Right On, Canada

As a proud Canadian I'm prouder yet that my current government is distinguishing itself from its predecessors by standing tall in the international community and leaving no doubt where it stands on the moral issue of support of the State of Israel. As a Canadian of Jewish extraction, I don't and will not hesitate to criticize Israel when some of its actions appear to lack a sound basis in respecting human rights of all of its citizens, although the country cannot be charged with the kinds of human rights abuses so commonly practised elsewhere within the region.

Canada's current Conservative-led government's Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter MacKay, while in Israel asserted his government's position unequivocally: "Canada intends to stand 'shoulder-to-shoulder' with Israel against security threats the Jewish state faces from Iran and others" he affirmed to an audience of Israel's political, military and intellectual elite. "Canada is deeply concerned with the direction that Iran is taking. The regime in Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons."

Exactly so. However, such words will not make for reality, for in actual fact North Korea has been diligently working alongside Iran, encouraging President Ahmadinejad and his Islamist cohorts to continue defying international censure and United Nations sanctions, much as they have themselves done. Iranian representatives were present when North Korea unleashed its first successful nuclear test, and North Koreans are actively assisting Iran in preparing for its own first test, which, by all accounts, will materialize sooner than later.

As a Canadian I feel pretty bloody good about my government finally taking a stand that leaves no question about its moral position in this matter and its firm support for Israel against frighteningly determined adversaries to its existence. That Mr. MacKay, speaking for my government has uttered firm words of both warning and support, urging the international community "to think creatively about what it can do to prevent military action" against Iran may, however, be whistling in the dark.

One wonders how a well-educated society with a brilliant past in the arts, architecture, science and medicine could possibly support, let alone elect, a man whose hold on his own sanity appears questionable. A president whose belief in the divine intervention of a holy figure who conspires with him personally to destroy another country. And whether or not the final confrontation could conceivably spell the destruction of his own country in a nuclear tit-for-tat is of no discernible concern to him, given his fanatical belief in the end of times; the satisfaction that he will have sacrificed his own country honourably, for the destruction of the interloper on Muslim territory.

Little wonder that Iran's Arab neighbours are feeling fidgity about its new nuclear status. Although they have consistently agitated within the United Nations for condemnation of Israel's unacknowledged nuclear armaments, they exhibited no such extreme nervousness as they do now. Knowing full well that Israel, despite its scientific expertise and its ownership of nuclear technology would be highly unlikely to unleash this final hell-fire. Knowing full well that an unhinged Islamist like Ahmadinejad would have no compunction in doing so, they now feel they have little option but to acquire nuclear technology of their own.

They may not feel dreadfully nervous on Israel's behalf, but they most certainly now have a whiff of the unease which affects Israel's governors and military knowing full well that a staggeringly hubristic theocracy like Iran - whose ayatollahs have gone on record as pronouncing that Allah will permit the use of nuclear weaponry against their "enemies" - will consign them to a similar fate, as there is no love lost between the majority Sunni countries and Iran's Shi'ites who deplore and detest the wrong-headedness of Sunni sectarianism.

So, dear Canada, keep right on at it. Keep telling the world where Canada stands; "If it means standing up against terrorism, then that is criticism that Canada is prepared to accept".