Survival of Israel is Dependent on Palestine

Firstly, I would like to thank my co-blogger, Vanillaman for having reposted the Avaaz video. This will help us bring our message of hope to the world. I will now proceed to criticize a few parts of vanillaman's post.

In his post, he mentions that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are actually legal. Maybe they are. Yet, it's irrelevant whether they're legal or not. That can be argued à la Monty Python and that would be extremely pointless. The real question is: what is the point of the settlements? Vanillaman's answer: defense of Israel. But, these settlements have existed ever since Israel took over the West Bank in 1967. These settlements have done nothing but enrage Palestinians and rightly so until they turned hostile. If the settlement's weren't there, maybe there would be more chance for peace.

These settlements are counterproductive and could make Israel lose an ally.

One more argument for an independent Palestine

My last argument for an independent Palestine is the survival of Israel itself. In a short amount of time, the number of Palestinians living under Israeli control (Gaza, West Bank and Israel) will be greater than the number of Jews living in Israel. There will be a choice to make. Maclean's magazine explains it better than me, so I will quote my favourite parts here as it is a long article.

Their country will either be Jewish, but not democratic — in other words, a Jewish minority will control a land mostly inhabited by Palestinians — or Israel will be democratic, but not Jewish, because Arabs will form the majority in what will become a bi-national state.

[...] Still, the consequences of Israel's victory — namely the settlement of occupied territories — have frustrated prospects for peace in the decades since. And now, with Israel perhaps irreversibly entangled in the West Bank, these same fruits of victory threaten Israel's future as well.

[...] Matar is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state and believes Israel must annex the West Bank and Gaza. When she is asked how Israel could continue to exist as a Jewish state if Muslim Arabs were the majority, she looks genuinely surprised by the question. "I'm not going to give them voting rights," she says.

[...] Our road home skirts the Israeli security barrier. It has been credited with dramatically decreasing the number of terrorist attacks inside Israel, though Palestinians decry it as a land grab because much of it runs inside the West Bank, essentially attaching territory captured in 1967 to the rest of Israel. Mohamed doesn't think the wall has much to do with security because, he says, he's able to cross it at will.

[...] Most Israelis favour a two-state solution.Israel's diverse political landscape, which results in perpetually fragile governing coalitions, makes it difficult for politicians to move this agenda ahead, even when there is a genuine will.

Read more at Maclean's. 

Palestine is the Best Bet for Peace

An independent state for Palestine is the best way to create peace in the Middle East. Since the creation of Israel in 1948, violence has never stopped, fueled by hatred on both sides. Then in 1967, Israel took over the remaining Palestinian land and subsequently started building settlements to take up the land and resources, squeezing the inhabitants into small pockets. Obviously, when foreigners take over one's land, one isn't too happy about it.

And neither are the Palestinians. That's why they fight against Israel. Because they are living in bad conditions and have no sovereignty. Having their own state will solve that problem. By removing the settlements, there will be no more reason to fight. Hamas will lose its importance as they would receive a victory far greater than any other achieved by violence. And the rebuilding would begin.

Using a UN General Assembly resolution to make an end run around potential negotiations and create a Palestinian state is not a new idea, of course. It’s exactly what was done in 1947, under strikingly similar circumstances, and the resulting Palestinian state became known as Israel. That experience taught us a lot about the hazards of statehood by declaration from above – and about its occasional necessity.

Read more at the Globe and Mail.

No-Fly Over Libya

The UN Security Council has voted unanimously on a motion to impose a no-fly zone over Libya. They have also authorized countries to do anything they can to protect civilians in Libya from attacks by Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi's army. This could clear the airspace for strikes on Gadhafi's tanks and ground troops.

Dropping bombs on this dictator's troops and armor would be a good way to help end his reign of terror without getting directly involved in the war. We should not not put lives in danger to fight with the rebels, but we must help them while maintaining safety and help them transition to a fair, democratic government.

The UN Security Council has voted on a resolution that would not only impose a no-fly zone but authorize member states to take all necessary measures to protect civilians from attacks by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces. 

The vote late Thursday was 10 to zero in favour of the measure with five abstentions, including Russia and China.

Read more at CBC.

