Al-Qaeda says Canada deserves bombing

[researchok]

Great post!

You raise some teriffic points.

OK, now the sympathy-- get better quick. Seriously, take it easy tonight-- though in a hour or two you'll find that admonition unnecessary.

The Hydro issue is key-- when completed, Ive heard it said that James Bay will be able to provide virtually all US electric power east of the Mississippi-- a unimaginable stunning feat, to say the least. Theres no doubt that Quebec's position in North America would be huge.

As for the EU, other than linguistically, I dont see how Quebec would have any advantage over the rest of Canada-- unless the Province reverts to prioritizing its high tech recruitment. Theyve had great success to date, but monies are drying up.

Your remark on the Maritimes may prove to be prophetic-- with an independant Quebec, the physical separation alone may encourage the Maritimes to go their own way.

As for Alberta, I honestly dont have enough background info to make anything other than few cursory observations. I do think youd have a tough time convincing Albertans that they have a depreciating asset. That figures into OPEC as well- keep prices high enough to make money, keep them low enough to discourage domestic exploration and production.

As an ex Quebecois, I can honestly ask. 'What does Alberta want (ring a bell?)?

As for your referance to Edmonton/Calgary, etc, youre to be commended. For a guy who just kicked in the teeth, your sense of humor is still intact!

Later!

 

[Reverend Blair]

That's certainly not out of the question Moghrabi...knock down a couple of oil buildings in Calgary and hit at the symbolic heart of Bush while attacking hitting a country that is still in Afghanistan?

What does Alberta want? Judging by the platform of Stephen Harper, Alberta wants Canada to become a mini-US. That's not going to happen, at least not through his influence.

We might have trouble convincing them that they have a depreciating asset, but that doesn't change the fact that they do, in fact, have a depreciating asset.

The thinkers there already know that. That's why Klein and Harper both oppose Kyoto so vehemently and continue to push the inaccuracies that abound about both Kyoto and alternate energy sources. They both support Bush because even his alternative energy plan depends so heavily on their resource.

The Maritimes may go their own way or they may actually join with the US. There are a lot of connections there...history going back to before the US was a country. The exception would be Newfoundland. They only joined Canada in 1949 and there are still many there that feel it was a mistake. They may choose sovereignty and become somewhat of a protectorate of Britain once again.

My tooth-socket is still bleeding. I actually woke up with my beard glued to my pillow with congealed blood. Not a happy thing at 2:30 in the morning. I haven't been back to sleep since.

This is nothing compared to when I had the first 11 pulled though. The house looked like the set of a slasher movie for the better part of a week after that.

 

[researchok]

Geez..you've had ELEVEN pulled?

You've got to be in your dentist's Hall of Fame.

Hope you're OK

 

[Reverend Blair]

I'll be fine. Four more go in August and I'll be left with a total of two healthy teeth. Actually all my teeth were healthy (only two cavities in my entire life) but I've got this genetic gum thing. He actually told me my teeth were going to fall out about ten years ago.

He was going to do all of this a lot quicker, but the bleeding, also genetic, and my reluctance to take blood products, has kept things going slow.

Probably the worst part is that my mouth doesn't freeze well anymore. It makes things pretty interesting when I'm getting teeth pulled.

 

[researchok]

Medecinal weed.

Go with god and be blessed.

hang in there.....hopefully, it will all be over soon.

 

[Reverend Blair]

Naw, the medicinal marijuana is for the rheumatoid arthritis (also with genetic component...what the hell was wrong with my forebearers?)

There was an old lady down the street that taught me to make a certain kind of tea...mostly common herbs and I still don't know what the actual ingredients are (get them from her daughter) for that.

It tastes like hell, but it works. When she first gave it to me she told me not to drink too much, just to have one cup. I had a bit of a party that night, I can tell you. Four or five cups of tea. Hadn't had that much fun for a year or two...maybe since high school.

I have my thoughts of what is in that tea, what those secret ingredients are, since that night. One cup has no effect other than to dull the pain though...something the few pills I'm allowed to take have never really managed.

 

[researchok]

LOLOL@Rev...

Youre NEVER gonna leave Manitoba!

Ah...lets hear it for grandmas remedies....

you doing OK?

 

[Reverend Blair]

Yeah...got the bleeding stopped and kept a bag of frozen perogies on my face all afternoon to bring the swelling down. I should be able to put my teeth in and eat solid food tomorrow.

