Posted on 09/11/2002 6:18:24 AM PDT by mitchbert
Today is the first anniversary of the terrorist attack on America and, more significantly, of the day America said "enough" and decided to fight back.
President George Bush has made it irrefutably clear that regardless of what others decide, America is going to retaliate.
Finally - after years of being sniped at, ambushed and being on the receiving end.
This is not a time for neutrality or fence-sitting - something the Canadian government prefers to action.
We at the Sun are with the United States against terrorism.
As all Canadians should be.
From the moment of this atrocity a year ago, Canadians stood firm with their American neighbours, even if our government had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the fight.
Canadians were there from the moment those four planes hijacked by Islamic terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Pittsburgh.
From Gander, where Canadians welcomed stranded American airline passengers into their homes, to Ottawa, where they held the world's largest remembrance service for the victims of Sept. 11 outside of the U.S., to New York where they gathered to show support, to Afghanistan, where our soldiers fought alongside the Americans against terrorism.
The focus now is Saddam Hussein. Not Iraq, but Saddam. Amputate the head of the snake, and the venom is diluted.
Yesterday's headlines in Toronto's papers said it all: "Don't go it alone, PM tells Bush" (Star), "Don't act alone, PM tells Bush" (Globe). Wishy-washy. Tentative. Fearful. Un-Canadian.
"Get Saddam," headlined the Sun. Damn right. Get him indeed. And any rogue regime that develops and amasses weapons of mass destruction - biological, chemical, nuclear.
Saddam has already used nerve gas on his own people, the Kurds, and on Iran.
He has to be stopped. The same with others who echo this theme.
America is not perfect - what country is? - but thank God it is our neighbour, and thank God it has the courage to lead and fight back.
Canada is not neutral in this war. Now is a time to stand with our friend, our ally, as Britain does. C'mon, Canada ... show some guts.
Never lose the memory, never lose the anger, never forget.
I welcome our cousins in this struggle. It's apparent that the English speaking countries of the world will have to save it (again).
There are some Canadians who have a clear understanding of what is at stake - and who the good guys are.
Thanks for the kind words of support.
CAN SOMEBODY please tell me what's going on here? Weren't our soldiers in Afghanistan just a few weeks ago fighting al-Qaida? And in that struggle, weren't we allied with the Americans? So if an al-Qaida soldier kills an American soldier, wouldn't that make him the enemy? I must be wrong, because our government wouldn't intercede on the behalf of enemy soldiers, would it? Wouldn't that make them traitors? And a Canadian citizen who was fighting against our allies, in the employ of our enemies ... wouldn't that make HIM a traitor? I must have it wrong. We must be allied with al-Qaida, and the enemy must be the Americans. Otherwise, why would our prime minister be so concerned about this poor boy's treatment? Why would he show him more compassion than he did to all of the victims of Sept. 11, including 24 Canadians? And why would he personally intercede on behalf of his father, an alleged terrorist who had been arrested for bombing the Egyptian Embassy in Pakistan, and securing his release to Canada? Someone please enlighten me ... I'm having trouble understanding whose side we're on.
Darren Crooks,
Newmarket
As you likely know, the story gets even better. The kid's father was jailed in Pakistan some years ago and our illustrious PM exerted pressure to get him released.
Chretien wouldn't do anything that might possibly cost the Liberals a single vote, so he'll bow to the wishes of any ethnic group's demands if they're traditionally a Liberal bastion of support.
Plus, Chretien wouldn't know terrorism if it hit him in the face. Don't worry, be happy, doncha know?
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