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It could never happen here, could it?-Canada a Target?

bossi

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Canadians could be next targets, Australia warns
The West under attack: Islamic terrorists pervert Islam, Minister says
 
Sheldon Alberts, Deputy Ottawa Bureau Chief  
National Post
Tuesday, October 29, 2002
 
OTTAWA - Australia's Foreign Minister yesterday warned Canadians they are potential targets of Islamic terrorists and are wrong to believe radical groups such as al-Qaeda are only interested in mounting attacks against the United States.

The bombing of a popular nightclub in Bali, which killed nearly 100 Australians and at least one Canadian on Oct. 12, was a deadly reminder that other Western nations are just as susceptible to militants motivated to kill by a "perversion of Islam," said Alexander Downer.

"I think both Canadians and Australians have to understand that a lot of these terrorist operations are directed, not just against the United States, but against what we might broadly describe, particularly Canada and Australia, as our civilization," Mr. Downer said following private meetings in Ottawa with Bill Graham, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister.

"Whether you are a Canadian or whether you are an Australian or whether you are an American, you are part of the so-called West and there are risks that these people will use us as targets."

A radical Islamic group called Jemaah Islamiyah, which has ties to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, is believed to be responsible for the Bali attack on a club patronized largely by Western tourists. One Canadian has been confirmed dead in the attack and another is believed to have died.

More than 90 Australians were believed killed or missing in the Bali explosion.

Mr. Downer said some Australians believed prior to the attack that they were immune from terrorism. Polls suggest as many as 75% of Canadians also believe Canada is not a target.

"I think Australians who said that --and it's true there were some -- and Canadians who say that, are wrong," said Mr. Downer.

The Bali bombers and their al-Qaeda allies "are people who are motivated by their subversion of Islam, their perversion of Islam, their perversion of Islamic beliefs, which they have reinterpreted into an extremist doctrine," said Mr. Downer.

"What they want to do is drive so-called Western influence out of the Islamic world and try to establish sharia, or fundamentalist, Taliban-style states or transnational organizations, particularly in the Arabian peninsula or southeast Asia and Islamic southeast Asia."

Jemaah Islamiyah's goal is to build a pan-Islamic state across Southeast Asia. It was placed on a United Nations list of terrorist groups last Friday after a campaign led by Australia and supported by Canada.

Immediately after the Bali bombing, there was speculation Australians were targeted because of the country's co-operation with the United States in the war against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Australian contributed special forces troops to the war.

But the Commonwealth nation's involvement in peacekeeping in East Timor has also been cited as a possible reason the country's citizens were targeted.

In a videotape broadcast last weekend by the British Broadcasting Corp., Osama bin Laden singled out Australia as an enemy because it helped East Timor win independence from Indonesia by leading an international peacekeeping mission in 1999.

The message from bin Laden was apparently taped last November.

Canada also contributed 650 troops to the East Timor peacekeeping force.

Concern that Islamic terrorist groups are broadening the scope of their attacks to include other Western democracies appears to be taking hold in Ottawa.

Last week, John McCallum, the Defence Minister, said the Bali bombing was proof that the terrorist threat extends well beyond the U.S. He argued Canada's military needs increased funding to help prevent similar attacks here.

Mr. Downer and Mr. Graham discussed ways to Canada and Australia could co-operate to fight terrorism by increasing communication between their respective intelligence agencies and police forces.

"We are determined as countries to co-operate, both with one another, but also to put into place the international framework necessary to deal with the threat of terrorism -- and it can only be done through international co-operation," said Mr. Graham. "We are now seeing the coming together, a co-operation amongst police force and other agencies, a genuine effort to make sure we share information."

salberts@nationalpost.com

It Could Never Happen Here, Could It? (a short story)
 
http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/sto ry/CTVNews/1126361736615_12?hub=topstories


I've been writing articles in school and articles on online communities about Canada being on the hitlist of terrorists along with the last country, Italy.

I think Canadian citizens (aside from those in the forces) are EXTREMELY ignorant and too liberal when it comes to the defence of Canada. I've been getting responses from unpubecent teens, "ur sooo stewpid! Canada iz not going 2 be attaked yew ideeiot," or my person favourite when it comes to encouraging people to join up and do something about our militarys current state and make it better...these are some of the responses i've got:

- "lolzzz Canada has an army!?"   - obviously he was trying to be humorous which terribly failed.

