British MP: Canada complicit in Iraq war

[MPIKE]

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/09/17/1221619-cp.html

British MP: Canada complicit in Iraq war
By MIKE OLIVEIRA
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (CP) - Despite its refusal to fight in Iraq, Canada is complicit in the U.S. war on terrorism and should withdraw from Afghanistan, an outspoken left-wing British MP said Saturday.
"I'm amazed that so many people in Canada believe they're not a part of this crime," George Galloway said at the sixth annual conference of the Islamic Circle of North America and the Muslim Association of Canada.
"Canada has sent an army of 1,000 soldiers to occupy the Muslim country of Afghanistan (and ships to the Persian Gulf)," Galloway said.
"Your ships in the Gulf and your soldiers in Afghanistan are doing the dirty work of George W. Bush and Tony Blair. They are freeing American ships and soldiers to go to Fallujah and massacre the people of Iraq."
Galloway also called Canada's reputation as peacekeepers a lie, pointing to comments by Gen. Rick Hillier, who said soldiers are fighting "detestable murderers and scumbags."
Hillier has said the Canadian Forces has a job to do and that involves killing people.
"That doesn't sound very much like neutrality to me," Galloway said to a receptive crowd. "You should raise the demand to end the Canadian occupation of Afghanistan."
Galloway is known for his vocal criticism of the war in Iraq and was kicked out of the Labour Party in 2003 for urging British soldiers not to fight in the war.
He launched his own anti-war party and this year won a seat in Parliament, unseating the Labour Party incumbent.
In his speech Saturday, he repeated statements he made recently in New York about why he believes Sept. 11 happened.
"These airplanes on 9-11 may have seemed to have come out of a clear blue sky but, in fact, these monstrous mosquitoes flew out of a swamp of bitterness and hatred and anger which exists in the Muslim world (because of) the injustice of western policy," Galloway said.
"It is a crime, it is a sin, in any language, in any religion, to punish innocent people for the crimes of guilty people," he said.
"But it is a crime and a sin whether it happens in Britain or New York or Fallujah or Baghdad or Palestine or Afghanistan or anywhere else the bombs and rockets are falling."

Looks like another modern version of Hanoi Jane.  Does anyone know how he is recieved in the UK?

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

:boring:

Galloway is a complete prat.  He was hand in glove with Saddam Hussein years ago and was widely regarded as his patsy.  He visited Baghdad routinely to "protest" UN sanctions and to schmooze with the Baathist elite.  His claim to fame was to violently oppose any action against Saddam's regime, for which he was summarily ejected from the Labour Party.  There were (unproven) allegations of Iraqi bribe money, but nothing's been seen on that front for some time.

He was elected in the last British election as a member of the "Respect" Party, conveniently running in a very Muslim part of London and on a very anti-war platform.

Lots of blah, blah, blah, which appeals to the far left and the sympathizers out there.  All very dull and I've already wasted 5 minutes of my valuable time typing on this wanker.  ;D

TR

 

[Edward Campbell]

He's a certified fruitcake.

As the article said he was booted out of the Labour Party, unlike, say, the late Robin Cook or Clare Short who, while being effective, vehement and coherent and   critics of the Iraq war and the UK's involvement in same managed to stay sufficiently 'onside' to remain in the fold.

He is now tied into a hard-left, pro-Arab 'part' called Respect - http://www.respectcoalition.org/elect/index.php

Galloway is popular, very popular, with a large (and, sadly, growing, I think) segment of British society â “ one which is ill-educated, ill-informed, anti-Semitic, anti-American (envious, actually, of what the Americans have and what the Americans do, because they can), lazy and greedy; all-in-all rather like an equally large (and also growing, I fear) segment of Canadians.   He was able, in the last election, to handily beat back a Labour challenger in a formerly 'safe' Labour seat.

Galloway, like Carolyn Parrish here in Canada is, himself, intelligent and experienced but is driven by heart rather than head.   He cannot get past the baggage which his completely uncritical support for the Palestinians creates and so he digs himself deeper and deeper into positions which are devoid of moral r intellectual merit but which, counter-intuitively, bring him more and more support.   Ask Ms. Parrish; I'll bet her support grew each time she slagged the USA and George Bush.

