Whoever loses next October (or whenever the upcoming federal election is called) the War Party is sure to win. Lately hawks across the Canadian political spectrum have been practically tripping over themselves in their efforts to boldly proclaim that they are not in the least afraid to send Canadian soldiers off to die in the service of the cause célèbre du jour. Garneau has crowed loudly that the position of the Liberal party has been "in lockstep" with the Conservative government on Ukraine (we here at The Forum are well aware that it's just two heads on the same vicious hydra, Marc, but thanks for the confirmation). There isn't a hint in the general political discourse that we Canadians should mind our own business and maybe, just maybe, not try to provoke war with a country sporting the world's second largest nuclear arsenal. No that wouldn't play well with Canada's substantial Ukranian population. Never mind that Ukraine is halfway around the world or that Western governments share a certain culpability for the mess in Eastern Europe with regards to our own covert meddling in the affairs of cabbage country. Why won't either the Liberals or Conservatives put Canadian interests first for a change and advocate against deploying Canadian troops to Eastern Europe or anywhere else? Our soldiers signed up to defend Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver not Kiev and it's a blatant disregard for their sacrifice to risk their lives so foolishly.
Matthew Fisher, likewise, is almost ecstatic with the prospect of all the wars Canada can fight in the 21st century see Isolationist path : . From the Africa to the Far East, the Near East and everywhere in between there's scarcely a country in the world which he wouldn't send Canadian troops. So much to do and so little time! If only Trudeau were an isolationist. If only there was any Canadian politicians with the brains and the stones to stand up and loudly shout 'no!' to Western imperialism and intervention abroad. To stop taxing Canadians in order to prop up corrupt regimes overseas. To keep our boys at home. But that is not the case. We're all military adventurists now.
But Canada should not be intervening in oil rich Nigeria, in order to prop up the corrupt kleptocrats in the south who have long been oppressing the ethnic Muslims in the North. There is always the temptation when considering events overseas to view the two sides of a conflict as good and evil but the truth is seldom so clear cut. While Boko Haram are hardly on the side of the angels there is a reason why there is a popular uprising against the Nigerian state. It is simply hubris to imagine that the miracle solution to the gangsterism, civil war and unspeakable horrors which have long plagued Nigeria is the addition of Western military forces.
Nor should Canada engage in Syria, where a western sponsored civil war against Assad has claimed the lives of over a hundred thousand souls. Instead of trying to de-stabalize autocratic regimes in the middle east we should leave them be. Haven't we learned anything from our previous meddling in the Gulf? Nor should we send troops to the Central African Republic nor should we be currently fighting Isis in Iraq. It is none of our business what goes on outside of our borders. This notion that we should be the world's policeman (or the sidekick of) is wrongheaded
Let's stop trying to save the world and just let people escape it by running to our shores. Let's stop giving out foreign aid, and no longer participate in peace keeping missions or any sort of military intervention abroad. Instead we should have a simple foreign policy of free trade, open immigration and honest friendship with all; this would benefit both Canada and the world greatly.
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