Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria – He got shot then 37 million people died.
I was at St James Park yesterday, about to do something rather fun and exciting. A friend sent me a message that Canada’s withdrawing diplomatic staff from Iran. It felt a lot like the moment I learned about 9/11 from an email. All that it said was “I guess we’re at war now”. I’ve been a bit shaken by the news ever since.
I’m no fan of the Iranian’s human rights record. The way Iranians treat some of their citizens is appalling. Their aggression towards Israel is non-productive. Iranian leaders really need to learn how to check their ego from time-to-time. They are inflammatory- and, as we’ve seen with PressTV, they have been broadcasting negative propaganda about us on a global scale.
But, why did that happen so out of the blue? Why hasn’t the government announced any major new information that led them to make this move on a sunny Friday afternoon?
World War I began when a Bosnian-Serb man assassinated the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. It was a shot that was heard around the world that would result in some of the world’s most horrific violence. Does our government understand the risk of taking such a bold move today? It doesn’t take much to ignite and/or justify a war.
Or, perhaps, there’s something that our government hasn’t told us yet? Perhaps PressTV is part of a larger plan. Maybe Iran has been messing around with our political system? Perhaps Iranian and Palestinian community organizations are training radicalised indigenous youth? It’s a big mystery right now.
Regardless of why, what happened today scares the Jebus out of a lot of people. Romney threw fighting words at Russia a couple of weeks ago- they were so strong that the Russian government cautioned Americans not to speak with such aggression. America is a beehive with a ticking time-bomb in it.
It’s also so confusing from a political perspective. People who are president at the beginning of a war tend to have an easier job of getting a second term. It worked like a charm for Dubya. So, does this mean that Harper wants Obama in office?
Canada doesn’t need to participate in this conflict. We have no need for the oil that comes from there, no moral authority to kill their people, and they pose no direct threat on our country (unless something hasn’t been disclosed) . And, more importantly, the people of Canada believe in de-escalating wars, not fanning the flames.
The global economy is totally shot. America keeps getting deeper in their mess, Europe is ready to burst, and China is beginning to stutter. Christmas is coming, but the Baltic Dry Index indicates there’s been a sharp drop in the number of overseas shipments. There’s talk of ports going on strike.
Baltic Dry Index (in US Dollars)
Starting a war will help kick-start the economy! Perhaps, but how will America will cover the costs? The country’s credit rating is shot, the economy is historically bad, and gold reserves are much less than they were during WW2. A growing number of people think these numbers are inflated.
This whole movement to attack Iran is a Dr. Strangelove level of insanity. If it takes a war to win an election or stop an economic crash then perhaps it’s not worth trying to keep the current system running. What happens if the war has unintended consequences? Isn’t it better to restructure the system while we have a chance?
Let’s hope yesterday doesn’t go down in history as the day Canada fired the first shot of a global war.
And, Joshua Blakeney. You aren’t doing anything to make it better by sensationalizing the situation. Be very careful not to help people justify doing horrible things. Don’t go on the air saying that Canada is all bad and Iran is all good. Neither is true.
http://youtu.be/AfUL1xc11ro
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A very dark day for Canada indeed…
The assination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by the black hand started World War I, not II :)
The war was going to happen regardless though. Germany wanted the Alsaise-Lorain back from France and the dying Ottoman Empire wanted to reconquor their recently lost balkins territory. One way or another there was going to be a war.
Any war with Iran will happen with or without this move. It means very little. A lot of ivory tower professors and other foreheads are scolding this move by Canada. It is however a very shrewd one. The reasoning behind it has little to do with human rights abuses, nuclear weapons or oil.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has a history of not honouring the Vienna Conventions which govern diplomats and diplomatic immunity. As the situation with Iran escalates there is a chance our diplomats could be in danger. You never know. Maybe Canada was given a friendly warning by Israel and/or the US that something might be coming soon and to get their people out of Iran.
I am not convinced that Canada will start any war, especially with Iran . Frankly we don’t have the financial resources , the military power and the logistics to do this.
I agree that the leaders or Iran as certifiable nut jobs who need to spend a few good quality years in the same cell as some of our more notorious criminals, FOR EVER .
Canada dropped the first bomb on Serbia in 1999. They can do it again.
We’re not the ones starting the war, we are supporting the ones starting the war… and what we have now done will have dire consequences. It is highly significant and symbolic that Canada, the peacekeepers, the friendly neighbor, has now turned it’s back on Iran.
This is horrible and I am deeply shamed of our leaders for this. I seriously doubt Iran is a real threat and I think there are sinister reasons behind this war/threat of war.