Our Friends the Americans January 25, 2006
a NEW IMPROVED HEAD editorial
About a year ago Jason Capodimonte posted an article here about the phenomenon of bleeding heart conservatism. He was prompted to write about it it by the publication of reports that Condoleezza Rice had cancelled a visit to Canada because Canada had been some mean to her. Apparently Ms Rice is so unsure of herself that she crumbles under criticism.
A similar belief cropped up frequently during our recent federal election campaign. A win by the Conservatives would, we were assured, restore friendly relations with the United States. Oh goody! You can never have too many friends! And you know how friendly the Americans have been to us!
You remember how quickly they came to help us in the two world wars, eh? You remember how they respected our decisions not to take part in the Vietnam war or the invasion of Iraq. Why, they were so respectful of our decision to stay out of Iraq that they sent their ambassador around Canada to tell us what assholes we all were. And of course they showed great respect for our independence recently when their current ambassador decided to lecture us about how we better remember to tug our forelocks whenever we talk about the United States. And of course we all remember the softwood tariffs.
Well, the Conservatives won, and no doubt the United States will act friendlier than it has been, for a while at least. The problem is that in international relations it is not friends you need, but allies. When the Americans did get into World War II, then they proved themselves formidable allies. The United States did the heavy lifting in that war, and we should be grateful to them for that. However, these days being an ally of ours is not a high priority for the United States. In fact, being anyone's ally is not a high priority for the United States.
The United States believes that it rules the world. Its status as the world's only superpower has given it the impression that it is omnipotent. The current exercises in Afghanistan and Iraq and the forthcoming one in Iran all have their origin in the belief of the United States government's that it can do whatever it wants and get away with it. The three confrontations I mentioned were all provoked by the United States.
Now, the three countries the U. S. has picked fights with are far from admirable, while on the whole we, at least, admire the United States. Nevertheless, the United States probably could have achieved its goals more efficiently in Afghanistan and Iraq without going to war, and many have argued that its provocation of Iran has diverted that country from a course of being increasingly accommodating about its nuclear program, which is what the United States wants it to be.
But to the United States the idea seems to be that it doesn't have time for other countries to waste time before falling into line behind Old Glory. The United States doesn't have time because it considers itself all-powerful and capable of whipping the unco-operative into line right smartly. If Vietnam provides a precedent, it will take them several years to notice that they're not that powerful.
To be fair to the United States, you wonder why they'd want to be friendly to Canada, anyway. Brian Mulroney was a very friendly prime minister, and even he managed to refuse to take part in Star Wars testing. The military aid he condescended to provide during the Gulf War was on the nugatory side, too (and in fact probably all the aid that Canada was able to provide).
If the United States really wanted something we had, they would take it. If they really wanted us to do something to help them, they would make us. As Wentworth Sutton observed in another article here, the only reason we haven't already been invaded by the United States is probably that so many of us are white. Recognizing these three facts and showing the proper deference to the country which has shown so much forbearance towards us seems to be more or less what Americans think constitutes Canadian friendship towards them.
Well, Stephen Harper thinks he can accomplish something by being friendlier to the United States. However, Mr. Harper's participation in Canadian public life has led us to believe that he is not the sort of person to be satisfied with a "friendship" which consists of a powerful country patting a weaker one on the head whenever it's obedient and sternly admonishing it whenever it's not. Unfortunately, as we have explained above, that's the only kind of friendship the United States currently seems to be in the mood to dispense.
But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Perhaps Mr. Harper can develop a relationship with the United States which has more of the character of real reciprocal friendship. If he does, though, we will be recommending that you join us in travelling to Ottawa to touch the hem of his garment.
Our Friends the Americans © John FitzGerald, 2006
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