Saturday, August 6, 2011

Canada's International Image Growing Stronger, More Independent

Posted by Leigh Patrick Sullivan / 7:49 PM /
Throughout its history, the United Nations has been the source of controversy. Given its role, perhaps it is understandable and expected that an organization representing the governments of the world would have its share of scandalous incidents.

Born out of the ashes of World War II and the failed pre-war League of Nations, the U.N. started off with an admirable goal: to give the nations of the world an avenue to air their differences, form resolutions, and most importantly avoid the risk of the world being thrown into another large-scale multi-national war.

Almost from the beginning, the authority of the international body has been on display. Whether holding rogue nations to account through the oft-used process of sanctions, bringing to light some unknown suffering parts of the world, or negotiating treaties to sidestep conflict, the United Nations has proven beneficial on many fronts.

But the organization has changed over time to the point that even some of its most ardent supporters have begun to question its direction and its effectiveness.

And this comes at a unique time in geopolitics.

Traditionally, Canada has been one of the most vocal nations of the world in proclaiming its support for the U.N. Canadians have long seen the United Nations has a valuable asset, and have in the past demanded the U.N.’s okay before allowing Canada to enter situations such as a military conflict.

To the people of Canada, the United Nations could have been considered a sacred cow. But after years of watching the U.N. morph into something unintended, minds are changing.

We have witnessed the organization become more than a meeting place for negotiation and social programs. It has now moved dangerously close to becoming a global government while increasingly pushing its own agenda.

The U.N. demands obedience to their strict ideas on the environment and social justice, of which a quick study reveals emanation from the political left.

They even have assumed control of their own armed forces. NATO, which was always meant to be a separate body, has become the U.N. de-facto military arm. From Bosnia to Libya, the pattern has emerged: the Security Council authorizes action, and NATO carries it out.

We hear, years after the fact, that much of the information used to justify entering the Bosnian war was false. Many reports of mass-murder turned out to be fiction. The public relations spin that sold the idea of protecting vulnerable Muslims who were facing those two most horrible words – ethnic cleansing – has been found to be lacking in credibility after the fact.

Canadians watch as the U.N. and N.A.T.O. rush in to do the honorable thing and help the rebels rising up against their long-time oppressor Qaddafi in Libya. We initially support our government’s involvement in backing the Arab Spring movement, then question the action when rumors abound that many of the rebels are current and former al Qaeda fighters.

Have we become allies with terrorists through the platform of the United Nations?

The re-examining of the Canadian attitude towards the United Nations comes at a most interesting time. While the United States finds itself being led by a president busy expunging American tradition and implanting his far-left, contrite-to-the-enemy agenda, Canada has just embarked on its first era of majority Conservative government since the early 1990’s.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has not been shy about voicing displeasure at the U.N. Back in September 2009 the Canadian delegation make international headlines by walking out of a droning, psychotic speech given Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The fact that it was the easy-going Canadians who correctly anticipated an offensive, anti-Semitic rant from Ahmadinejad and chose to walk out was unprecedented. The fact that it was the Canadians who walked out first, followed afterwards by the United States and other Western nations, was momentous.

Just a few weeks ago it was Canada again standing up and taking the lead when it was announced that North Korea would be – get this - the chair of the U.N.’s Conference on Disarmament, where U.N. members negotiate disarmament and other arms control agreements. Calling the North Korean regime “a major proliferator of nuclear weapons” and “not credible”, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced a Canadian boycott of the conference until the chair is replaced.

Again, it was an unprecedented move by Canada. Again, Obama’s America lagged behind. While not choosing to follow suit with a boycott of their own, U.S. delegates downplayed the significance of having a nation known for having an illegal nuclear weapons program chair a conference on nuclear disarmament.

Canadians have grown more than suspicious that the United Nations has lost its way. Common sense dictates that when we hear of more than 20 discussion papers and resolutions condemning alleged ‘apartheid’ crimes by Israel are introduced in less than one year (the misuse of that memorable term is an insult to the Black population of South Africa, btw.), compared to a single resolution condemning terrorist acts by Palestinians against Israelis, questions are bound to arise.

Even some Americans have noticed the shift in position between their country and Canada, stating their wish that the American leader would stand up and show some fortitude like Canada’s Harper.

It would be hard to imagine Stephen Harper embarking on the apology-style world tour Obama took soon after taking office, bowing before those who would do us harm.

While it would be easy to bask in the glory of Canada’s newfound voice on the international stage, the truth is we can only do so much. American influence is a necessity, for without it nothing can get done.

That is why, more than in other years leading up to an American presidential election, Canadians are tuning in and keeping an eye on the GOP contenders. In the fight against the growing world-wide viruses of Islamisation, anti-Semitism, the politically correct policies of open borders and lax immigration, and a global economic meltdown, Canada could sure use an ally in the United States.

No comments: