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Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Olivia Chow's riding to push for funding for Hamas
Stephen Taylor has a leaked document listing all the foreign policy resolutions to be presented at the upcoming NDP policy convention in the fall. It is a document that is filled with all the requisite anti-Bush, anti-US, anti-business, anti-military stuff we expect from the NDP. Of course, these are resolutions coming from the grassroots, so you'd expect the worst of it to be filtered out just before or during the convention.
But I'm surprised at the harsh resolutions coming from the Trinity-Spadina riding association. That's Olivia Chow's riding. Olivia Chow is the wife of Jack Layton, the NDP leader. I would think that those resolutions would cleave closely to mainstream NDP thinking. If so, Canada's third party is entering a radical and thrill stage.
First things first -- go read the material at Taylor's blog.
Now let's get down to brass tacks:
"WHEREAS there can be no lasting peace in Palestine/Israel, or the surrounding region, without social justice,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP supports the Right of Return for all refugees, an end to the Israeli settlements and Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, a halt to the armed aggression, the bulldozing of homes, destruction of olive groves and farms, and the assassination of political leaders and activists by the Israeli state, and the NDP demands the removal of the barrier, still under construction across the West Bank; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP calls for restoration of aid to the Palestinian Authority, demands a halt to military aid and economic trade with Israel until all the above demands are met, and that the NDP campaign for an end to the rule of apartheid laws that make Palestinians and Israeli Arabs second and third class citizens under occupation;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP make it clear its opposition to the use of suicide bombings against civilian targets;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP calls for restoration of aid to the Palestinian Authority, demands a halt to military aid and economic trade with Israel until all the above demands are met, and that the NDP campaign for an end to the rule of apartheid laws that make Palestinians and Israeli Arabs second and third class citizens under occupation;"
Trinity-Spadina NDP
There is so much wrong here that I'm not going to bother going through it. But I will pause on two points -- funding for the Palestinian Authority instead of Israel, and the NDP's "firm" stand against suicide bombers.
This is a tough square to circle. Recall that the Palestinian Authority is in fact Hamas, defender of suicide bombers:
The Palestinian armed group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for Monday's attack in a Tel Aviv café, which killed nine civilians in addition to the bomber. After the attack Sami Abu Zuhri, a long-time official spokesman for Hamas, was widely quoted as saying that "the operation is a natural reaction to continued Israeli crimes against our people," and that "the Palestinian people are in a state of self defense and have every right to use all means to defend themselves."
So the NDP gives money to these people, and chokes off Israel. Doesn't that put them on the same side as countries like Iran?
Again, not so much surprising for the NDP. But to come out of the Trinity-Spadina riding association? Is Olivia Chow planning to support these resolutions from her riding? Is Jack Layton going to stand against them?
But because of Hamas' ongoing support of suicide bombers, there was the obligatory denunciation of suicide bombers (well, "opposition" is the word used, not "denunciation", but I don't want to nitpick on what some people would see as a very weak stand against terrorism). Consider the specifics of the statement for a moment. Olivia Chow's riding association of Trinity-Spadina wants the NDP to work towards restoring all funding to Hamas. But at the same time make it "clear" that the NDP is "opposed" to suicide bombings.
"Clear" is their word, not mine. So is "opposition".
There is no clarity when you scold with one hand and offer support with the other. Just what carrot or stick is the NDP planning to use if they are going to restore all funding? Clearly, NDP funding is not dependent on Hamas support for suicide bombers. The resolution makes no linkage between the two.
A second, more disturbing point. The bombing of "civilian" targets is all that Olivia Chow's riding is worried about. Presumably, the bombing of military targets by terrorists dressed as civilians is fine. Put aside the ease with which the NDP dismisses the deaths of soldiers, as if no civilians are affected when their sons and daughters are blown up. Consider instead these two points:
- How does a suicide bomber get close to a military target? If a lone civilian makes a run for a checkpoint across an otherwise empty street, the soldiers will cut him down in an instant. No, a suicide bomber depends on civilian cover to get close to soldiers who are not willing to slaughter civilians wholesale. That is why with most reports of suicide bomb attacks against military targets, there are one or two soldiers killed or wounded for every 10 or 20 civilians.
- As we've heard, many Palestinians see all Israelis as valid military targets. To them, there are no Israeli civilians.
That NDP funding will help pay for bomb belts and benefits for the widows of bombers.
Posted by Steve Janke on August 29, 2006 | Permalink
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Comments
There is so much wrong with this I am not even going to go into it.
Posted by: Snowrunner | 2006-08-29 1:04:18 PM
These people are certifiably nuts. It's absolutely stunning that anyone takes these clowns seriously let alone votes for them. Unbelievable.
Posted by: John Luft | 2006-08-29 1:32:52 PM
This describes "engagement" which provides for dialogue, negotiation, and no moral judgements because that would be judgemental and interfere with the wonderful feelings of doing good things.
This has, to this point, been a very long engagement.
Which proves, "Why buy the cow when the milk is free."
