Categories
Perspectives

How NOT to defeat terrorism

It is natural in the wake of a catastrophic attack for people to be upset and angry and even vengeful.  Emotions are raw and there are immediate calls to “do something”.  Problems that have been around for a long time suddenly get more attention, but rather than a sober, measured response, we leap towards knee-jerk […]

Categories
Perspectives

The fallout from airstrikes

I have said it before and I will repeat it here: I am not an expert in military affairs.  Hell, I am not even a well-informed John Q Public when it comes to things military.  When I talk about the military I am bound to sound dumb. So, here it goes: my take on why […]

Categories
Perspectives

The reach of Islamic State

I have gone on record several times to state that Islamic State (IS) does not pose an existential threat to anybody.  It can certainly cause havoc and mayhem and destruction but there is no way that this motley crew of extremists is ever going to threaten the world.  Yes, it has a state – sort […]

Categories
Perspectives

Refugees and terrorism

The debate on refugees has taken a nasty turn in Canada and the US.  Some US Republican Presidential candidates have repugnantly suggested that the country take in only Christians.  Several governors have refused to take in any refugees from Syria.  In this country, several officials, including Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, have called on the Trudeau […]

Categories
Perspectives

How safe are we?

In  the wake of the attacks in Paris in November 2015, which were merely the latest in what must seem to many Canadians as a never-ending series of murders and bombings, many are asking why and when this scourge will end.  Several have commented publicly – including at least one provincial premier – that we […]

Categories
Perspectives

Terrorism begins at home sometimes

In the wake of the Paris attacks and continuing developments, we have been inundated with dire warnings that everything has changed. These attacks were the harbinger of a “new wave” of terrorism  now that Islamic State has left the confines of Syria-Iraq and decided to spread its carnage elsewhere (Egypt, Lebanon, France…).   So much […]

Categories
Perspectives

Terrorism and life

As we sift through the carnage and horror of last Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris we are already seeing the ugly underside that humans all too frequently exhibit.  Republican candidate Donald Trump calls for American mosques to be closed.  Other presidential hopefuls, and several state governors, have stated that will stop Syrian refugees from being […]

Categories
Perspectives

What do we really know about what happened in Paris?

We live in an age of instant information.  This is largely a good thing.   We can learn about what is happening  around the world almost instantaneously.  What used to take weeks or months to come to our attention now takes minutes.  That is a very good thing when it comes to human tragedy.  Earthquakes, […]

Categories
Perspectives

Lessons from France – part 3

A few days ago I stood overlooking what was no-man’s land outside the little town of Auchonvillers in the Somme department of Picardie.  In a battle that became known as Beaumont-Hamel, the morning of July 1, 1916 saw the slaughter of most of the Newfoundland Regiment (it later received the title “Royal”): of the 780 […]

Categories
Perspectives

Lessons from France – part 1

In the wake of the attacks in Paris on November 13, we have already seen a wide variety of responses on what this all means and what do we do now.  French President Hollande has called the barbarity an act of war and vowed a crushing reply to the Islamic State.  We shall see what […]