(Now, I don't much like George W. Bush, I think he's a second rate president (but better than Al Gore would have been) and I think many (most) of his foreign and economic policies range from stupid to just ill-considered; none of that means that he deserves to be called names and it also doesn't mean that Canada should change its foreign policy (as it did under Chrétien and Martin) just because a great many people wait, hopefully, for the arrival of Bush's successor â “ almost any successor.)

P.S. On point - Galloway is quite right: Canada is complicit in the Iraq war.  We escorted convoys during the invasion and an important aspect of our growing strength in Afghanistan is that we 'free up' Americans for Iraq â “ at least that is what Frank McKenna et al are telling anyone in Washington who will listen.

 

[KevinB]

:  He'd look good in an orange jumpsuit on Al-Jareza

 

[Jungle]

:   He'd look good in an orange jumpsuit on Al-Jareza

It won't happen anytime soon... he's too useful to them as it is. 

 

[laser_taser_blazer]

OMG these crazy nut job left wing fruit cakes should be administered to a mental hospital right away, for the sake of public health. What a god damn retard. I bet this moron has never been to Afghanistan, nor has he ever talked to a good many of it's citizens.

I love it when ppl speak on behalf of an issue they have no direct relation to, nor the support of the group they are speaking on behalf of, or the popular consense of the group.

 

[sheikyerbouti]

George Galloway is on Al-Jazeera all the time anyways. If any of you get a chance and can maybe get over your own rhetoric it is possible that you may appreciate his many speaking engagements he takes part in across Canada.

With respect to the allegations of collusion and corruption, there is no proof whatsoever of any wrongdoing. All Mr. Galloway has done is take a stand against a very powerful foe, which is admired by many. Another important factor to note is that Mr. Galloway has always opposed Saddam, traveled to Iraq with the blessing of the British parliament and has given valuable intelligence to the authorities. It is not simply a matter of anti-americanism but rather his steadfast opposition to a return to Imperialism. He has pointed out quite rightly, that years of sanctions against Iraq did little more than hurt the innocent and frail. Years of oil for food never stopped the bombing of Iraq.

The words of Mr. Galloway reflect the opinions of many, not simply the "left". His words are simply more important due to his involvement on the ground with more than just tea parties at Saddam's and lawn bowling on the Tigris.


Just remember Piper, it's easier to lick your masters boots than it is to cast them off your back.

 

[Brad Sallows]

And so another has opened his mouth to erase all doubt.

 

[mdh]

George Galloway is on Al-Jazeera all the time anyways. If any of you get a chance and can maybe get over your own rhetoric it is possible that you may appreciate his many speaking engagements he takes part in across Canada.

If you want to see what George Galloway has actually said about Saddam and his recent buddy Assad try this link:

http://hitchensweb.com/GallowayLeafletFINAL.pdf

I think you'll find it - - instructive.

mdh

 

[KevinB]

FWIW - I dont like it when ANYONE comes to Canada and tell us what to do.

Be it French or English...

I dont think the US has ever done that (other than that crackpot loone Michael Moore) -- they have asked, and left politely if they did not get their way.

 

[paracowboy]

I dont think the US has ever done that

not since about 1811 - 1813, anyway  ;D

 

[sheikyerbouti]

Sallows? was that a crack at me? If so please expand, I was under the assumption this website expected a certain calibre of posting.

In response to MDH: I know what George Galloway has said, as I was sitting in the back row of lecture hall A122 at Langara college when he did so. Those remarks posted are mostly in concert with Galloway's central position that  National sovereignty is inalienable and not subject to the intercessions of (mostly) Western powers. This is not to say he supports criminality and dictatorship but rather he recognizes that the culture of government in the Middle East cannot be circumvented in favour of better governance by outside powers. In order to change things, Galloway understands that one must work within the present system regardless of its' fallibility.

For what it's worth, I never saw George make such convenient and short media savvy quotes. For the most part, he was very long winded.

I appreciate KevB's assertion that Canadaians should not be told what to do or where to go but it must be acknowledged that the Canadian public is woefully unaware of our involvement in overseas matters. This lack of awareness cripples our (national) ability to cope readily with any potential shortcomings of the process of democratizing Afghanistan. Canada is inevitably a target, albeit mid level and unfortunately  we need to recognize this fact. If it takes an outsider  to make it more obvious then so be it.

The public needs to be informed more fully of the potential for our actions to be mis-construed by sympathizers or terrorist groups. Gen. Hillier saying we're out there to kill scumbags may sum up our efforts but it certainly sends the wrong message to the people we are supposed to be helping.
If it is actually informative, tomorrow's MND briefing may help things along. Canada needs to make up its' mind with respect to its' actions overseas.

