Liberal Minority Government 2025 - ???

[brihard]

I don't see what the big deal is when it comes to recognizing them as a state from day 1. Sure they're a state.

Canada's recognizing statehood cleverly comes with conditions, namely Palestinian Authority reforms. Holding elections in 2026 (excluding Hamas), demilitarizing, and improving governance.

Chances of Gaza holding elections, punting Hamas, and demilitarizing themselves seems pretty slim.

Yup, basically all of this. We also mustn’t lose sight of the continued violent expropriation of the West Bank by Israeli ‘settlers’ who continue to act with impunity. Israel has chosen to allow and enable that barrier to other negotiated approaches.

I don’t think anyone is going to really expect these announcements of recognition of statehood by Canada, UK, Australia today and by more countries tomorrow to change realities on the ground. Israel is, however, choosing to continue to self-impose increasing diplomatic isolation.

 

[Jarnhamar]

We also mustn’t lose sight of the continued violent expropriation of the West Bank by Israeli ‘settlers’ who continue to act with impunity.

This hardly gets mentioned in the news.

Israelis are attacking Palestinians and confiscating their land the same way South Africans are attacking white farmers and confiscating their land. There's some sad documentaries of Palestinians just trying to live in peace and Isralies harassing them or worse.

Since we're involving ourselves we should be publicly condemning Israel at the very least.

 

[Brad Sallows]

A problem is that there are de facto two Palestinian states.

 

[brihard]

A problem is that there are de facto two Palestinian states.

The isolated and bifurcated nature of the Palestinians is a huge problem, yeah.

 

[HavokFour]

US Congress sent Canada, Australia, France, and the UK this letter on Friday and I'm sure it "helped". We're witnessing the death of US' soft power.

 

[daftandbarmy]

US Congress sent Canada, Australia, France, and the UK this letter on Friday and I'm sure it "helped". We're witnessing the death of US' soft power.

View attachment 95850

Dear USA...

 

[Remius]

US Congress sent Canada, Australia, France, and the UK this letter on Friday and I'm sure it "helped". We're witnessing the death of US' soft power.

View attachment 95850

This. By abandoning soft power (on purpose it should be noted) US influence on something like this is shown as waning. By distancing itself from its traditional allies the US is losing influence.

I think that Israel sees this as well. Hence their recent decision to strike in Qatar without informing the US in a timely manner.

I wonder if they see the influence waning as well and thus their usefulness.

 

[Kirkhill]

Israel knows that the post WW2 liberal order relies on people making decisions.
They are not prepared to leave their existence in the hands of others.
Might has always made right.
Only the mighty can afford to be generous.

 

[brihard]

This. By abandoning soft power (on purpose it should be noted) US influence on something like this is shown as waning. By distancing itself from its traditional allies the US is losing influence.

I think that Israel sees this as well. Hence their recent decision to strike in Qatar without informing the US in a timely manner.

I wonder if they see the influence waning as well and thus their usefulness.

Some years down the road there will be some fantastic academic writing done on the diminution of U.S. soft power under Trump.

 

[Jarnhamar]

This. By abandoning soft power (on purpose it should be noted) US influence on something like this is shown as waning. By distancing itself from its traditional allies the US is losing influence.

The US doesn't need soft power though.

The UK and Australia still rely heavily on the US for defence. France has intentionally made themselves as least reliant on the US as possible but they still benefit greatly from NATO.

The US is[/] Canada's defence.

Big picture around 50 countries are covered by US defence treaties. Another 20 to 30 countries count on the US for defence or deterrence.


Countries like Canada can write strongly worded letters of disapproval but we turn around and use the same pen to sign deals for F35s, Night Vision, JLTVs and so on.

If things keep going the way they are maybe in 20 or 30 years soft power will be more important to them.

 

[Remius]

The US doesn't need soft power though.

Oh it absolutely does. The current administration does not think it does though.

The UK and Australia still rely heavily on the US for defence. France has intentionally made themselves as least reliant on the US as possible but they still benefit greatly from NATO.

