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While Harpers gestures on the issue may appear to be small time, when combined with sanctions with all other NATO countries it could all add up to a formidable effort at swaying Putins decision to invade a sovereign country
While Harpers gestures on the issue may appear to be small time, when combined with sanctions with all other NATO countries it could all add up to a formidable effort at swaying Putins decision to invade a sovereign country
Canada didn't seem to have tried to sway Bush's decision to invade a sovereign country for some reason.
don't forget Putin was asked by the Ukraine president (who was unconstitutionally removed from his position by western-back rebellions) to go to Crimea, and there is an agreement that allows Russia to have 15000 solders there too.
And such formidable effort will be still as formidable with or without Canada's empty and meaningless threat or participation. Canada's trade with Russia is close to zero.
Harper is just a big mouth,Canada cannot even go to war alone,it needs the US to breath.
Canada can't go to war alone. It will be crushed by Russia in 2 days.
And US doesn't need Canada's help if it decides to go to war whatsoever. It never did.
So what's the point? Harper's voice is simply meaningless and the world is laughing.
Canada can't go to war alone. It will be crushed by Russia in 2 days.
And US doesn't need Canada's help if it decides to go to war whatsoever. It never did.
So what's the point? Harper's voice is simply meaningless and the world is laughing.
Well let's see; as a sovereign nation among many castigating Russia; why not try and look at it as what nations do on the public stage as part of the world's diplomatic process.
A nation need not be the biggest or the baddest to have a voice that's either respected or even heard does it? There are many nations aligned in this castigating of Russia and I would opine that most of them are of less stature on the world stage than Canada.
According to your surmisal, if the only voices that should be listened to and not laughed at would be those with military or economic might, the only voices ever heard would then be possibly four or five countries while the rest of them should just shut up and listen.
I don't think Harper can win with you bott; he'd be vilified regardless of what his stance was in light of your dislike for Canada and all things Canadian as evidenced on here.
I don't think Harper shives-a-git for your opinion in any case; do you?
Well let's see; as a sovereign nation among many castigating Russia; why not try and look at it as what nations do on the public stage as part of the world's diplomatic process.
A nation need not be the biggest or the baddest to have a voice that's either respected or even heard does it? There are many nations aligned in this castigating of Russia and I would opine that most of them are of less stature on the world stage than Canada.
According to your surmisal, if the only voices that should be listened to and not laughed at would be those with military or economic might, the only voices ever heard would then be possibly four or five countries while the rest of them should just shut up and listen.
I don't think Harper can win with you bott; he'd be vilified regardless of what his stance was in light of your dislike for Canada and all things Canadian as evidenced on here.
No, what I disapprove of is Canada's blind support of the US. I wouldn't have a problem if for example, Canada publicly denounced America's invasion of Iraq or Afganistan - those are sovereign countries too, no matter what America's excuses were. In applying double standard, it shows nothing but hypocrisy and the sole intention to suck up to a greater power and nothing else. Do you think Canada does it out of sense of justice and care for the people in Ukraine? Not for a second.
And you are wrong about my view about Harper. I support him 90% of the time when it comes to the economy, immigration etc. Just not on this. If there were an election today, I would vote for him for sure.
No, what I disapprove of is Canada's blind support of the US. I wouldn't have a problem if for example, Canada publicly denounced America's invasion of Iraq or Afganistan - those are sovereign countries too, no matter what America's excuses were. In applying double standard, it shows nothing but hypocrisy and the sole intention to suck up to a greater power and nothing else. Do you think Canada does it out of sense of justice and care for the people in Ukraine? Not for a second.
And you are wrong about my view about Harper. I support him 90% of the time when it comes to the economy, immigration etc. Just not on this. If there were an election today, I would vote for him for sure.
Well we are of like minds then, as I too would vote for him today.
On this issue; he really hasn't got a lot of choice because to remain mute would be an obvious blunder to make at a time when the whole free world has piled it on Russia for breaking a treaty.
Harper cannot control what a moonbat like Kerry says that is so obviously out of tune with historical facts. ANYBODY from any country other than the U.S. can make statements about invading foreign countries but for Kerry to spout about it was just a laugh riot moment.
