The Dalai Lama is not a truck.

if bush spoke today, he said something stupider.

I like the guy already, since he's holding a little kitten. :)

Of course he said that as rather unfortunately phrased reason why he was meeting the Dalai Lama in his office rather than some casual venue. I think he is showing more guts than most leaders in standing up to China and formally meeting with the man despite China's strident objections Not too many other leaders have done as much and none of previous Prime Ministers have shown that much courage. I would have thought the Dalai Lama would have earned some respect on this site.

miss_kitty @ 8:

Archae @ 5:

I like the guy already, since he's holding a little kitten. :)

yes, Archae. Stephen Harper loves kittens. He thinks they're delicious.

Well they are tasty. And go well with a nice chianti. An fava beans . Don't forget the fava beans.

It's bizarre that Harper makes the news this way. His one redeeming action in office has been to see the Dalai Lama and not hide the fact. What about him pulling Canada out of Kyoto...you think that would make a headline?

Who is the pussy in this picture?

I get very uncomfortable seeing right wingers with small animals .

Tequila @ 14:

Forget kissing babies. Obama hugs a vet. How long before right-wing pundits play the homophobe card?

don't give them any ideas! :lol:

In Auschwitz, there was a portion of the camp where privileged inmates would work, it was called "Canada" by the other prisoners not lucky enough to work there, as that was equated with paradise.

Even hearing this silly remark, you still are not going to hold your breath and try and keep from wincing if this guy is asked a simple question. But you certainly do when Bush gets asked something that any reasonable person should at least be able to bullshit their way out of without stammering like an idiot.

The Dali Lama spends much of his time meeting heads of state these days.

ConcernedCanuck @ 10:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Condi Rice is Bush's "date" at Australia state dinner. WMR previously reported relationship between Bush and Rice. Laura Bush was a half of world away in Washington DC when Bush announced his date was Rice.

Peter G @ 7:

Of course he said that as rather unfortunately phrased reason why he was meeting the Dalai Lama in his office rather than some casual venue. I think he is showing more guts than most leaders in standing up to China and formally meeting with the man despite China's strident objections Not too many other leaders have done as much and none of previous Prime Ministers have shown that much courage. I would have thought the Dalai Lama would have earned some respect on this site.

I agree. More of us should be saying the Dalai Lama's not a call girl.

Too funny. It seems Canada now has it's own "mini-bush" to live down. Hopefully they don't give him charge of the military like our congressional clowns did.

Peter G @ 7:

Not too many other leaders have done as much and none of previous Prime Ministers have shown that much courage.

Prime Minister Martin met with the Dalai Lama in 2004.

Aaah...holiday spirit, can't say what I want to about the Dalai Lama.

Naaah, the truth anyway. The one instance where Christopher Hitchens is correct in my view: Hitchens resents that the world tends to confer upon the Dalai Lama instant credibility without question. I've gone further and found that he consorts privately with fascists and runs his organization in the most cutthroat manner...as a fascist ...which he's. This group goes back many years, connects to the Muslim brotherhood and by the way, treats women like dogs.

No religious axe to grind here, I'm not affiliated. Spoil your holiday? Sorry. Well, Merry New Year and that.

George Bush is no Dalai.........

Except to Larry Craig.

Apparently, there's no place like ohm.

Hahaha, yeah, I read this story a few days ago. Hilarious imho. But I also think its a surprisingly relevant comment. A lot of people bow to Chinese pressure to meet with the Dalai Lama only discreetly in a hotel or otherwise away from anything too 'official'. So while the joke was uhm... questionable... in taste; it does make a good point.

Also, being as I'm not hugely up on other country's heads of state (I've got enough of a handful keeping track of Bozo the Clown, Preznit at Large); how is this Harper guy?

I know he's called a Conservative - but Conservative seems to have a HUGELY different meaning in other countries than it does in the US... so I'm just curious, is he a decent guy do you all think?

JJohnson @ 37:

Hahaha, yeah, I read this story a few days ago. Hilarious imho. But I also think its a surprisingly relevant comment. A lot of people bow to Chinese pressure to meet with the Dalai Lama only discreetly in a hotel or otherwise away from anything too 'official'. So while the joke was uhm... questionable... in taste; it does make a good point.

Also, being as I'm not hugely up on other country's heads of state (I've got enough of a handful keeping track of Bozo the Clown, Preznit at Large); how is this Harper guy?

I know he's called a Conservative - but Conservative seems to have a HUGELY different meaning in other countries than it does in the US... so I'm just curious, is he a decent guy do you all think?

The running joke is that Canadians define themselves by being 'not American,' right? Well, here are a few things that Canucks were at least proud of:

· No death penalty
· Sending peacekeepers overseas, earning the goodwill of the world (instead of, say, soldiers to invade a sovereign nation)
· Giving a crap about the environment
· Gay marriage
· Delicious marijuana that is 'illegal,' but no one really bats an eyelash at you for smoking a joint
· Socialized healthcare
· Ethnic/religious/etc. tolerance, and an embracing of multiculturalism (as opposed to the melting pot)

Under Harper, we're slowly doing away with those things. Or at least, he wants for us to do away with those things. You can imagine how, to a Canuck, this is scary shit. It's akin to someone saying, 'Oh, hey! You know how our nation was founded on principles of habeus corpus and due process and privacy and the like? That shit's old news! We don't need those ideas anymore!'

