82% back Harper's support for Israel's right to self-defence

CanWest News Service via National Post ^ | 2006-08-14

[Clive]

An overwhelming majority of Canadians support Prime Minister Stephen Harper's assertion that Israel's attacks on Lebanon are justified because Israel has a right to self-defence and that Iran and Syria are wrong to have armed Hezbollah, according to a new poll to be released today. The poll, which was conducted by public opinion researcher COMPAS Inc., will appear in the Alberta-based newsmagazine Western Standard this week. The poll states that 82% of Canadians who were asked believe that Israel has a right to self-defence. The results come on the heels of protests by Lebanese- Canadians who have criticized Mr. Harper's comments in support of Israel.

[Clive]

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[backhoe]

( Just an Old Keyboard Cowboy, etc., etc...)

[goldstategop]

Like the question has to even be asked. No other country's right to self-defense is even considered up for questioning, let alone debate. On the more disturbing side, 18% of Canadians think Israel has no right to defend itself whatsoever.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)

[gondramB]

>>The poll states that 82% of Canadians who were asked believe that Israel has a right to self-defence. <<

Well, while this is clearly good rather than bad... how good it is depends on the questions asked.

If all they asked was whether Israel has a right to self-defence when attacked then you'd pretty much have to want the destruction of Israel to answer anything but "yes."

If the question was targeted to the current situation with Hezbollah and they answered yes in spite of the constant stream of contrary press then this is, indeed, encouraging

[Jameison]

Strong leadership in times of crises will aways get you there.
The Canadian people now have a leader who has got a pair, got principles and sticks to them, instead of the normal liberal wussies they have been having for ages.

[Clive]

The thrust of the story is not whether Canadians support the right of self defence. My reading of it is that Canadians support Harper's stance in support of Israel's prosecution of its attack on Lebanon. This is in the face of the opposition to Harper's stance having gotten the bulk of the media attention.

As to what was the question, I suppose that we will have to wait until we see the Western Standard article.

[GMMAC]

"On the more disturbing side, 18% of Canadians think Israel has no right to defend itself whatsoever."

Given anti-Israeli media bias is fairly constant throughout North America & the yapping of bleeding-hearted morons and/or pro-terrorist commies is pretty much the same wherever you go, do you really think the results of a similar poll conducted Stateside would be all that different?

[fanfan]

Canada ping.

Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.

[timsbella]

18% think Israel has no right to defend itself - wonder if that will match any religious demographic in the 2006 census.

[Alouette]

Canadian media liberals are freaking out:

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel/Russian Jewry ping list.

Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.

[CaptainCanada]

Like the question has to even be asked. No other country's right to self-defense is even considered up for questioning, let alone debate. On the more disturbing side, 18% of Canadians think Israel has no right to defend itself whatsoever.

Before you get on our case, dude, you'd better check how your fellow countrymen respond to a similar question..

[CaptainCanada]

18% of Canadians think Israel has no right to defend itself whatsoever.

Ahhhh, here it is .. As reported in your own LA Times - A similar U.S. poll.. Here's a quote from the summary:
"The poll found that 43% said Israel's bombing campaign was justified but not excessively harsh, while 16% described the response as justified but excessive. Fewer than one in three respondents — 28% — said the response to Hezbollah was unjustified.."

Almost 28% of American said (in effect) that Israel had no right to defend herself..
I guess that this means that proportionately you have far more wack jobs than we do, but then, we've always known that.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-poll3aug03,0,5268515.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[justiceseeker93]

Any breakdown of the poll by province? (My guess would be that the % stating that Israel has a right to defend herself would be lower amongst the Quebecois than other Canadians.)

[CaptainCanada]

I think you can take that bet to the bank....