Five Lebanese-Canadians from a single family were killed in an Israeli air strike on a Lebanese border town on Sunday, according to The Associated Press.
Terrible news, but frankly this should be a wakeup call to Canadians. The Israeli government has gone way over the top in its response to the events in Gaza and at the Lebanese Border, and Canadians (if not our utterly inept and sycophantic Federal Government) ought to be speaking out against them.
It should also be, frankly, a wakeup call to Canadian Jews. You and I have watched a nation that was Heroic in the 70s turn into a militaristic/emperialistic pack of pricks of the 80s and 90s, and I think it is time for Jews outside of Israel to disconnect their source of spiritual sustenance from that nation if they are not prepared to act to make that nation behave as a responsible member of the International Community.
The idea that the Palestinians, or Hamas or Hezbollah, constitute an "existential threat" hasn't been true for three decades. It is time to stop acting like victims. It's also time to stop leaning on the Holocaust/Anti-Semiticism as a kind of all purpose excuse for any act of stupidity that Israel chooses to perpetuate.
And the same message that Canada is delivering to its Muslim population should be directed at its Jewish population: its time to leave the old ways behind and start thinking of the good of Canada, (which in this case entails thinking of the good of the Middle East in general, and not just the old "home team" Israel). It does not do the Canadian nation any good to operate as the Mini-Me of the American empire as it flashes the green light to one of its other client states to drop as many bombs as they want on whoever they want.
Because this time they got Canadians, the people who you are supposed to owe your allegiance to.
Update, 2:45: We're up to 8 Lebanese Canadians dead beneath Israeli bombs. Yo Jason Cherniak! You've been talking tough as hell on this Israeli Invasion stuff. What's your opinion on the slaughter of your Canadian countrymen? Just collateral damage? Were they aiding the enemy just being there?
11 comments:
Lose the title! Israeli's works just fine.
Go Israel go . . . time to whack hizbullah all the way back to Tehran. Sad that innocents get caught by accident in geo-politics, I feel for their families and the families of all those targeted and murderd by the Palestinians in pizza parlours, wedding receptions and by the Islamic Fascists in the twin towers and elsewhere in the world.
What Canadians were doing going on vacation in a town at the border is beyond rationale thought. The whole area is controlled by the Shia hizbullah whack jobs so beloved by all you anti-Israeli hating Liberals. Maybe CSIS should check them out - see if they are friends of the family Liberals love to love - the Khadrs.
They have to know that the area is a dangerous area to take your summer vacation . . . but then anything to escape the murderous rampage that is the streets of Toronto.
Time for Israel to secure its northern and gaza borders so it can be free to premept the real crazy fuckers in Tehran without having to worry about the proxy Iranian military forces on the borders.
The world be a much better place when Tehran is allowed to move from a 15th century Theocratic dictatorship into the bright light of the 21st century.
So, anon, they were aiding the enemy just by being there? Yes that's one line of defense. It's not "rational" for Canadians from certain parts of the world to want to visit their home.
Thanks to Scott for the advise.
We can all be very proud of our Prime Minister for taking a strong and firm stance in support of Israel, of its right to self defense of its right to protect its citizens. We stand with the nations of freedom against evil. Just like 1914 & 1939. We have found our moral compass.
Thank god that we have such a Prime Minister instead of a Liberal "we love Lloyd Axeworthy & Trudeau & soft power is good and we hate the Americans and all our Allies" idiots like the last bunch of our PM's.
Clear strong support for the free and democratic nation of Israel for standing up to Islamic fascism as represented by Hizbullah and Hamas terrorist organizations and their parent nation - Iran.
The time to deal with Iran is coming. Tick tock.
I understand the emotions around this horrendous act, but Scott had a point, and I'm glad you heard it.
I don't believe in holding "Canadian Jews" accountable, though, any more than I've bought into this "the Muslim community should speak out" stuff. Neither is a "community" in some homogeneous sense, with an accoutnablility structure that allows its "leaders" to hold all members to account. I blogged on this subject here.
What's more, not every Jew supports the actions of the Israeli state. The old "two Jews, three opinions" applies here as well. I for one am quite content to refer to the "Israeli state" and weather accusations of anti-Semitism.
In any case, it will be intertesting to see whether Harper and Co. respond to this outrage, and how they respond if they do.
"In any case, it will be intertesting to see whether Harper and Co. respond to this outrage, and how they respond if they do."
He has taken a stand, very clear, very concise . . its in all teh papers.
Canada supports the right of Israel to defend itslef when attacked by terrorists.
Cool eh, Canada, on the correct side of history. So un-Liberal, un-NDP, un-socialist.
So realistic, so right, so good government
How did I know that the retort to Canadians getting killed in Lebanon was going to be "They shouldn't be there" from the right-wing bloggers.
It was in fact, predicted already - but for Stephen Harper's reaction to this news by a user at Daily Kos with a very prescient posting.
It's entirely a predictable and stupid response.
Anonymous: I support Israel's right to defend itself too.. I DONT support them blowing up all of Lebanon - even in areas where Hezbollah isnt even established and killing 50 times the amount of civilians.
All Israel has done here is play into Hezbollah's hands of inflaming the region.
More at my place about how Israel "defends itself."
the incredibly small number of civilian casualties is a testement to the outstanding professional skills of the Israeli military, especially because Hisbullah, being the cowards and brutal murderers that they are, always hide their rocket launchers in school yards, hospital parking lots and in the middle of civilian areas. Hisbullah cares not a flying fig for the lives of civilians and use a strategy that trys to maximize civilian casualties of their own crass political purposes.
Praise the skills of the IDF for preventing the bloodbath that Hisbullah so much wants to inflict on Lebanon.
Canada supports Israel 110%. Make that 150%
And thank all you Liberal & NDP flunkies for such a great opportunity to poke a stick in your collective eye, for free, on your "blog".
Now go commiserate to your ilk about whatever it is that makes you support mass murdering Islamic terrorists.
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