Just in case you missed it, Harper's government gave him honorary Canadian citizenship. How cool is that?

Shawnmeat @ 39:

JJohnson @ 37:

Hahaha, yeah, I read this story a few days ago. Hilarious imho. But I also think its a surprisingly relevant comment. A lot of people bow to Chinese pressure to meet with the Dalai Lama only discreetly in a hotel or otherwise away from anything too 'official'. So while the joke was uhm... questionable... in taste; it does make a good point.

Also, being as I'm not hugely up on other country's heads of state (I've got enough of a handful keeping track of Bozo the Clown, Preznit at Large); how is this Harper guy?

I know he's called a Conservative - but Conservative seems to have a HUGELY different meaning in other countries than it does in the US... so I'm just curious, is he a decent guy do you all think?

The running joke is that Canadians define themselves by being 'not American,' right? Well, here are a few things that Canucks were at least proud of:

· No death penalty
· Sending peacekeepers overseas, earning the goodwill of the world (instead of, say, soldiers to invade a sovereign nation)
· Giving a crap about the environment
· Gay marriage
· Delicious marijuana that is 'illegal,' but no one really bats an eyelash at you for smoking a joint
· Socialized healthcare
· Ethnic/religious/etc. tolerance, and an embracing of multiculturalism (as opposed to the melting pot)

Under Harper, we're slowly doing away with those things. Or at least, he wants for us to do away with those things. You can imagine how, to a Canuck, this is scary shit. It's akin to someone saying, 'Oh, hey! You know how our nation was founded on principles of habeus corpus and due process and privacy and the like? That shit's old news! We don't need those ideas anymore!'

Ahh... well, that's... ugh. *sigh* Sorry you guys got stuck with such a bum then.

I don't know what I really expected; but there's just something in me that really would like to see reasonable people on both sides of the political spectrum I wonder at times if the whole world's gone crazy; but that's even scarier than dealing with the Commander in Chimp.

TruthTeller @ 24:

Does this mean that dirtbag George W. Bush will get his picture on a coin?

Mint Reveals Presidents on Dollar Coins

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 27, 2007

Great. A coin with Chimpy's likeness on it. What's next? "Serial killer" dimes? How appropriate that a dollar won't buy you a damned thing anymore...except whatever crap's been shipped to the local "everything's-a-dollar" store from China.

"Sending peacekeepers overseas, earning the goodwill of the world (instead of, say, soldiers to invade a sovereign nation)"

Hahaha! You guys sure have a lot of "peacekeepers" in Afghanistan right now.

Harper = Bush light. And yes...this means he's regarded ,up here, as an a-one eh! hole.

Joe J. @ 49:

If Canada isn't about sending troops into foreign countries, why did the liberal government sent troops into Afghanistan under Jean Chretien? Peacekeeping?

Remember that 9/11 took more than American lives that day. There were Canadians as well, and I think I remember hearing 80 other countries represented who died that day. That was also when the world was willing to help the US counter that attack against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

As for Harper........yuck!!!!!

Joe J. @ 49:

If Canada isn't about sending troops into foreign countries, why did the liberal government sent troops into Afghanistan under Jean Chretien? Peacekeeping?

Pretty much. After 911 even Canadians were shocked and worried about what may happen next. Politically and militarily, sending troops into Afganistan seemed like the right thing to do. But, there was no way the Canadian people wanted anything to do with sending troops into Iraq so our P.M. at the time Chretien,kept us out,to his credit I gotta say.

canadian visitor @ 50:

Joe J. @ 49:

If Canada isn't about sending troops into foreign countries, why did the liberal government sent troops into Afghanistan under Jean Chretien? Peacekeeping?

Remember that 9/11 took more than American lives that day. There were Canadians as well, and I think I remember hearing 80 other countries represented who died that day. That was also when the world was willing to help the US counter that attack against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

As for Harper........yuck!!!!!

Fair enough. But Canadians like poster #39 say things like Canada is known for “Sending peacekeepers overseas, earning the goodwill of the world (instead of, say, soldiers to invade a sovereign nation).”
But under a liberal government (no Harper to blame here), Canada sent thousands of troops into the sovereign nation of Afghanistan. I'm not saying that was wrong. I'm just saying Canada should stop hiding behind this nonsense that all they do is peacekeeping, and at least own up to their actions.

See his brown lips? That's from kissing W's butthole.

Fil @ 57:

Joe J. @ 54:

canadian visitor @ 50:

Joe J. @ 49:

Remember that 9/11 took more than American lives that day. There were Canadians as well, and I think I remember hearing 80 other countries represented who died that day. That was also when the world was willing to help the US counter that attack against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

As for Harper........yuck!!!!!

