I was visiting a Conservative Party candidate at her open house when it was crashed by several people "protesting" the deportation of American servicemen who have deserted and fled to Canada.
Now, while I support free speech, I most certainly don't support the position of these people. The servicemen volunteered to serve the United States, expecting to receive pay, benefits and training, but failed to maintain their end of the commitment. The short description of their action is desertion, and is a crime against the American government.
These servicemembers claimed refugee status in Canada, and have made various arguments such as being real refugees (in danger of persecution by their home government), contientious objectors (a legal process which American servicemembers can claim within the American military, but which these servicemembers either did not claim or failed to prove their case) and various other claims. They were provided with access to the Canadian legal system, and went through the legal process and lost.
The people who support the American servicemen and want to stop the deportations are explicitly attempting to overturn the Rule of Law in Canada. Their ideal state was inadvertently revealed in London Ontario on October 10, when several thuggish "War resistor supporters" pushed a women into traffic for disagreeing with them. (Luckily she was not injured). I wonder if these "War resistor supporters" have contemplated what sort of society they are advocating for, or how they will fare against larger and more organized groups that disagree with them in such an anarchistic state?
Showing posts with label Iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iraq. Show all posts
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
It's All About The Oil!!!
Yes it is. There, feel better?
I do.
Now for the truly dense I’ll explain why. Bear with me, this next part involves actual principals of international relations, not just clichés and utopian cravings.
In this world there exists a concept we call sovereignty. The simple explanation of that notion for the purpose of this post is that nations have the right to act in and with their national self-interest in mind. There is nothing, no law, and no power that can usurp the ability of nations to exercise this self determination. The only thing limiting the ability of each nation to exert this sovereign power is their individual ability to back up their sovereignty with that other weapon in the arsenal of the modern state, the use of force.
Now, back to the war in Iraq. Yes, it is all about the oil. Eight out of the US’s top 15 oil suppliers hail from the Middle East. Those nations represent approximately 40% of the US’s oil supply. You do the math.
Oil is black gold, and in this case it is most certainly a major reason for the war. It is in the USA’s national self-interest to ensure that it has all the resources necessary to maintain the growth and stability of its economy. Today, tomorrow and always.
The US, acting in its self-interest needed to send a straightforward message to the nations of the Middle East. That message was “Do not screw with our supply”. It was delivered with shock and awe aforethought, it was not a mistake, there was no confusion, there was no failure of intelligence. The weapon of mass destruction that America feared was a threat to America’s supply of oil.
The preceding may have offended some sensibilities but I’m not done yet. You see America’s rough and ready pursuit of rational self-interest is also in our self interest. The US economy is the world’s largest economy; it is the engine of the world’s economy and our largest trading partner by far. If the cost to ensure the safety of that economy is one murderous dictator or one hundred it is well worth it.
So the next time some greasy utopian moron complains that it’s all about the oil, stop equivocating, repeat after me…
Yes it is.
Now for the truly dense I’ll explain why. Bear with me, this next part involves actual principals of international relations, not just clichés and utopian cravings.
In this world there exists a concept we call sovereignty. The simple explanation of that notion for the purpose of this post is that nations have the right to act in and with their national self-interest in mind. There is nothing, no law, and no power that can usurp the ability of nations to exercise this self determination. The only thing limiting the ability of each nation to exert this sovereign power is their individual ability to back up their sovereignty with that other weapon in the arsenal of the modern state, the use of force.
Now, back to the war in Iraq. Yes, it is all about the oil. Eight out of the US’s top 15 oil suppliers hail from the Middle East. Those nations represent approximately 40% of the US’s oil supply. You do the math.
Oil is black gold, and in this case it is most certainly a major reason for the war. It is in the USA’s national self-interest to ensure that it has all the resources necessary to maintain the growth and stability of its economy. Today, tomorrow and always.
The US, acting in its self-interest needed to send a straightforward message to the nations of the Middle East. That message was “Do not screw with our supply”. It was delivered with shock and awe aforethought, it was not a mistake, there was no confusion, there was no failure of intelligence. The weapon of mass destruction that America feared was a threat to America’s supply of oil.
The preceding may have offended some sensibilities but I’m not done yet. You see America’s rough and ready pursuit of rational self-interest is also in our self interest. The US economy is the world’s largest economy; it is the engine of the world’s economy and our largest trading partner by far. If the cost to ensure the safety of that economy is one murderous dictator or one hundred it is well worth it.
So the next time some greasy utopian moron complains that it’s all about the oil, stop equivocating, repeat after me…
Yes it is.
Friday, December 14, 2007
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