Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mithridates]

Two of them that is:

[Bulsajo]

I didn't read your article yet, but it was a long process to get them on to the CSIS' terror list, they weren't just added willy-nilly.

The bottom line was that in terms of raising funds in Canada there is no way to determine/assure that the money being raised in Canada would go to a hospital than to buy weapons and explosives.

That's why they're on it, and that's why they should stay on it.

If they change their organization (perhaps making some sort of distinction between military and political wings a la Sinn F�in-IRA) then maybe (maybe!) that decision needs to be re-examined, but not before.

[mithridates]

[happeningthang]

From what I remember there was a marked division between the IRA and Sinn Fein. They both worked for the same goal but one used politics and the other one bombs.

If Hizbollah have a seperate political entity - removed from the military entity- then the argument holds, and there's no need to characterise them as terrorists. As it stands they should remain on the terror list.

[igotthisguitar]

How many countries officially view Hezbollah as a terrorist organziation? 4?

US, Israel ( gasp! ) CANADA ... & the UK?

[Bulsajo]

In other words, IGTG feels that Hezbullah should be free to raise funds in Canada in order to buy rockets, explosives and other weapons.

I doubt that will come as a surprise to anyone here.

[Bulsajo]

Liberal critic resigns over statement saying Hezbollah should be taken off terrorist list

Liberal critic resigns over statement

Borys Wrzesnewskyj faced backlash after saying Hezbollah should be taken off terrorist list

VANCOUVER (Aug 24, 2006)

The Liberals sustained their second casualty over the Middle East conflict when the party's deputy foreign affairs critic resigned yesterday after saying Hezbollah should be taken off Canada's list of terrorist organizations.

Borys Wrzesnewskyj originally denied he made the comments, but yesterday he offered his resignation to interim leader Bill Graham and admitted to reporters his statement was an error.

"I consider that matter closed," Graham said in an effort to put behind the bruising matter that has dominated the party's three-day caucus retreat.

Wrzesnewskyj created a backlash within his own party when he said during a visit to Lebanon at the beginning of the week that Canada should negotiate directly with Lebanon's Hezbollah.

"I went to Lebanon without preconceived conclusions and my comments in South Lebanon were tempered by the overwhelming power of what I witnessed," he said Wednesday following his resignation.

"It is important that the attention paid to statements I have made not impede the Liberal Party of Canada or our caucus's efforts to bring forward policies which would reinforce the fragile ceasefire and aid in the humanitarian and infrastructure crises that exist."

The suburban Toronto MP also said he supports a UN resolution that says all warring parties must go back to the negotiating table.

All 10 Liberal leadership hopefuls, including Wrzesnewskyj's preferred candidate Gerard Kennedy, stepped up earlier this week to condemn the original remarks and their apparent endorsement of Hezbollah.

The controversy has exposed an apparent split in the party over its policy toward the Middle East and has also raised the issue of caucus discipline.

Earlier this month, Liberal MP Wajid Khan gave up his duties as the Liberals' associate defence critic and said he wouldn't attend Liberal caucus meetings after he accepted an appointment as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's special adviser on the Middle East and South Asia.

Many Liberals regarded the appointment as an effort by the Tories to exploit divisions in Liberal ranks and to help rebuild Conservative bridges to the Muslim community, burned by Harper's unequivocal support for Israel's bombardment of Lebanon.

Khan, a former fighter pilot in the Pakistan air force, said he would remain a Liberal.

Kennedy said he was satisfied with Wrzesnewskyj's decision to resign.

"I think Borys has clarified what he had to say," Kennedy said.

But Carolyn Bennett, another leadership candidate who called Tuesday for Wrzesnewskyj's resignation, said she remains "worried" the MP accused Israel of engaging in "state terrorism."

"You can't throw around words like terrorism. That is appalling," she said.

But Kennedy said that comment was included in Wrzesnewskyj's blanket explanation yesterday that he shouldn't have drawn conclusions and spoke in the heat of the moment.

"I understand that. It's a human thing, the conditions that he saw," Kennedy said.

Bennett said the controversy should prompt parliamentarians to reconsider whether they should go on tours sponsored by groups with any particular bias or agenda.

Wrzesnewskyj's trip was sponsored by a lobby group that promotes Canadian-Arab relations.

Insiders said caucus discipline, or the lack thereof, was a major topic of discussion behind closed doors at the Vancouver caucus retreat.

Graham visited each of the regional caucuses as they met separately yesterday morning and, according to sources, told MPs that he doesn't have "the big stick to impose discipline" that a permanent leader would have.

Consequently, the interim leader advised MPs that they'll have to exercise self-discipline.