Posted by: foobius | 2006-08-29 1:52:44 PM
I'm glad there is an NDP. Otherwise these people would be voting Liberal.
Posted by: Speller | 2006-08-29 1:53:40 PM
I think we must ensure that the NDP has absolutely no chance whatsoever of getting power again.
We start at the ballot box, but we needn't stop there. I'd go so far as to call for a halt to all NDP activities. The N(S)D(A)P has no place operating as a front for terrorist funding in a free and democratic society.
These maggots would give money to the kind of people killing Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
Ban the NDP!
Posted by: bcf | 2006-08-29 2:13:35 PM
Does that position put the NDP in the same policy place as Hamas? Does that make them an organization that by association and support should be defined as and illegal terrosist organ ization - like Hamas?
Posted by: Gary | 2006-08-29 2:15:44 PM
Who knows but Hamas are honorary NDP members?
Posted by: Frico | 2006-08-29 3:35:51 PM
The New-age Dandified Party, NDP, would benefit from learning (supposing it's possible) to solve its own problems, instead of those elsewhere.
It is good to shine the light on them and their policies, and it needs to be done constantly; not only at election time. The same goes for the Liberals. If this continues, even MSM will not be able to shield them or hide the truth.
Posted by: Alain | 2006-08-29 3:41:12 PM
Hugo Chavez, Castro and the NDP.
All members of the Socialist International.
All together supporting jihadist violence in the Middle East to overthrow their common enemy, the capitalist oppressor.
Hmmm.
Alain:
The MSM is on the run. Monday night on CBC news, Terry Milewski reported the discovery of a Hizb'allah tunnel built underneath a UN observation post just 300 metres away from the Israeli border. It was discovered by Israeli soldiers on Saturday.
Now the UN is coming in to keep the peace?
Ha, ha, ha, ha. What a joke!
Posted by: Set you free | 2006-08-29 4:43:15 PM
Remember everyone, these are resolutions. They're not policy unless the party votes to make it policy. Until proven otherwise, we ought to give the party the collective benefit of the doubt and assume the more politically astute among them will kill these resolutions moments after they are brought forward.
Having said that, my point is not about the party as a whole (since they haven't had a chance to vote on this) but on the specific riding association. Clearly the loons hold the majority in Trinity-Spadina. Is Olivia Chow one of them? And if she is and defends her riding associations resolutions, will Jack Layton back her up?
Chances are that we'll never know -- the resolution will probably die early in the process, out of sight of the cameras.
Posted by: Steve Janke | 2006-08-29 5:57:04 PM
NDP'ers constantly prove that they are nasty people by the statements they make, they have proved to be disasters in government - like Boob Rae in Ontario - yet there are Canadians who will actually vote FOR these mean vindictive people?
What gives?
Are there really that many nasty, mean, vindictive Canadians out there? or are they simply looking at what NDP'ers might put in their pocket and they ignore the NDP's evil side?
Posted by: philanthropist | 2006-08-29 8:33:56 PM
Yawn... the left, and in particular the far left, has become so far removed from reality in almost all matters, they have removed themselves from from any serious debate, especially on matters such as these.
It has always been the position of the left to appease, and if that doesn't work, outright capitulation. This is hardly a time in our history for such blatent stupidity.
Enough on these radical boneheads. It's a waste of good blog space.
Posted by: deepblue | 2006-08-29 10:41:45 PM
It is why they are known as the lunatic fringe.
Posted by: Set you free | 2006-08-30 12:06:28 AM
Olivia's Chow tolerance is only for the left-wing ideals. Known as left NDP/Liberalism only tolerance.
Posted by: Larry | 2006-08-30 2:24:17 AM
They might as well hang a sign in the window of her campaign office: "No Kikes Allowed".
Seriously, when one considers the history of socialism on this continent, the big part Jews played in its establishment, it is to say the least that these particular socialists are abondoning their roots, no? I suppose the Jews are no longer useful but one would think that a posture of 'neutrality' would be forthcoming from these sef-proclaimed 'honest brokers'. Incredible.
Posted by: rosemarie59 | 2006-08-30 3:38:27 AM
well if anything, the lefty moonbats are consistent...i served in the Canadian military from 77-85...back then...a soldier was a peacekeeper when they needed us, and a baby killer when they did not...yawn
Posted by: kingstonlad | 2006-08-30 6:17:00 AM
I am not surprised at anything the liberals or ndp would be up to these days. I find it kind of scarey. I talk to many life long lefties who are planning to just walk away from the liberals and ndp.
Posted by: Honey Pot | 2006-08-30 6:23:40 AM
Where are they walking TO, Honey Pot?
Posted by: Speller | 2006-08-30 12:31:11 PM
What a bunch of asinine fools. Ignore them, they haven't got a hope ,oops, forgot, this is a Tronna riding, so possible there would be support for such stupidity.
One main difference between the commies and NDP is their base of operation, the commies are dictators and the Dippers operate out of a Democratic system.
They'd all have us lining up for our rations and health care.
Posted by: Liz J | 2006-08-31 11:18:45 AM
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