 

[researchok]

Well, don't go chow down on jerky.

Stick with the now defrosted pierogies.

I had root canal once-- that was enough for me.

My dentist is lucky to still be alive.

 

[Reverend Blair]

My dentist is a very special man. Probably explains why I haven't killed him yet.

Do you get the feeling we're a tad off-topic?

 

[researchok]

Yes, we are of topic-- but its because we CARE.

Did that sound sincere?

OK, back on topic.....

 

[Reverend Blair]

It didn't sound like anything...it's type.

So if al Qaida decides to bomb Canada, what will their target be? I'd bet on either Bay Street or the American Embassy in Ottawa, but Calgary certainly has some merit from their point of view.

 

[researchok]

Bay Street gets my vote, but I wouldnt rule out anything in Montreal.

Lots of potential grief there.

 

[Reverend Blair]

Yeah Montreal could be a problem with its large Jewish community, large Arabic community, and the recent thing with the wall. I don't think that will be Al Qaida though...I think it will be some other group.

al Queda will likely go for something big that also hits American interests rather bluntly.

The other thing I keep expecting is that a major shopping mall gets attacked during the Christmas season. A religious-based war that is also against commercialism? How come that hasn't happened yet?

 

[researchok]

It hasnt happened yet because I really believe theyre not going to blow their load, as they say, all at once.

The soft target issue is alive, well, and I think, the scariest.

The impact would be enourmous-- 90% of all GNP dollars are spent at retail level (yup, thats the number, believ it or not) and shopping mall incidents would cripple the economy.

Why blow the stick exchange? All you need to do is keep people home and afraid to go out....

 

[Reverend Blair]

The stick exchange? Because they see little value in the sport of hockey? Excuse me for taking a cheap shot at a typo...

Can we be made to be afraid to go out? We've been living under this threat for a couple of years now, European countries for much longer. Will people just stay home unless our government really plays it up? I know I won't stay home any more than I already do. I wonder if they are realising that they've reached the point of diminishing returns.

 

[Spock]

The war on terrorism is the Americans war... We got draged into it... And it made us a target.. Iraq had nothing to do with terrorism. Though now, with saddam gone, Iraq is fertile grounds for terrorist... What an irony..

No, Numure, the War on Terrorism is everyone's war. When Al-Qaeda attacked the United States on September the Eleventh, they weren't just attacking America -- they were attacking the Western World. That was an attack on Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Denmark, Portugal -- the whole lot. They don't hate us because we're the friend and ally of the United States. They hate us because of our freedom, our liberty -- our way of life. "Canada worthy of bombing"? I wear that as a badge of honour.

 

[Reverend Blair]

They hate us because of our freedom, our liberty -- our way of life.

That's simplistic and untrue.

 

[Spock]

They hate us because of our freedom, our liberty -- our way of life.

That's simplistic

Whereas "because we're buddy-buddy with the U.S." is the epitome of insightful and enlightening statements on this subject?

and untrue.

Oh? Have you spoken with Al-Qaeda's leadership recently?

 

[Reverend Blair]

Whereas "because we're buddy-buddy with the U.S." is the epitome of insightful and enlightening statements on this subject?

First of all I never said that, so you can stop trying to put words into my mouth. Second of all it is a factor. We are the USA's ally and since they are at war with al Qaeda , it would make us a target of bin Laden and his crew. We also have troops in Afghanistan, which puts us in direct conflict with al Qaeda. We were also part of the Gulf War, which is what really got bin Laden going against the US in the first place. Now that we've signed the UN papers to force Sudan to quit killing non-Muslims, al Qaeda will have another reason to try to threaten us.

Nobody is threatening to bomb us because they are jealous of our freedoms though. That's just silly. The only sillier would be giving up those freedoms in the name of security...a path we've already started down.

I'm also not saying that we shouldn't have been a part of any of the actions against al Qaeda. I think we serve a valuable role in Afghanistan, in fact I was screaming for the UN to go in on human rights grounds when George was still sending cheques to the Taliban. I support the UN actions against Sudan, but thnk they should have happened several years ago.

I do not support what the US has been doing in the Middle East in general, and I don't support their tactic of bombing civilians in Afghanistan. I do not support using the threat of terrorism as a means to imperialism. If you have a problem with that, Spock, you are being illogical.