New poll says most Canadians blame U.S. for 9/11 attacks

[ECH1969]

A majority of Canadians believe U.S. foreign policy was one of the root causes that led to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and Quebecers are quicker to criticize the U.S. administration for its international actions than other Canadians, a recent poll suggests.

Those conclusions are found in a newly released poll conducted by Léger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies.

The poll suggests that 77 per cent of Quebecers polled primarily blame American foreign policy for the Sept. 11 attacks. The results suggest 57 per cent in Ontario hold a similar view.

Canadian opinions have hardened against the United States and its role on the world stage, said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have contributed to a change of heart among people, he said.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2006/09/07/911poll.html

[CollegeDUer]

1. They're right

Now I'm going to put up my flame shield here...

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

47. Au contraire.

Expect flowers and candy.

[sui generis]

2. just check out CNN Europe edition some time

it's pretty funny how much news we DON'T get.

In fact almost all major international newspapers have an English edition on line - it's definitely worth reading what the rest of the world thinks.

Canada is no surprise at all.

[Megahurtz]

22. It's funny how the BigWigs in

Washington point a finger at places like North Korea where the people are not allowed
to have the internet, and no news, in order to control them so that they are really oppressed.

(Don't get me wrong, that leader there is nuts).:crazy:

But my point is, what's the difference in this country?:shrug:
They supress and sugar-coat lots of local and world news here,
so we are oppressed in the U.S.

That's why we have so many dumbass FreepSheeps that go along with the Iraq War et. al.

I lived in Canada for awhile and I agree. The news is totally different there.
Enjoyable to watch, much more refreshing, and most of all REAL.

[filer]

3. Have I been mistaken?

You mean they didn't attack us because they hate our freedoms?

[Benhurst]

4. This makes me so angry!

I'm going to create a thread against all Canadians as soon as I finish my Freedom bacon and eggs.

How dare they subscribe to the truth! They hate us for our freedoms.

[LostinVA]

18. I know, eh? The hoseheads!

[Captain Hilts]

5. OBL got us back for protecting Muslims from Hussein and in Yugo.

No, we did not deserve it.

[Canadian_moderate]

9. I don't think that was the question

Most Canadians do not believe that innocent people deserved to die. It is simply that foreign policy increases the threat of terrorist attacks.

I have to believe that OBL hates liberal-democrats at least as much as he hates conservatives. He simply hates our culture and the influence we have in the Muslim world, regardless of whether Clinton or GWB is president of the USA.

[Captain Hilts]

57. True. OBL's non-partisan. nt

[coalition_unwilling]

30. Over 1 million Iraqis died as a result of the U.S.-led sanctions on Iraq,

including 500,000+ Iraqi children. According to then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, "we think the price is worth it."

Now just imagine how you would feel if the shoe were on the other foot. To wit, if Muslim nations through economic sanctions had managed to starve and kill through preventable diseases some 2-3 million American children (the proportional number of children to overall population). And then, imagine how you would feel if OBL had said on international televion, "we think the price is worth it."

Spare me your moral cant and hypocrisy.

[leesa]

46. Do you believe all the lies you are told by our government?

We don't have any idea who did 9-11. It has never been investigated. The alleged OBL "admission" video wasn't even OBL, it was some fat guy with a big nose. You were told what was supposedly said by this guy. He's not even of the FBI wanted list for the crime of 9-11 because they don't have enough evidence that he was involved.

[CollegeDUer]

52. No one is saying "deserve it"

This is about 9/11 being a response to US policies. An unjust and irrational response, but a response. No one is saying it was a just response.

[dipsydoodle]

6. Well there's a surprise

who'da thunk that 9/11 could possibly be a result of American overseas policy over the years.

[Captain Hilts]

8. OBL specifically said it was because our troops were in Saudi...

Arabia after the Gulf War. They were there to protect a religious state - Saudi Arabia - from a secular one - Iraq.

OBL does not operate on the same continuum of logic we use. So, being accommodating - protecting Muslims in Yugoslavia and Saudi Arabia and being an honest broker in the Middle East under Clinton - meant nothing to him. Similarly, our being tough with terrorists also won't have any meaning for him.

Sept. 11th was planned while Clinton was in office. And the Clinton Admin. was very supportive of Arab/Muslim groups and causes.

[Sinti]

14. Which doesn't make any damn sense, since our troops have been there

since 1945. :eyes: Ridiculous ass - he and * have far too much in common. His own family helped build some of the bases.

[confludemocrat]

23. Well, no, of course it makes sense. He came to believe that we should go

regardless of how long the US had been there. And right before the invasion of Iraq, Bush (with the aid of the media in keeping it low key) quitely withdrew them. So his main demand and the basis of killing so many Americans and others was granted by Bush. As for his family having (or not) helped build the bases, so what? he was on the outs with them (publically, any way).

[greccogirl]

38. And When Osama believes something

the world should bow! (at least we should obey immediately)

[KaptBunnyPants]

39. Bush can't refuse another oil man.

The bin ladens are one of the old money families, they all stick together. It's touching, really; white, black, tan or brown, billionaires of all colors and creeds are united by their love of themselves and general sense of superiority. So naturally, though George was, at first, a bit miffed about that whole "terrorist" incident, he's been doing all he can to help his BFF out ever since. He let him go at Tora Bora. He aquiesed to his one major demand. He diverted America's outrage from 9/11 to Saddam (one of Osama's enemies). He directed focus away from finding bin laden, going so far as to say he doesn't even care about it. Hell, he just let one of his closest allies, Pakistan, announce sanctuary for him. I give it another year before Bush gives him the medal of freedom. Year and a half, tops.

