U.S. ‘DIPLOMACY’ HITS CANADA

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Paul Cellucci managed to stir up virulent anti-Americanism in Canada today by claiming that Canadian officials who are critical of the U.S. president and its policies should be muzzled, and issuing veiled threats of recriminations for Canada’s ‘disappointing’ lack of support for the war. He was speaking to a business group in Toronto and elaborated afterwards for the news media.

It’s hard to understand how an ambassador could commit such a colossal diplomatic blunder. The reaction to the threats and bullying was immediate, with call-in phone lines swamped with callers mostly suggesting he was way out of line, and some suggesting he be recalled or expelled. The House of Commons immediately overwhelmingly voted to reassert its opposition to the war, and Prime Minister Chretien defended the right of officials ‘in an independent and free country’ to express their opinions, and reminded everyone that Canada has been and is now very active in the fight against terrorism and programs to rebuild Afghanistan.

If Cellucci was under orders from Bush to bully Canada into joining his tawdry list of half-secret ‘coalition of the willing’ countries, it backfired horrifically. What will these clowns do next to further alienate the rest of the world and isolate the U.S. completely?

You can probably tell I’m p****d off.

2 Responses to U.S. ‘DIPLOMACY’ HITS CANADA

Rayne says:

March 26, 2003 at 05:57

On behalf of the remaining sane U.S. citizens, I am very, very sorry; I am mortified and embarrassed by this behavior. Please note that this was not one of the ethical few American diplomats who elected to resign rather than succumb to this kind of behavior. What stupifies me is that this Administration hasn’t learned one catches more flies with honey than vinegar.
Life Tenant says:

March 30, 2003 at 13:40

At this rate we Americans who care enough about the views of our remaining friends in the world to be ashamed may have to resort to form letters to express our regret for the multitude of offenses inflicted by this so-called Administration.