- "why should we join the army and get killed for $40/hour?"   - I sent him a link of the pay scale for the CF and also told him that when a loved one dies in a terrorist attack, he'll be thinking differently.

- "the military sucks! f**king baby killers, f**k bush!"   - I didn't even want to respond to this girl because this remark made my eyeballs bleed due to it's incredible stupidity.

- "Canadas army sucks!" - In this case, I searched up a few articles on Canadas accomplishments, such as WWII and another article of the team of Canada snipers who set that world record shot killing an enemy 2,430 metres away. Along with numerous kick a$$ pictures of our military in action.

I'd say about 50% of Canada who are saying these awful things will be eating their own words when this happens. I remember when the U.S. was attacked at 9/11, thousands and thousands of people were already signing up for the military. I imagine having the same situation happening in Canada, but if I see our government not doing anything about our current military status, I will lose faith in our citizens and our government.

-Emilio De Angelis
 
The people who are saying those things are completely ignorant and stupid to my eyes i just don't listen to them but if something happens in our soil i wish not. Those people will turn right away to the army. Here is an example some guys are talking about police and they are saying "f**k the police f***ing cops", but when there is something happening to them like they get stolen or beat up they will call 911 right away.

Wolf  :cdn:
 
I tell my friends that I want to join the Army because of the looming terrorist threat that Canada faces, and they all call me rediculous, 'cause Canada has never done anything to terrorists. Some people just don't get it.
 
I just tell them Im joining to help others. Ive heard the "Canada has an army?" joke after a presentation or when I tell a friend what I want to do. If these people knew someone currently serving they would probably have more respect for the military. Ive had a few friends say "Cant you die there?", I was shocked to say the least. Thats the only knowledge some people have of the military....your in danger. I try and open their eyes making them realize that without the military, they would be in danger also. Thankfully to the brave men currently serving/who have served, we live in a free country...
 
I think the worst thing that I have heard as of late came from a military spouse. When I told her of the bombings in London, England her response was "how does that affect us?" I was incredulous! This particular spouse will be experiencing the deployment of her husband in as little as 3 months!! When I mentioned this to my husband, all he could say was "well for some people ignorance is bliss".

 
"how does that affect us?"


That is one of the dumbest things I've heard, and the fact that it was a military spouse who said it makes it worse.



 
CdnArtyWife said:
... "how does that affect us?" ...

A tip of the hat to the fellow who said "ignorance is bliss" ...

There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies -- and that is fighting without them.
--- Sir Winston S. Churchill

I'd politely suggest Churchill's quip applies equally to allied nations, as well as the alliance between soldiers and civilians - the bayonets at the front rely upon their entire nation for support ... which includes industry, society and ... taxpayers ...

"You knew why you were doing it â ” the men overseas might not get back.
There were lives involved. So the welding had to be perfect."
-- BETHENA MOORE, 83, about the "Rosie the Riveter" memorial in Richmond, Calif.

Thus, let's be cautious about ranting and raving about how ignorant/stupid/beneath contempt those civvie pukes are ... (i.e. do we really need to make more enemies ... or should we perhaps take a deep breath, and set about to win some hearts and minds ... right here at home).

One of our Army's Strategic Goals is "Connecting With Canadians", for good reason.
How does that affect me, you?
Well, it affects all of us in many ways, every day.

There was a great recruiting slogan "YOU are the best recruiter", meaning that it wasn't just the recruiting centre that's involved in recruiting.  Every day you wear your uniform in public, you're a billboard - an example for potential recruits, something for children to look up to (both literally and figuratively ... have you ever noticed how many people describe their earliest childhood memory of a soldier or police officer as "... a really big person ..."?)

When some ignoramus demonstrates their lack of knowledge about the Army, why on Earth does it seem appropriate to lower one's self to their level ... ?  After all, isn't it their ignorance that drives you batty?  Since two wrongs never make a right, and even though it's painful, it's like swatting mosquitoes - every one you silence is one less that'll breed ...

Get your facts straight, and correct misinformation with information.

Show people what a REAL soldier looks like, talks like, and acts like.

And, you never know ... others may be watching - they'll quickly discern the difference between the ignorance of your detractors, their ill-informed myths and vitriole, and your disciplined, informed response ...

