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Carney says the war against Iran was ‘worth it.’ He’s wrong (canadiandimension.com)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/canada@lemmy.ca
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[–] 26 points 3 months ago (18 children)

Choice 1: PM flatters trump at zero cost to anyone anywhere.

Choice 2: PM picks a fight with trump with zero gain to anyone anywhere.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Decisions decisions decisions.

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  • [–] 42 points 3 months ago* (12 children)

    Choice 3: Carney shuts the fuck up and doesn't look like a stupid asshole. That would have been a good one. The guy absolutely didn't have to fall over himself to support this dumbass war, multiple times.

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  • [–] 12 points 3 months ago* (11 children)

    That is an option, but we are still in the midst of a trade war with the US, who remains out largest trading partner.

    If Carney can offer platitudes that cost nothing to get some goodwill with the US that might actually help Canadians, then why the fuck not?

    Ultimately, Trump (and maybe some armchair policy experts) is the only person dumb enough to not see through this ploy. It's not going to affect his position in any negative way, and has a small chance to affect it positively.

    I disagree with Carney on almost all of his real policy decisions, but the man knows how to play politics, and I'd much rather he be in office than PP.

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  • [–] 7 points 3 months ago* (10 children)

    Does this cost us nothing? I thought we were trying to pivot away from the US. How does it make us look to the rest of the world when our leadership practically sprints to support the US in violating international law?

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  • [–] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (9 children)

    Does this cost us nothing?

    Yes.

    I thought we were trying to pivot away from the US.

    This is a welcome change, but it's a slow process. I don't see why we need to suffer unnecessarily when all you need to do to keep things stable during a massive shift like this is some disingenuous compliments.

    How does it make us look to the rest of the world when our leadership practically sprints to support the US in violating international law?

    It makes us look like we are trying to calm down the crackhead with a knife by calmly agreeing with them.

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  • [–] [S] 16 points 3 months ago (5 children)

    They do NOT cost us nothing. Here's a few ways it costs Canada:

    • it justifies illegal warfare and disinhibits military adventurism
    • it undermines international law and international institutions
    • it vindicates extremist and arbitrary militarism as somehow effective
    • it destroys Canada's credibility and narrows our capacity to intervene in the international stage
    • internally it alienates and marginalizes part of our own population
    • it entrenches conspiratorial thinking and distrust in our democratic institutions

    And I'm not even getting into the ways it costs us because it's a disgusting and just plain fucking wrong to applaud this completely pointless war that rained down death and suffering to countless innocents, both directly and indirectly.

    And all that for what? For sucking Trump's dick which he's already forgotten anyway? Give me a break.

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  • [–] -2 points 3 months ago (2 children)

    disinhibits military adventurism

    Right... I can see the scene now "Well, I wasn't sure about going to war but then I remembered the disastrous Iran war and how Canada's Prime Minister said nice things about it so away we go!"

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  • [–] [S] 9 points 3 months ago (1 child)

    What a silly thing to say. Of course the Canadian prime minister doesn't shape reality with his words. But his words matter. When Carney stood up in Davos the world listened. It is the same leader, a leader of a G7 nation, that says this. Other leaders are listening, a discourse is taking form.

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  • [–] -4 points 3 months ago

    When Carney stood up in Davos the world listened.

    Yes. Because he had something worthwhile to propose, a framework upon which he has been executing throughout his time as leader.

    Complaining about the Iran war, which is already seen by almost all as a failure is not a particularly worthwhile or novel hill on which to die. Remember when donald had a tantrum about Ford's mean ads and cancelled trade talks? The unfortunate reality that does shape things is the country to which we send 70% of our exports has a man child president.

    Not to mention that one of the biggest threats to any sort of peace is literally donald's ego

    Thinking that any leader or any serious politician is taking this as Carney's actual position is just nonsense. You cannot watch the Collins question and answer in their entirety and say that's a man who really backs what trump did.

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  • [–] 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

    Yeah, I disagree. I think it makes us look like spineless weasels who can't be relied upon if the US makes any demands of us.

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  • [–] 23 points 3 months ago

    Yeah, I mean I don't really like Carney or his policies, and I hate Trump even more, but this is clearly the only logical approach to dealing with Trump at the moment. Talk is cheap (something Carney clearly understands because he uses talk very cheaply all the time), and Trump loves flattery, and he hates being criticized, and he will irrationally lash out at anyone who does. He's proven that so many times, there's no benefit to aggravating him and giving him a target to fixate on, just let him flail around aimlessly and try to dodge his aimlessly swinging fists.

    I'm getting really tired of listening to or wasting almost any attention whatsoever on what people say anymore, because it's all fucking lies anyway. I've started carefully watching what people do instead, and while I have some scathing criticisms of things Carney has done and is doing, the things he's doing also very clearly don't benefit Trump. Trying to make him out to be some Trump-friendly-crony is disingenuous and inaccurate. He's dangerous in his own way, but he's no ally to Trump and the things he's doing to distance the Canadian economy from the US and build lasting international partnerships that are going to define Canada for generations? That's significant stuff.

    The frequent praise he offers to Trump is always empty, meaningless words with no real weight behind them and certainly no actions. Carney knows that, and anyone paying attention should know that. Trump is the only one who evidently doesn't know that, but it's also possible he just doesn't care. He's more interested in appearances anyway, and the appearance of having Canada appear to support him is meaningful to him even if it's meaningless in actual fact.

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  • [–] 4 points 3 months ago (1 child)

    How about just tell it like it is and gain influence with the countries that matter? The USA is making itself irrelevant, and the people within the USA who do matter are not impressed with their own performance as of late either.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 months ago

    How about just tell it like it is and gain influence with the countries that matter?

    The entire rest of the world combined, is where less than 30% of our exports go. For literally millions and millions of Canadian families, the USA is insanely relevant.

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