Related articles

• U.S. hints at Libya air strikes as Gadhafi pounds rebels (cnn.com)
• UN council votes for no-fly zone over Libya (thestar.com)

Get the Right Plane

The F-35 is not the right plane for Canada. The Harper government has suggested that these fighters are going to be used to defend the Arctic against the Russians. The truth is that any purchase Canada is going to make to defend against the Russians would have to be huge. Too big for the likes of us. If the Russians do invade (and that is a big if), 65 planes will not stop the massive Russian Air Force. The US would probably step in.

Now, it has been discovered that there is no way with present equipment that the military can refuel the F-35s while flying. We would need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on upgrades. Also, even though the prime usage for this fighter was supposed to be the Arctic, the runways up north are too short for the plane.

When we spend $16 billion on 65 planes, we should make sure that we get the right one for our needs. If this is not the right plane, and it isn't then we should not get it. Let's save our money for an airplane that will really meet our needs.

OTTAWA -- The Canadian military does not have the ability to conduct aerial refuelling of the F-35 fighter jet it wants to purchase and is now looking at ways to get around that problem.

Options range from paying for modifications to the stealth jets to purchasing a new fleet of tanker aircraft that can gas up the high-tech fighters in mid-air. That option could cost several hundred million dollars, depending on how many new tankers are needed.

Read more at the Ottawa Citizen. 

Related articles

• DND denies F-35 flaw claims (cbc.ca)
• When defending the F-35, the government bombs again (fullcomment.nationalpost.com)

No More Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Yesterday, the United States Senate voted to kill the ban on gays and lesbians openly serving in the military. It was basically a government-sponsored discrimination. This law should have been gone long before the end of 2010 and now, it finally is. These people who risk their lives for their country should not have to hide who they are, as Senator Ron Wyden said,

“I don’t care who you love,” Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, said as the debate opened. “If you love this country enough to risk your life for it, you shouldn’t have to hide who you are.”

I still cannot believe some of the opposition arguments. Apparently, repealing this policy will harm the battle effectiveness of the military. It mocks itself! Fourteen thousand soldiers had to leave the army because of this policy. I do not see how a loss of this many people can be effective. It's really amazing how much Republicans will do to try to stop discrimination. Some even hinted that they might block an arms treaty with Russia. The US has finally joined the many other countries, some not as rich as it, that allow gays to serve openly in the military. Congratulations!

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Saturday struck down the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military, bringing to a close a 17-year struggle over a policy that forced thousands of Americans from the ranks and caused others to keep secret their sexual orientation.

Read more at the New York Times.

Related articles

• 'Don't ask, don't tell' cloture vote passes (boston.com)
• US Senate votes to allow openly gay soldiers in US military (guardian.co.uk)

Yeah! No More Discrimination.

In the U.S the House of representatives just passed a bill that would now allow Gay people to openly serve in the military. This means that now the bill must move onto the senate. Now the problem is the Republicans are more worried about the millionaires having to pay a bit more in taxes then giving the well deserved people who are Gay in this country to have equal rights. I don't see how the party of Freedom and American values or so they say doesn't want to support this bill. Isn't it the American value according to Thomas Jefferson " Equal rights for all special privileges for none." Yet the Republicans believe equal rights for all unless you are a gay person who is willing to fight and die for your country. The Republicans in the Senate are voting against the bill even though four Republican senators said they would vote for it. All the Republican senator want to continue discriminating gay people who are willing to fight for the country these senators so call "represent"just to make sure taxes don't go up for the people who are rich. A study showed that allowing openly gay people in the millitary would have minimal effects on the military. Republicans in the senate have a choice on whether to actually stick to the American value or continue deaning people freedom from big brother who tells gay people what they can't and can't do.

Washington (CNN) -- The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to overturn the ban on openly gay and lesbian soldiers serving in the U.S. military, passing legislation repealing the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

The bill -- a so-called "stand alone" measure not tied to any other legislative items -- passed 250 to 175 on mostly partisan lines. It now advances to the Senate.

Read more at CNN.

Related articles

• U.S. House votes to repeal 'don't ask don't tell,' allow gays to serve openly in military (nj.com)
• House votes to repeal ban on open gays in military (boston.com)

Canadians Support Training Mission

A new poll shows that a slight majority of Canadians support a training mission in Afghanistan after our combat troops leave in July 2011. I feel that we should have a continued presence in Afghanistan, but non-military. We should focus completely on humanitarian aid and development of the country. I don't see the training mission as a big monster: I can live with it. We just need to make sure that we don't end up on a slippery slope. We simply cannot abandon the civilians in that country. Humanitarian aid and development will allow us to help Afghanistan without putting a large number of Canadians at risk.

