August 09, 2006
Harper vs Arbour
What was Israel's response to these attacks? It destroyed the bridges and communications infrastructure that would allow their soldiers to be moved to Syria or beyond. That infrastructure is now also denied to Syria's and Iran's efforts to resupply Hezbollah....
In making his support for Israel clear, the Prime Minister declared that Canada was returning to a foreign policy of principle. He reminded his peers at the G-8 that no sovereign state repeatedly attacked by an enemy shielded by a neighbouring state can fail to respond....
Arbour defended a simpler view: Israel was damaging infrastructure and killing civilians, so intentional or not, it was a potential war criminal. Her stance ignores Hezbollah's deliberate blending of its soldiers and Lebanese civilians.
Neil Finkelstein, Toronto Star
Michael K