Secession of Quebec from Canada

[Goofball]

Goofball, you surprise me because most of the time I hear you siding with Tribesman and AdrianII. I thought you were a leftist?!?!

But if you look back, that's usually only with respect to social issues. Just go back and have a look at some of the downright nasty exchanges Tribesman and I have had over Israel in the past.

I thought I remembered you espousing the wonders of socialist economic policy, such as nationalized health care.

You can't judge a Canadian's "rightness" or "leftness" by looking at his views on nationalized health care. We are almost universally in favor of it, and don't view it as socialist economic policy at all, but as something any civilized nation would offer to its citizens.

You have to look at the nuances. For example, I am in favor of allowing private, "for profit" medical clinics in Canada, operating alongside and outside of our national healthcare system, for the use of people who don't want to wait in line, but don't mind footing the bill themselves. Beirut, on the other hand, thinks I am a traitor to the Canadian way of life for even suggesting such a thing.

Also, being a "conservative" and pro-military, one would conclude that you would naturally tend to support the ongoing global war against terrorism and the campaign in Iraq.

I am very pro-military (as a matter of fact, I have my Regimental Board Interview on Feb 4 to be admitted back into the army as a reserve infantry 2nd john). And I'm all for fighting terrorism. But I find that being in favor of those two things has very little to do with being in favor of the war in Iraq. Frankly, as a former (and soon to be current) soldier, I don't really understand how any soldier can support the war in Iraq. In my opinion your Commander in Chief has spent the lives of his soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen needlessly and carelessly.

I supported (and still do) the invasion of Afghanistan. I think that Iraq took resources needlessly away from that more important theater of operations.

Quite frankly, I think the invasion of Iraq was a Godsend for the Islamic terrorist movement and has only increased the threat of future terrorism against the U.S.