A different set of rules for the U.S.

Toronto Sun ^ | March 20, 2003 | (editorial page)

[Clive]

It's bizarre how America is expected to fight a war like no other nation on Earth.

Let Russia invade Chechnya, let China occupy Tibet, or France invade the Ivory Coast, and no one marches in the streets worrying about civilian casualties.

The fact there were many civilians killed in the American-led "humanitarian bombing" of Kosovo in 1999 is now overlooked by many of the same people marching for "peace" with Iraq.

Ironically, that "humanitarian bombing" - also conducted outside the auspices of the United Nations - was demanded by many of the very same "peace" protesters ready to go berserk at the first sight of the first Iraqi casualty.

The double standards go on and on.

No other nation is expected to clear its wars in advance with the UN - except the U.S.

No other nation is expected to rebuild the countries it wars against - except the U.S.

No other nation is condemned for intervening (Iraq) and for not intervening (Rwanda).

In Canada, it just keeps getting worse. It's as if these damn Liberals can't help themselves.

Yesterday, Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal attacked George Bush for not being a "statesman." Right. As if Saddam Hussein is.

How many times did we hear there was unanimous agreement within the UN Security Council that Saddam was an evil tyrant who had to be disarmed for the safety of the world?

Except no one was willing to do the job but the Americans, Brits and Aussies. Then they were bashed as warmongers by the do-nothing nations - France, Germany, China, Russia - and, outside the Security Council, Canada.

This, even as those nations admitted the only reason Saddam was co-operating at all with UN weapons inspectors was due to the U.S.-led strike force, to which they wouldn't contribute.

We, too, hope for as few Iraqi casualties as possible. But we want our American (and British and Aussie) friends to know we support them and pray for their safety (along with our Canadian forces in the region still prosecuting the war on terror). And that Jean Chretien and his trained seals don't speak for all of us.

[Clive]

-

[twntaipan]

bttt

[Dont Mention the War]

Yesterday, Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal attacked George Bush for not being a "statesman." Right. As if Saddam Hussein is.

As if Herb Dhaliwal is!!!

But I'll let it slide this time if he can introduce me to Daljit.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Saddam might be an evil dictator but France, Germany and China love the color of his money and didn't mind selling him the chemicals, technology and weapons to make him an even greater threat to civilization. Those countries aiding and abetting Saddam are just as much our enemies as is he.

[kanawa]

We, too, hope for as few Iraqi casualties as possible. But we want our American (and British and Aussie) friends to know we support them and pray for their safety (along with our Canadian forces in the region still prosecuting the war on terror). And that Jean Chretien and his trained seals don't speak for all of us.

Ditto

[LaraCroft]

According to Unicef, up to 5000 Iraqi's die every month now, from hunger, torture, murder, medical needs.

I'd say we'd have to go some to kill more Iraqis than Hussein does every day. The quicker the war is waged, the less death... and the deaths of 45,000 Iraqis rest on the heads of the UN, the democrats, France, and all others who drug this out.(9months x 5000 per month)

Hussein has murdered up to a million people, and still the liberals in the street call Bush the terrorist.

[PGalt]

Thanks for your post, editorial.

[Cuttnhorse]

Excellent editorial!!

[battlegearboat]

Highly most excellent article, dude!

[patriciaruth]

Maybe if Canada hadn't suffered friendly fire casualties in the Afghan campaign, they might not have been so recalcitrant. Canada, I forgive you; but freedom is not free. Please learn that democracies cannot survive if they don't have patriots who are willing to fight and die for their countries, and a populace that can stomach that necessity.

We may have some or many grim trials ahead. I hope America passes the test of forging ahead in spite of the inevitable deaths. Meanwhile I encourage all to pray for God's mercy in this undertaking to rid the world of the threat from Saddam's WMD program and to bring freedom to the Iraqi people, thus sparing them the continued torture and rape and summary executions of Saddam's reign.

[conservativemusician]

Great post, Clive.

It's good to see there are some up north who understand.

[missycocopuffs]

Well said. BTT

[Ragirl]

Thank God there is at least one reasonable person in the Canadian press! Thanks for posting.

[Clive]

I don't think the friendly fire casualties had anything to do with it.

Our 'ti Jean doesn't cry over soldiers.

Canada joined in the first Gulf War because our 'ti Jean was in opposition. He opposed joining it.

Canada joined in Kosovo because Clinton started it and 'ti Jean said "me too"

Our 'ti Jean opposes this war because France opposes it.

[IncPen]

Right on, eh?

[Clive]

I should explain.

By "in opposition" I meant that he was at that time leader of the opposition, not of the government. Brian Mulroney was Prime Minister.

[Mr. Silverback]

Yeah. I counterprotested local appeaseniks on 2/15 and one of them had a sign that said "US Sanctions killed 200 Iraqis today" and I thought, "We'd have to carpet bomb residential neighborhoods to do that kind of damage. And you want to leave those people suffering...

[twntaipan]

I thought it was the UN that imposed sanctions. We do wars, not sanctions (after 12 years sanctions don't work).