The NDP Solution for the Middle East: A catered affair
The member of parliament for Halifax, Alexa McDonough of the NDP, sent a letter to Foreign Minister Peter MacKay, explaining in detail what he is doing wrong, and how Israel is the bad guy:
I write to express outrage at your government’s response to the destruction levelled by Israel on the innocent civilians in Gaza and Lebanon.
The world has rightly condemned the killings and kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, however Israel’s response has been illegal, brutal and disproportionate.
Of course, a quick side-trip into Bush-bashing is seen to be helpful:
It is more apparent than ever that your government’s desire to appease George Bush is so all-consuming, that you are prepared to turn a blind eye to the massive destruction in Gaza and in Lebanon, going so far as to deem these Israeli government assaults as ‘measured’.
Come now, isn’t it possible that Stephen Harper is evil all on his own?
In any case, McDonough insists her outrage is aimed at both sides in this war, though only Israel’s offenses are enumerated in a list:
Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah must all assume responsibility for their actions. However, it is impossible to ignore Israel’s disproportionate response:
- Bombing of the Palestinian Interior Ministry and other government offices:
- Arrest of duly elected Palestinian parliamentarians;
- Bombings of Palestinian infrastructure including a power station that was the sole generator of electricity and running water for hundreds of thousands of Gazans;
- Destruction of the Lebanese airport;
- Air and sea blockade of Lebanon preventing Lebanese as well as Canadian citizens, including many of my constituents, from returning to or leaving Lebanon; and
- Killing of scores of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians, including children.
The last point is the most gratuitous. Israel is not targeting children. It has no interest in seeing children hurt. Indeed, every child that is hurt is a public relations bonanza for the terrorists, amplified by letters like these from infantile liberals.
This despite the fact that the terrorists have no problem making children into targets.
McDonough goes on to speak on behalf of all Canadians, even though the NDP came in third in the election (and dead last in Quebec, with less than one third of the vote garnered by the Conservatives):
Canadians expect their government to reflect our strongly held values of fairness, and justice and to uphold our obligations to international law.
Actually, some Canadians expect politicians to speak when they have something useful to add to the conversation, and not just to use up precious oxygen. For example, McDonough says that the Israeli attack on Hamas and on Hizbollah is illegal and disproportionate. Perhaps Alexa McDonough can provide a list of legal and proportionate responses. Remember, the goal is to do the following:
- force the terrorists to return the captured soldiers unharmed
- force the terrorists to stop firing rockets and artillery shells over international borders into Israel
- force the Lebanese government to establish its sovereignty over its territory against the wishes of terrorists armed and controlled by Iran and Syria
- force the Lebanese government to eject Syrian and Iranian military and intelligence personnel illegally in the country for the purpose of managing terrorist organizations, against the wishes of heavily armed Syria (which borders on Lebanon) and Iran
- force the Palestinian Authority to establish its sovereignty over its territory against the wishes of terrorists armed by Iran and Syria
- force Iran to see the provision of financial, military, and diplomatic aid to terrorists as counter to its national interests
- force Syria to see the provision of financial, military, and diplomatic aid to terrorists as counter to its national interests
- force the Palestinian Authority to see the provision of financial, military, and diplomatic aid to terrorists as counter to its national interests
- compel Iran and Syria to behave in a responsible manner over the long term, even though they are not democracies and as such are far more likely to alter their foreign policy quickly and capriciously, since their governments can ignore popular and international opinion
- compel the terrorists to abandon their stated objective to destroy Israel
McDonough would no doubt suggest a conference. Catered, of course. But I doubt she could provide a single compelling reason to believe that even the simplest goals on the list above would be reached in such a way.
For instance, what can McDonough say to Hizbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah to make him stop firing rockets he gets from Iran and Syria into Israel from bases in Lebanon? What would he get out of it, besides a dagger in the back from his compatriots once he is seen to show weakness and a willingness to compromise? What does McDonough think she can offer, or force Israel to offer, that will convince him and the people around him to change their ways?
Nevertheless, a conference is just what she recommends:
I urge you...to call on Israel to halt its assault on Lebanon and to negotiate in good faith a resolution to this latest crisis which has already cost too many innocent lives.