Fair enough. But Canadians like poster #39 say things like Canada is known for “Sending peacekeepers overseas, earning the goodwill of the world (instead of, say, soldiers to invade a sovereign nation).”
But under a liberal government (no Harper to blame here), Canada sent thousands of troops into the sovereign nation of Afghanistan. I'm not saying that was wrong. I'm just saying Canada should stop hiding behind this nonsense that all they do is peacekeeping, and at least own up to their actions.

It's not the Liberals fault, it's Paul Martin's fault.

Jean Chretien sent troops to Kabool as PEACE KEEPERS and wanted them to stay there for stabilizing security in the nation's capital.

When Paul Martin became Prime Minister he stalled and stalled while Nato was deciding who will go to more dangerous area of Kandahar.

Under Paul Martin's watch, the Canadian troops went from Peace Keepers to Combatants when they moved from Kabool to Kandahar.

Then Harper became Prime Minister and he was highly delighted to not have made the decsision and happy to extend the mission further more until 2011,

If Jean Chretien was still Prime Minister, Canadian tropps would stayed in Kabool as Peace Keepers.

Paul Martin sucks

I don't get it. Martin was PM for a liberal government. There are no conservatives to blame here. You guys should lay the peacekeeping myth to rest. It's time for some honesty, Canada.

Joe J. @ 58:
I don't get it. Martin was PM for a liberal government. There are no conservatives to blame here. You guys should lay the peacekeeping myth to rest. It's time for some honesty, Canada.

Then read Fil's explanation again until you DO get it. Paul Martin was a putz for making the decision, and Harper is a putz for not reversing it, all because he wanted to give some rim-head to YOUR president. How's that for honesty?

HulksHeroes @ 27:

Too funny. It seems Canada now has it's own "mini-bush" to live down. Hopefully they don't give him charge of the military like our congressional clowns did.

No, they gave it to Rumsfeld (seriously!!!)(NORTHCOM), Harper is an anal-retentive "tuh-tuh" head (a friend of mine once said it, and I aksed what it meant, and she said, "What does it sound like?" Ok, got it.) I like the Celine Dion swap for OJ offered above. Somedays it's not good being a Canadian either.

I do agree with [1 itinerant Says:] The Dalai Lama is not a truck. (Good one!!)

Barrett D @ 42:
i don`t trust harper because like a month after being elected magically came a resolution from bush to the software lumber issue that had been going on since before bush. so, you know bush is all for propping up a conservative government elsewhere, and harper is all to glad to accept.

The timber companies in BC (the ones most affected by the deal) hated it. And then the US companies pulled the same poop over again, and now it's back to square one.
Except with a noticeable amount of timber companies and mills shutting down. Thank free trade.

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Actually, one of the few things I appreciate about PM Harper is his upfront and direct approach to China's bully diplomacy.

There needs to be more countries calling China out on their many human rights abuses and their threatening stance against the country of Taiwan.

With respect to China -- Keep it up, Harper!!!
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Harper did use the services of a call girl. Unfortunately she had to go in for a appendectomy and the surgeon sewed up the wrong hole. Now she is working on the side.

ConcernedCanuck @ 10:
Actually, Harper hasn't yet run in an election against Stephane "Kermit the Frog" Dion, yet. But it's not surprising that he's actually afraid to hold an election because he MIGHT lose to a guy who has all the charm and charisma of a pencil-pocket-protector. 'Conservatives' are idiots no matter WHAT country you're in. It's a proven fact. After all, these are the guys who, when the Conservative party and the Reform party merged, and they had to think of a new name, went a whole month or so before realizing that the acronym for Conservative Reform Alliance Party was C.R.A.P.

Excuse me please. I am usually an NDPer, but I've always liked Stephane Dion. His winning the leadership of the Liberal Party has almost redeemed the Liberals in my eyes. I never trusted the Liberals to actually act on their promises. They're more like the Democrats in the States.
But Dion is different. I've watched him since his days as Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in Chretien's cabinet, and he's always been principled and effective, and he has always been willing to pay the price. I remember that the price he paid was being caricatured as a rat by Chapleau in "la Presse", which was ostensibly a federalist newspaper. I also remember his short stint as our Minister of the Environment under Paul Martin, and as a result I have nothing but respect for him and I believe that he has the potential to be among Canada's great Prime Ministers. I hope to see him become our new Prime Minister in 2008.

STOP George @ 68:

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Actually, one of the few things I appreciate about PM Harper is his upfront and direct approach to China's bully diplomacy.

There needs to be more countries calling China out on their many human rights abuses and their threatening stance against the country of Taiwan.

With respect to China -- Keep it up, Harper!!!
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In all fairness to China, ever since they found out lead was dangerous to kids, they have been exporting their toys are quickly as possible!

The Prime Minister pauses for photos at the Hotel referred to in his interview. His date obviously compliant to his every desire, purred in his grasp as he described his office visit with some Deli guy China dose not like.

Richard C of NYC @ 75:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/26/85617/090/639/426519

I think dailykos should be labelled as crooks & liars.

