Isn’t it great to know that the people running this country can’t even be bothered to read a memo regarding allegations of torture? Apparently memos addressed to Senior Military Officers and Foreign Affairs between 2006 and 2007 (16 in total) were never seen by Stephen Harper or then-Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay. Wow, I mean sure they have a lot of things to read and probably have somebody reading every piece of paper they get sent to deem whether it is worth their time, but anybody with half a brain should know that torture is really not okay, and after the 15th memo might decide to pass on the 16th one.

This leads to one simple conclusion – they read them and didn’t care. Scary!

At least the American’s have acknowledged that these things have happened in their recent history, Guantanamo is even being shut down. There are not many things in US Military Practice that I would want the Canadian government to copy, but this is one of them. Have the decency to admit when you have made a serious judgment error and do what you can to fix it. Don’t give a speech about how you never saw the memo, when there is record of 16 being written.
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After 8 years of wondering how it’s possible that W got elected – twice! – I came to the unlikely realization that we owe the man a debt of gratitude. The obvious reason is that without an administration of such profound stupidity, Mr. Obama would have been unlikely to even make it onto the Democratic ticket, let alone get elected.

However, there is a less obvious side effect to the Bush years; he made us fall in love with our own country. For 8 years we thanked our lucky stars, patted ourselves on the back and basked in the warm glow of hearing liberal Americans, again and again, utter the statement “I’m moving to Canada”.
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Testifying before Canada’s national defence committee on the Hill two days ago (Monday, 9 February), Defence Minister Peter Mackay claimed that progress was being made in Afghanistan, albeit at a slower pace than would be ideal. Coupled with this unfounded rosy assessment of slow Afghan progress, Mackay also acknowledged a $331 million increase in Afghan war costs for this year.

Mackay’s insistence that progress is being made in Afghanistan goes against substantiated reports made by the British foreign ministry and President Obama’s new civilian proconsul for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The British now acknowledge that NATO forces are in a stalemate with Afghan insurgents. The new American administration prefers the term ‘mess’ in describing the situation. Both statements are true, unlike Mackay’s, but ultimately fail in describing the real problem in Afghanistan. The fact of the matter is that a majority of the Pushtan, a pro-Taliban ethnic group straddling the Afghan-Pakistan border that makes up about a third of Afghanistan’s population, will not stop fighting the established Afghan government until the Taliban is recognized as a legitimate force in Afghanistan politics. At least one British general has stated that progress cannot be made without making peace with the Taliban. The Taliban insurgency, which made more attacks against Western forces in the last year then in any other year of the war, has repeatedly shown that it cannot be stopped by military means.
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There is a conflict in Sri Lanka? You didn’t know? Well, you aren’t alone. The conflict is between the Sri Lankan government and the rebel group officially known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Haven’t heard of them? They also like to be called the Tamil Tigers, and they happen to be considered a terrorist organization by many countries included Canada and the US. The 25 year long civil war is in its last stages as the Tigers have been cornered by government forces in a 300 square kilometer patch of land in the north of the country. There are hundreds of thousands of civilians located in this war zone, unable to escape the conflict.
This all sounds pretty familiar doesn’t it? Terrorist organization attacking a country, civilians are held hostage in the middle, with proposed ceasefires and civilian casualties occurring every day. Claims of both sides using civilians as human shields have been thrown back and forth along with accusations of both parties directly attacking civilians. This war sounds nearly the same as the Israel and Palestinian conflict, right down to the massive protest rallies held in downtown Toronto.
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Barack Obama made his first call to Canada today. He discussed many issues with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, which included the economy, the auto industry, energy, the environment, and Afghanistan, according to CBC.
What does this mean for Canada? Well, for starters, it is nice to know that Obama doesn’t just view Canada as the 51st state.
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Inauguration Night. I have two remote controls, a bag of Smartfood, a gallon of aspertame. Really psyched. I’m eagerly channel surfing the coverage, CNN, CBC, CPAC, CTV. I know what the game is. I am to fall. I should fall. I want to fall. Last summer I was so thrilled watching the Democratic Convention. I had tears watching Wrigley Stadium on November 4^th. But something slows me now. I’m a wallflower. I can’t join in with Will.I.am’s tears tonight. I’ve come down with something and I believe it’s a case of Post Republican Stress Disorder.