Right. Because Nasrallah is eagerly waiting for his chance to negotiate. All that is missing is "good faith" on the part of conniving and faithless Israel. McDonough has no advice to offer Peter MacKay on what to say to Nasrallah. Just a demand that Canada begin to criticize Israel. Note that Hamas and Hizbollah must "assume all responsibility for their actions", but McDonough is satisfied to leave it there, with no demands for Canadian action on that point, or demands that the terrorists actually stop doing those things she holds them responsible for. For McDonough, "fairness and justice" means telling Israel, and only Israel, to stop, then have Israel set up the hors d’oeuvres for the NDP-sponsored gabfest that will fix all that ails the region. Then everything will be just fine. Well, "legal and proportionate" anyways.
[Add Alexa McDonough to this cartoon depicting those concerned about properly proportioned violence.]
Technorati Tags: Israel, Hamas, Hizbollah, Lebanon, NDP, Alexa McDonough
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Comments
Great post.
Posted by: NorthBayTrapper at July 17, 2006 01:20 PM
I think this crisis is going to require more than just a catered coference, Angry.
Yes, I think it's time for the whole NDP/Liberal cabal to head on over to the ME for a GROUP HUG.
Posted by: Rob R at July 17, 2006 01:39 PM
While Israel justifies this war by repeating the theme of the 3 'kidnapped' soldiers, there are over 9000 Palestinian men women and CHILDREN in Isreali jails right now. Now they WERE kidnapped, the Israeli soldiers were CAPTURED--a vast difference.
Why not have an exchange of 'prisoners'? This is never mentioned though--Israel would rather kill than release on 'disappeared' Palestinian--if they are still alive--they have been kept incommunicado for all these years. I would hazard a guess that most Canadians do not even know Israel is holding these Palestinians prisoner. So much easier to promote the Israeli whine if all the facts are not known.
Posted by: George at July 17, 2006 01:43 PM
George,
Which part of the news don't you get? The part about Hezbollah, in an act of war, illegally entering Israel from Lebanon and kidnapping soldiers. Or the part about their intentional bombing of Israeli civilians from Lebanon?
"...there are over 9000 Palestinian men, women and CHILDREN in Israeli jails right now."
I'm sure Israel is going to house and feed 9000 Palestinian men, women and children for no apparent reason. But wait,
"...if they are still alive--they have been kept incommunicado for all these years."
Geez, I'm curious George, how do you know there are 9,000 of these palestinian jail birds if they A/ aren't alive, or B/ have been kept incommunicado?
"I would hazard a guess that most Canadians do not even know Israel is holding these Palestinians prisoner."
Ah, there you answered it. Most Canadians don't hazard a bigoted guess like you and your socialist NDP pals. Most of us like facts.
"So much easier to promote the Israeli whine if all the facts are not known."
Once again, which facts are these? Or are they feelings you pulled out of your ass? I know, it's a confusing question.
Hey, perhaps you should pursue a job with Iran in their public relations department. Afterall, you'd both agree on all the 'facts', including the fact that the holocaust didn't happen.
Posted by: Irwin Daisy at July 17, 2006 02:33 PM
Apparent antisemitism seems to be a common theme in the NDP nowadays.
Posted by: KPK at July 17, 2006 03:32 PM
I see her working. It's a letter directed at the NDP voting base...notoriously anti-semitic.
Constituents who don't support her, or her party, should bombard her with emails. Her letter is in bad taste..
Posted by: Kildred at July 17, 2006 03:37 PM
She's out of her depth. Period.
Posted by: Shaken at July 17, 2006 03:42 PM
Let's just be thankful that Svend Robinson isn't a MP anymore. Otherwise, right now he would be having tea with Hezbollah and giving press conferences about the evil Israelis.
Posted by: PlaidShirt at July 17, 2006 03:59 PM
And to think, countless decades of heated strife could have been averted if we just sat them down like a bunch of grade 5 students and gave them juice boxes and a warm lunch.
Noticably absent from McDonough's letter are any suggestions on ways to find common ground. If a solution is so attainable, surely she could find it within herself to solve the problem instead of contenting herself with riding Harper and MacKay.
