NOT A FAN OF OMAR KHADR

Legitimizing a convicted terrorist

WHAT A FARCE!!! That’s all I can say about the marshmallow puff questions posed towards Omar Khadr last night. If you would like a minute to minute description of the event, you can go through True North’s Andrew Lawton’s Twitter feed from the event.

Here’s a few points from last night’s session:

• The moderator came out with the statement that they wanted the ‘hard questions‘ to be asked of Khadr. Immediately, the audience was told that no questions related to the ‘incident’ that occcured in Afghanistan or the government settlement would be taken. Well, For Fuck’s Sake, what was the point of having him there???
• So instead of tough questions, Khadr got asked about the weather and if he read poetry in Guantanamo. He did volunteer that his dad got the family a pony when he was a kid.
• During the Twitter rounds afterwards, I pointed out to some bleeding hearts that Khadr was not a child soldier. To begin with, he was not recruited by a regular army and using the term soldier implies legitimacy. Really, he was a young terrorist.
• Also, under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict , he was a legal adult for the purposes of combat. Here’s the timeline: the Protocol was brought into force by the UN in February 2002; Khadr, who was 15 at the time, was detained by American forces in July 2002; the States did not ratify the Protocol until December 2002. So under the rules of the time, Khadr was an adult combatant with a terrorist organization, Al Qaeda, ergo he could be treated as an adult terrorist. Canada had signed the Protocol back in 2000 but because he was detained by Americans, he fell under their jurisdiction.
• One statement from Khadr was that he did not believe in borders and it should be an open world. I thought that was interesting since he fought so hard to have his Canadian citizenship recognized so that he could be transferred to a Canadian jail.
• There was a small protest of Canadian veterans present. I would encourage you to listen to what this veteran has to say on this video.

So for a night where Khadr was supposed to be talking about child soldiering, he did nothing of the sort. It was just another love-in session for Canada’s reformed terrorist and he received a standing ovation from the audience.

DISGUSTING!!!

So tonight is the big night. It’ll be interesting to hear the reports from the event. If I were there, here are the questions I would be asking Mr. Khadr:

• Does he take any responsibility for the killing of Sgt Speer and the maiming of the other soldier? Does he unequivocally feel remorse for those actions?
• Does he take any responsibility for the creation of IEDs which were probably targeted at coalition soldiers? Does he unequivocally feel remorse for any persons, military or civilian, who may have been killed or injured by IEDs that he helped build?
• If he does feel remorse or responsibility for the killing or injuring of anyone, what is he doing to help right that wrong. For example, will he share any of his government payout money with the widow and children of the man he killed?
• Has Mr. Khadr renounced the activities of the family members and former acquaintances who have been or are still connected to terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda? Does he have any contact with those people? Has he supported them with any monies whether directly or through third parties? What groups, if any, does Mr. Khadr support and fund with his payout money?
• Mr. Khadr mused about becoming a nurse at one point. So why did he buy a strip mall? It seems an odd purchase. Although, he is free to do whatever with his payout money, it seems strange. What else or what other plans does he have with all that money?
• If able, does Mr. Khadr plan to someday revisit Afghanistan or Pakistan? Who would he go see and what would be his intent while there?

I doubt he would be forthcoming on any of those questions. After watching his interviews, all I see is someone who weasels away from a direct answer. Also, I understand that he will once again be refusing to talk to the media directly. Wouldn’t want to disturb the carefully laid out narrative, would we?

***Latest Update – CBC News responded to my questions in regards to Naylah Ahed moderating the Dalhousie event. “The event you mentioned last is being hosted by the Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative, in partnership with Dalhousie University’s Open Dialogue series, and while Nahlah Ayed was invited to moderate the event, Ideas has decided to explore this subject at another time in a different way. Given that decision, Nahlah will no longer be moderating. That said, CBC News may cover the event. Thank you.” When I first saw this story, I reached out to Brett Ruskin in Halifax who would be the logical reporter to cover the event. Andrew Lawton from True North News has already indicated that he will be reporting on the event. Reading between the lines, perhaps CBC has decided to distance itself from appearing to be to cozy with Khadr.***

***Update – VoteWexit, The Post Millennial, & True North News are running with this story now. If you feel that Dalhousie University should not be hosting Omar Khadr then True North News has a petition to sign here. National Post & the Postmedia papers have now picked up the article.***

After doing some digging, this is not the first time Omar Khadr has addressed a university crowd with his story. King’s University in Edmonton was graced with his presence back in 2016 when he gave a talk on his experience. The report on the event pushed the narrative that Khadr didn’t throw the grenade that killed Sgt Speers. It was inevitable that King’s University would host the convicted terrorist as members of the university fought hard to have the man released and brought back to Canada.

If there was one face which epitomized the depravity of the present Liberal government headed by Justin Trudeau, it would be that of the smiling Omar Khadr upon receiving his $10.5 million non-contested payout.

Canadians across the country reacted with shock and revulsion when the news of the settlement was announced. The wife of the US Special Forces soldier who was killed by Khadr’s hand grenade is still pursuing a civil lawsuit against the man. The US has him listed as a convicted terrorist.

But up here in Canada, Khadr has become a darling and is starting on the talking circuit aided in part by the CBC. I was filled with crushing disappointment when I saw Khadr’s name listed as a keynote speaker for an upcoming event on February 10 at the Dalhousie University in Halifax. The event is being put on by the Children’s Rights Upfront organization (a group associated with the Dalhousie University) with the proceeds going to the Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative. Ret’d LGen Dallaire will be making an appearance. The event will be moderated by CBC reporter Nahlah Ayed.

CBC has already hosted Khadr on the talk show Tout le Monde en Parle. The show garnered criticism for having Khadr and Twitter briefly suspended the show’s account for being a ‘terror apologist’.

News of the proposed event and one of its keynote speakers has already sparked visceral, negative reaction from social media users. People on VoteWexit.com are venting their anger by the hundreds. After about five hours, the admins of the site took the Dalhousie University link down. Too many people were conflating the Wexit site with supporting Khadr and the tone of many of the comments were heated and inflammatory.

On a personal note, I have met Ret’d LGen Dallaire on several occasion through the years and I am disappointed that he would allow one of his causes to be caught up with lending support to this terrorist. I feel that this will result in a stain on Dallaire’s reputation and organizations related to raising awareness of child soldiers being used in warfare.

Sure, Khadr was a child soldier. But no, he should not be given any sort of platform that legitimizes his actions.

Not in my Canada!

Blair’s LinkedIn Profile

Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.