I'm not a racist, and I'm not gonna try to defend any of RP positions, the man himself, or anything else about him. But he is not a racist either. He never says anything even vaguely racist, and yet there are serious efforts by some to try and paint him as such, twist his words, misquote him, and so on.

I have no problem with dailykos panning him on the basis he's a Republican, or some specific issue. They've come straight out and said they only support Dems and will never support Repubs. That's their right to support who they want. Instead they lie about him, rehashing years old debunked rumors. Maybe kos made a real legitimate mistake, that he hasn't fully researched this, doesn't care to because RP is a republican, and is unintentionally saying things that aren't true. But if it's not, then its a concentrated smear campaign, and one not based on integrity or facts but rather extremely distasteful partisanship.

Now I have to view everything on kos with a filter. Can I trust anything they say? How do I know what they say on any politician is legit? They could just be saying something to wrongfully smear a person's character for all I know.

I'm sorry kos, but because I know this attack of yours isn't true, it unfortunately puts everything else you've ever said under scrutiny. You've lost this independent voter. I almost considered myself a liberal progressive. But if this is what it means to be a progressive, it's actually just political game playing. You're no better than the crooked neocon Repugs you claim to be so much better than.

I welcome honest debate and discussion, not smearing or hateful attacks.

For me Kos has always been meh...god for the every other day check in to to see what his bunch is up to, but

this seals the deal for me Kos=Flyover country for me know.

It figures Newsweek paired him with turdblossom they can now do reach arounds.

For me Kos has always been meh…good for the every other day

Good

ha ha preview is my freind though I frequentyly neglect, and it's late.

GN

I thought that was Macaca Allen at first glance.

But then I remembered he has no idea where Canada is on a map.

johnny canuck @ 53:

Joe J. @ 49:

If Canada isn't about sending troops into foreign countries, why did the liberal government sent troops into Afghanistan under Jean Chretien? Peacekeeping?

Pretty much. After 911 even Canadians were shocked and worried about what may happen next. Politically and militarily, sending troops into Afganistan seemed like the right thing to do. But, there was no way the Canadian people wanted anything to do with sending troops into Iraq so our P.M. at the time Chretien,kept us out,to his credit I gotta say.

Canada would have probably sent troops to Afghanistan anyway, but the principle reason why they did was the NATO agreement. Remember that? It was a mutual alliance agreement that said 'an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us.' All of the countries (other than the U.S.) who signed it figured it meant that big bad USSR couldn't attack them without it being considered to be an attack on the U.S. as well. So, they all figured it would be the U.S. being dragged into their battle. However, agreements being what they are, means that anybody stupid enough to attack the U.S. will also bring those other countries into the fight. I'm sure nobody ever thought the NATO agreement would end up being implemented that way, but that's what happened, and a deal is a deal. So, Canada had no choice. We signed a mutual defense agreement.

(I'm a Canadian, by the way.) So, I have no problem with Canada being in Afghanistan to defend the United States. That's the way international defense agreements should work.

Iraq, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. Iraq never attacked one of the NATO countries, so there was no obligation to participate. The Shrub tried to bully Canada, just like most other countries were either bullied or bribed into going, but you have to give Chretien credit for not going, in spite of the bullying and bribing.

here's senator clinton @ a speech in iowa:

"The Republicans have thrown everything they could at me for the last 16 years," Clinton said to a large ovation. "It drives them crazy I'm still here. So you don't have to worry about me waging a winning campaign."

see, this is exactly the kind of crap i just don't care about anymore. it's like hatfields vs. mccoys, or like watching endless "dallas" repeats.

stakes are too high in america for petty cat-fighting.

this election can't be about "revenge against republicans". it's gotta be about setting in motion the beginnings of some kind of plan to fix this country -for everyone, for leftists like us as well as our republican uncles.

hrc just won't do -it's going to be more scandals, endless scandals with what the internet can do these days...

Daily Reading pt 1....

Cheney accused of blocking Californian bid to cut car fumes - http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2231965,00.html
Before EPA administrator Stephen Johnson rejected California's application to impose greenhouse-gas regulations beyond federal requirements, auto executives appealed directly to Dick Cheney. Sure enough, Johnson delayed his decision until after the VP had talked to the execs.
To all deniers & oil lovers out there...go suck your tailpipes

Japan Mines `Flammable Ice,' Flirts With Environmental Disaster - http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aiUsVKaqDA7g&refer=j...
Fifty-five million years ago the world's climate was catastrophically changed when volcanoes melted natural gas frozen in the seabed. Now Japan plans to drill for the same icy crystals to end its reliance on imported energy.

Home Prices Fall for 10th Straight Month - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/business/27home-web.html?_r=2&hp&oref=...
The decline in home prices accelerated and spread to more regions of the country in October, according to a series of private indexes released Wednesday. The quickening decline in home prices could hurt the broader economy by leading to more foreclosures as homeowners have more difficulty refinancing mortgages and by sapping consumer spending as Americans feel less wealthy.

