Posted on 08/02/2006 3:21:49 PM PDT by WmShirerAdmirer
OTTAWA -- Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay blamed Hezbollah yesterday for starting the current Middle East war, describing the Lebanese group as a "cancer destroying democracy in Lebanon."
The Conservative government believes "it is not a difficult choice between a democratic state [Israel] that was attacked by terrorists and cold-blooded killers," he said.
As the civilian death toll mounted, Mr. MacKay used some of the harshest language against Hezbollah to date by a Tory minister.
"Lebanon's being held hostage by Hezbollah," Mr. MacKay told a House of Commons foreign-affairs committee special session that was called by the opposition parties to deal with the Middle East crisis.
"They started it," he said, describing Hezbollah's daylight attack across the border into Israel on July 12. He said Hezbollah is a "terrorist army" that "has shown no interest in a ceasefire" and is using civilians as human shields.
Mr. MacKay said Canada is joining the European Union and others in a call for a ceasefire and mobilization of a strong international peacekeeping force to police it. But it is unclear whether Hezbollah would even honour a truce, he said.
The minister and other Conservatives portrayed the conflict as "terrorism versus democracy" during yesterday's session, but the three opposition parties, which form a majority on the committee, called the government's shift toward the Israeli position unwise. The committee later adopted a Bloc Québécois motion calling for an immediate ceasefire, after stripping it of a preamble suggesting that Israel is using excessive force.
NDP foreign-affairs critic Alexa McDonough noted that a Canadian soldier, at his post as a United Nations military observer on the border, was killed by Israeli shell fire last week. He was killed "for doing his job," she said, but the government seemed to blame the UN.
Liberal MP Omar Alghabra said the Conservatives are shamefully trying to raise political funds "on the backs of tragedy," referring to a Conservative Party letter sent out last week asking for donations to help promote Prime Minister Stephen Harper's policy.
Opposition MPs say many of their constituents are alarmed by the rising death toll, particularly among Lebanese civilians. A Globe and Mail/CTV poll showed this week that the vast majority of Canadians want Ottawa to remain neutral, and a significant number believe Mr. Harper's government has stumbled in its tilt toward Israel.
The political divide was evident at noon hour on Parliament Hill as about 250 demonstrators, many waving Lebanese flags, protested what they said is Mr. Harper's indifference to the plight of Lebanese civilians. About 100 other people demonstrated support for Israel.
describing the Lebanese group as a "cancer destroying democracy in Lebanon."
Exactly!
Tony Snow is wrong to say there are no words to describe Hezbollah.
Cancer is Perfect.
A disease that rots the body from within and will Kill you if you let it grow.
it is without Morality, or compassion, or any Humanity.
a relentless destroyer.
Yes..."Cancer" is the perfect word.
If he holds course, and it seems like he will, Stephen Harper is shaping up as a real profile in political courage for our time.
Lord knows Canada could use it. Keep in mind that poll was conducted by the Globe & Mail, which is a Canadian newspaper with a lefty readership.
Good observation. Saw this Canadian poll earlier:
How would you rate the Harper government's handling of its first major foreign policy crisis?
Good 22583 votes (69 %)
Fair 2421 votes (7 %)
Poor 7789 votes (24 %)
Total Votes: 32793
Canada has always deserved better than the Trudeaupians and Mr. Harper is the real deal.
Nothing wrong with taking the stand for conviction and Western civilization.
Of course the appeasers will not be pleased. That's too bad.
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