[FootPrints]

This is a bit off your topic but...<br /> <br /> I was watching the news yesterday and I heard the achorman say that Brian Mulroney had contacted either Bush Sr or Jr to say that Harper could really use a break and it would be nice if a deal could be made regarding the softwood issue.<br /> <br /> So what is Harper? Our PM or a puppet? Mulroney has to step in and run our Country in the background?<br /> <br /> Like I said before, the US is going to need a lot of construction supplies to rebuild, and there is no way they are going to deal with it (to our benefit) anytime soon. <br /> <br /> Considering what they are doing is illegal and they show no attempt to pay up what they owe, shouldn't that be an obvious sign of just how much respect he has for Canada or our PM. It's a joke. <br /> <br /> I read somewhere they don't have friends they have interests. Why do we just play along? Talk is cheap. Canadians should expect more than that.<br /> <br /> We are in Afghanistan because the United States wants us there.<br /> <br /> We cut aid to Palestine because other Countries want us to. Educate yourself on the true facts in the middle east Mr. Harper. They are having thier land stolen from them, their homes, their lives. They have said they will recognize Israel and the legal borders that were drawn up. What are we telling the world by closing our eyes to the truth, that illegal land grabbing is ok? Oh, that's right I should have remembered Ipperwash, I guess it is ok...<br /> <br />

[Marcarc]

Actually, we are in Afghanistan as part of a NATO rotation. The organization agreed to go into Afghanistan, and now it's our turn on the rotation. We did obviously go into Afghanistan because they wanted us to, where they repaid us by bombing our soldiers.<br /> <br /> As for softwood, what is rarely discussed is that in Decemember the US dropped the duty it had tagged on canadian softwood, the central issue is now the billions they are holding which nominally belongs to canadian exporters.<br /> <br /> However, as for trade, it should be noted that international trade is the province of congress, not the white house. Obviously the president will have clout, and there have been sneaky underhanded things done by both Bush and Clinton (the MAI) to sneak international trade into the White House, however, in this case it is apparant that they can simply use it to their advantage. We can 'suck up to Bush' all we like, in the end it is congress that decides.

[Perturbed]

[QUOTE BY= FootPrints] This is a bit off your topic but...<br /> <br /> I was watching the news yesterday and I heard the achorman say that Brian Mulroney had contacted either Bush Sr or Jr to say that Harper could really use a break and it would be nice if a deal could be made regarding the softwood issue.<br /> <br /> So what is Harper? Our PM or a puppet? Mulroney has to step in and run our Country in the background?<br /> <br /> Like I said before, the US is going to need a lot of construction supplies to rebuild, and there is no way they are going to deal with it (to our benefit) anytime soon. <br /> <br /> Considering what they are doing is illegal and they show no attempt to pay up what they owe, shouldn't that be an obvious sign of just how much respect he has for Canada or our PM. It's a joke. <br /> <br /> I read somewhere they don't have friends they have interests. Why do we just play along? Talk is cheap. Canadians should expect more than that.<br /> <br /> We are in Afghanistan because the United States wants us there.<br /> <br /> We cut aid to Palestine because other Countries want us to. Educate yourself on the true facts in the middle east Mr. Harper. They are having thier land stolen from them, their homes, their lives. They have said they will recognize Israel and the legal borders that were drawn up. What are we telling the world by closing our eyes to the truth, that illegal land grabbing is ok? Oh, that's right I should have remembered Ipperwash, I guess it is ok...<br /> <br /> [/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> <br /> It is pretty hilarious that Canada cut off ties with Hamas BEFORE the U.S. did if they ever end up doing so....only Israel has done so as well. I mean, whether our country is run by America or America's allies it sure isn't run by us.

[Algonquin Pk Vis]

[QUOTE BY= Perturbed]<br /> We cut aid to Palestine because other Countries want us to. Educate yourself on the true facts in the middle east Mr. Harper.<br /> <br /> They are having thier land stolen from them, their homes, their lives. They have said they will recognize Israel and the legal borders that were drawn up. What are we telling the world by closing our eyes to the truth, that illegal land grabbing is ok? Oh, that's right I should have remembered Ipperwash, I guess it is ok...<br /> [/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> And what do the "Palestinians" plan to do with the land if they get back the West Bank? Any economic plans or just a base to butcher more people?<br /> <br /> <br /> [QUOTE BY= Perturbed]<br /> It is pretty hilarious that Canada cut off ties with Hamas BEFORE the U.S. did if they ever end up doing so....only Israel has done so as well. I mean, whether our country is run by America or America's allies it sure isn't run by us.[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> Maybe Harper just wanted to do the right thing?

[Marcarc]

Uh, the death toll for Israelis is in the dozens, for Palestinians it's in the thousands. I don't think the 'butchering' argument holds up very well to scrutiny. If they got their land back obviously they wouldn't have anybody to butcher, palestinians don't attack palestinians.<br /> <br /> Regardless, 'right' is relative. YOU may agree with Harper but I don't remember a referendum on the matter, which means he isn't acting on behalf of canadians-because he doesn't even know what canadians want. Israel wasn't exactly a front burner issue during the election, in fact this action wasn't even mentioned so far as I know.

[Perturbed]

[QUOTE BY= Marcarc] Uh, the death toll for Israelis is in the dozens, for Palestinians it's in the thousands. I don't think the 'butchering' argument holds up very well to scrutiny. If they got their land back obviously they wouldn't have anybody to butcher, palestinians don't attack palestinians.<br /> <br /> Regardless, 'right' is relative. YOU may agree with Harper but I don't remember a referendum on the matter, which means he isn't acting on behalf of canadians-because he doesn't even know what canadians want. Israel wasn't exactly a front burner issue during the election, in fact this action wasn't even mentioned so far as I know.[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> <br /> Israel is a front-burner in every Americna election lobbying wise, but maybe they have the same influence here and it is simply less public...I do know that Gerry Schwartz did a lot of fundraising for Paul Martin before the new campaign laws kicked in by raising over 12 million at one dinner (his biggest fundraiser) and this could very well be why Paul Martin was so pro-Israel, at least in part...as for Harper I mean I think it is just the way the wind is blowing in the west these days....there really is a potential for greater conflict in the Middle East.

[Brent Swain]

It's time we told the yanks that we can no longer afford to supply troops to Afghanistan while our arctic sovereignty is being challenged by a foreign power(them) and that we will be withdrawing our troops to enable them to do more arctic sovereignty patrols.<br /> It's time we stopped all wood exports to the US and let their construction industry grind to a halt. Then lets see if their attitude problems are politically sustainable with their own people. Stopping all exports will drastically boost the value of our wood in all forms.<br /> It's time Harper was asked to take another look at the results of appeasement that Nevillle Chamberlain got with policies similar to his.They seem to have a lot in common lately.<br /> Brent