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The Three PillarsThank you for participating in the Dialogue on Foreign Policy. The interactive web site is now closed. The Minister's report will appear on this web site once it is released. This Forum is bilingual, and participants post messages in their language of choice. |
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Contributor: cfallon
Date: 2003-04-21 10:17:05
1) Absolutely, the USA will do a better job giving out contracts than Saddam. Also, Russia, France and Germany should be kept out of Iraq. Afterall, Iraqis will associate them with the old regime which they used as a cash cow to fatten up their coffers. I agree, these contracts should terminate quickly to allow a real Iraq government to negotiate as they see fit.
2) So far, you must admit, the US has done alot to involve the locals. I worry too about Chalabi, but in fairness, he isn't that bad a guy.
3) The UN should be involved minimally. They are only interested in keeping their expense accounts busy and not too concerned with Iraqis in general. Let them work on humanitarian relief.
4) Canada should be there already. It should have JTF2 combing the land and RCMP officers helping to build security forces that can offer the citizens peace of mind.
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Contributor: fatmomma
Date: 2003-04-21 20:18:45
Saddam is no longer in power. Any long term contracts should be signed by Iraq government.
The locals don't think so. Only the Kurds; Arabs are complaining about Kurds trying to take their homes in N Iraq.
The UN would get more respect and trust from Iraqis. Iraqis very suspicious of the USA and their interest in Iraq Oil fields.
Canadians should not go until the UN is in control; why should our men risk their lives cleaning up the American cluster bomb booby traps.
Chalabi not a bad guy? just an embezzler and no following in Iraq.
Anyhow should be picked by Iraq leaders not American.
Iraq seems to have many warring factions; I think the USA will need all the help they can get to bring them together under one leadership; It should be done as quickly as possible before they start fighting seriously.
Get these leaders talking to each other instead of stirring up their followers.
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Contributor: cfallon
Date: 2003-04-22 09:45:36
I'm not sure about Iraqis view of the UN, I've heard comments that they still have the image of Saddam and Kofi Annan smoking a cigar together burned in their brains.
I think the Iraqi suspicions of US intentions are VERY RATIONAL and will be dispelled over time as that is not the US intention. If the worst thing the US encounters is suspicion that it wants Iraqi oil, then things will work out swimmingly for the US and Iraq alike.
I think the US is best suited to rebuild Iraq because the US understands the importance of religion to a country more than the UN (which is a God-free organization).
I think that Chalabi is more newsworthy to those who want this rebuilding to fail. Whether they want him, will be for them to decide.
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Contributor: codc01
Date: 2003-04-22 13:57:59
I will wait and see.
Do you truly believe that keeping out UN weapons inspectors of Iraq will lend credibility to any WMD's that the Americans find?? If you do beilieve so, once again, i will not understand, unless its for revenge or planting evidence there is absolutely no reason of keeping the UN out for weapons inspections.
If Americans find massive WMD's now, without UN backing, i will not believe them for one second, and most countries will not either. But i don't think thats the goal of the US government anyways, their goal is to say to the American public (not to the world) - you see we found WMD's.
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Contributor: cfallon
Date: 2003-04-23 13:23:50
Personally, I don't care if they find WMD. I know this is a terrible thing to say for people of a "let the UN run the world" bent, but I don't think the UN rubber stamping a WMD find will give the US any credibility. The US will never be credible in many people's eyes and I would encourage the US to ignore those people. Why? Because they tend to have nothing constructive or positive to bring to the table anyway.
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Contributor: fatmomma
Date: 2003-04-23 22:15:23
You have nothing constructive to say if that is your view. Anything the USA does right or wrong is okay with you. It doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks. The US will regain its credibility when it elects a more reasonable and sensible government.
A great many Americans do not support this invasion. There are several cities refusing to accept the Patriot act which gives the USA Federal government too much power to snoop into private affairs like what books you read or which internet sites you visit. McCarthyism type witch hunts will begin again.