When a military spirit forsakes a people, the profession of arms immediately ceases to be held in honour, and military men fall to the lowest rank of public servants; they are little esteemed and no longer understood. . . . Hence arises a circle of cause and consequence from which it is difficult to escape: the best part of the nation shuns the military profession because that profession is not honoured, and the profession is not honoured because the best part of the nation has ceased to follow it.
-- Alexis de Tocqueville, from "Discovery in America"
 
Thus, let's be cautious about ranting and raving about how ignorant/stupid/beneath contempt those civvie pukes are ... (i.e. do we really need to make more enemies ... or should we perhaps take a deep breath, and set about to win some hearts and minds ... right here at home).

I like what you said and its totally true, even if its hard we should show them what soldiers are...just imagine that some civvie is doing a research on google, he decide to learn about the Canadian army and he ends up on this threat and reads stupid civvie and ignorant and ..... i don't think he will appreciate it. We should try to speak with the people that don't believe in the Canadian army. I think that its possible to show the people in our country that the Canadian army is helping them.....how ?....what i will do if some civvie comes to me and speaks against the Canadian army i will not get angry no not good i will put my mind to it and try to convince him..maybe it will work. Remember that we represent the Canadian army even if you are alone and speak with civvies your represent the Canadian army.

Wolf  :cdn:
 
Part of the problems is young Canadians, who are not yet soldiers going off like they are BTDT, and condecending to civilians...
 
Terrorist threat?  No there's no threat, Terrorists have threatened Canada. Bullies threaten, to beat you after school, and you worry about it all day, and then before you go out for your beating, 6 of your big brothers friends stomp the crap out of him .But if you are scared all day he doesn't have to show up after class.  It works much better, if the Terrorist just pounced on you un awaress, takes your MP3 hat coat and shoes Jersey and lays a beating on you that you may never wake up from.
It generally agreed that there is a bully in the school yard, and that two of your brothers are looking for him. Just because you are sitting on the monkey bars doesn't mean he won't come and beat you. Six brothers protecting you, and looking for the bully, is better than denying there is a bully, waiting for the beating to come.
One way or another Canada is involved, ignorant people say ignorant things, but the majority of Canadians have stones to walk into the school yard and find that bully. :cdn:   
 
KevinB said:
Part of the problems is young Canadians, who are not yet soldiers going off like they are BTDT, and condecending to civilians...

Wow 2 times you got me good you are good . I am not a soldier that is true but i try to think like one because i am gonna be one and from my civvie experience i give my toughts.

Cheers  :cdn:
 
KevinB said:
Part of the problems is young Canadians, who are not yet soldiers going off like they are BTDT, and condecending to civilians...

Couldn't agree more

just take a look at the profile at some of those who posted on this thread.

If someone lips off about the CF (get ready for it) SO WHAT!!!!

They have their opinions and you have yours. Don't expect people to bow down and kiss your mark IIIs every time you strut your uniform? I'm just as proud of being in the CF as the next bloke but I don't expect to be exhaulted like a prince riding on a high horse. If I picked a fight with every person who ever gave me a scoff,  a glare, or disagreed with me; then I would be no better than a school yard bully. So do your job and let civies live the way they want to live.

 
There is a reason why we brawl with silly civilians sometimes...

Some peoples minds just can't be changed.

P....
 
R0B said:
Not at all, I'm just saying that terrorism is a negligible threat; it isn't the prerogative of the Canadian Forces to investigate or arrest terrorists within Canada.

I'd like to see the Canadian Forces' budget increased so that more money can be invested into training and equipment, namely, to allow for aging hardware to be replaced more frequently.

Well ROB, many people in Australia thought the same as you until 12 Oct 02 (well before the liberation of Iraq), and that was the beginning of the bloodletting on innocent Aussie tourists at Kuta Beach. 89 Aussie killed, whole families wiped out, vapourised, killed, and a total of 202 murdered all up, including a man from Wynyard Saskatchewan, 40km from my home town of Quill Lake.

Saying that such attacks in Canada are neglibible is PURE nonsense! I assure you that many home grown Cdn born extremests are knawing wood in anticipation to strap on a bomb on any busy street or station somewhere between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of our great nation. Waiting for a weak moment of their choice.

Now once again a matter of weeks ago, we lost more Aussies in Bali again. Many terr plots snuffed before they happened here in Australia, and now the recent arrests of 17 muslims and many more later (you should see the lists of what was recovered by police guns- ammo-large qtys of chemicals, mobile phones, books, tapes CDs, all terr info and advice etc), all hell bent to MURDER us in cold blood on our own soil. Some Aussie born others, immigrated here from the ME.