Posted by: Steve A. at July 17, 2006 04:19 PM
Good post, however, just a quick correction regarding the following:
"Syria and Iran, which border on Lebanon"
Lebanon borders only two countries: Syria and Israel.
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/middle_east_pol_2003.jpg
Posted by: MSYB at July 17, 2006 04:25 PM
Let's send the entire NDP caucus over there to broker a deal. It can't be that hard to convince blood thirsty terrorists to stop killing children in crowded marketplaces if they have some hot tea and scones.
Posted by: Waterloony Clayt at July 17, 2006 04:32 PM
Just another naive, delusional socialist. These people just don't get it.
Posted by: cookoo at July 17, 2006 05:06 PM
The echo-chamber is beginning to smell a bit.
Israel is trying to avoid killing civilians, eh? But they just keep killing them all the same. How about these Lebanese kids, fleeing their little village after being ordered to by Israeli forces? One helicopter gunship took them out. Where were Hisbollah? In the luggage compartment?
Come now, isn't it possible that Stephen Harper is evil all on his own?
A proposition I shall actively consider.
Posted by: Dr.Dawg at July 17, 2006 06:24 PM
NDP are fools. Always have been. And they run my province.
"Disproporionate" is my new drinking game word. I ought to be legless by now if I were knocking back a shot each time someone like McDonough parrotted it.
Posted by: CMP at July 17, 2006 06:36 PM
There's absolutely no doubt, Alexa MacDonut and smiling Jack would have the Mid East crisis solved with a giant group hug. It's really not a joking matter and the above mentioned people should stop the goofy talk and get serious. The anti-semitism throughout our country and the world is despicable. The people of Israel have a right to have support in defending themselves from attacks and retaliate for bombing by terrorist misfits in the human race.What sort of thought process could come to any other conclusion?
Posted by: Liz J at July 17, 2006 07:31 PM
Dr. Dawg: It's a shame kids die in war, even when they aren't the intended targets, as they would be to Hezbollah/Hamas/Your-Jihad-Here. Where was Hezbollah? Maybe not in the trunk, but maybe in the truck in front, or the one behind, as they were said to be in a "convoy" which was probably a bad move in the first place. Terrorists use innocents as human shields routinely. Civilized people don't. And you didn't put up the worst photos of this incident, in which UN "peacekeepers" were brandishing the mutilated bodies and screaming like savages for the cameras.
Posted by: CMP at July 17, 2006 07:40 PM
Dr. Dawg, at least the Israelis make an attempt at sparing civilians and if the terrorist were not hiding among them they would spare many more. The terrorist make no such attempt at all though. To them all Israeli are targets to be exterminated. It would really be a shame, and worth castigating the Israelis, if they finally lost it and started killing civilians indiscrimately as the terrorists. But Israel is a civilized democracy with civilized people in charge and not a terrorist organization run by an iron fist.
Show me where the terrorists are trying to spare the civilian population and I will line up with you and criticize the Israelis, but until that happens I side Israel.
Posted by: Dwayne at July 17, 2006 08:02 PM
I have no reason to believe that the IDF targeted those children specificly I do know that it's possible that those children were part of a Hezbollah convoy. It was the front line. Who knows? Certainly not those sites you posted.
I do know that Hezbollah is indiscriminately firing rockets into civilian populations...
Posted by: Merkin Muffley at July 17, 2006 08:04 PM
Every death is a cause for celebration for Hezbollah. Israeli deaths? score! bonus points! Deaths of innocents with which they surround themselves while fighting? propaganda gold baby!
No shortage of lefty anti-semites to carry their watter either.
Posted by: moptop at July 17, 2006 08:48 PM
I think that as a sign of goodwill, Stephen Harper should send the entire NDP to Lebanon without delay to broker a deal. Of course, the Lebanon airport is out of commission, so they'll probably have to be dropped in, preferably without parachutes. It is my belief that their superior negotiating skills will end the war before there can any be any more casualties - particularly if they're able to use Nasrallah as a landing pad for Alexa.