David Ignatius: "A bracing text for this Christmas week is the famous correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Their letters are a reminder that the Founders were men of the Enlightenment -- supreme rationalists who would have found the religiosity of much of our modern political life quite abhorrent."
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/26/AR200712...
A history lesson for those that claim this is a 'christian nation'...and want to destroy the primary reason for the existence of this country (separation of church & state)...

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster Defeats Anti-Evolution Florida School Board - http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/12/26/72046/268/826/426324
Efforts were afoot recently on the Polk County School Board (in the Tampa, FL area) to begin teaching the "concept" of intelligent design in science classes as an alternative to evolution, at a time when new state standards mentioning evolution by name for the first time are under consideration. It appeared that this bonehead move had the support of a majority of the school board, but that was before the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster arrived and shamed the school board into backing down.

Paul Krugman Issues a Call to Arms to Progressives: "Right now, the stars are aligned for a major change in America's direction. If the Democrats play nice, that opportunity may soon be gone." - http://www.slate.com/id/2180178

Daily Reading pt 3...

Elizabeth Kucinich stands in for Dennis at UNH visit - frustrated, "we love him, but ... he's unelectable." - http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071224/GJNEWS_01/348...
"I get very frustrated on the presidential campaign when I hear people say to me, 'You know, your husband, he's perfect on the war, he's perfect on the environment, he's perfect on trade, he's perfect on health care, he's very strong, he's always right on the issues, we love him, but ... he's unelectable.'"
He's a candidate that is 50 years too early...unfortunately...

Corporate media at work: follow Drudge but pretend to be analytical: Washington Post Takes Cues From Drudge, Runs Awful Photo Of Hillary's Wrinkles - http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/12/washington_post_15.php
That dainty queen/whore for coke sweetboy strikes again (self proclaimed 'white house gossip' & well documented closeted gay man who is 'the source' for the hate the gays crowd/right wingnuts out there - the very definition of self hatred) Coulter's shoe shopping buddy & appletini pal at it again...

"The nation's largest banks are losing billions of dollars from the mortgage debacle. But will pain from bad housing bets be compounded by government investigations?" They will probably buy their way out of serious legal problems with campaign contributions. - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/26/AR200712...

Wal-Mart Takes Control of PR Front Group to Undermine Unions - http://bulldogreporter.com/ME2/Audiences/Segments/Publications/Print.asp...

Looking into Greenwashing - http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Greenwashing

Anyone notice how politically motivated those Charmin toilet paper commercials are? Red (repug) bear represents ultra-strong (like strong on defense, yeah, right) and the blue (lefty) bear represents ultra-soft (like leftys are so whiney and delicate they need super soft paper to wipe with).

Then again maybe I shouldn't watch TV liquored-up.

They're reporting on cnn now that Bhutto may have died of gun-shot to the neck.

BHUTTO ASSANATED IN PAKISTAN CNN

Joe J. @ 55:

canadian visitor @ 50:

Joe J. @ 49:

If Canada isn't about sending troops into foreign countries, why did the liberal government sent troops into Afghanistan under Jean Chretien? Peacekeeping?

Remember that 9/11 took more than American lives that day. There were Canadians as well, and I think I remember hearing 80 other countries represented who died that day. That was also when the world was willing to help the US counter that attack against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

As for Harper........yuck!!!!!

Fair enough. But Canadians like poster #39 say things like Canada is known for “Sending peacekeepers overseas, earning the goodwill of the world (instead of, say, soldiers to invade a sovereign nation).”
But under a liberal government (no Harper to blame here), Canada sent thousands of troops into the sovereign nation of Afghanistan. I'm not saying that was wrong. I'm just saying Canada should stop hiding behind this nonsense that all they do is peacekeeping, and at least own up to their actions.

Can you spell NATO? Do you understand the concept of signing on (to an organization like the UN for instance) and living by the rules of the organization, and working WITH allies, as opposed to forcing some abstract twisted version of "democracy" on other nations through illegal invasions (that would be Iraq).
And if you read real slow, you might discover that poster 39 was listing things we were proud of BEFORE Harper started trying to change them! Nowadays (thanks to Harper) we pretty much just follow the idiot bush from the USA.

Col Kilgore @ 99:

This Bhutto thing wont play out nice now. Fucktard Bush will probably try and tie Iran into it. Just another thing to turn Pakistan inside out.

the next move bush will make is attack packistan secure its nukes and look for oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As far as Canadas role in Afghanistan. We went there to help out after 911 because it seemed like the right thing to do . Knowing what we all know now though about 911 ? We were sucked in by the Neo Con bullshit too. Shame on us. Id pull our kids out of Afghanistan tommorrow if i were King of Canada. Next Federal election in Canada will be a real hoot. Harper will get hammered on the campaign trail about Afghanistan, his love of US style pigshit Conservative politics and the NAU deal. He will be afraid to get off the damn bus. Harper wont have the luxury of having all his town halls pre screened and filled only with dick sucking ,braindead, koolaid drinking Conservative fucktards. he will have to answer the questions or else the Canadian media will report on that too. Geeze , what a concept eh ? Bottom line is that Harper would have called an election already if he thought he had a chance of winning a majority government.

wtf has oswald came back from the dead?

