Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on U.S. strikes in Syria
Posted April 7th, 2017 on Niagara At Large
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement today on U.S. strikes in Syria:
One of score of victims of chemical gas attacks in Syria
“Canada fully supports the United States’ limited and focused action to degrade the Assad regime’s ability to launch chemical weapons attacks against innocent civilians, including many children.”
“President Assad’s use of chemical weapons and the crimes the Syrian regime has committed against its own people cannot be ignored. These gruesome attacks cannot be permitted to continue with impunity.”
Missle fired at Syrian air base this April 6th from U.S. destroyer
“This week’s attack in southern Idlib and the suffering of Syrians is a war crime and is unacceptable. Canada condemns all uses of chemical weapons.”
“Canada will continue to support diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria.”
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I think the key phrase here is “Canada will continue to support diplomatic efforts”. We should, BUT, while that sounds wonderful in an ideal world, the problem is despots don’t use diplomacy. That is somewhat akin to Chamberlain pacifying Hitler. It doesn’t work, nor do sanctions, when Russia provides whatever Assad needs. The alternative is another possible world war and more terrorism as local nations like Iran, Iraq and Turkey and distant nations will one by one get sucked into the vortex. Both options stink. A WORLD WIDE coalition needs to stand up, but how and why haven’t they before SIX years? As long as Russia has a veto in the UN, that will never happen. They need to get booted out of the UN and their diplomats expelled everywhere. They obviously cannot be trusted under Putin, the modern evil and cunning Czar.
Last week there was a programme on HBO documenting the history of the Syrian Civil War. It was very graphic and no holds barred. This is far from the first time that men, women and children have been poisoned by chemical warfare in Syria. As a nurse, I have seen terrible ways of dying, but poison gas is beyond any others, frothing at the mouth, gasping for air, seizures and burning of lung tissue causing suffocation. The White Helmets and other citizens tried to help these people but they were beyond help. Bodies were everywhere, over 900 in one attack alone. People CANNOT survive sarin. I was in tears watching it. Babies are not terrorists. How can any sane person wonder why the refugees are fleeing?
Russia supports Assad (not for altruistic reasons) and the rebels are ex-Assad military who deserted him in support of the citizens because of his pre war atrocities. Then ISIS moved in to assist the rebels. They were actually helpful until they weaseled their way into a position of trust and then started their usual control methods of beheadings and oppression. Nobody really knows who is who in this war. When Assad and ISIS are equally awful, who do you support and how? The poor citizens and the rebels who are trying to help them are trapped between a rock and a hard place. The UN as an “impartial” body needs to move in but then they will be trapped in the endless quagmire too. International law DEMANDS intervention when a genocide is being committed but everyone avoids calling Syria a genocide just as was done in Rwanda where 500,000 died in one month. Ironically, at a time when Canada and others are remembering the horrors of WW1, the “War to end all wars” that initiated the ban on the use of poison gas, we are reliving that very horror. Humans have not progressed one iota.
Trump is suddenly heartbroken and devastated by the atrocities against “innocent little babies” but he told Obama not to attack Syria a couple of years back, although these gas attacks have gone on for six years (was he even aware of that? I doubt it.) In spite of his “heartbreak” he refuses haven for the same “innocent little babies” and their families and calls them all terrorists. Considering this, does Trump still admire Putin as a “strong leader”?
This is obviously a no win situation. While I think the targeted attack sent a message – finally – it will not solve the problem. They need to be repeated until Assad’s ability to murder his own people is destroyed. He will continue to use innocents as shields.The doomsday clock is ticking. Excuse me while I go to hide under my bed.
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As afterthoughts-
#1 – Is this simply the mother of all diversionary tactics by Trump in an attempt to make him look presidential when his approval rating is abysmal? What a convenient ploy to make people forget his many scandals and distance himself from Russia (even if only pretending to do so). He is a pro at bait and switch. How many times has a failing leader made a “daring” move to bolster his profile when he is in trouble at home? He has never shown genuine compassion to the condition of the Syrian citizens before so why the sudden reversal? His speech sounded carefully crafted and contrived to me. Throw in a few references to “god” and he’s suddenly a Crusader.
#2 – Did he warn Russia that he was going to do this? Were there Russian aircraft at this base or were they evacuated in advance? I didn’t hear of any Russian losses. Why didn’t he go after Assad himself as was done with bin Laden and others?
I don’t trust Trump as far as I can throw him. He’s a master of deception.
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Stop Canada’s wars of aggression now!
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