I have not commented on the PM Martin "gaffe" with regards to Lebanon because, to be honest, I am not qualified to do so. I really don't have a strong grasp of the issue so I avoided it. However, Ezra Levant has translated PM Martin's statement for us and provides some clarity regarding it. (Hat-tip Shotgun)
...Martin was asked about the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. "It's clear if the Syrians are in Lebanon, it's because peace has to be maintained and there has certainly been a failure," he answered.
Say what? Let's break that down.
"It's clear." Some people say "um" when they need more time to think. Martin says "it's clear." Which is a signal that what he's about to say is, in fact, quite unclear.
"If the Syrians are in Lebanon, it's because peace has to be maintained." It is true that when a dictator invades and occupies a formerly democratic country, after the surrender there is "peace." Sort of like the peace that Eastern Europe had under the Soviet thumb, the peace of the terrified, or for Hariri, the peace of the grave.
"There has certainly been a failure." Nice. That's like the excuse "mistakes were made" -- nobody's to blame; just "mistakes" that were "made." Let's not get into petty things like who invaded whom.
Syria, a rogue, terror-sponsoring state, has announced an alliance with Iran, another rogue, terror-sponsoring state building nuclear weapons. Syria killed Hariri. Syria's illegal occupation of Lebanon continue. And Martin think's it's all OK, in the name of "peace."
Remember, this is the same PM who, while in China, claimed he sat next to "opposition politicians" at a state dinner. He actually thought the hand-picked stooges the Communist Party introduced him to were real dissidents, allowed to sit in that country's legislature.
Mr. Levant called it a President Ford moment. If you are a Liberal in this country I don't think it is possible.
