‘We Stand On Guard For Thee’
An interesting post at Hotair.com.
The argument currently in vogue in the US Presidential primaries that a soft power can be successful in dealing with rogue nation states or terrorists groups will not sway the majority of the electorate.
In recent times, Canada has turned from a leading peace keeping participant in toothless UN sponsored missions, to a stalwart combat NATO ally in the war on terror in Afghanistan.
Much like the anti-war left rump in the US, Canada has its share of citizens and politicians committed to softpower. Yet a majority of Canadians support the mission in Afghanistan despite casualties. Thus Canada’s reputation, and defense budget, grows in the world as it exercises a muscular form of sovereignty.
Canada’s realistic world view on immigration, social policy and national defense has been developed as times have changed in the post 9/11 world. Interestingly, it has been a conservative political party [conservative for Canada that is!] that has adapted government policy. Further, it has been a minority parliament that has committed Canada’s armed forces to the NATO mission in a delicate balancing act of realpolitc.
The lesson here for the US politicians and EU anti-war types who feel withdrawal from engaging insurgent forces any where in the world is nothing but isolationism and appeasement.
Canada’s reputation as a social democracy, compared to its super power neighbors
Keystone Pipeline: Black Gold from Canada
The Keystone Pipeline Project received environmental approval in the U.S. paving the way for a 30% increase in energy exports from Canada to its NAFTA partner by 2015.
Canada is the leading exporter of energy to the US, nearly 80% more than Saudi Arabia. This fact is neither top of mind in most US consumers in energy, something aspiring politicians are more than willing to exploit.
Recent anti-NAFTA campaign rhetoric by Democratic Primary Candidate Barack Obama shines a bright light on his naive assumptions about trade.
Bashing your leading supplier of energy just to win a primary is hardly the politics of “change” Obama’s supporters have in mind as they ingest the Obamarama koolaid.
Perhaps the Obama campaign brain trust might like to investigate the Keystone Pipeline project.
After all, two of the key terminus of the pipeline are in Patoka and Wood River, Illinois, something the junior US Senator from Illinois might want to consider.