Herb @ 46:

Harper>Trudeau

what

Fil @ 71:

Joe J. @ 59:

Fil @ 57:

Joe J. @ 54:

It's not the Liberals fault, it's Paul Martin's fault.

Jean Chretien sent troops to Kabool as PEACE KEEPERS and wanted them to stay there for stabilizing security in the nation's capital.

When Paul Martin became Prime Minister he stalled and stalled while Nato was deciding who will go to more dangerous area of Kandahar.

Under Paul Martin's watch, the Canadian troops went from Peace Keepers to Combatants when they moved from Kabool to Kandahar.

Then Harper became Prime Minister and he was highly delighted to not have made the decsision and happy to extend the mission further more until 2011,

If Jean Chretien was still Prime Minister, Canadian tropps would stayed in Kabool as Peace Keepers.

Paul Martin sucks

I don't get it. Martin was PM for a liberal government. There are no conservatives to blame here. You guys should lay the peacekeeping myth to rest. It's time for some honesty, Canada.

Jean Chretien was heading the traditions of the great Lester Pearson.

Paul Martin changed Peace Keeping to Combat. Paul Martin is the most Right Winged Liberal to be PM.

Martin and Harper wanted Canada in Iraq. Chretien did not. The reason why Canada is not in Iraq was because Chretien was still PM and said NO.

And I want Chretien back the way some people in the U.S. wish that Bill Clinton was still President.

Sigh.

Chretien pulled Canadian troops out of Afghanistan after a friendly fire incident in 2002. Martin put them back in, in a peacekeeping role. Harper changed the mission to one that was more proactive.

Edwin @ 79:

STOP George @ 68:

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Actually, one of the few things I appreciate about PM Harper is his upfront and direct approach to China's bully diplomacy.

There needs to be more countries calling China out on their many human rights abuses and their threatening stance against the country of Taiwan.

With respect to China -- Keep it up, Harper!!!
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I don't think China uses bully diplomacy anywhere near as much as the USA does. People should be standing up to the USA's bully diplomacy. Canada, under Harper, is complicit. And the USA has no right to comment on human rights abuses while it runs black sites and tortures people.

Just ask Taiwan.

This country is a real thriving young democracy -- a brilliant example of how a brutal Asian dictatorship can transform into a beacon of hope for millions. Unfortunately, the PRC (which has never governed Taiwan) prevents this democratic country and it's good citizens from gaining international recognition -- a status they deserve in every way imaginable.

Instead, countries like the U.S., France and Britain prefer to ignore the achievements that Taiwan has made in the last 15 years and prefer to take advantage of the huge market opportunities in a country that treats human rights and freedom like toilet paper.

I agree -- the U.S. should be called out. But China should be as well.
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itinerant @ 1:

The Dalai Lama is not a truck.

That was the first thing that popped into my mind too.

Hey I recognize that ugly, fat, shrub co. crime family puppet. He plays our prime minister on tv or in commercials for mexico or something.
He's waiting for word from his lord and master before he dares give any orders to our military other than "Do whatever the 'merikans tell you."
Personally I hope that kitten he's molesting gives him an incurable disease and we can bury him in the cat box.
His criminal enterprise called the "conservative" party will them lose the next election and we can go back to being Canada again.

Shawnmeat @ 107:

Jack Canuck @ 72:

ConcernedCanuck @ 10:
Actually, Harper hasn't yet run in an election against Stephane "Kermit the Frog" Dion, yet. But it's not surprising that he's actually afraid to hold an election because he MIGHT lose to a guy who has all the charm and charisma of a pencil-pocket-protector. 'Conservatives' are idiots no matter WHAT country you're in. It's a proven fact. After all, these are the guys who, when the Conservative party and the Reform party merged, and they had to think of a new name, went a whole month or so before realizing that the acronym for Conservative Reform Alliance Party was C.R.A.P.

Excuse me please. I am usually an NDPer, but I've always liked Stephane Dion. His winning the leadership of the Liberal Party has almost redeemed the Liberals in my eyes. I never trusted the Liberals to actually act on their promises. They're more like the Democrats in the States.
But Dion is different. I've watched him since his days as Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in Chretien's cabinet, and he's always been principled and effective, and he has always been willing to pay the price. I remember that the price he paid was being caricatured as a rat by Chapleau in "la Presse", which was ostensibly a federalist newspaper. I also remember his short stint as our Minister of the Environment under Paul Martin, and as a result I have nothing but respect for him and I believe that he has the potential to be among Canada's great Prime Ministers. I hope to see him become our new Prime Minister in 2008.

Indeed. Dion hasn't been given anything even remotely similar to a fair shake. Ever since he took over as leader of the Liberal Party, the news media has been running headlines about his failure to resuscitate the party. How the crap does that work? He took over a train wreck and has been working hard to get it back into sane, working order. Furthermore, his principles are solid. His dog is named "Kyoto," for crying out loud! Yes, he has a thick French accent. He's also a published, respected academic. Wouldn't it be nice to have one of those leading the country instead of a good ol' boy?