I call a girlfriend I know will be watching. “It came on all of a sudden,” I tell her. “I just don’t think I can make the jump. Eight years of Bush and I may be too cynical.” She tells me to give it up. Face it. The Obamas Might Be Cool. I know it but I just can’t do it.
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Today, Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States.

I must admit, I wasn’t convinced he had the experience or charisma to win that election. I was rooting for Hilary, mostly because it would bring Bill back into that inner circle of power. Say what you must about Bill’s personal shortcomings, he is a brilliant man and a political giant. As it happens, Bill liked to have actual power and did not appear keen on simply being power-adjacent. The former affable, smoothee also went slightly off his cake during the campaign, calling his stability into question.  They may have dodged a bullet. (Sorry Bill)

But, since his win on November 4th, Obama has impressed me.
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Barack Obama Being Sworn in as President of the United States

It is inauguration day. Today, we watched history enfold itself. Today we watched a man dedicated to change, dedicated to a world of peace, dedicated to his fellow citizens stand and take power – not into his own hands, but rather into the hands of the future. Today we witnessed the start of a long journey, but one filled with hope. As the torch gets passed from the old generation to the new, questions linger in everyone’s mind, questions only answered by time itself.

During his speech, President Obama did not once look down at his notes, he did not once look down to collect his thoughts, he looked forward. He looked to the seas of people who had been awaiting this day. He looked towards what lies ahead, the heavy tasks that lay in the future to correct this faltered world. He looked towards those who stood in the way of progress and denounced their heavy-handed ways. His action is symbolic of the man he is. Far exceeding his words – which was like poetry, sending chills down my spine and a tear down my cheek – his body showed the world what the future will bring. We must all take sight of this and do the same. Look ahead to your opponents, look ahead to your battle, look ahead to the future, and not at your feet or any small obstacles in the way. Do not shy from any problem, take courage, honor and truth by your side and take the 21st Century as we should have 8 years ago. Above all else take hope, imagination and solidarity for change to create a world of peace, started not by countries, not by politics, not companies or organizations, but started by individuals. Do what is in your power to change the world into a better place.
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With as many as 4 million people expected to attend the inauguration events today, Barack Obama’s inauguration will be the largest to ever take place. With big screens set up throughout the National Mall area for these people to witness Obama’s inauguration address – one of the most anticipated speeches of all time. Obama’s speech will last approximately 20 minutes and will discuss responsibility and removing the “me first” philosophy, in order to make America a greater country to live in.
To protect Barack Obama, there will be 25,000 security guards, including snipers, police dogs, and air and naval support, as well as 5,000 security cameras.
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I find myself dangerously knee-jerk in my defence of Obama. Sunday night’s CTV coverage of his interview with George Stephanopoulos failed to use the exact soundbite that would have justified Sandi Renaldo’s intro to the piece, in which she announced Obama was now waffling on the promise to prosecute torturers no matter how high up they were in the Bush administration. “See the naysayers doubting him before he even begins? CTV’s chosen snippet confirms nothing about waffling,” I immediately concluded, believing CTV was being unnecessarily critical.

Upon further research, there was indeed a quote that justified their intro. It should have been the soundbite: “My orientation’s going to be to moved forward,” Obama said. He will put the issue in the hands of his attorney general. The attorney general has to stay above politics and “uphold the Constitution,” Obama added, but his administration will focus on “getting things right in the future as opposed to looking at what we got wrong in the past.” Will Obama turn a tolerant eye towards violations of human rights committed by Bush? Is Obama, in fact, a Canadian?

Will there be a Nuremburg for Bush? The question topped the list of citizen concerns on Change.gov last week, out of over 70,000 submissions. Outrage echoed throughout the world almost from the day Bush authorized waterboarding in Guantanamo Bay. A video of Bush’s admission to having personally chosen waterboarding from a proffered menu of torture techniques was shown Sunday night in television coverage around the world. The video was anathema to apologists of the practice who continue to defend Bush on the grounds that it was Dick Cheney who owned up to the authorization back in ’04, which put America on the list of 82 countries who practise torture.
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