CANADIAN PROGRESSIVES PLAYING INTO THE HANDS OF OUR ENEMIES

Canada’s continued prosperity in an increasingly dangerous and disordered world depends on the rules-based international order maintained by the United States and the alliance it leads — a system Ottawa played an integral role in building and that Canadians greatly benefit from. Canada’s allegiance is thus to the West, not to the “axis of outcasts“: Russia, Iran, North Korea and Syria. So why do “progressives” keep regurgitating these countries’ talking points and advancing their interests?

On Oct. 7, the Iran-backed Hamas terror organization conducted the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel’s history. This happened despite the fact that Jerusalem had eased some cross-border travel restrictions, instituted permits for Gazans to work in Israel and tolerated Hamas’ rule over the enclave as a brutal but sovereign statelet since it overthrew Fatah in 2007.

More than 1,200 Israeli and foreign nationals have been killed. Around 260 innocent and defenceless civilians, including Canadians Alexandre Look and Ben Mizrachi, were massacred at a music festival. Lifeless bodies were mutilated, stripped naked, spat on and paraded like trophies through the streets of Gaza. Entire families were burnt alive. Women and children were kidnapped. Captured Israeli soldiers were beheaded on camera.

Hamas does not hide any of this. The terrorist group takes pride in its barbarism. Some Hamas operatives live-streamed the terrorist attack themselves. Others uploaded the footage to their social media accounts after their disgusting deeds were done.

While Palestinians are not any freer today than they were last week, many shameless “progressives” celebrated this terrorist attack as a great victory. A senior Liberal advisor reportedly shared Instagram posts stating that, “Revolutionary violence is not terrorism” and calling on people to, “Support Palestinian resistance.” CUPE local 3906, a labour union representing academic workers at McMaster University, tweeted, “Palestine is rising, long live the resistance.”

Other “progressives,” including Rhodes scholars, elected members of Parliament, law clerks, professors and union leaders also did their best to whitewash Hamas’ despicable attack. Many more gathered at protests in Toronto and Montreal to celebrate this senseless killing. They should all be ashamed of themselves.

To better understand the Palestine that Hamas wants to build, just read its charter, which is pro-Islamist, anti-peace and vehemently anti-Israel. Ottawa lists Hamas as a terrorist organization, and Canada does not have diplomatic relations with Tehran, its main benefactor.

Iran is a medieval theocracy, and the world’s biggest state-sponsor of terrorism. It arms Hamas and Hezbollah by transferring weapons through its Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria — a failed state run by a brutal Russia- and Iran-backed dictator who’s responsible for up to half a million deaths. Ottawa doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Damascus, either.

Wherever Iran and Syria go nowadays, Russia is never too far behind. Unlike the West, Moscow does not recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization. In fact, two Hamas delegations have visited Russia in the last 13 months. Rest assured: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s portrait hangs proudly beside those of Bashar Assad of Syria, Ali Khamenei of Iran and Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah in Gaza.

Iranian weapons have been used in the terrorist attacks committed by Hamas against Israelis and the brutal war waged by Russia in Ukraine. The crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Russians against Ukrainians, like those committed by the Kremlin- and Iran-backed forces in Syria, are among the most well-documented in history. Putin’s propagandists have sadistically cheered at all these atrocities, including Hamas’ terrorist attack on Oct. 7.

Even though they are only partners of convenience, our enemies are united by one common goal: destabilizing, dividing and ultimately destroying the West.

Despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, “progressives” continuously sit on the fence, stick their heads in the sand, fail to connect the dots or pick the wrong side. In addition to incessant virtue-signalling and hypocritical both-sidesing, they mistakenly believe the misinformation and disinformation propagated by foreign propaganda networks and internalize those lies to inform their own worldviews.

Even worse, “progressives” often then lobby our elected representatives to reform Canadian policy to reflect those same lies for the benefit of our enemies and to the detriment of Canada and its allies. Some “progressives” have sought to normalize rogue states, glorify failed states and whitewash terrorist groups. Others justify, encourage and celebrate the violence, chaos and disorder these foreign powers sow, both domestically and abroad.

Yet the reality of international relations is far different from what “progressives” think. All the thoughts, prayers, hashtags and photo-ops in the world can’t undo hundreds of years of history. States have interests and objectives, and these are achieved through diplomacy and war.

Like all international actors, the axis of outcasts only fear and respect power. Namely, the collective economic weight and military might of the western alliance led by the United States. Our enemies will do everything in their power to destabilize, divide and destroy that alliance.

In the Middle East, Hezbollah, Iranian militias in Syria and Assad’s forces are likely to open a second front on Israel’s northern borders. In the 2006 Lebanon War against Israel, Hezbollah had around 15,000 rockets. Today, its arsenal is estimated to be as high as 150,000. The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group is in the eastern Mediterranean to deter these actors from entering the conflict.

In the Balkans, Serbia, which enjoys close ties to Russian intelligence services, has repeatedly stoked tensions with Kosovo. Turkey reinforced NATO’s Kosovo Force in June, after Serbian protesters injured 34 NATO peacekeepers. The United Kingdom did the same last week, after Serbian paramilitaries infiltrated Kosovo and killed a police officer, and the Serbian military deployed an unprecedented number of tanks, artillery and soldiers near the border.

These are but a couple examples. The axis of outcasts will continue opening new fronts against the West. Their immediate goals are twofold. First, Moscow seeks to divert attention from, and ultimately prevent, the transfer of resources to Ukraine.

Second, Tehran intends to weaken popular support for Israel in the West and prevent the expansion of the Abraham peace accords by placing Arab governments in a bind. Sabotaging the historic Israeli-Saudi normalization deal is critical for Iran to maintain the current balance of power in the Middle East.

The international security environment is likely to deteriorate further before it improves. The only appropriate response to deter the West’s enemies is for countries like Canada to unconditionally support their allies in their times of need. “Progressives” should understand how their bread is buttered and get with the program.

Originally published by National Post on October 12, 2023.