I agree with Mr. Coren. While I don't always agree with US policies, I can't think of a country I'd rather have as a superpower, or a superpower country I'd rather have as a neighbour. Not like poor old Finland stuck next to the USSR back during the cold war.
I also had real doubts about the reasons stated for going into Iraq at the time, but I thought my country handled it really badly. IMO it would have been one thing to decline to join you on the ground in Iraq (we already were, and still are in the Persian Gulf), but to make derogatory comments and oppose your going in the UN was very stupid, at the very least.
Many will disagree with what I've just said in the previous paragraph, but I believe rational people can disagree about such things and remain on friendly terms. The irrational hatred of the US exhibited by many in this country and others, however, is inexcusable. I hope that more of my countrymen will come to realize the error of their ways.
Here is what I don't understand. It is a fact that Hussein was routinely firing missiles at our pilots over a multi-year period in the leadup to the war. Given that fact, how can people suggest that we didn't have good reasons for going to war, particularly since that justification was set forth in the Congressional Resolution that authorized the war. But even if that justification was not set forth as a reason for going to war, who cares? It is still a good reason for going to war, unless, I suppose, one is acting as defense counsel for Hussein and the rest of his cronies.
I am not trying to pick a fight on this. I am just trying to understand why such a significant portion of the Canadian population would believe that we weren't justified in going to war given Hussein's repeated firing of missiles at our people. Can you explain that to me?
All throughout the 1990's, we were at "war" in Iraq. It just didn't seem like one with US fighter planes patrolling the "No Fly Zones" getting shot at, and shooting back when the origin of the tracer fire was known.