The US is[/] Canada's defence.

Big picture around 50 countries are covered by US defence treaties. Another 20 to 30 countries count on the US for defence or deterrence.


Countries like Canada can write strongly worded letters of disapproval but we turn around and use the same pen to sign deals for F35s, Night Vision, JLTVs and so on.

If things keep going the way they are maybe in 20 or 30 years soft power will be more important to them.

That’s hard power.


Soft power has been a cornerstone of US foreign policy since the end of WW2. It is now being squandered and they are losing more influence than gaining.

https://www.nafsa.org/sites/default/files/ektron/files/underscore/frontlines_jan_feb.pdf

Trump’s Erosion of America’s “Soft Power” Will Have Economic Impacts

President Donald Trump has championed a strong, often confrontational posture toward many nations, defining his foreign policy as “America First.” This is a new U.S. that the world is dealing with, no longer the chief architect of the multilateral world of markets, democracy, and human rights...

thefulcrum.us

Stress-testing US soft power | The Strategist

The father of soft power and smart power has died, just as the United States has been giving those concepts a deathly stress test. Whereas US President Donald Trump thinks hard power is all he ...

www.aspistrategist.org.au

Time will tell. China isn’t waiting to fill that gap though.

 

[RangerRay]

Nations need hard and soft power. Fools like Lloyd Axeworthy, Donald Trump and their acolytes don’t understand that.

As powerful as they are, the Yanks can’t defend their interests alone. Hence their networks of treaties, trade, aid and persuasion, along with its (mostly) role modelling to the rest of the world.

By abandoning their soft power, the Yanks have handed the field to Beijing. Xi is celebrating Trump’s stupidity.

 

[Jarnhamar]

By abandoning their soft power, the Yanks have handed the field to Beijing. Xi is celebrating Trump’s stupidity.

People want to have their cake and eat it too when it comes to US influence internationally.

 

[Remius]

People want to have their cake and eat it too when it comes to US influence internationally.

Absolutely. The US wants to still be in charge despite doing everything it can to indicate otherwise.

Their defence industry is feeling the pressure of that sort of thinking.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Canada recognizes the State of Palestine: Carney

Canada has officially recognized the State of Palestine on Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement posted on X.

www.ctvnews.ca

This should generate some discussion…

From the info-machine/horse's mouth ....

Statement by Prime Minister Carney on Canada’s recognition of the State of Palestine

Since 1947, it has been the policy of every Canadian government to support a two-state solution for lasting peace in the Middle East.

www.pm.gc.ca

 

[Czech_pivo]

Absolutely. The US wants to still be in charge despite doing everything it can to indicate otherwise.

Their defence industry is feeling the pressure of that sort of thinking.

Ask Lockheed Martin tomorrow their thoughts are the present environment after the F35 decision comes down.
Roll the dice on the outcome.

 

[Remius]

Ask Lockheed Martin tomorrow their thoughts are the present environment after the F35 decision comes down.
Roll the dice on the outcome.

Could go either way. I would not be surprised if we commit to what we already ordered and not expand beyond that.

 

[RangerRay]

People want to have their cake and eat it too when it comes to US influence internationally.

The Yanks were developing the Quad to counter act Chinese power in the Indo-Pacific. I’m guessing that’s dead now.

That’s just one example. Watch for other countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea to start making their own agreements with Beijing since they can no longer trust America.

 

[Remius]

The Yanks were developing the Quad to counter act Chinese power in the Indo-Pacific. I’m guessing that’s dead now.

That’s just one example. Watch for other countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea to start making their own agreements with Beijing since they can no longer trust America.

Sort of what Japan is doing.

It isn’t just us.

Japan PM Ishiba urges less US dependence as Tokyo faces new tariffs

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Thursday his country needed to wean itself from U.S. dependence in such key areas as security, food and energy, as Tokyo faces the prospect of new U.S. tariffs in three weeks. "If they think Japan ought to follow what America says...

www.yahoo.com