Saturday, October 28, 2006

Dazed & Confused in Canada

It seems that some people in Canada cannot tell the difference between the NATO-sanctioned war in Afghanistan and the illegal American quest for booty in Iraq.

One confused Woman has stated (according to The Toronto Star):

" ... the Canadian armed forces, government and industry have no place in Afghanistan. It's an illegal war, it's a racist war and it's a greedy war. It should not be happening, plain and simple."

I guess she never heard of Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and 9/11. I would also venture that she has never heard of, or read Article 5 of the NATO Treaty of which Canada was a founding signatory.

At any rate, for those of you who are still confused, here is Article 5 of the Treaty:

"The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security."


All of this is quite simple really; since 9/11 is quite rightly viewed by the NATO membership as an attack on NATO, then NATO has the right to act until such time as the UN Security Council "has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security."

I for one, am still waiting.

The woman from the Star's article has most obviously confused Afghanistan with Iraq - and for that we can thank Bush, Cheney & Company. The illegal and illogical US operation in Iraq continues to undermine the correct response to the Taliban/Al Qaeda problem in Afghanistan.

Iraq has been, and continues to be, a stupid sideshow that has NOTHING to do with the very legitimate War on Terror.

Update: For now, it appears that saner heads are prevailing.

Sunday, October 22, 2006


Oh-Oh Condi !

This is not going very well at all, is it?

I have to say again that this US Administration is one of the most inept in the modern history of that Nation.

Ms. Rice is probably the worst Foreign Minister they have ever had as well. Do the Republicans really think this woman is made of Presidential stock? She is quite simply, overmatched by her position.

So there will be no Russian support on the Iranian file, as the Russians do not want "regime-change" blood on their hands.

I recall that I predicted that.

Whatever happened to the Coalition of the Willing?

Sorry Ollie ...

Saturday, October 21, 2006


Is Condi establishing a pre-text ?

It sure looks that way doesn't it ?

The US had better be pretty careful here, as China is due to make a power-statement of their own one of these days.

Perhaps the Chinese (in)action over the newest addition to the Atomic Gang is their statement.

I guess all those cheap Chinese goods we bought at Wal-Mart and the like are going to be pretty expensive after all ...

Tuesday, October 17, 2006


The North Korea Quandry ...

Kim Jong-il continues on in his Merry Marxist Manner.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council remains confused over how to confront this latest eruption from Pyongyang.

For an analysis on where the Security Council Members stand on the issue, see here.

As expected, the US will only be receiving "lip-service" support from China and Russia.

Another Fine Mess.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

The neverending mess that is "Bush's War" ...

The fissures are widening now

I guess if Blair will not stand-up for his Country, then Dannatt will.

Good on him. He is quite right you know; the long-range planning for the Iraq occupation was naive. Blair could have interviewed one of the many Arabologists in England in order to procure better guidance and advice. Someone needed to counter the American ignorance on such matters, and it should have been the British Prime Minister.

As well, as much as I think the young Princes should be able to serve in active theatres, I do not believe that potentially sacrificing them for the sake of Bush & Cheney is a particularly noble venture. It is not a good use of their nobility at all.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006


A Fine Mess ...

I guess Bush is "Laurel" to Cheney's "Hardy"?

Here is the latest from Pyongyang.

I wonder if the Iranians are taking notes from Kim Jong-il?

One would suspect that Iran will tip-over its nuclear capability as soon as possible to make the point. And one could also suspect that the US will have no regional Allies to help pressure Iran to cease & desist.

"Sorry Ollie" ...

(with apologies to the great Silent Film Stars Laurel & Hardy)

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

So North Korea has the Bomb ...

This is not terribly surprising as many in the Foreign Policy sections of the West have been predicting this for some time. The inability to forestall this occurrence is essentially another failure of the Bush Administration.

The geo-political facts of the last seven years have been thus:

* Al Qaeda masterminded the attacks of 9/11 with the full co-operation of the Taliban in Afghanistan;

* Iran and Syria are destabilising forces in the Middle-East;

* Saudi Arabian nationals have been providing financial support to Terror Groups that have been spreading mayhem in the Middle-East and in the West;

* North Korea is a rogue state and a disrupter of the strategic balance in Northern Asia.

Only in the matter of Afghanistan has the US acted/participated (along with NATO) in a meaningful mission to effect positive change. In the case of Iraq, the US Administration is not only "off-message," but off-course as well.

The American misadventure in Iraq has manifested itself completely, and predictably, in the detonation of a Nuclear Device in North Korea. By losing sight of reality and conducting the invasion of Iraq, the US has completely dropped the ball and allowed negative outcomes in almost every one of these cases.

Iraq was a non-factor and represented no threat to the domestic security of the United States and the Western Alliance. Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea are threats in various ways - and by various means.

Iran and North Korea are now even more serious problems for the West. Syria and Saudi Arabia are still festering sores on the face of the Globe. Yet, the Bush Administration has not used its position as the lone Superpower to any efficacious end.

And now it appears that China and Russia will do nothing more than register a severe protest at the latest insanity to emerge from Pyongyang. If the USA, so mired in a useless and ill-advised campaign in Iraq, cannot negotiate an application of its will on China and Russia, then perhaps this is the first sign that the US is losing the grip on its hegemonic position across the Globe.

That didn't last long did it?

So much for PNAC ...

Postscript

Here is a nice overview of the US record on the North Korea file.