Canada looks 'South of the Border'
UNITED NATIONS Ñ The recent pronuncimento from Ottawa warning Canadian citizens of Middle Eastern origin to think twice before visiting the USA, is as politically motivated as it is unwarranted. CanadaÕs Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens that visiting south of the border could see them falling afoul of AmericaÕs tough new anti-terrorist laws. That may well be technically true, but read on.
The highly unusual travel warning came amid concerns in which Canadian citizens, namely naturalized immigrants from certain Middle East countries (Islamic Iran, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Sudan), will be singled out for scrutiny. Sadly those countries have, should we say, earned their reputation.
The very next day, the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service, the CSIS, reported that LebanonÕs radical Hizbullah movement, a terrorist group financed by Islamic Iran and Syria, have a dangerously large and effective infrastructure in Canada. Moreover, the Hizbullah operatives, while primarily using Canada as a safe haven and money laundering base, may use its Canadian network for larger-U.S. targeted operations.
CSIS reported that even as Hizbullah agents lived in Canada with their families as immigrants, these operatives apparently remained disdainful of their new surroundings denouncing Òthe Canadians and the Zionists Ò in a wiretapped conversations, reports TorontoÕs National Post.
Moreover, the National Post added, ÒAlthough defended recently as a political movement by Jean Chretien, the Prime Minister, and Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hizbullah has been running secret operations in Canada for more than a decade.
Mr. Chretien declined to condemn Hizbullah after he attended an event at the francophonie summit in Beirut two weeks ago that was also attended by the groupÕs leader.Ó
In the best spirit of the francophonie Ñ Sacre Bleu! Hizbullah, a Òpolitical movement?Ó Yes, and may I add one in which militia members specialize in kidnap, car bombings, and hijacks plus old-fashioned drug smuggling and car theft rackets.
ItÕs long been an open secret that Canada, through its generous hospitality and genuine openness to immigrants, has been played as a political patsy for many unpleasant types who come into the country for an easier passport than the US. Long before September 11th intelligence experts regarded Canada as the weakest link, for many politically motivated types wishing to enter the U.S. illegally.
The long Òopen borderÓ between the U.S. and Canada is no longer unique Ñ since the European Union (EU) scrapped any formal frontier controls movement within Western Europe (except Britain) has been particularly easy for criminals, terrorists, and illegals . In both the European and American case we are speaking about a small fraction of the number scrutinized as being even possibly Òinteresting.Ó
For Canada to castigate new but overdue border controls at the 5,500-mile U.S. frontier is totally understandable; after all the traditional friendship and close ties between the North American countries remains as close to a political given as one may expect. Yet in the post-September 11th world, the U.S. has been forced to look beyond its own lethargic sloppiness in enforcing immigration controls and quite bluntly using security surveillance which remains a legitimate legal purview of any sovereign state.
The same Canadian left-wing government which exhibits a remarkable political deference to CastroÕs Cuba, shows a sophomoric hostility to the USA.
Sadly, Canadians of Middle Eastern origin fall into the watch list. Yet I donÕt recall the doomed airliners September 11th being hijacked by Norwegians nor Irishmen but by radical Islamic fundamentalists who happen to be from the Middle East.
Still stigmatizing Middle Easterners (regardless of religion) will see legal challenges on both sides of the border. While the new U.S. controls do not specifically target Muslims Ñ indeed some of the most brutal Middle East terrorists have been Christian Ñ this will be broad-brushed as racist and anti-Arab. In deference to mounting Canadian hostility, Washington has already trimmed its sails stating that fingerprinting and photographing of naturalized Middle Eastern border crossers will no longer be automatic.
Hopefully, beyond ricocheting around some NGOÕs and possibly getting into a UN committee hearing, the entire crisis will hopefully become a tempest in a teapot.
John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense
issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com.
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