‘Arms Inspectors’ Bolster Canadian Anti-war Movement
A Canada-based peace and disarmament group plans to launch ‘‘weapons inspections’’ in the United States to draw attention to its claim that the country is a dangerous rogue state. The group, Rooting Out Evil, plans to assemble volunteer weapons inspectors at U.S.-Canada border checkpoints some time next year and says it has already found ‘volunteers’ for the campaign from Europe, North America and Asia. It is asking voluntary inspectors to sign up at its website. The action is part of a growing campaign of activists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals trying to keep this country out of a possible U.S.-Iraq war. Canada’s government is under intense pressure from the U.S. to join an anti-Iraq coalition.
Re: Candians to launch ''weapons inspections'' in the United States
[QUOTE] Originally posted by Malik73: *
A Canada-based peace and disarmament group plans to launch ''weapons inspections'' in the United States to draw attention to its claim that the country is a **dangerous rogue state.*
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The US is pressuring other countries to come clean about their weapons arsenals; by the same token the US should have no hesitations about being open towards Canadian inspections on American soil. Afterall, if there is nothing to hide then why block this Canadian group from its intended objectives? Just as with other countries, the US should be given a specific time period in which they have to declare all of their weapons, weapon components, industrial facilities, open up the WhiteHouse for inspections, etc. etc. Afterall we are talking about nothing less than the most liberal, free and democratic country on earth - it should set an exemplary standard for others to follow.
Big difference - US was not defeated in war and make concessions to dismantle their weapons program (and then spend 10 years covering it up). To the victor goes the spoils.
You can not compare the country that saved the world from facism, Nazism, Japanese Imprerialism, totalinarism and now Muslim extremism - to a country that hasn't done squat to save anybody from anything.
You can not compare the country that saved the world from facism...
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Not quite. Do a history lesson, and you will see that it was Soviet Russia did quite a bit as well to save the world from (Nazi) facism than the US military. That explains why you willingly signed over Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungray, Bulgaria, Romania not to mention the three Baltic countries and nominally Yugoslavia to the Soviet communist dicatorship. :)
Nadia- you are absolutely correct. All states with WMD or supsected of wanting to acquire WMD should have UN inspectors sent to them. If the US has nothing to hide it would not stop these people coming.
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Big difference - US was not defeated in war and make concessions to dismantle their weapons program (and then spend 10 years covering it up).
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Sorry, but who's covering up what - Iraq has already cooperated significantly with the Security Council over the constantly-changing Council regulations vis-a-vis disarmament. i am not certain how much more one expects a decimated country to cooperate without providing any realistic incentives for over a decade.
i have reached the point where i don't think the Iraqi govt. should cooperate anymore with the Security Council; it has got them nowhere in the past twelve years except further humiliation of the society as a whole, while the deliberately-inflicted genocide slowly consumes the country's children.
If Canada finds the US in breach during one of its weapons inspections, the proper legal recourse would be to go through the Security Council and, if the US continues its non-cooperation, then it should receive the same treatment it threatens towards other far poorer countries. Whether mighty or weak, the law applies towards all countries in an equal manner.
Nadia writes:
" Iraq has already cooperated significantly with the Security Council over the constantly-changing Council regulations vis-a-vis disarmament. "
You say this over and over again as if repeating it will make it the truth. You are in the distinct minority Nadia. There's you, Tariq Azziz, Saddam and a few others. The UN Security Council members (including Syria) ALL disagreed with your conclusion when they adopted the last resolution didn’t they? I guess, IN THIS CASE, you don't believe the UN ought to be the judge as to whether UN Resolutions have been complied with. Yet, you have a distinct problem with the US Administration when it makes the very same argument regarding the most recent Resolution and suggests that the US will make that decision.
Now pray tell, what UN Security Council Resolution relating to the destruction of US stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction would the inspectors be trying to verify compliance with? You state that " Whether mighty or weak, the law applies towards all countries in an equal manner." Which law is that Nadia? What Resolution would the US be breaching?
Sorry, but who's covering up what - Iraq has already cooperated significantly with the Security Council over the constantly-changing Council regulations vis-a-vis disarmament.
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Very true. That is why the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has publicly come out and stated that Iraq has satisfactorily complied with all UN demands to date over the UN inspections.
Now if the US is not hiding anything - like a few thousand nukes, and chemical and biological weapons then it will not mind the Canadian inspectors coming to check. :)
Only 15 per cent willing to endorse unilateral U.S. invasion, poll says
As thousands of Canadians march today to protest against military action in Iraq, a poll suggests that two-thirds of Canadians oppose Canada’s involvement in any attack not sanctioned by the United Nations. About 62 per cent of people surveyed by Ipsos-Reid for The Globe and Mail and CTV said Canada should provide military assistance for action against Iraq only if the UN, not just the United States, decides that is required.
Just 15 per cent said Canada should join the United States if it invades Iraq on its own. A greater number – 18 per cent – said they would oppose any Canadian participation, even if the UN gave the go-ahead. About 72 per cent of respondents said Iraq is not truthful in listing its weapons of mass destruction, but more than half disapproved of the U.S. effort to remove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
“Canadians do not support unilateral action by the United States, nor do they support providing assistance to that,” said John Wright, a senior vice-president at Ipsos-Reid. They put their faith in the UN to slow any invasion, he said.
I was going to say that US should demand inspections in Canada also but then I realized the only weapons they have is made of Plastic Tonka toys. My nephew was playing with this spin and throw helicopter which has "Air Force Canada" written on it....what an appropriate description.
Malik,
Let's get real here. The United States only concern here are those concerned with Money/Oil and Baby Bush's desire to make Daddy Proud.
Unfortunately, I also beleave that this power grab has been (was and is) being orchestrated at a higher level. But that's a different subject.
Saddam will never catch this rabbit unless world oppinion is voiced in a rational way. Amen to North Korea for standing up for freedom, even though that sounds a bit contrary.
NotMT, yes it's a positive comment and he agrees with you. i think the original meaning is that your reply was slightly sensitive or controversial, ('garam masala' literally means 'hot spices'), but it was quite accurate.
Please don't mention it, NotMT, my pleasure. The language is Urdu.
i know how very confusing it is sometimes with words in a different language. Please ask for meanings anytime you feel like it; doesn't necessarily have to be Urdu words pertinent to this Forum.
Amen to North Korea for standing up for freedom, even though that sounds a bit contrary.
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Yes, and you don't see the American government (dare) demand inspectors to be sent in big numbers to that country, even though it is flashing its WMD ambitions in front of the world. Lets have UN inspectors go ALL states that posess WMD, and/or who had so in the past...in this regard the Canadian "inspectors" are making a great point.
