Monday, March 30, 2015

Stephen Harper's Possibly Fatal Syrian Mistake



On CTV's Question Period yesterday Craig Oliver reminded viewers of Theodore Roosevelt's famous quote: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

And he said Stephen Harper's views on military power, and his new war in Syria, are exactly the opposite: "Speak loudly and carry a twig."

But goodness knows Harper is desperate, and he can't wait to wave it. 

With opposition parties united against the move, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will use his parliamentary majority Monday to authorize the combat mission for 12 months, sending Canadian warplanes on bombing missions over Syria even as the region descends deeper into broad sectarian conflict.

Even though his expanding mission is taking us into an expanding Sunni-Shia war. Even though it will increase the chances of one of our pilots falling into the hands of ISIS, or one of the more than a thousand groups vying for power in Syria.

And even though because he doesn't know what he's doing, it will make our lives more dangerous not safer, no matter what he says...



Not just because waving his little twig, and talking up a storm could inspire some crazy in this country to attack us.

But also because, as I pointed out the other day, by attacking ISIS in Iraq he could help its rival Al Qaeda take over that country. 



And they are a far more dangerous enemy for a very simple reason: they attack targets in the West.

While ISIS is more interested in securing territory for its own apocalyptic reasons.

ISIS believes that its future is already determined by prophesy. It is pre-ordained that ISIS will face and defeat the "crusader" forces on a plain near the Syrian farming village of Dabiq. 

Some time after, the "Dajjal" [the anti-Christ] will appear. The forces of the caliphate will be reduced to a mere 5,000 men. There will be a final battle at the gates of Rum, commonly held to be Istanbul. At that point Issa ibn-Maryam, known to Christians as Jesus, will descend from heaven and kill Dajjal with a spear, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and heralding the end of the world.


Which is something Stephen Harper should understand because he's a Christian fanatic and him and his religious base believe basically the same thing...



And if he was really interested in making us safer he would also understand this:

That means that unlike al-Qaeda, a shape-shifting clandestine insurgency that operated around the world, ISIS must control and govern real territory. The main service an aspiring jihadi can render to the Islamic State, therefore, is not to stage attacks far away in the West, but to come to the caliphate and join its army.

But of course he doesn't care about that, he would welcome any kind of terrorist attack before the election. 

And the only reason he's expanding the mission into Syria is to please his religious base, who want him to save the Christians in that country.

As well as trying to distract other Canadians from the real issues we face in this country. Like the disastrous state of his petro economy, or his scandal-ridden government.

So he can try to win another bloody majority, by leading the fearful and the ignorant by the nose through the fog of war. 

Even if he leads us to catastrophe. 



When a government starts making decisions based primarily on getting re-elected, with little regard for what is best for the country, we should all take notice.

Rather than feeling safer because our Armed Forces are fighting in the Middle East, we now have a large target painted on our country, a target that gets larger and more tempting with each passing day to those who would do us harm.

I understand the political motivation for our leaders to show decisiveness in the face of a threat, but I don’t understand the blind pursuit of a political strategy that can have no outcome other than to make us less safe and secure.

You know, the Chinese general Sun Tzu once famously said "know your enemy."

And it's clear Stephen Harper doesn't. For him the real enemy is the opposition, and this whole twig waving exercise is all about defeating THEM, and nothing more than a crass politics.

And for that alone, he deserves to be removed from office. For no leader of any decent country has ever stooped so low.

But at least now we do know the real enemy, the real terrorist...



And that we will not be safe or sane.

Until the day that maniac is defeated...

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15 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:02 PM

    Nice to see Craig Oliver call a spade a spade. This reckless idiot named Harper and his big mouth are an embarrassment of epic proportions. What next? Full page ads in mid-east newspapers goading the warring factions? If this idiot isn't stopped, Canada's reputation as a peacekeeping nation and the securities we enjoy at home will be irreparably damaged. The real terrorist is in plain sight and his name is Stephen Harper.

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    1. I expect they will air drop maps of unguarded targets of opportunity in Canada. Maybe passports and plane tickets to go with.

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    2. hi anon...yes I thought Oliver's comment was bang on and I only wished I had thought of it myself. ;)
      Because it does describe Harper's War, a lot of talk and not much action. And yes, I weep for the reputation we once had. He may or may not degrade ISIS, but he sure has degraded us...