Directed to Dr. Dawg, I am, honest-to-God, sad for the many Lebanese who hate Hezbollah but are still suffering for their duly-"elected" government's actions. Not that any of us need to justify our morality to someone who thinks that 9/11 happened because the USA "provoked" radical Islam, but it is true that there are far fewer radicals in Lebanon than, say, Palestine.
However many Lebanese civilians don't support Hezbollah, though, their own government still defied a border recognized by international law, kidnapped two soldiers and killed several other people in the process. That was an act of war, and war is not fought tit-for-tat - that only increases human casualties in the long haul. And now they are deliberately firing rockets into Israeli hospitals and other civilian centers in Israeli cities, while Israel mostly bombs concrete and accidentally kills some civilians after warning them over an hour in advance to evacuate. Hezbollah has even declared open war while continuing to hit civilian targets instead of military ones - is this situation really so muddy to you? Because it's quite clear to me.
Every civilian death is a public-relations gift to Hamas and Hezbollah - why would they do it on purpose?
Posted by: Aaron G at July 17, 2006 09:14 PM
Israel is not known for avoiding civilian deaths among Arab populations, because to Israel - like to many of you, apparently - all Arabs are terrorists.
--------------------
It will be called the massacre of Marwaheen. All the civilians killed by the Israelis had been ordered to abandon their homes in the border village by the Israelis themselves a few hours earlier. Leave, they were told by loudspeaker; and leave they did, 20 of them in a convoy of civilian cars. That's when the Israeli jets arrived to bomb them, killing 20 Lebanese, at least nine of them children. The local fire brigade could not put out the fires as they all burned alive in the inferno. Another "terrorist" target had been eliminated.
--------------------
http://www.countercurrents.org/leb-fisk160706.htm
You defenders of Israel care more about Israel than Canada. More about Israelis than Canadians. Israel bombs a vacation home in Southern Lebanon, killing SEVEN CANADIANS from Montreal, and you don't even make a peep. I can only imagine what your response would be if Hamas or Hezbollah were to kill a Canadian family. "WE'RE ALL PART OF THE WAR ON TERROR NOW!", you'd bleat.
But Israel can kill Canadians all it pleases, and you stay silent. Where is your patriotism? Where is your courage?
Posted by: Ade at July 17, 2006 09:23 PM
moptop, you missed one, if a Hezbollah fighter dies, martyr bonus....72 raisons in heaven.
Posted by: qwerty at July 17, 2006 09:25 PM
Ade, Hezbollah has killed a Canadian.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=078006e2-aa50-46a5-a902-5d9943d37e0a&k=76366
h/t Cjunk.
Posted by: qwerty at July 17, 2006 09:33 PM
Those kids would be playing soccer in the streets if hezbollah hadn't thrown them into the frontline of their absurd operations.
All to please foreign masters, hezbollah has drawn Lebanon into their own suicidal folly.
Hezbollah is criminally responsible for all collateral damage...both in Israel & Lebanon.
Blame them, ade. You won't.. You're too limited.
Posted by: Benito Mutombo at July 17, 2006 10:01 PM
Again I have to ask what world some of you are living in if you truly believe that 20 civilian deaths in a war warrants a hissy-fit. I'm no history buff, but some of you would do well to at least learn a cursory amount about WWI and WWII.
Need we remind you (again) that Hezbollah, although it is the de facto government in Lebanon, does not have military bases. There are no military targets for Israel to hit. Hezbollah is firing missiles from civilian locations at Israeli civilians. That means that either Lebanese civilians die, or Israeli civilians do - which side do you think Israel is going to take?
In previous wars, even when there WERE military targets, there was still "morale bombing". Civilians died. Thousands of them. Millions of them. It was ugly, but it proved to be far more effective than precision military strikes.
For all your freaking out (Ade) that Canadians in Lebanon were killed by an Israeli airstrike, would you care to take a guess at how many Canadians, Americans, and other non-Israelis have been killed in Israel by Palestinian IEDs and Lebanese/Syrian/Iranian missiles? Here's a hint - it's more than seven. 20 civilian deaths including 7 Canadians in a war is a tragedy, but it's hardly a massacre.
I think I'll be returning to my "echo chamber" now, where news is reported, not distorted.
