The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Dealing With Hezbollah And Other Terrorists Many nations, including Canada, realize that you can't negotiate with or recognize terrorist organizations. Their purpose is to undermine and harm legitimate governments by terrorizing the public. Canada, even under the former Liberal government, began to realize the "honest broker" approach of Canadian diplomacy would not work in the war on terror. Thus Canadian troops were sent to Afghanistan not to keep the peace, but to wage war against the Taliban. There are, however, those still living in the past who want a return to the don't-take-sides approach in dealing with warring nations and terrorist organizations. One of them is former Liberal foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy, whose self-important pontifications show up from time-to-time in interviews and commentaries. In a recent interview, Axworthy criticized Stephen Harper for his support of Israel, claiming Canada had thrown away a chance to play a major part in settling the Mideast crisis. This is just pie in the sky, as terrorist groups like Hezbollah are not going to listen to Canada. Axworthy followed this by saying that Canada should go back to its peacekeeping role, making statements like, "Not the unyielding implacable conviction of the true believer no matter the reality, but the truth that can only arise from an open debate and discussion of differing views in a pluralist society that shapes eventually into that society's prevailing narrative." He wants Parliament to be given an enhanced role in foreign affairs. With the present Liberals and NDP? Get serious, Lloyd! As foreign affairs minister under Chretien, Axworthy had few successes. He came up with the brilliant idea of the land mine ban, which none of the land mine countries would sign, and the ban on selling of weapons, which also had no success with the major powers. His meeting with Fidel Castro to convince him to go easy on dissidents resulted in Castro jailing dissidents as Axworthy left Havana. Need I say more? Lloyd left Parliament to become part of a think tank, then was appointed president of the University of Winnipeg. His criticism of our support for Israel will do the university's constant search for money from alumni no good. In a July article, writer Diana West warned of Hezbollah and other terrorist group supporters in places like Detroit. She also mentioned that the British who evacuated their dual nationals from Lebanon had to screen them because they may prove a terrorist threat, as they had lived in the Middle East most of their lives. She noted that Hezbollah is popular among the Shia Muslims in Dearborn, Michigan, with Arab writers considering them freedom fighters. West also reminded Americans that Hezbollah bombings and attacks have since 1983 killed scores of Americans in the Mideast, South America and Saudi Arabia. She advocated the U.S. declare war on terrorist groups dedicated to the destruction of the USA. A July report from Australia said that the Conservative John Howard government is going to crack down on extremists, and those who want to live under Islamic law can get out of Australia. One minister said those with dual citizenship may be asked to go to the other country if they do not accept Australian law. In fact, Prime Minister Howard also said he supported spies monitoring the nation's mosques. The report called this approach "leadership with guts." A new book by Martin Gilbert speaks of the horror faced by the pre-war German Jews. Kristallnacht tells of the 30,000 Jews of Polish origin whom the Nazis rounded up in October 1938 and tried to expel to Poland. The next month was the attack on Jewish property called Kristallnacht, and further persecution. Canada refused to accept Jewish refugees, who were returned to Germany's death camps. Liberal PM Mackenzie King said that Canada would not accept "political refugees." These refused immigrants were for the most part killed by the Nazis. Compare this to the "political refugees" we have in the country today. In the present Mideast crisis, maybe we have a mistake to correct and "owe one" to Israel. Roger's Right Corner runs Wednesdays.
