Thu 3 May 2007
In Violation of the Law of War
Posted by Sean under Australia , Canada , Politics
-Hanif Kureishi
Omar Khadr was a name I was perhaps not familiar with when I was living in Canada. While I’m sure I heard the news stories at the time, his name was not one I would have been all that familiar with. I wonder even now how many Canadians know this name. They should.
Khadr was born in Canada in 1986 (maybe 1985). His parents are Canadian citizens of, I believe, Afghani descent. His dad seemed to be an associate of Osama bin Laden and he moved his family to Afghanistan in the early 1990s. Omar, along with the other Khadr children, was likely given military traning as a child. In 2002, during the US led war in Afghanistan, Omar Khadr was caught in a firefight with American troops. He allegedly threw a grenade which killed an American soldier. Khadr was himself injured and saved by US troops who then arrested him. He was sent to Guantanamo shortly thereafter. He is the only Canadian in Guantanamo, and he was sent there when he was fifteen years old.
He has now been charged by the US Defense Department with murdering an American medic, attempted murder, conspiracy, spying and providing material support for terrorism. Some articles on the recent charges here and here.
My first issue: How the hell can the Americans distinguish between “terrorism” and “war” in the middle of a WAR. While defending the Taliban wasn’t all that wise, surely it’s understandable for someone to chuck a grenade at a bunch of soldiers with guns who want to kill you? Or is that just me?
My main issue right now is this. David Hicks was fairly big news here in Australia for ages before he was charged with similar, though lesser, crimes than Khadr. Other than the news of his original arrest and imprisonment, Khadr doesn’t seem to be on the Canadian cultural radar at all, and he really should be. Whether he’s guilty or not, Khadr should be on the lips of every Canadian diplomat in the US. Canadians should be pressuring Harper for his release to Canada where we can deal with him. Blair brought Britons home from Guantanamo, why not Harper? Or even Martin back in 2004?
Am I just missing the Canadian “uproar” being so far away? As far as I’m aware the Canadian government has made no approaches to the US regarding Khadr’s future. There were protests here for Hicks’ release from Cuba long before his guilty plea. People wore “Bring David Home” t-shirts. Why isn’t there the same outpouring of anger in Canada? Help me out here!
Artwork by Banksy.
May 4th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Coincidentally, overtly political group The Manic Street Preachers, who include small sentences of wisdom in their artwork, have just released a single with that same quote… see http://www.manicstreetpreachers.com/07/home.html.
May 4th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
no coincidence! they are one of my favourite bands and i stole it from them!
good spot tristan!
i have read kureishi though…great writer.
May 5th, 2007 at 4:19 am
I do not support the American war on terror and I do not support the war in Iraq, but I do support the military action happening in Afghanistan and I feel like many Canadians sympathise with the Afghani people and support the eradication of the Taliban government. I think Khadar represents part of the Taliban forces which are killing the Canadian soldiers, so maybe one reason why there isn’t such an uproar is because Khadar is seen as one of them.
I know I sound like a conservative American but I and a VERY liberal Canadian and I just feel like the Taliban was terrible to its people especially women and the freedom of the Afghani people is important and anyone who fought against that freedom should be punished, but not put to death or held indefinitely.
I think the Canadian people would be outraged that the Canadian government would act to protect someone who killed a soldier in the NATO military action, even if that person is a Canadian citizen, they fought against Canada and the soldier he killed could have easily been Canadian.
May 5th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
those are excellent points rachel.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Hello. i am an american living in switzerland, thinking of moving to australia. that’s why i found your blog. but, i’ll browse it later. for the moment i wanted to say that you make a very good point about the us govt over-using and abusing the word terrorism. They’ve brain washed the general public into a state of fear. we’re always on a freaking code something. code orange this, code red that. it’s abuse, and it’s orchestrated by a certain greedy bastard that i’ll be happy to see go. Now… i go back to your pretty blog!
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:59 am
Howdy Dude! Tripped across your blog. You make great points about Khadr and the whole situation. As does Rachel.
The first thing to recognize is that Canucks (as in us) are so busy trying to earn money to stay ahead of the tax man. Couple this with a dictatorial government who does not listen to the people nor provide services. As Canadians we do not listen very carefully to issues like Khadr’s, if we even hear about them in the first place. Sad, but true. We’re a nation of people who are not apathetic, but rather beaten down, mostly by our government.
Remember … Harper is just a younger, nicer dressed, slightly more intelligent Dubya (in terms of using and pronouncing big words correctly, not in running the country effectively).
Bottom line? Khadr should be immediately released to Canadian authorities. Not soon, but NOW. We’ll deal with him appropriately. This isn’t a difficult situation to understand. He is Canadian, he did wrong, we need to get him up here to stand trial. Easy. Wish more people were on the ball like you all are.
Oh I could go on for hours about the political mess in Canada (on all levels) and how Bush is a big bully.
In the end, like yourself, I’m relocating. Why? Mostly because the Canadian government are money grubbing useless morons. And when I called my MP to ask if there were benefits for me as a Canadian (being a single white Canadian girl), I was sent an application to become a non-resident of Canada. Okay, obviously I’m too smart to be living here and I ask too many questions, demanding my civil rights. Taking their suggestion/advice and getting out.
Great blog, BTW. Cheers!