 

[KevinB]

The public needs to be informed more fully of the potential for our actions to be mis-construed by sympathizers or terrorist groups. Gen. Hillier saying we're out there to kill scumbags may sum up our efforts but it certainly sends the wrong message to the people we are supposed to be helping.

Uhm, I dont know about you - but I am out to kill the sympathizers and terror groups -- they can misconstrue it all they want - dont make them any less dead.  I dont know you a hole in the ground, but several us here have walked the ground in Afghan - we make no bones about that and the attempt to make the Canadian public understand that while we are helping the Afghan people we are also there to kill a bunch of people that don't like us so much.

These people in Canada you want to illuminate to Foreign Affair issues need to understand a lot of things - but they dont need some pompous ass academic to lecture us on our global responsiblities.

 

[cgyflames01]

We have Carolyn Parrish, the British have George Galloway, take what he says with the same salt.

 

[mdh]

With respect to the allegations of collusion and corruption, there is no proof whatsoever of any wrongdoing. All Mr. Galloway has done is take a stand against a very powerful foe, which is admired by many. Another important factor to note is that Mr. Galloway has always opposed Saddam, traveled to Iraq with the blessing of the British parliament and has given valuable intelligence to the authorities

If you've read them then it's time to withdraw this - he has in fact supported Hussein in the past and is now consorting with Assad in Syria praising insurgent operations against the US.

mdh

 

[Spr.Earl]

If you've read them then it's time to withdraw this - he has in fact supported Hussein in the past and is now consorting with Assad in Syria praising insurgent operations against the US.

mdh

Hmm if he had and does as you have stated why then has he not been punted from Westminster and been arrested for abetting Terrorism?

 

[TCBF]

Is it not odd that we only hear about these so-called 'public' appearances by the toffs AFTER they have happened?  It is no bloody wonder these cumbubbles get standing ovations - none of the NORMAL people even know they are visiting, or they would tar and feather them to the podium.

I am beginning to wonder how long Canadians will be fooled by the canned rentacrowd/VIP visits news release.  "Local representative to the National Canadian Revolutionary Command Council, The Right Honourable Rodney Forestock-Backsite spoke in front of a large crowd today who gave him several standing ovations during his speach at the sod-turning for the new Ministry of Mental Cruelty Regional Sub-Office."

Do normal people ever hear about these visits?

Tom

 

[mdh]

Hmm if he had and does as you have stated why then has he not been punted from Westminster and been arrested for abetting Terrorism?

He was punted out of the Labour Party for what was widely perceived as incitement against coalition forces.

From a BBC profile:

He was expelled from the Labour Party in October 2003 in the wake of his outspoken comments on the Iraq war - comments which Labour chairman Ian McCartney said "incited foreign forces to rise up against British troops".

Labour acted against him following a TV interview in which he accused Tony Blair and President Bush of acting "like wolves" in invading Iraq.

Mr Galloway responded to his expulsion by saying: "This was a politically-motivated kangaroo court whose verdict had been written in advance in the best tradition of political show trials."

 

[sheikyerbouti]

I would like to clarify one thing to KevB... Bomb the living crap out of every malfeasant that stands in the way of liberating the people of Afghanistan. In fact, while you are taking out the garbage make sure you remind them who we are and why we're there  doing it. The problem is, the taxpayers who are supporting your actions don't have the slightest idea of the full magnitude of the situation.

My lack of participation on the ground does not in any way detract from my position that the Canadian public needs to be better informed of our actions in support of Afghan sovereignty. In my opinion, this responsibility does not rest solely on the shoulders of the CDS.It is the responsibility of all interested parties to enhance the transparency of our role particularily when it involves combat situations. The Government plays this role alongside the media, NGO's, her majesties loyal opposition and activist groups.

In response to MDH, Sapper Earl makes a valid point exclusive of my stance. Why has he not faced criminal repercussions? The British government most certainly has scrutinized Mr. Galloway, probably on numerous occasions. WRT your last post, those are the words of one individual and not representative of the whole government.

To Mr. Tom, as always the information is out there for any and all to find. Unfortunately, most of us care very little and only pay attention once it hits the fan (especially when it involves the 'normals').

 

[mdh]

Well, what can I say - if you want to champion George Galloway as one of your own - knock yourself out.