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    3. hi Steve....I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one suggesting that Stephen Harper is actually trying to provoke an attack for crass political purposes. As I've said before I could NEVER have imagined accusing a Canadian Prime Minister of doing that, but since Harper is so morally depraved I don't doubt that's exactly what he's hoping for...

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  2. Anonymous1:16 PM

    Sounds like ISIS, the Alliance Missionary Church and Harper are all working towards the same goal. Armageddon. Are we sure they are not on the same team?

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    1. ISIS welcomes attacks from the west - it makes recruiting so much easier. "They're attacking us. Come and help us!".

      Harper should understand that because he uses exactly the same strategy for fund raising and volunteers. Every week or so there's a letter along the same lines. "The lefties/media party/trudeau/mulcair are attacking us! Please send $15.

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    2. hi anon...yes they have finally come together and merged at the end of his political life. I sometimes get the impression he can't believe that he is talking like a Reformer again. And he loves it. That joy however will be short-lived, because as more Canadians realize what game he is playing his polls can only plummet...

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    3. hi punned it...you're absolutely right, they clearly welcome Western intervention so they can make it a clash of civilizations. And it is a lot like those disgusting fund raising letters the Cons send out. But then why should we be surprised. The rhetoric may differ, but all extremists end up resembling each other...

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  3. It is a likely that ISIS is a tool of the masters of the universe as it is they are total nutters, or both.

    Some times things happen that make you Stop Look and turn around, and we have seen two today. If you count Mike Spence and his Christian Shaira law in Indiana you have a Republican hat trick.

    Question period gives a 4 min Harper a poke last Sunday and a full blow job this Sunday. Aside from the Toronto Star Harper is the new Napoleon, Patton and Teddy R combined. One more pronouncement and we will be reading about a reincarnation of Churchill.

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    1. hi Steve...well the story I ran today convinces me that they are an apocalyptic cult. A gang of religious fanatics as well as a bunch of criminals and drug addicts. And yes, judging by what's happening in Indiana and other places, crazy religion is running wild, and really needs to be controlled...

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  4. Anonymous4:14 PM

    @Steve: Great Closet Leader already had his Churchillian moment. You know ,,,,, "He who hides and runs away (when the bullets started flying) will live to hide another day."

    Contrast that with PET who sat and stared at the separatist protesters who were hurling rocks and bottles at him on that St. Jean Baptiste Day parade long ago.

    Or as someone had quipped:

    PET: "Just watch me."

    Great Closet Leader: "Just hide me." Lololo ...

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    1. hi anon....when I think that Stephen Harper might consider himself to be Canada's Churchill, I don't know whether to laugh or vomit...

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  5. e.a.f.4:51 PM

    never did like Craig Oliver much, but that line, wins him an award. Hope some one picks it up for the election campaign. it would clearly say what harper and his cons are all about.

    if the pres. of Syria thinks bombing of his country is an act of aggression, which in my opinion it is, we could be in a pickle. First Assad could file a complaint with the U.N. Then he could ask his buddy, Putin to come to his aid. Perhaps "great warrior" P.M. forgot to look at an atlas, but that is Russia sitting up against our northern border. Putin does need something to take the attention off of his economic problems. How about a war with Canada? how about letting Syria fly a few of their jets into Russian air space and dropping a few on Canada.

    its those "good Christian boys" who just can't help themselves when it comes to killing. they just love it. stevie and his 60 cons who are members of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church; where the bible is "inerrant" and the second coming is "imminent". Looks like they haven't seen that line about, "thou shalt not kill."

    I don't think its about saving any Christian Syrians, because they won't bring them into Canada. Its just about killing and trying to look like a "great warrior". Most of the Christian Syrians are sitting in refugee camps and the cons are not admitting them into Canada. The Scanda countries have taken 30K refugees. Canada about 1,500.

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    1. hi e.a.f...well now that poor old Craig is almost totally blind I'm cutting him some slack. And his twig line was brilliant. As for Harper that flabby chickenhawk, war actually seems to excite him and it couldn't be more disgusting. I'd like to see Harper spend a couple of days in a real war zone, and then see how he likes it...

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  6. Anonymous2:07 PM

    A lot of good people have died in world wars fighting crap like this. Stephen Harper was on the right track, but the UN has to get their act together and put a stop to this NOW!

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