[earthling]

<strong>Written By:</strong> earthling
<strong>Date:</strong> 2004-07-04 07:50:21
<a href="/article/75021309-canada-for-antiimperialists">Article Link</a>

<P><a href="http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=11&ItemID=5817">Justin Podur, Canada for anti-imperialists, Part 1, ZNet, July 3, 2004.</a> <P>Debunks some cherished illusions. <P>Fortunately, the talk that this article was based on was delivered in Toronto <u>before</u> the election.

[4Canada]

So what is the simple solution? How do we foil the game? How do we become the manipulators and not the manipulated?

The only thing that comes to mind is that we have to stop needlessly consuming. If we keep consuming we give our power to corporations that in turn use our power against us through government manipulation. And until we stop consuming do resources become less in demand and less likely to cause military means to control the countries that have them.

I don't think it's too much of a surprise that we've been doing "the nice Canada" act while participating in the "ugly Canada", pal of "ugly America" escapades around the globe. The way things are laid out here we don't give ourselves any other choice. If we're going to be one of the biggest consumers on the planet and find *position* in the G8 we've made the conscious choice to be "ugly Canadians" as far as I'm concerned.

[Guest]

'The United States is engaging in a bloody occupation in Iraq; it overthrew the democratically-elected regime in Haiti and posted Marines in that country; it sowed already devastated Afghanistan with cluster bombs and replaced the Taliban with warlords; it is engaging in ongoing efforts to oust the Cuban regime and the Venezuelan; it is supporting repression in Colombia; it is constantly threatening Iran, Syria, and North Korea; it offers unconditional support to Israel's bloody occupation of Palestine.'

The United States ended a bloody government in Iraq; it saved the corrupt Haiti ruler from being lynched by helping that country retain some stability; it has saved the people of Afghanistan from murderous religious zealots; it actively opposes the Cuban regime because they rule by execution and detention of such criminals as Poets and artists; it is trying to help Colombia get out of the grip of drug lords; it responds to the very real threats of Iran, North Korea and Syria as any country would do; it supports Isreal because it realizes that the Jewish population would be slaughtered if the Arabs could overrun the country.

[earthling]

<P>Another anonymous list of fairy tales. Why not throw in the great American success in Chile? or the exemplary Iran-Contra manouever? the delightful alliance with Uzbekistan? Turkmenistan? Georgia? the dazzling China policy? the bold Tibet initiative? or Reagan's defense of Rios Montt in Guatemala? Carmona's government for a day in Venezuela is a good one, too. And the Kissinger/IMF Argentina. The list goes on. And on. <P>The US spends much of its blood and wealth fighting monsters of its own creation--like Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, and Cuba. That looks a lot like the price of self-delusion. Canada doesn't need it. Who does? Lots of people would like to find a just path to prosperity. Believing that the US route is the only way is a failure of imagination. <P>Unfortunately 4Canada, solutions are not simple although there are probably a lot of different general directions. I can imagine two. One is self-sufficiency, an alternative that the Trudeau government fumbled around with in the National Energy Programme. It's a steep path that for most people has more appeal as an idea than as a reality. But the benefits are real and substantial when there is will and discipline to make it work. <P>A second alternative is diversification. If we want to overcome our 80% dependency on trade with the US, we could enter into serious trade relations with more of the UN's 190 other countries. Self-sufficiency and trade are not mutually exclusive. We could do both. <P>The whole continent of Africa, for instance, accounts for 1% of the world's direct foreign investment and 2% of the world's trade. (<a href="http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/B258690.htm">Reuters, Key facts about Africa</a> ) Many of those countries are trying to avoid GMO's and some are establishing themselves as organic producers--in both cases much more effectivly than Canada. (Cuba, BTW, is the world's largest grower of organic produce.) <P>Instead of just enlarging an asymmetrical (and patronizing) aid-style donor relationship with the developing world, Canada needs to recognize the value of establishing mutually beneficial trade and micro-credit relationships.

[Milton]

No wonder your anonymous your an apologist for the fascists and too cowardly to post your name.

So how happy are we now that the same bunch of BS artists is back in power with the lunatics in opposition?

We need proportional representation so that we can begin to disassemble this portion of the global fascists control systems.

That was a really good really well written article, way to go Justin.