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Before You Call Us All Naive Up Here.......

Reader comment on item: [The Khadrs:] Canada's First Family of Terrorism

Submitted by Rev. Ron Grossman (Canada), Mar 16, 2004 at 11:46

Mr. Pipes:
Your March 16th article: "Canada's First Family of Terrorism" has prompted me to make a few comments.
I avidly read your site and am enlightened by the readings. However, your comment of "The federal Canadian government, living up to its naive reputation..." gives an impression that is not entirely accurate, and is for the most part unfair.

As a Canadian citizen with half my family living in, and citizens of The USA, please note two things:
1) This is not a rant from a sensitive Canadian because of one comment. There is a purpose for my writing that needs to be understood.

2)Not all of us are "so naive" up here.

Our government may indeed have a dubious record of dealing with the present world terroristic threat. However, it is my opinion, based on my work with a focus on Middle East affairs, that Canada, as a nation abandoned the only true democracy there, more than a generation ago-Israel. To that end, Canada as a nation has been perceived as being as a majority, sympathetic towards groups, etc, that would threaten the freedom of, in essence, what we call "The Western Way of Life." Nothing is so far from the truth.

The mainstream of citizens in this country are law abiding who know what is right and what is wrong. What is sadly apparent is a lack of proper knowledge of issues stemming out of The Middle East, resulting in errors in judgement, by a population in general who as described are law abiding, and accept that direction our government has taken. This fuelled by a liberal leaning mainstream press is all part and parcel of what contributes to what you see as us being "so naive."

Canada's government has very knowingly embarked on a dangerous course of pandering to special interest groups to "stay safe" internationally. It is apparent that the thinking is "don't upset the nasty guys and Canada will be safe. it is presented to the country as a whole as Canada being a land of "peacemakers." it then becomes "peace at any and all costs. This is so similar as to the approach that Spain's new government seems to want to now take:

"Let's pull out of Iraq. Taking a stand costs too much."
Those in positions of authority here in Canada seem to have chosen this modus operandi.

Do all Canadians agree with this? Not those who are in the know do!

However, when you make comments as you do about Canada, it paints a picture of a country as a whole, that is asleep at the wheel. Whereas sadly I see this as a reality for many, please be advised that this is still a democratic society here, very similar to what your country is all about. Many of us, publically express our positions plainly, as I am doing here in this response.

In closing be reminded of this fact. Regardless of whether you see our government as "naive, or bureaucratic ingenues," who continued to find nothing wrong with Mr. Khadr, remember these plain facts about Afghanistan:

In the ideological war of West vs. Communism during The Cold War, when the defunct Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the best the west could do was boycot the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, and then back a then obscure group known as The Muja'Hadeen. That eventually gave birth to The Taliban, whom you and I and everyone else knows is so connected with what we call today Al-Qa'eda. So as naive as you call our bureaucratic bumblers here in Ottawa, remember the reality of the direction that President Reagan and The CiA went through the 1980's: all to fight the horrors of the Soviet invasion. That invasion was wrong. No invasion of hostility is ever justified, be it Napoleon in 18th/19th century Europe, Hitler in 1939, or Brezhnev's Red Army of 1979. I sometimes wonder though, what it was that The Soviets knew then to want to subdue this non power broker country of mountains and wasteland back in '79?

Sincerely:
Rev. Ron Grossman
Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Daniel Pipes replies:

To see just how bad things are in Canada, I refer readers to Stewart Bell's Cold Terror: How Canada Nurtures and Exports Terrorism Around the World (Wiley, 2004). For more information see http://www.wiley.ca/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470834633,descCd-description.html?print=true