OTTAWA — An narrow majority of Canadians support keeping upwards of 1,000 troops in Afghanistan until 2014 to train Afghan forces, says a new Ipsos-Reid poll that also shows the decision is most popular with westerners and men.

Fifty three per cent of respondents said they support the revamped and extended mission, although there is a caveat. Slightly more than six in 10 said there should be a debate and vote in Parliament even if the new mission involves only training, said the poll, which was released Friday.

Read more at the National Post.

Related articles

• Afghanistan 'training' mission not 'strictly civilian' (cbc.ca)
• Canada to pull civilian staff from Kandahar, base trainers in Kabul (theglobeandmail.com)

Staying in Afganistan. Okay!

Harper just stated that he will keep some sort of mission after the 2011 date. I have stated this before if we are asked to stay we should stay. I think that all countries should always have some sort of mission after 2011. NATO members shouldn't just leave Afghanistan we need to help make a military and defence. Harper made the right choice, but this issue of Afghanistan he was asked before only month's ago saying Canada will leave Afghanistan on schedule. I think it is right to have a presences in Afghanistan after 2011 we should always have some sort of foreign relationship with Afghanistan officials to check up on the country from time to time. The NDP on the other hand want to leave right now I say that's stupid Canada committed to something and it should follow suit to make sure it did the best it could. Harper is no angle when it comes to keeping commitments (ex: Kyoto), but at least he is doing something right.

U.S expands sanctions on North Korea

U.S. as it promised said it would create tougher sanctions on North Korea. North Korea has still continued to try for nuclear weapons while everyone continues to try and stop them. Sanctions are the best way to stop North Korea from getting a nuclear weapon. The U.S and many other countries should continue to toughen it's sanctions until North Korea stops. All countries should continue to try to stop North Korea and any other nations from getting nuclear weapons, but they should practice what they preach and get ride of their own nuclear weapons.

The sanctions will hit eight North Korean "entities" and four individuals, targeting the trade in arms, luxury goods and narcotics.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced last month that US sanctions against North Korea would be expanded.

North Korea indicated last year that any attempt to blockade the country would be regarded as an "act of war".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11132868

The northwest passge to foreign policy.

Centuries ago many people have taken there ship to create a northwest passage to the Beaufort sea. Now many people have tried , and even died trying. A song was even written about the passage. Singing of people wishing to make a northwest passage. Now we have a PM who wants to make sure Canada sovereignty in the north stays, and to tell all the other countries that Canada owns the northwest passage. I am with the PM this one. Harper has the right idea. Canada should not be shy in saying that we own our part of the north therefore we have full rights to our internal waters and it's usage. Now the only thing is would we want to go to war with other countries because of the northwest passage ? No! Canada should take the high road and make sure that when it gives it's report to the UN that it is done properly, and that Canada is given full rights to what Canada owns. I am in full support of increasing the Canadian presence in the north.

A war many wants gone.

The war in Afganistan has become a war that everyone wants gone. Poll after poll show that everyone thinks that the war in Afganistan should end soon. The timeline of leaving in the next summer people agree should happen , and shouldn't be extended. I have stated my opinion on this before we should stay in Afganistan if needed ,but it seems that people just want to end it, and that would probably stop any extension dates in NATO coutries. the prblem is that if we leave Afganistan and it isn't secure enough agaisnt the taliban then we might be pushed back into the war again, so we should stay till the Afganistan army can have the support of all parts of there countries and have a strong hold on there country away from the taliban. If we try to go away from Afganistan not because it is secure and we have done are jobs but for political points then we might go back, and watse more time and money.

They talk.

North Korea is going to have a metting abouth the sinking ship. This will be the second talk North Korea will have since the sinking of the ship. Since the attak as my last post has been the sanctions have been put in place against North Korea. The U.S has shown there strong alliance with South Korea by having 8,000 millitary personels have joint millitary exercises with the South Korean millitary. I think North Korea finaly knew it was over if they did any more. I am glad they finaly had talks. If there is a little more luck then maybe they could get North Korea to talk aboiyt there nuclear weapons.

About 8,000 military personnel from the United States and South Korea are to participate in joint military exercises dubbed "Invincible Spirit" from July 25-28, Combined Alliance Joint Naval and Air Exercises announced Tuesday.

 It will be the second meeting between the two parties since the March attack on the Cheonan, which killed 46 South Korean sailors.

