PM Harper not on President Obama's Call List

[Sir Bandelot]

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/cbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=22763885

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not be among the world leaders briefed personally by U.S. President Barack Obama about his plans for a new strategy in Afghanistan.

Obama will contact a number of leaders, including those of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, China and Russia. But despite Canada's lengthy military commitment to the troubled region, Vice-President Joe Biden has been given the task of relaying the president’s plans to Harper.

Once again we are snubbed by our neighbours to the south. You want to know why we shouldn't be fighting in wars with these a-holes? Because they don't take our contributions seriously. Oh well maybe they'll be nice enough to let our troops know, where they're gonna start dropping bombs this time.

[jbg]

Once again we are snubbed by our neighbours to the south. You want to know why we shouldn't be fighting in wars with these a-holes? Because they don't take our contributions seriously. Oh well maybe they'll be nice enough to let our troops know, where they're gonna start dropping bombs this time.

You wanted Obama. I didn't. The guy doesn't like anyone even modestly to his right, or someone who is reasonably articulate or worse, both.

[bush_cheney2004]

Maybe it has something to do with this part of the same report:

Harper has repeatedly said that he will adhere to a motion passed in Parliament and not extend Canada's military mission beyond 2011.

...just a guess.

[August1991]

Harper has met Obama in umpteen summits and settings or direct visits in the past year. I'm sure that Harper and Obama talk on the phone when it matters.

Harper doesn't strike me as a politician who measures his importance by the amount of facetime he gets and for that matter, neither does Obama.

Anyway, on the particular issue of Afghanistan, the time to speak with Obama was before the decision was announced - not after. IMV, Harper probably urged Obama to do what he is doing: increase US troop levels by some 30,000 with another 5,000 from other NATO countries.

[naomiglover]

You wanted Obama. I didn't. The guy doesn't like anyone even modestly to his right, or someone who is reasonably articulate or worse, both.

Reasonably articulate? Like Foxnews?

[Guest American Woman]

Once again we are snubbed by our neighbours to the south. You want to know why we shouldn't be fighting in wars with these a-holes? Because they don't take our contributions seriously. Oh well maybe they'll be nice enough to let our troops know, where they're gonna start dropping bombs this time.

So we're "a-holes," eh?

From the Star [excerpts]:

As U.S. President Barack Obama moves to rally America and the wider world for a deeper military plunge into Afghanistan, Washington appears to be coming to grips with the likelihood of excusing Canada from the urge to surge.

....the job of calling Ottawa fell to Vice-President Joe Biden – a signal, Washington insiders say, the White House recognizes Canada already has more than done its part after years of heavy lifting in Kandahar.

"Canadians have suffered tremendously and have really taken on too much of the burden compared to many other countries..... [said] said security analyst Caroline Wadhams, one of three senior fellows at the Washington-based Center for American Progress who worked through the geopolitical math in a teleconference with the Star.

Sounds to me as if Canada's contributions have been taken seriously.

[Sir Bandelot]

So we're "a-holes," eh?

For the record I only meant it towards the US administration. Not the people of the United States. Many people in the United States are nice. The admin is not very nice...

Edited December 2, 2009 by Sir Bandelot

[bush_cheney2004]

For the record I only meant it towards the US administration. Not the people of the United States. Many people in the United States are nice. The admin is not very nice...

LOL! That's what they always say.

I wonder why the Canadian "administration" are "assholes"???????

[M.Dancer]

2001-2008 BDS = Bush Derangement Syndrome

2009-- BDS = Barack Disappointment Syndrome

Edited December 2, 2009 by M.Dancer

[Sir Bandelot]

LOL! That's what they always say.

I knew you'd get a kick out of that one. Even for an excuse it was pretty shabby.

I doubt she bought it.

I wonder why the Canadian "administration" are "assholes"???????

I know, I know! Because they like to cooperate with the United States...

[Sir Bandelot]

2001-2008 BDS = Bush Derangement Syndrome

2009-- BDS = Barack Disappointment Syndrome

And don't forget the MDBS

[Shady]

I think Harper deserves some credit. It looks as though Obama adopted his timeline of 2011. Thumbs up to Stephen!

