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Brian Giesbrecht's avatar

Something to watch is whether Trump will designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization (by Executive Order). If he does, will Canada do so as well? The MB has its claws dug deep into Canada

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Esther Mar's avatar

Regarding the criticism of the Israeli government’s action in protecting the Druze in Syria: I have to think you must be aware of the profound connection Israel has to the Druze people. So, what would you have Israel do when they see the new Syrian government complicit in massacring Druze?

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Terry Glavin's avatar

I am well aware of the deep and abiding ties between the Druze and the Jewish people of Israel. I've spent time in Northern Israel with the Druze. I have also spent time in Northern Syria with the Kurds, and there isn't a Syria refugee camp in Jordan that I haven't visited. What would I have Israel do? By Israel in this context I take it you mean the Netanyahu government. What I would have that government do is to stop making the catastrophic unforced errors it has been making in Syria.

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Esther Mar's avatar

I find this a non-answer.

For information on this issue I recommend the following link

https://youtu.be/q7ioOE0gZSY

(In case I messed up the link it’s on FDD)

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Gerald Pelchat's avatar

Excellent column, but I wish you would explain in more detail why you think Isreal is in the wrong with their handling of the Druze situation.

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Sheldon Meingarten's avatar

I think Michael Oren, former Israeli Ambassador to the USA and former member of the Knesset best explains why Israel is defending the Druze in Syria. He calls it a "blood covenant".

https://open.substack.com/pub/claritywithmichaeloren/p/our-blood-covenant-with-the-druze?r=128bj9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

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Terry Glavin's avatar

I'm a great admirer of Mocharl Oren.

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Frau Katze's avatar

I was going to link to this! Thanks.

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CF's avatar

I too Terry would pull up stakes in this country but family ties are pretty numerous here and also financial considerations, put that under pause...more 649's might be on the horizon. I too read your story in the Post on helping Syrians and why. I trust you so much that I would just say, Yup, makes sense to me. I am a pretty cynical person usually. I also read Michael's column with interest. Not sure I would move to the US but perhaps AUS or NZ would work for me. Perhaps not surprisingly, not many of the commentators on his story were rude and mean...many said they were planning the same thing. There were a couple of "bye bye" comments but that's about it. If AB et al did actually decouple from Canada I think I would move there.

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Rene Wells's avatar

Farewell to Michael A. Sachs - and I mean that with all sincerity. I only wish he and his family would have considered moving over the Rockies into Alberta, where I'm sure they would have been welcomed with open arms.

Then again, the do-nothingness of the courts in my Wildrose province is inextricably tied to a rigidly controlled national justice system, apparently hellbent on enabling the bullying of aggressors while claiming - with straight faces - that deterrence and denunciation remain pillars within their sentencing guidelines. Of course, our healthcare system is nothing to rave about either, as Mr. Sachs accurately points out, under the control of bureaucrats who "make cold life-or-death decisions based on dollars and cents."

If only provinces, like each American state, had exclusive control over criminal law and the ability to set their own sentences. We'd clean things up pretty fast in Alberta. Instead, the only thing we seem to be seeing are spinning turnstiles affixed to the prisoner docks. That is, for those actually compelled to make an appearance in court to answer for their actions.

Behitzalha lech velemshpachatch, Mr. Sachs...

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Gillian Scobie's avatar

If I hear one more journalist/politician/any other man writing stuff say "I'm keeping my powder dry...".......Enough.

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Kevin O'Mahony's avatar

It's not the Globe and Mail.

It's the Grope and Flail.

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McExpat's avatar

Really enjoying your perspectives on the Middle East Terry. Your Substacks on this issue are keeping me sane in what is proving to be gargantuan shifts at the moment.

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