I believe comments from Harper were of more relevance to any listener than Kerry's faux-paux.
I don't think the whole free world has denounced Russia.
Did Switzerland? Sweden? Austria? Finland? Portugal? Denmark? Iceland?
I don't think Canada has to act so aggressively, and whether what Putin did violates international law is disputable... even if it did, how come when the US intrude countries without UN approval, we choose to be silence? Canada lost my respect here. What we approve or disapprove shouldn't depend who is doing it, it should depend whether it is right - and no double standard and selective blindness should be applied.
^^Well, perhaps Harper's stance on this also has something to do with the fact that Canada is home to the third largest Ukrainian population outside Ukraine and Russia. I suspect most of the Ukrainians would support the Ukrainian nationalists. My own grandfathers were born in Ukraine (one in the Krym).
But what I worry about is the west automatically jumping to its antagonistic Russian position without bothering to take a closer look at the Ukrainian nationalists - apparently they have many neo-Nazi groups in their midst although I am not entirely sure what is going on. There isn't necessarily always a good guy/bad guy scenario - it is possible to have two bad guys.
^^Well, perhaps Harper's stance on this also has something to do with the fact that Canada is home to the third largest Ukrainian population outside Ukraine and Russia. I suspect most of the Ukrainians would support the Ukrainian nationalists. My own grandfathers were born in Ukraine (one in the Krym).
But what I worry about is the west automatically jumping to its antagonistic Russian position without bothering to take a closer look at the Ukrainian nationalists - apparently they have many neo-Nazi groups in their midst although I am not entirely sure what is going on. There isn't necessarily always a good guy/bad guy scenario - it is possible to have two bad guys.
That's exactly right. The world isn't black and white OR good vs. evil, like US foreign policy (or any other country with militaristic power really) tends to promote. In every conflict, there are two (or more sides) with lots of history that is never presented/understood by others and these "one-liners" from news sources don't really tell the full story. Governments, I assume, know all this but position themselves to the populations via the media to further their interests. It's a very dirty game and while I don't believe Canada is dirt-free, I'd prefer the country not jump into this mud bath with two feet. Harper is just playing politics here with his tough guy talk, it's quite obvious. Trying to score points with the US government and factions within the Canadian population.
^^Well, perhaps Harper's stance on this also has something to do with the fact that Canada is home to the third largest Ukrainian population outside Ukraine and Russia. I suspect most of the Ukrainians would support the Ukrainian nationalists. My own grandfathers were born in Ukraine (one in the Krym).
But what I worry about is the west automatically jumping to its antagonistic Russian position without bothering to take a closer look at the Ukrainian nationalists - apparently they have many neo-Nazi groups in their midst although I am not entirely sure what is going on. There isn't necessarily always a good guy/bad guy scenario - it is possible to have two bad guys.
What is going is that it is all about power.
Forget about whether it is legal for Russia to enter Ukraine. That's not the point. Since when did western countries care about sovereignty of others judging by wars and intrusions by the west in the past couple of decades? No, they don't.
Forget about democracy and freedom of Ukrainians. Since when western countries care about if people in other countries are free? No, they don't. They just use democracy as a noble excuse when it suits their interest.
It is all about geopolitical power - Russia doesn't want to lose Crimea and Ukraine to the West, and the West is using gullible youth to isolate Russia, a nation they consider evil, and to foster more pro-west countries in Europe.
There is no good guy here. Only a fool would think it is about Western country helping Ukraine to gain freedom and whatever nice things they put it out there. Both Europe and Russia should just leave it to the Ukrainians to solve their problem, and more for the the West because Ukraine has a history with Russia (Crimea was part of Russia) while they don't.
The American propogranda is once again, out of control, and it is not surprising most Americans/Canadians buy it because that's pretty much all the information source they have access to. Wise people should really stop reading CNN/Globe and Mail news - they can't be more biased.
As to Canada, it is simply laughable that Harper thinks what he says or does has any weight. The west will not be any weaker without Canada, so why not stop pretending to be relevant and focus on Canadian matters. It is a good opportunity to show we do have an independent foreign policy and not a puppet of the US too. Too much to expect?
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