A short quiz on the US, Israel, and 'rogue nation' status | Glenn Greenwald | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

A short quiz on the US, Israel, and 'rogue nation' status | Glenn Greenwald | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

"...So essentially, it's the entire planet on one side, versus the US, its new right-wing poodle to the north, Israel, and three tiny, bribed islands on the other side.

If you're a member in good standing of the Washington-based US foreign policy community, then the way you describe these matters is as follows: "the international community stands by Israel and supports its position" - because, in that warped, self-affirming world, "international community" is a synonym for "US dictates".

But for those fortunate enough to reside outside of that realm of intense imperial propaganda: who is actually opposed to the consensus of the international community here? In other words, who are the real 'rogue nations'?"

Canada as the U.S.’s new right-wing poodle, not the pit bull John Baird’s delusionally thinks it is - woof, woof - and Canada as a “rogue nation.” Anyone got Dick Cheney’s phone number?

Palestine: Harper Regime's Utter Stupidity

For Palestine it's one thing to vote against its elevation to statehood. That remains a respectable decision. It's quite another to campaign aggressively against admission to statehood as the Harper Regime has done in one of its darkest moments of utter stupidity. Baird was one of only three foreign ministers to speak on the issue before the vote and the only one to speak against the motion. With that audacious performance, Harper's personal threats, and other forms of bullying prior to the vote, the Regime has invited the emerging organized, targeted enmity of the Arab world and no doubt profound distrust in much of the Muslim world as well. 

As we all know, Canada's prestige across the Globe has been disintegrating at an extraordinary rate over the past six years. It's close to the nadir now, and, with this latest failure, we are bound to suffer in terms of not just diplomacy but trust and goodwill, political power, and most of all where it really hurts - trade and economics. 

Given how many countries it has alienated through this ridiculous demonstration of bad judgement, Canada is really the one risking retaliation, not Palestine

"Baird’s intervention [student union schoolboy bullying] is notable. . . because only two other foreign ministers — those of Indonesia and Turkey [both supported Palestine] — spoke on the issue before the vote." (Primer on Canada's UN vote on Palestine ). Given how many countries it has alienated through this ridiculous demonstration of bad judgement, Canada is really the one risking retaliation, not Palestine.