Pro-War Canadians?

Canadian Wendy McElroy on the Conservative leader Stephen Harper:

SH is as close to a neo-con threat that Canada has. He is far more sympathetic to Bush and to the War in Iraq than Martin or the other party leaders. Indeed, there is reasonable concern that Canada would resembled a 51st state under the leadership of SH. For example, if SH had been in power after 9-11, I have no doubt that Canadian troops would be on Iraqi soil in the same manner as British ones. I have no doubt the defense shield program that Bush almost commanded Canada to go along with -- a program that required de facto American control of Canadian airspace for military purposes -- would have come to fruitition. SH either outright lies about the Canadian attitude toward Bush and the War or he is cut off from reality. According to a FOX News story, "Opposition leader Stephen Harper has told Fox News in the U.S. that most Canadians outside Quebec support the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, despite our government's decision not to take part in the war." What a lie! What a liar! Or, rather, there is an escape clause; he may be merely delusional, and what a recommendation that is for a political leader.

I could go on and on and on about the aspects of SH that I find terrifying, repugnant or deeply disturbing. For example, SH shares the religious zealotry of Bush. BTW, religion is none of my business as a personal matter but it becomes a threat to me and mine when coupled with politics. It is no surprise that he takes very repressive stands on "vice/virtue" issues like the decriminalization of marijuana. But why go on? The mere fact that SH is boola-boola "Yeah team Bush!" about Iraq means I need explore the depth of his disgusting being no deeper. Yuck and yikes! Most of all, I blame him for pushing me into adopting a comparatively "good" opinion of liberal leader Paul Martin who has nay-sayed GWT, albeit with reluctance. I prefer Martin. And now you need to excuse me. I must go shower.

I spent most of my child/teen years in Canada. That was a long time ago and I've lost contact with most of the people I once knew. But of all the Canadians I knew then or know now, I could think of maybe a few who might have understood why the USA invaded Iraq,if they were misled by the false intelligence. Even then, I can't think of any who would have supported the use of Canadian troops for that effort. And, nearly three years later, knowing now what they didn't know then, I can't imagine any Canadian supporting this war.

Maybe there are some in the "evangelical" camp up there who are sympathetic toward Bush out of a sense of solidarity. I can't think of anyone else in the entire world who'd have any cause to like or respect Bush at all.

If unemployment stays low, the budget runs surpluses, and Martin stands up to Bush, then I hope he wins.