In 1980, a synagogue in Paris’s 16th arrondissement was bombed in a terrorist attack. Blamed on the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-Special Operation, it killed three Frenchmen and an Israeli woman, while wounding twenty others. (The French Prime Minster at the time of the attack, Raymond Barre, made a comment to the effect that the bomb was targeting Jews and instead killed innocent Frenchmen…)

In 2008, Hassan Diab, a Canadian university professor of Lebanese birth, was arrested in connection with the bombings. He had taught courses at the University of Ottawa and at the time was a sociology professor at Carleton. After his arrest he was released on bail with special conditions that would allow him to continue to teach. His extradition to France is currently working its way through the courts, and has been described by a judge as ‘far from a sure thing’.
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One hundred and twenty-seven soldiers dead. That’s the causality count (to date) of Canadian solders in Afghanistan… for what could possibly be the biggest most costly renovation project that Canada got suckered into. We’re fixing up Afghanistan folks, but the tenants don’t want us to.

Seven years ago. This whole thing was sold to the Canadian public as a war. The war on terrorism. While not a conventional war, we were still behind it. We were part of a global initiative to make the world safer. For us, them, and everyone. And we were going to kick the Taliban’s butt to boot. Sounded good. Right?
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As the Canadian death toll in Afghanistan increases and days tick off the calendar, the more that the parallels between the conflict in Afghanistan and the Vietnam War are apparent.

The most notable parallel comes in Canada’s role as a preventative body against the proliferation of terrorist organizations across the Middle East and into the Western World. Canada’s emphasis on preventative action clearly parallels Eisenhower’s Domino Theory, the basis of preventative action in relation to the spread of Communism, as it applies to the War on Terror.
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Since its inception in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Canada’s anti-terrorism laws will take effect for the first time. On Thursday, Mohammad Momin Khawaja will be sentenced after being convicted last fall of five counts of facilitating and financing terrorism. For the full story, click here

Terrorist Goose!

After a short, yet substantive joint investigation conducted by the FBI and CIA, the Bush administration has finally confirmed that terrorist birds were responsible for taking down US Airways flight 1549 into the Hudson River. Canadian Geese, grown, raised and trained in Canada by Al-Qaida were able to miraculously infiltrate the Canadian-U.S. border to conduct their attacks. It remains unclear how the birds were able to penetrate one of the most heavily protected borders in the world.

Bush wasted no time reacting to the terrorist attack, further showing his quick response rate to disasters and his ability to protect America. Fearing a second terrorist bird plot, FBI agents have been ordered to detain all Canadian geese found on U.S. soil. All detained geese will be sent straight to Guantanamo Bay pending an unfair trial. The move is expected to increase Bush’s approval rating as he nears the end of his term.
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Canada, along with the most powerful nations in the world, recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization. Throughout most of the history of the Gaza Strip, these terrorists have not recognized Israel’s right to exist. As a result, they suicide bomb, fire rockets, and do everything they can to maim Israel. In return, Israel responds by taking out as many of the terrorists as possible. The difference between the two sides is that one attacks innocent civilians and one attacks recognized terrorists. These are the facts. People may argue that there are innocent civilian casualties killed by the Israelis, but isn’t that a part of war? No military in the world would be capable of completely avoiding civilians in such a densely populated area such as Gaza.
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Before I jump into the current conflict and escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas-ruled Gaza, some background information and history of the Gaza Strip will help paint the picture a little better. Although brief, it will certainly help make clear how the recent conflict came to be. I’ll also discuss various responses to the recent incidents from Canada and other countries.

The Gaza Strip is a coastal territory along the Mediterranean Sea bordering Egypt to the South West and Israel to the East and North. It is home to approximately 1.5 million people in a total area of just 360 square kilometers, making it one of the most densely populated regions in the world. Throughout Israel’s existence, the Gaza Strip has remained a controversial issue in the Middle East conflict and has been under the control of various groups in its history.

Starting in 1517, the area was controlled by the Ottoman Empire up until the First World War. In 1917, control of the strip shifted to the British, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine and under the authority of the League of Nations. British rule of the strip ended following the Israeli War of Independence in 1948, when Israel became a sovereign Jewish state. Following Israel’s independence, control of the strip was placed into the hands of the Egyptians. In 1967, during the 6 Day War, Israel invaded the Gaza Strip occupying it for 27 years until 1994 when the Oslo Accords were signed. The signing of the Oslo Accords transferred governmental control of the strip from Israel to the Palestinian Authority under the leadership of Yasser Arafat.
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