I would take Dion over fat boy ANY DAY. The media in Canada is every bit as biased as that in America. They hate Dion or are told to hate him and make him look as incompetent and stupid as possible. While no one has to ask the press to make fat boy look like a joke. He does it all by himself every fucking day.

I fail to see what the big issue is. Are world leaders forbidden from using sarcasm when it is called for?

Canada's political scene is quite funny and embarrassing.

-you have a Conservative minority that is stuck in a minority because the three biggest Canadian cities reject the Conservatives and they are locked OUT of any majority in the near future for a long time.

-on the other hand the Liberal Party has chosen Kermit The Frog as their leader and seems like the biggest nerd to have ever graced party leadership. With Dion, the Liberals will never win a majority.

So 2008 will be quite interesting to see if Dion does ever grow any testicles.

Stephen Harper (Conservative) is an embarrassment to us here in Canada. Although not as bad as Bush, he emulates Bush in many ways. He is just as arrogant and secretive as Bush. Canada's biggest problem is that the new Liberal leader, Stephane Dion, was a poor choice, and may have trouble come the next election (which could be anytime due to a minority government).

We here applaud the rise of the Democrats in the US, but the constant "caving in" to Bush is a curiosity to us Canadians.

You have your idiots... we have ours!

I haven't had a chance to read any of the comments on this post yet, so if someone has already remarked on the picture to the same effect as what I'm about to say, my apologies.
This picture of Harper with a kitten nicely illustrates the differences between the two political cultures (or maybe just the cultures, period) of Canada and the US. No American president would have his picture taken with a kitten, no way. Why, he might be taken for a pussy! Canada, a kinder, gentler nation (sometimes, anyway).

Harper is a Bilderberger a criminal, and a disgusting 'Americanizer' who is trying to form our open government into the closet secretive US government.

He deserves nothing except to be hung as a Neo-Con for subverting The BNE and selling our country to US corporations.

The SPP, The Security and Properity Partnership is making North America into one 'state' or 'union' and that is what hte Texas Corridor is for etc.

We know its happening and there is no fucking way I am letting my children have the same 'safty standards' as the FCC and other corporation friendly snake oil salesman.

For go sakes you allow cows to be infected with Monsanto superbugs to produce more milk and the 'biological contamination' in your milk is already sickening.

We just can't allow it. It's worth fighting for. It our country.

One thing you gotta say about Canada, the IQ level there is not low enough that we have to worry about invading hordes of illegal aliens from the North, at least not anytime soon.

wow.. talk about embarrassing for Canada

"He quickly added: "As I say, he's a respected international spiritual leader." "

Nice save, captain stupid.

hoo boy.

Froenx @ 131:

wow.. talk about embarrassing for Canada

"He quickly added: "As I say, he's a respected international spiritual leader." "

Nice save, captain stupid.

hoo boy.

Well it COULD have been worse...

I'm not really 100% *how* - but I'm just sure it could have been.

It's been an interesting year. The Democrats took control of the House and Senate, but fell down. It appears they weren't serious in preparing. Should we expect the next President to have a better preparation plan? I think so. Ask the candidates: "Now that you know what went wrong with the DNC assumption of power in Congress, what do you plan to do differently?" It would be nice if they mentioned: "This is how we will preserve the independence of the inspector Generals, prosecutors, and Congressional committees." Also need better oversight of the legal community to ensure they fully enforce Geneva, not explain it away with frivolous legal arguments. Where is the DOJ on prosecuting US legal counsel for frivolous legal arguments in re war crimes, Geneva, and prisoner abuse?

The GOP -- despite their minority power -- are outshining the DNC. Didn't the DNC "promise" the 2006 voters that it only took subpoena power and things would turn around? The House is an important chamber of Congress: It alone has the power start or not start appropriations bills. The Speaker could have zeroed out funding for the Iraq occupation, but she didn't. Senators in the DNC could have objected to bills which did not include a timeline. Let the President veto a bill that has no money. He still gets no money. Where are the DNC filibusters? Oh, that's right, the only like to whine like victims, not assert power. Forgive me.

All those FISA violations, and the US government still can't find the US sleeper cells. Te Iran NIE update needs to be broadened to revisit the war on terror assumptions, and revisit what the US public is getting told about the "domestic enemy". When are the telecoms, in exchange for providing the ICC and COngress war crimes evidence about the Vice President and Addington, going to be offered immunity?

Pelosi took impeachment off the table. ICC expects either prosecutions or impeachment; otherwise the ICC has a role. If Pelosi won't impeach, then what about the State AG's leading an effort to prosecute the VP for alleged war crimes? Pelosi as Speaker could be removed, now before the election.

Addington likes to pretend that he's not subject to any laws. That's an alleged frivolous argument, which the ICC and war crimes prosecutors could attach to Addington, and find he's allegedly complcit with the original war crimes. JAGs warned him the ICC had jurisdiction, and the OVP supported MCA language defending US personnel before the ICC.