[Guest American Woman]

I knew you'd get a kick out of that one. Even for an excuse it was pretty shabby.

I doubt she bought it.

Nope. Didn't buy it for a minute.

[Oleg Bach]

Maybe it has something to do with this part of the same report:

Harper has repeatedly said that he will adhere to a motion passed in Parliament and not extend Canada's military mission beyond 2011.

...just a guess.

If you actually believe that Harper and Obama do not have the same boss - then you might be more delluded than I visualiazed. What is the upside here is that us Canadians can back away for a while and allow Americans to destroy Americans - and maybe save a few of our sons who parrot Yank Imperialism

[Shady]

If you actually believe that Harper and Obama do not have the same boss - then you might be more delluded than I visualiazed. What is the upside here is that us Canadians can back away for a while and allow Americans to destroy Americans - and maybe save a few of our sons who parrot Yank Imperialism

Complete nonsense.

[Sir Bandelot]

Complete nonsense.

Leave him alone, he's on the rebound.

[Oleg Bach]

Maybe it has something to do with this part of the same report:

Harper has repeatedly said that he will adhere to a motion passed in Parliament and not extend Canada's military mission beyond 2011.

...just a guess.

That is really spitting in the eye of every super rich person in the western world who is dependent on human blood to keep living the good life - no wonder Obama does not want to call Little Stevie Harper! What good is he in the fulfilment of President Biden's agenda? Yes I said it...President Biden....did you really think that the powerful Americans would actually allow a skinny little boyish black guy to have real power?

[Topaz]

Someone said in the Commons that Harper had already talked to Obama, maybe, maybe not, but it looks like the US is pulling out in 2011 in Afghanistan and 2010 in Iraq and hopefully the US military will have time to regroup and time to heal before another war comes along.

[bush_cheney2004]

Someone said in the Commons that Harper had already talked to Obama, maybe, maybe not, but it looks like the US is pulling out in 2011 in Afghanistan and 2010 in Iraq and hopefully the US military will have time to regroup and time to heal before another war comes along.

The USA is not pulling out of Afghanistan or Iraq by 2011, anymore that it has "pulled out" of Japan, Germany, or South Korea.

Don't confuse the beginning with the end....even Canada will not be totally out of Afghanistan by 2011.

[Oleg Bach]

The USA is not pulling out of Afghanistan or Iraq by 2011, anymore that it has "pulled out" of Japan, Germany, or South Korea.

Don't confuse the beginning with the end....even Canada will not be totally out of Afghanistan by 2011.

Still as I view the videos of the area all I see is a few fat rich cats in nice lodgings and the rest of the nation lives in some sort of cold destert in houses made of really bad mud bricks...Let me get this right - The west is there to pull these poor people out of the stone age kicking and screaming all the way to the big democratic dream pie in the sky?

Maybe some people don't want to be saved? Maybe they like things the way they are? Maybe their tribal system has lasted five thousand years and ours is dead - Maybe it's out of sheer envy and corporate hate for the ballsy primative that drives us and the US forward in the continued disruption of this ancient society? OR in the alternative...we need boots on the ground and hands on the wheel along with fingers on the triggers to run the military machinery? I sure would like a list of private and semi-providers of arms for this supposed one sided conflict...also I sure would like to see this Osama Obama feud go back into a full tilt mode...Where the hell is Waldo and where is Bin Laden?

Something is just not right here - capture Bin Laden and then this thing might have credibity - no Bin Laden - no credit...I say declare peace and like we did Quebec - buy them out - every person and nation has it's price - why kill people? Be honest and dole out the money - will have to do it eventually..the blood letting serves no purpose - America wants health care? Cut your costs militarily by bribing your foes - and there will be lots left in the kitty to take care of the vets that are abandoned by their keepers - and lots of cash left to take care of the poor - It's a simple case of budgeting - BUT the super rich who profit on war are cheap sons of bitches -they want it all for nothing - You can not have it for nothing - You must pay!

