers who are "advising and to assisting" the Iraqis is killed? Harper will make hay of that and use that as justification to continue the combat mission (which was supposed to be only the jet fighters) after the 6 month mission is over. Why is Canada the only western country (that we know of) allowing its soldiers to cross over to front-line positions and engage in firefights?

Simon said...

hi mogs...nice video. And nice beach. In fact shortly after I saw that video I decided I do need some sea and sand, and I'm off to my Caribbean hideout in a couple of weeks. The Cons will NEVER find me there... ;)

Simon said...

hi Steve....you're right nobody promotes ISIS as much as Stephen Harper. I'm sure if they could vote they'd all vote for him...

Simon said...

hi Omar...yes I'm afraid the Bibeau tape has made me lose all confidence in him. He's not up to the job and I feel that like so many other institutions Harper has corrupted, he has allowed the RCMP to be used by the Cons. When a progressive government comes to power they are really going to have to clean house...

Simon said...

hi UU4077...I don't know, but I do know that his attendance at that funeral is politically motivated. Especially since the day after the funeral, the Harperites let it be known that they will be introducing life without parole sentences, in a clear attempt to profit from that officer's death. It really is appalling and we can't get rid of them soon enough...

Simon said...

hi ron...yes I find what is happening in Greece very inspiring. And of course it's a repudiation of the policies of austerity that have caused so much misery, and the Cons have practiced so miserably...

Simon said...

hi anon...it's nice to see that at least in one country the banisters have been made to pay for their crimes. Because in all the others they got off with barely a scratch. But judging from the state of the world their day is coming...

Simon said...

hi anon...yes I too hope that our troops come out of this one alive. But it won't be because of Harper, because he has clearly ordered them to the front, to make him look like a Great Warrior Leader. And any Canadian blood spilled will be his fault...

Simon said...

hi Kathleen...good luck with one. There aren't enough jail cells to place us all in. But hopefully they are reserving a lot of cells for the Cons, because they will need them...

Simon said...

hi anon...yes I almost barfed when I heard it, because it was so predictable, and so absurd. Those Cons are the friends of dictators everywhere, and how they dare pose as the friends of the oppressed, is simply outrageous...

Simon said...

hi e.a.f...yes he is a hypocrite. He talks about strengthening our security services, but in fact he has slashed their budgets, and made them weaker not stronger. Just about everything he says is a lie, and he is the worst Prime Minister this country has ever seen...

Simon said...

hi David...I am sure he was able to influence the choice of the day the funeral would be held. And I saw him trying to stir up people on his Twitter feed, so I haven't the slightest doubt that the whole thing was orchestrated. And yes I can imagine how Harper could profit from the death of a Canadian soldier. And by clearly ordering them to head for the front lines he is clearly doing his best to help that happen. For Harper, the psychopath, the lives of others don't matter, it's all about him....

e.a.f. said...

As "hide in the closet coward" P.M. harper will send more and more troops out front to be maimed and killed. what the armed forces members ought to remember, this guy hasn't even looked after the last group of injuired Veterans. they will come back to nothing in the way of services, they require.