Personally I think some areas of Canada are terr havens, hiding out in their own ethnic suburbs, blending in like the locals, taking advantage of the sympathisers (and there are many), able to slip thru the weak border into The Great Satan at a moments notice to cause mayhem there. After all Canada has the worlds largest and longest undefended border in the world in many cases separated by an imaginery line.

Why do you think Canada is exempt. Do you think these nutcases even know what a Canada is? Many cant speak even english! They just know it as another western nation which borders on the USA, drinks Coke and eats Big Macs, and has a useful welfare system they can bleed off to their liesure, as the taxpayer foots the bill.

Once you get your nose bloodied by home-growns or imports (I hope I am wrong), maybe then you'll wake up to yourself and realise what crap you have been saying on here. At 20yrs old, I would expect more quality coming from you, and with so fews posts I am even berginning to wonder if you are just wanting to stir the pot.

Meanwhile, just keep your head buried in the sand, you'll be safe   ::)
 
Australia's long been considered repressive towards Indonesian immigrants, and especially Muslims, and Bali is a Hindu island in a Muslim nation.

Terrorists would not have much to gain by attacking Canada. They'd likely gain some support, but the changes they'd effect would make life harder for them in the long run, and that's something they'd most certainly like to avoid, considering that the United States is so close and so easy to enter. Virtually any terrorist in Canada could just as easily attack the United States. Indonesian terrorists, on the other hand, have no real option, so they attack Australian tourists in what is your version of Mexico.

What have terrorists attacks on Australia accomplished? Roughly the same amount of Australians now consider US foreign policy to be as great a threat to peace and security as Islamic fundamentalism.

And I'm not here to "stir the pot."
 
R0B said:
Australia's long been considered repressive towards Indonesian immigrants, and especially Muslims, and Bali is a Hindu island in a Muslim nation.

Terrorists would not have much to gain by attacking Canada. They'd likely gain some support, but the changes they'd effect would make life harder for them in the long run, and that's something they'd most certainly like to avoid, considering that the United States is so close and so easy to enter. Virtually any terrorist in Canada could just as easily attack the United States. Indonesian terrorists, on the other hand, have no real option, so they attack Australian tourists in what is your version of Mexico.

What have terrorists attacks on Australia accomplished? Roughly the same amount of Australians now consider US foreign policy to be as great a threat to peace and security as Islamic fundamentalism.

And I'm not here to "stir the pot."


"Not stirring the pot" would probably require providing references to back up your various allegations.
 
Michael O'Leary said:
"Not stirring the pot" would probably require providing references to back up your various allegations.

References have been embedded.

Australia's long been considered repressive towards Indonesian immigrants, and especially Muslims (http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=HAS20050927&articleId=1011, http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:zCXvqgb2NeMJ:www.anu.edu.au/NEC/dunn_paper.pdf+australia+racist+islamic&hl=en, http://hrw.org/english/docs/2000/08/31/austra721.htm,) and Bali is a Hindu island in a Muslim nation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indonesia, http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Indonesian/Islam/BBC%20NEWS%20%20Asia-Pacific%20%20Islam%20in%20Indonesia.htm.)

Terrorists would not have much to gain by attacking Canada. They'd likely gain some support, but the changes they'd effect would make life harder for them in the long run (http://www.cric.ca/pdf_re/double_poll/poll_terrorism_en.pdf, http://www.ukar.org/martin/martin20.html, http://chroniclesmagazine.org/www/Chronicles/2005/October2005/Bissett.html) and that's something they'd most certainly like to avoid, considering that the United States is so close and so easy to enter. Virtually any terrorist in Canada could just as easily attack the United States (http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/9/17/171605.shtml.) Indonesian terrorists, on the other hand, have no real option (http://www.hrw.org/press/2002/09/ausbrf0926.htm,) so they attack Australian tourists in what is your version of Mexico.

What have terrorists attacks on Australia accomplished? Roughly the same amount of Australians now consider US foreign policy to be as great a threat to peace and security as Islamic fundamentalism (http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-03-28-australia-us_x.htm.)

And I'm not here to "stir the pot."

I disagree with you and I'm a know-it-all? I could just as easily allege the same about you. Why not try to have a civil conversation without childish name-calling?

Sure, terrorism is a problem, but its actual threat has been blown completely out of proportions. Many, many more people are killed every year by a number of things the government could try to invest more money in to stop, but isn't really concerned about because it does not represent a threat to its existence. Terrorists won't attack Canada.
 
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