Posted by: Aaron G at July 17, 2006 10:16 PM
I actually met Alexa McDonough on one occasion, though I have dealt with the NDP on several occassions. The meeting with Alexa, was at the Language institute in Halifax. I was in uniform, and it was the day after the 1997 election. I extended my hand to congratulate her (though I NEVER VOTE NDP) on her success. Instead of returning the gesture, Alexa shoved her bodyguard in front of her and gave me a look that can only be described as a hateful sneer. Yep....Alexa and the NDP have no love for Canadian soldiers, nor anyone else's soldiers for that matter. In fact, I think the only people with guns that the NDP support....tend to have names like Ahmed, Muhammed, and Jack.
The next memorable Canadian Vignette involving a Canadian soldier and the NDP occurred in Esquimalt BC. about two weeks before the Jan. 23 election, the MP from Esquimalt (denise savoie) had her pamphleteers out bright and early to indoctrinate...er, to campaign with some of the local youth. The bus stops right in front of Ms. Savoie's campaign office...and when I got off, I was treated to a nice friendly NDP cheer type chorus of "there goes another war monger" "baby-killer.....Bush Patsy...etc...etc...etc...
Yes dear bloggers......the NDP is not credible, nor very sane in my opinion. The hypocrisy of someone like Alexa though is truly mind-boggling. She comes from an extremely wealth family (owners of SHAW brick and other businesses), and the promises Alexa made to the working poor in Canada were almost as big as the gate she used to keep those same people off of her estate.
Posted by: JamesHalifax at July 18, 2006 04:19 AM
So, Alexa is outraged again. Oh dear.
It must be fun trying to get a night's sleep in a NDP household. At any given time, 24/7, every member thereof will be "outraged" by at least three different things ranging from parking tickets given to the homeless on to Bob Rae's apparent disgust with NDP anti-semitism.
Why is the NDP the only party that is allowed to be explicitly racist? They hate Americans in a most racist way. They are openly anti-semitic.
As observed in posts above, socialists don't hate uniforms per se. They love ones that can be used to enforce their crazy dicta as a quick glance at history and North Korea et al. easily shows
Posted by: Tom at July 18, 2006 06:44 AM
Poster "Ade": We can make all the "peeps" we like, but who's listening? Certainly not the terrorist cowards with headquarters in homes among the innocents. How can anyone deal with such maddness? Taking their own innocent people hostage, as martyrs for maximum coverage. Don't know where you've been but Canada is on the side of what she stands for: the rule of law, order, respect for human life and the right to defend those principles, exactly as Israel is struggling to do. It's to defend the lowest form of life to defend terrorists anywhere on the planet. Canada cares too much and has been very lenient in allowing questionable "refugees" and immigrants to linger in our land, with yet another crisis in the Middle East, surely dictates change of policy.
Posted by: Liz J at July 18, 2006 07:49 AM
test
Posted by: spike at July 18, 2006 08:21 AM
Perhaps the headline to this thread should read "a cratered affair".
Posted by: at July 18, 2006 10:23 PM
Why do people even bother to take what Perplexa says as serious and well thought out? Why do they take anything the NDP says as serious and well thought out? Hugging your enemy and singing Kumbaya will only encourage ruthless people to use you as a fool for their ends. Fools, whose only defence are slogans and clichés.
As for the “martyrs”, when is the last time you saw a wild and crazy Muslim virgin? We know how wild those virgins are under those veils. If an exposed ankle drives you crazy imagine 78 exposed toes. And this for eternity. However, if you were to even touch one of these virgins they would no longer be a virgin and then we’d be in a “99 beer bottles” situation; then what?
As for Ade, it is a shame that your hatred of Israel blinds you to reality. Those that use civilians as human shields are the scums of the earth. Those that turn a blind eye agree with this tactic. Therefore, you are no better than those murderers and scums. Don’t come running to us and play the patriot card with Canadians. We would never stoop to such low life tactics.
Remove the name Bush from the equation and see what response you would get. This is not Bush’s war; Harper is not warming up to Bush; ad nausium.
Posted by: Fiumara at July 19, 2006 02:30 AM
 
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