[bush_cheney2004]

Still as I view the videos of the area all I see is a few fat rich cats in nice lodgings and the rest of the nation lives in some sort of cold destert in houses made of really bad mud bricks...Let me get this right - The west is there to pull these poor people out of the stone age kicking and screaming all the way to the big democratic dream pie in the sky?

No....you do not have it right. The "west" is there to prevent another failed government from turning into an incubator for contrary interests. If was just about cold houses and poverty, we could have gone to Davis Inlet or Pine Ridge instead.

Maybe some people don't want to be saved? Maybe they like things the way they are?

Tough noogies....they even managed to piss off the Russians.

Something is just not right here - capture Bin Laden and then this thing might have credibity - no Bin Laden - no credit...I say declare peace and like we did Quebec - buy them out - every person and nation has it's price - why kill people? Be honest and dole out the money - will have to do it eventually..the blood letting serves no purpose

Why? Did capturing Saddam solve all of Iraq's problems? Nope.

- America wants health care? Cut your costs militarily by bribing your foes - and there will be lots left in the kitty to take care of the vets that are abandoned by their keepers - and lots of cash left to take care of the poor - It's a simple case of budgeting - BUT the super rich who profit on war are cheap sons of bitches -they want it all for nothing - You can not have it for nothing - You must pay!

Spoken like a true Canadian....health care is very important to you....I guess.

Edited December 7, 2009 by bush_cheney2004

[Sir Bandelot]

Cut your costs militarily by bribing your foes - and there will be lots left in the kitty to take care of the vets that are abandoned by their keepers - and lots of cash left to take care of the poor - It's a simple case of budgeting

Although I agree in principle, you are right that war is madness and waste, it cannot be so easily stopped. War is the veritable life-blood of the US economy. The military-industrial complex depends on it, like a shot of vitamins. The super-elite, who are like vampires in that they never come out in broad daylight, need war and blood to keep their businesses running.

Thats US style capitalism in action. Any gestures of peace are non-productive so stop suggesting them, you left-wing pseudo intellectual pinko communist.

[Guest American Woman]

Thats US style capitalism in action.

You do realize that you're our #1 trading partner, right? Which means your economy, ie: the life-blood of the Canadian economy, is largely dependent on/a result of "US style capitalism;" so where does that leave Canada?

Edited December 12, 2009 by American Woman

[bush_cheney2004]

You do realize that you're our #1 trading partner, right? Which means your economy, ie: the life-blood of the Canadian economy, is largely dependent on/a result of "US style capitalism;" so where does that leave Canada?

Canada will be fine, because it's only a small minority that live in such cognitive dissonance even as they thrive in the economic reality you have described. I guess they can hate 'merkins for pointing out such an inconvenient truth.

[Sir Bandelot]

Obama snubs Harper in special meeting with 19 leaders

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Prime Minister Stephen Harper was left off U.S. President Barack Obama's guest list for an emergency meeting of world leaders in the final hours of the Copenhagen climate talks.

Obama arrived in the Danish capital Friday morning in the hopes his charm and influence could sway the 193 countries here to get a deal done.

Shortly after arriving, the American president headed into a special meeting with 19 other leaders. Among the attendees were Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei, Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The list, provided by the White House, did not include Stephen Harper.

Is Canada not important enough for the POTUS to meet with our leader? Just seems like Obama has no respect for Harper, because he is the left-over lap dog propped up by GWB. Or that he does not agree with Harpers politics, his attitude toward global warming among other things. He is the clown who stood in front of a room full of American business leaders and dissed his own country. Although they got a good laugh out of him, it's hard to respect someone like that and take them seriously.

I mean, what would it have costed to allow Stephen Harper into the room? He could have just stood quietly at the back...

That's why appeasement of the United States, by fighting in their wars is not necessarily in Canada's own best interest. Because at the end of the day they really don't give a damn about anyone else, unless you got the power baby. Nukes and money, that is. And that's partly why we love our anti-American leaders much more.