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Contributor: cfallon
Date: 2003-04-25 08:55:46
Look, I don't think that anything the USA does is okay with me. But, right now, in my opinion, the most dangerous forces swirling about the world is anti-americanism. I am specifically thinking about anti-americanism in Europe and Canada. I think it is irresponsible to attribute sinister motives to their actions which only contribute to the image of them being bullies, etc. Worse still, I think anti-americanism is a cover for anti-semitism which I am afraid is on the rise.
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Contributor: fatmomma
Date: 2003-04-26 15:58:23
I am neither anti American or anti semetic. I am against the aggressive actions by both the present America and Israel governments. There are many American citizens and Jewish people who feel the same way. I very much admired Rabin who was a true peacemaker. Mr. Sharon and Mr. Bush prefer to use military force and give lipservice to diplomatic relations. These governments are very self centered and do not wish to work with international interests. Mr Bush said America is not peacekeepers; they are peacemakers. Peacemakers have not lasting positive effect on world affairs if peacekeeping is not followed up.
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Contributor: cfallon
Date: 2003-04-29 11:59:41
Fatmomma, I would never question your position on these things - we've talked enough to know that your opinion is based on the best intentions.
I would only suggest that before you attack Bush/Sharon with the full force of your considerable intelligence and web-surfing skills :) that you consider:
For Bush, that not only did 9/11 scare the pants off most americans (and frequent travellers to that great nation like me) but it was quickly followed by:
anthrax attacks, the shoe bomber, the beltway sniper. All of which seemed to most of us, as news came along, to be part of this coordinated terrorist activity. Of course, it was not all part of the same problem, but it sure has been a SCARY 1.5 years.
for Sharon: you liked Rabin, but he was assasinated. Regimes like Saddam regularly call for Israel's destruction. Hezbollah does attack from Lebenon. Suicide bombers make you questions every facet of your like, should you go get a coffee? or will that lead to your death? should you get on that bus or will it kill you? should you go to that lecture on post-modern feminism or will you be blown to bits? Again, its pretty SCARY.
I know, WAR will not erase the FEAR. But the world is certainly safer with the Taliban gone and Saddam gone. It will be even safer with Kim Jong-Il gone and Syria's Baathists gone. It will be much safer when every human feels they have the opportunity to live a satisfying life. But oppression will make that impossible.
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Contributor: fatmomma
Date: 2003-04-29 23:21:07
But cfallon the Taliban are not gone; they are still very active in
Afghanistan; Osama bin Laden is not gone; and as far as we know; neither is Saddam. The terrorist attacks you mentioned plus the Oklahama one you missed all occurred from within the USA. Even most of the terrorist that attacked the World Trade Center were legally within the USA. Most except the world trade center were American citizens. I believed the USA had a right to hunt down the terrorist leaders of the terrorist attack on the WTC; I just wished they had remained in Afghanistan and completed the job before turning their attentions elsewhere.
I believe they should take a good look at some of their government policies to see where the anger from within and outside is coming from. America seems to have many angry unrational people. I am thinking of the numerous attacks within their schools. While Canada is not immune to such people; we do not seem to have as much here as in the USA.
As far as Israel and Palestine goes; I believe it goes both ways. There is fear and anger on both sides with innocent family members being killed.
I believe the heavy favoritism the USA has shown Israel is somewhat responsible for the hatred and mistrust of the USA in Arab and Muslim countries.
Hopefully this will be settled soon then perhaps these middle eastern countries will get on with running their own countries more amicably.
I realize there are many views and probably a lot of validity on both sides. It was nice wrangling with you; you are one of the contributors that made me work.
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Contributor: cfallon
Date: 2003-04-30 15:37:30
I want to express the same feelings about discussing these issues with you: its been very nice to have you challenge my thoughts and correct my misconceptions.
This website re-affirms how fantastic a country Canada is.
I think we have very similar values and ambitions for the world and I hope we can collectively make a positive contribution.
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Contributor: codc01
Date: 2003-04-22 13:52:45
"Canadians should not go until the UN is in control"
I agree, or at least until a government if formed...
A sad truth about history is that only a strong dictator is able to hold a country with very different factions together ... And if that dictator falls, unless someone has strong as him replaces him, countries fall into chaos (Yugoslavia, Iraq, all civil wars in Africa...)
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