CIA admits it destroyed evidence for "political reason". Strange, in 2005, when the tape was supposedly destroyed, the GOP had the "permanent majority." WHo in the CIA dared to question this "permanent majority" and believe that "someone else" after 2005 might control Congress? Rove hasn't explained why he didn't out some CIA agents for this blasphemy. CIA intended those tapes to be seen: It was supposedly evidence of their "kindly nature": WHy are they destroying "good evidence"? Nothing is adding up. David Not-Adding-up-ton.

War crimes. ICC. Iran NIE. I guess the only option left is to change the subject. Time to ask the Presidential candidates: "What would they have done when confronted with these legal issues." We know Bush-Cheney-Addington-Gonzalez answers. Time for the candidates in both parties to convince America they're serious about the rule of law, not excuses and distractions. Hows that legal defense fund, Mr. Gonzalez? Oh, that's right, the US government promised to pay all legal defenses before the ICC. That money will go to which domestic legal defenses? Not related to Congressional contempt or impeachment. Looks like your legal counsel knows about something which wasn't supposed to be known. Who could possibly be leaking this information from the NSA-CIA-DOJ to prosecutors and investigators?

The candidates won't provide the leadership to reform the US government in re rights and power. Time for the public to openly discuss a new system of governance for the US government: one that will really constrain power, preserve rights, and defend the Constitution. This lazy crew in DC appears to point to agendas as the excuse not to enforce teh law; then point to their failed agendas at the excuse not to do what they, by oath, promised: Enforce the Constitution, including all treaty obligations on the US through Geneva. If the US will not prosecute or impeach, then the ICC will have to start a war crimes trial. This much evidence of war crimes, and Pelosi still says impeachment is off the table. She needs to make a case why she should not be removed as Speaker to make way for enforcing Geneva.

Or is talking about accountability blasphemy in all factions of the US government? Then the public needs to discuss a new form of government that puts respect for the rule of law first, not second behind GOP-DNC political ambitions. We were lied to about the "give us subpoena"-argument. They botched it. The "give us the White House"-argument needs to apply the lessons of the DNC: "Why should we believe you'll really do what you say you'll do? You have the power now and refuse to act; why should we give you more power?" Maybe the only catalyst for action in America is a real ICC war crimes prosecution. All other options appear to be taken off the table.

IanToronto @ 124:

Fil @ 121:

Canada's political scene is quite funny and embarrassing.

-you have a Conservative minority that is stuck in a minority because the three biggest Canadian cities reject the Conservatives and they are locked OUT of any majority in the near future for a long time.

-on the other hand the Liberal Party has chosen Kermit The Frog as their leader and seems like the biggest nerd to have ever graced party leadership. With Dion, the Liberals will never win a majority.

So 2008 will be quite interesting to see if Dion does ever grow any testicles.

LOL! So eloquently put... and true too.

Surely you can't have forgotten chinless Joe Clark and his seven month reign of nerdity. No one looked more like a particularly earnest bunny in the headlights than Joe.

Why aren't the 2008 Presidential candidates asked to comment -- during a debate -- on the frivolous legal arguments OVP counsel is giving in re the fourth branch? Addington-VP won't respond. Let's get the GOP-DNC to engage. What are they going to do, say: "Don't ask us. Our running mate isn't in government."

If there are no answers, there are no leaders. All things connected to the OVP is not related to written law or policies. The ICC would like to hear the plan of the Presidential candidates to "re-incorporate" the OVP into the laws, oath, and Geneva conventions. Without a plan, the ICC needs to prosecute.

Despite the rather clumsy way he expressed it, I think Harper was saying that he wasn't ashamed to be meeting with the Dalai Lama, and therefore wasn't going to be sneaking off to some hotel room to do so. It's actually a pretty gutsy stand in a way (sort of giving the finger to the Chinese). Like I said, a clumsy way of expressing it, but the principle behind it is sound. I certainly wouldn't compare it to any of the idiocies uttered by the Retard In Chief on a daily basis.

GSP in Canada @ 140:

Though one would not believe it from that particular quote, Harper is another George W. Bush neo con with similar views but 100 times smarter which is even more scary.

If he gets a majority in the next election, Canada's foreign policy will become identicial to that of the US.

Exactly how do you figure that. His very meeting with the Dalai Lama distinguishes him from that sorry lot of clowns who previously controlled our foreign policy. Martin caved to Chinese pressure and a corporate agenda that didn't want this boat to be rocked. I may not agree with all his policies but as far as foreign policy goes Harper has shown more nads than the leader of any Canadian political party for the last ten years. I'll take principals over expediency any day.

Oh, and as much as I dislike Harper, I thought his response was VERY fitting.

As has been documented here, China likes to pressure countries into treating the Dalai Lama as a call girl - meet only in private, and don't tell anyone.

As repulsive as Harper is, I give him props for his sarcastic dig at the Chinese government.

Dr. Acula @ 114:

tr @ 3:

if bush spoke today, he said something stupider.

more stupid. "stupider" isn't a word, stoopid.

Actually it is, stupid, stupider and stupidest.

How else would you describe kindanasty rice, chinless and boosh?