Canada's Harper Says He Would Not Send Troops to Iraq

[Snellius]

April 25 — TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian opposition leader Stephen Harper said Sunday that he would not send troops to Iraq if he is elected prime minister.

"I think that's not feasible, given our limited military capacity and the extent to which our people are already over-committed across the world," the Conservative leader said on CTV's "Question Period" show.

Last April, Harper said on the Fox News Channel that a "silent majority" of Canadians endorsed the war, but acknowledged Sunday that public sentiment had turned against the war over the past year.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/reuters20040425_294.html

[Iceburg]

1. Harper won't be elected so he can lie all he wants ....

Clark slams Harper, urges support for Martin
CTV.ca News Staff

Former Progressive Conservative leader and onetime Prime Minister Joe Clark says he'd prefer to see Paul Martin, and not current Conservative leader Stephen Harper, win power in the next federal election.

more ... http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1082910779022_14/?hub=TopStories

[Spazito]

3. I thoroughly enjoyed Joe Clark's comments, they were delicious...

saying that Harper was more dangerous to Canada than Martin, I agree. I saw where Harper appeared with the sleaziest of our former politicians, Mulroney, the man who did his best to take Canada from an industrialized nation to a third world have-not country. I have NOT forgotten and neither have most Canadians.

[ironflange]

20. What's the difference between Mulroney and a sack of shit?

The sack. Yeah, old joke, but accurate. May also be applied to his media whore son.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

24. I'd love to discuss this point with you...

but you appeart to have been tombstoned. How could this be? You made so much sense! :evilgrin:

[glarius]

2. Harper is full of it....He had no right to speak for Canadians on Fox

He's a liar...The "vocal majority" were and still are against the war....I keep getting things in the mail from him...I keep sending them back with sarcastic replies....I think he and his right wing buddies are a joke....

[Screaming Lord Byron]

6. Why are you getting e-mails from Harper?

What crime could you have possibly committed to deserve that?

[glarius]

14. Not emails....these are some sort of message things in the mail

Not addressed to me....they go to all households I believe....They are full of his suggestions for what he thinks should be done in government etc...and I tell him what I think of his ideas...Hahaha

[Screaming Lord Byron]

25. Maybe they're targetted to certain key ridings.

I haven't gotten any political mail in months, but then, my riding is massively Reform.

[glarius]

27. I live in Ontario where they are not very popular

Maybe that's why we get their crap...They're trying to "convert" us...

[freeforall]

19. Harper speaking on Fox...

Well, there ya have it!

[SeveneightyWhoa]

4. Silent majority?

HAHAHAHAAHAH!
What a moron.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

5. Stephen Harper is a liar.

Here's some background

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/03/20/chretien030320

Last Updated Fri, 21 Mar 2003 11:24:18

Harper regrets PM's decision

Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen Harper said he regrets that Canada is not standing by its traditional allies.

"We believe this is wrong," he said. "All other options have been exhausted. For 12 years the world has been trying to disarm Saddam Hussein."


Some Harper quotes from the period.

“Thank you for saying to our friends in the United States of America, you are our ally, our neighbour, and our best friend in the whole wide world. And when your brave men and women give their lives for freedom and democracy we are not neutral. We do not stand on the sidelines; we're for the disarmament of Saddam and the liberation of the people of Iraq.” Friends of America Rally, April 4, 2003.

“Mr. Speaker, the issue of war requires moral leadership. We believe the government should stand by our troops, our friends and our allies and do everything necessary to support them right through to victory.” House of Commons, April 1, 2003.

“This government's only explanation for not standing behind our allies is that they couldn't get the approval of the Security Council at the United Nations — a body (on) which Canada doesn't even have a seat.” CTV's Question Period, March 30, 2003.

“It is inherently dangerous to allow a country such as Iraq to retain weapons of mass destruction, particularly in light of its past aggressive behaviour. If the world community fails to disarm Iraq, we fear that other rogue states will be encouraged to believe that they too can have these most deadly of weapons to systematically defy international resolutions and that the world will do nothing to stop them.” House of Commons, March 20, 2003.

[Iceburg]

8. Thankyou SLB ...

That article will come in handy over the next few weeks and months.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

10. Harper will plead this defence.

"Oh, sure, I was always for the war, but I never once mentioned sending troops", which is likely, but the inference is most certainly there.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. Whoever is writing for Reuters should educate themselves on Canada

.
.
.

"Question Period" is NOT a "show" on CTV.