An international investigation blamed North Korea for the sinking, an assertion the North has denied.

yes sanctions !

Hilliary Clinton has annouced that the U.S will be imposing sancitions on North Korea. This is because of the South Korean torpedo that North Korea has sunk which killed 46 people. New sanctions like freezing assets to stop any buying of arms from North Korea. I think that this is great. Just like Iran the international community is now taking action on the threats of the world. The U.S will now be standing beside south Korea in any case of war or conflict. I am glad that the U.S is supporting South korea in it's now very tense relationship with North Korea. The U.S has had a meeting with South Korean now talking about any further Actions. I hope this does not lead to war , and that with more pressure from other countries that North Korea will give up on war and nuclear weapons.

VE day

Today is the 65th anniversary of VE day. The Allies accepted the surrender of Germany and the war in Europe ended. Across the country, there are a few events scheduled for VE day. For example, the Tulip Festival in Ottawa commemorates the liberation of the Netherlands. However, there were still millions of soldiers who died to ensure this victory and we should all remember their sacrifice today too. In my opinion, a good way to do that is to learn the history of World War Two.

Nuclear treaty signed

Both countries (US and Russia) have now decided to reduce their nuclear weapons. There are some loopholes to this disarmament treaty. Such as how countries can modernize their weapons, and that boomers who have 20 nuclear weapons they use to count as 10 bombs, but now they count as 1 so the number will look smaller than it actually will be. I think that this treaty is a step in the right directions, but these loopholes I think should be closed. I do still think this treaty is much better than the cold relationship Moscow had with Washington during the Bush years. this is a step in the right direction, and I hope not just Russia and the U.S, but the entire world will get ride of their nuclear weapons, and eventually the threat of a nuclear war ending the world will end. This would also apply to Iran who should be pressured by the international community to not seek nuclear arms, and the same goes for North Korea.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,688173,00.html

Leave with a impression

This new poll shows that 60% of Canadians want to make are military in Afghanistan end on schedule. I support this date , but I do think that if we are needed more in Afghanistan or are asked by the NATO allies to stay with them to do more military efforts in southern Afghanistan to fully get rid of the Taliban then I agree we should. There are not to many countries staying much longer than we are, so Canada can not by itself control Afghanistan. I think even if we do stay in Afghanistan longer or leave on schedule we should have many negotiations to secure Afganistan has a proper standard of living for the Afgan people.

http://www.ekospolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/full_report_april_8.pdf

Collateral Murder

A web page called "Wikileaks" has released a video (actually two) showing US troops gunning down innocent civilians including two journalists who worked for Reuters. This video shows a lot that the military didn't say how the journalists were killed and said they did not know how children were injured. All lies. These two videos show that the military could have found out who they hit. If some smart guys running Wikileaks could do it, I'm sure the US Army, with all their hi-tech equipment could have pinpointed a grape in the destruction if they wanted to. The point is that incidents can be covered up. Soldiers aren't angels. And investigating incidents like this, can lead to the truth. Investigating incidents like this or demanding access to incidents like these doesn't mean that we don't support the troops. All we want is the truth. The cold hard truth whether it's supportive of our soldiers or not. Is that too much to ask of our government? Therefore, I demand the release of the full uncensored Afghan detainee documents. In other words, I want the truth. Now.
Warning: the videos might be disturbing for some viewers.

Short Version


Long Version


http://www.collateralmurder.com/

Reduce the Voting Age!

A UK policy institute has recommended that the voting age be reduced to 16 (in the UK, of course). The reasons were that in the present, big decisions are being made which will have big consequences on their lives. Also, the ageing population will be the most powerful force in voting and older people sometimes have older ways of thinking. 16 year olds can die in the army, pay taxes, but they cannot vote. This is a good idea not only for the UK, but also for Canada. Climate change, to name one important decision, is happening and nothing is being done about it. Don't the people who are going to be affected by it deserve a say? Yes they do, and that is why the voting age should be lowered. Let's follow Gordon Brown's lead (he supports lowering the voting age with conditions), and support the future of our country.

Demos director Richard Reeves said at 16 young people were old enoug to work and pay tax but were not allowed to vote in an election.

"They are denied the political capital and social responsibility of voting," he said.

As the nation prepares to face decisions with "profound" consequences for young adults, those young adults should be given the right to vote, the report said.

Read about it at the BBC.