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Reader comments (78) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
my concerns [7 words]htAug 6, 2014 16:38216754
Khadr family [25 words]A. MassonDec 13, 2013 19:10212145
President Obama is allowing Omar Khadr to leave prison early, to go to Canada. [76 words]Phil GreendMay 27, 2012 18:58195866
2Citizens of convenience [225 words]Dennis BolenOct 31, 2010 09:57179775
WW2 allies executed nazi agents [59 words]barryOct 15, 2010 20:03179282
Agree 100% [6 words]PeteOct 31, 2010 09:37179282
1I wish more people were interested in protecting our safe country [25 words]ShelleyMay 22, 2010 23:52173247
Whuffo Dis? [64 words]Kip McLeodJul 15, 2008 21:05135244
Omar might be innocent. [62 words]MartinJul 15, 2008 09:59135152
1Are we siding with the terrorists now? [67 words]KellyAug 9, 2010 18:57135152
Thank you Kelly [123 words]PeteOct 31, 2010 09:28135152
khadr [96 words]barryNov 2, 2010 22:33135152
The Khadr Family Is Much More Complicated [239 words]Chris ReevesMay 14, 2008 17:05128670
1canada is the laughing-stock [22 words]Kevin BatesMar 11, 2009 15:50128670
4Not a Canadian, neither are his family. [71 words]P.CMar 25, 2008 09:44123581
Disagree [41 words]AlperDec 19, 2005 15:4230204
Disagree [193 words]David WJan 17, 2006 12:0530204
what do other countrys think of canada [56 words]Chase DalzielSep 20, 2005 13:2426057
1Question [123 words]Don McCartenFeb 11, 2005 16:3520276
Holy war [65 words]Dave bSep 6, 2004 15:0216702
Canada, a rehab for al quaeda [36 words]wayneJul 23, 2004 17:3016066
Khadr is not a Canadian [121 words]GarySep 20, 2007 12:0316066
1Khadr should be end up in the gallows: [159 words]Jim O'TooleJan 18, 2008 14:5516066
Khadr not Canadian? [45 words]coalbanksFeb 7, 2008 23:1016066
Canadian citizenship validates what? [49 words]coalbanksFeb 7, 2008 23:1716066
1I agree [41 words]DawnMay 22, 2010 23:5716066
give them a chance! [53 words]UnknownJun 28, 2004 16:1215816
2This family is despicable [107 words]an angry albertanJul 1, 2009 12:0515816
1To an Angry Albertan [5 words]An Angry OntarianOct 21, 2010 12:5915816
Sickened [36 words]dcJun 11, 2004 01:0915641
1Canadian tolerance is growing very thin [381 words]Steph CMay 25, 2004 13:3915348
We Are On The Same Continent (I'm Only 13) [69 words]J To Tha M C.Feb 15, 2006 15:1615348
Foolishness [55 words]JMar 28, 2006 23:3615348
1Naivete in the extreme [97 words]an angry albertanJul 1, 2009 12:1115348
Reply to Foolishness [33 words]RaphaelOct 3, 2009 00:3715348
ISLAM , WORD OF TRUTH [248 words]FabrizioMay 7, 2004 04:1515077
Fabrication --and half of the story [101 words]JMar 28, 2006 23:3115077
who started this war ? [87 words]skaterFeb 9, 2008 12:0815077
1SICK [90 words]an angry canadianJul 1, 2009 12:1615077
I agree [4 words]Sick and TiredOct 21, 2010 12:4815077
petitions [15 words]robertMay 2, 2004 16:4715010
Government gone haywire [48 words]Avi ChopraApr 20, 2004 10:0014785
ex-Al Qaeda. What is that? [57 words]G. SinghApr 18, 2004 04:4414764
1ALL SIGN THE PETITION [119 words]Christopher SmithApr 17, 2004 13:4314753
1Deport the Khadrs! [89 words]PabloApr 15, 2004 00:5114714
1Khadr Family [18 words]M.T.Apr 12, 2004 08:0614618
khadr the great canadian Farce [304 words]Derrick FernieApr 10, 2004 22:5214608
Solution not so happy [104 words]MattMar 23, 2004 20:2014337
Canada, Oh Canada [20 words]JakeMar 22, 2004 13:2914293
I concur with Elhamy [139 words]A. AMar 22, 2004 12:2514291
Informative [27 words]Edd gibbsMar 21, 2004 10:4214273
Contempt [37 words]fbwMar 19, 2004 11:5314261
Mistaken Identity [13 words]RaphaelOct 3, 2009 00:5014261
Great information [7 words]EVMar 18, 2004 11:5214251
Not so rare [261 words]AlexanderMar 17, 2004 13:3314243
Thanks! [4 words]Tom WillisMar 17, 2004 10:2714240
Wakeup Call [48 words]Molly KafesMar 17, 2004 09:2414239
To understand how Al Qaeda thinks one must think outside the box [194 words]RPaineMar 17, 2004 08:4114238
Al Qaeda is counting on our gullibility [75 words]RPaineMar 17, 2004 08:1814237
Forward these items on! [80 words]Ted GreenMar 17, 2004 07:5214235
Appalled [219 words]DaveMar 17, 2004 07:5114234
YOU in the West ...Please . .wake up... [105 words]ElhamyMar 17, 2004 06:2514231
gullible [376 words]MikeApr 6, 2006 11:1414231
"Sleepers" [82 words]BWMar 17, 2004 02:3714227
What sort of hand slapping for Jean Chretien? [39 words]MLJSMar 17, 2004 01:3814226
thanks [108 words]Peter EdgarMar 16, 2004 19:2814223
Khadr/Canadian Terrorist Article [136 words]Thomas MeagherMar 16, 2004 18:3014222
Scary [32 words]Jim MillerMar 16, 2004 18:0714221
Wise Observation [144 words]Fred ThornettMar 16, 2004 16:1314219
Conquest through demography and da'wa [345 words]P. LubinMar 16, 2004 15:1014218
Preventing Segregation? [106 words]Stephen BermanMar 16, 2004 12:5414216
1Before You Call Us All Naive Up Here....... [670 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Rev. Ron GrossmanMar 16, 2004 11:4614215
1Naive? Really? [76 words]RaphaelOct 3, 2009 00:4614215
I hope they will hear you this time [79 words]T.A.Mar 16, 2004 11:0914214
The Khadr Family and al Queda [93 words]Thomas RobinsMar 16, 2004 10:0114212
Most likely both [86 words]an angry CanadianJul 1, 2009 12:2114212
Khadr [30 words]Howard AdelmanMar 16, 2004 09:5914211
Any more in Ontario? [32 words]SMar 16, 2004 09:4714210

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