Question Period is broadcast live from our Parliament buildings daily on CPAC, a government channel where we can watch what our government is doing, in real time.

Mind you some of their antics cold make a good "show", but Reuters clearly shows their ignorance of what "Question Period" really is.

As for the issue, would Harper send troops to Iraq.

Harper supported the war, still does. He is playing the game trying to get non-supporter votes. Check his language - Harper says he won't send "troops", doesn't say anything about support personnel, or criticize bush for his illegal war.

Harper is a well-spoked sleezeball, not to be trusted in my books.

The only Party that I am aware of at the present that has come out against the war is the NDP, and that's where my vote is going.

Any leader that gives the least bit of legitimacy to Bush's massacre won't be getting my support or vote.

[daleo]

11. Actually, I think there is such a show

At least there used to be, although I haven't seen it in a long time. They did borrow the name from parliamentary process, though.

[democracy eh]

12. it is the CTV Sunday politcal talk with Craig Oliver

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1082917936447_55/?hub=QPeriod

link to the Harper piece

Harper's comments were not really a coming in to the light change of heart. It was a backhanded slap on the state of the military while appearing to be moderate. scary bastard.

[glarius]

15. Yes there still is....It comes on Sundays at 12 noon in Toronto

With Craig Oliver and some other journalist...I watched it today....It's about politics and they do use the name "Question Period" which I suppose they took from the parliamentary proceedings.

[daleo]

9. Harper is not to be trusted

The new "conservative" party was founded on a back stabbing lie (McKay's lie to David Orchard). That is all you really have to know. If Harper ever became P.M., by some strange calamity, people would look back fondly upon the days of the Mulroney government, that's how bad it would be for the country.

Harper would love to send Canadian troops into some pointless Bush war zone alongside the U.S. military. Consider his statement about sending troops to Iraq:

"I think that's not feasible, given our limited military capacity and the extent to which our people are already over-committed across the world."

In other words, he is leaving himself an out, to re-shuffle troops from some current commitment (Afghanistan comes to mind) to a new one (Iraq or some other PNAC inspired disaster comes to mind).

[glarius]

17. I think Harper is an opportunist.....He has belonged to every party going

at one time or other...I believe years ago he even belonged to the Liberal party.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

26. If you ever find that info, that would be very, very useful.

[glarius]

28. It was just something I vaguely remember hearing

I have no proof of it...

[Screaming Lord Byron]

30. OK. I'm sure it'll come up during the election.

Thanks, anyway

[Iceburg]

13. This should give Martin's platform a little boost ...

March for Women's Lives

Largest protest in US history

1 , 1 5 0 , 0 0 0

[oblivious]

16. Thanks for this quote Lord Byron:

<snip> ?And when your brave men and women give their lives for freedom and democracy we are not neutral. We do not stand on the sidelines; we're for the disarmament of Saddam and the liberation of the people of Iraq.? Friends of America Rally, April 4, 2003. <snip>

I think we should cut through the hypocrisy and ask brave people like Stephen Harper to step up and sign up. If he thinks the cause is so important that good American men and women should give up their lives, then he should be willing to do the same. These days they're desperately short of truck drivers. They'd likely even accept politicians for that job. If it's not important enough for him to risk his life, then what right does he have to encourage American troops to.

Anyone brave enough to advocate war who does not volunteer for duty himself is a pathetic hypocrite.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

18. Harper is a LIAR!!!! The Canadian Conseratives would be....

another Poodle for Bush, just like Blair.

[ironflange]

21. Absolutely correct

Let's not forget how Harper practically beat his shoe on his desk in the Commons, he wanted so badly to help invade Iraq.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[democracy eh]

29. Harper is very dangerous

people are PO'ed off the Liberals and might just vote based on the visible part of the iceberg. All Harper and the Republican Party of Canada need to do is focus on a couple of hot button issues and people may not want to look deeper.

I just have the same bad feeling I had when the Ontario Republicans snuck into to power, when people were PO'ed at the NDP.

I hope that Martin holds off until the fall. let people get to know Mr. PNAC loving, Bush Ass-kissing, anti-women's & gay rights Harper.

Harper would be worse than a poodle. The word Gimp comes to mind. He would be trying to make amends to Bush for the Liberal's treatment of him and his policies. I shudder at the thought of both Bush and Harper in power. but you know what the Repug operatives (political consultants) mess around in our elections now and again (esp. Ontario) this Federal election will be no different.