[Sinti]

42. Publicly, any way - under the table they continued to support him with $$$

And they did gather together for his son's wedding, though it was a wedding I guess that's understandable. I understand what you're saying, in the way I understand waging war for the purpose of peace. I'm convinced, and I could be wrong, that if UBL is/was who they say he is/was the Saudi monarchy would have offed him and paid his family compensation for it JMHO.

[CJCRANE]

27. Florida 2000

was also planned while Clinton was in office.

[coalition_unwilling]

31. Except for Madeleine Albright's foot-in-mouth disease (n/t)

[greccogirl]

37. And we should definitely take

Osama at his word. He's so honorable.

[Canadian_moderate]

7. I hope there a difference between blame and condone

Innocent people were killed on 9/11. No amount of horrible US foreign policy justifies an attack against innocent people in one of the more liberal-minded and multi-cultural cities in the USA.

I would agree that poor foreign policy leads to greater terrorist threats. That said, we should not appease the terrorists either.

Personally, I still believe that toppling the Taliban in Afghanistan was the right thing to do. I have strongly believed from the start that invading Iraq was a major mistaken and unnecessary distraction from the true war on terrorism. There was no evidence whatsoever that Saddam had anything to do with 9/11 or that Saddam was a major threat to US security.

[coalition_unwilling]

32. Toppling the Taliban in Afghanistan was the right thing to do?

Yeah, I guess if your interest is in seeing Afghan opium production blossom by 59% after their "fall". The Taliban, I should remind you, were willing and stated so publicly to turn OBL over to a neutral third country, upon presentation of evidence. Said presentation of evidence was exactly what the US refused and continues to refuse to do, Colin Powell's assertions to the contrary. (Powell said we would make a dossier available publicly, but somehow the BFEE just never quite got around to it.)

[geek tragedy]

54. You are in serious error.

The Taliban were under UN sanctions for sheltering bin Laden after the embassy bombings. It is beyond naive to suggest that they were willing to turn him over, and that they only failed to do so because mean old Uncle Sam refused to play fair.

[coalition_unwilling]

58. They said they were willing to turn him over UPON PRESENTATION

OF EVIDENCE. If the shoe were on the other foot and the Taliban demanded your extradition to Afghanistan, wouldn't you want your government to insist upon seeing the evidence before turning you over??? If so, then why would you apply a different standard to the legitimate government of Afghanistan? Unless you don't believe that what's good for the goose should also be good for the gander.

[geek tragedy]

59. They were ALREADY IN VIOLATION OF UN SECURITY COUNCIL

resolutions by hiding him. Before 911.

Because of the Embassy Bombings--which no one denies AQ conducted.

Think about it. They were joined at the hip with AQ, depended on AQ for financing, and had already declared that he was welcome despite the mass slaughter that AQ conducted in Kenya and Tanzania. The UN demanded they turn over Osama, and they told the UN Security Council to go fuck itself.

Their 'offer' doesn't even pass the smell test.

[coalition_unwilling]

60. Ask yourself this question: did Colin Powell ever release the

dossier of unclassified evidence against OBL that was promised before the US invaded and occupied Afghanistan? I think you will be surprised at what you discover.

[geek tragedy]

62. I've discovered that some people swallow Taliban

propaganda like it was mother's milk.

[William769]

10. Shit now the Canadians are drinking KOOL-AID!

There was no excuse for 9-11. Being the cowards that they are they went after innocent people & not the Government. Thats inexcusable.

[missTheBigDog]

12. I agree with William...

Why go after innocent people, many of which don't agree with this President or administration anyway.

[Jacobin]

13. Palesitinians and Iraqi civilians?

Maybe because of what we do to them or allow to be done to them?

Just sayin'

[William769]

15. I am assuming you are an American citizen.

Are you allowing this to happen? Did the people in the world trade center allow this to happen?

Just sayin'

[Jacobin]

24. The same way Iraqis allowed Saddam to happen

They didn't overthrow him.

Americans haven't overthrown those in Washington supporting the neo-cons

[coalition_unwilling]

33. "DING" (to mimic Randi Rhodes' sound effects) --n/t

[uppityperson]

16. "U.S. foreign policy was one of the root causes"

There is is difference. Not an excuse but one of the root causes. It was unexcusable, and yes, US foreign policy is coming home to bite us, birds are coming home to roost, shutting the barn door after the horse has left, other pithy things. US foreign policy does not excuse killing innocents, but is a root cause.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. "innocent people & not the government"

Did you miss the part that says "foreign policy?"

[Lisa]

45. exactly -- Canadians understand the difference ... (pic)

That's why more than 100,000 of us stood on Parliament Hill at Canada's memorial service for the 9/11 victims on Friday of that same week, in defiance of the possibility that the terrorists might strike again at such a large public gathering. We've known for years -- decades, even -- that US government policy frequently does not reflect the beliefs and wishes of many Americans ... and even goes against it.





"I don't think I've ever seen a crowd like this before. God bless the Canadians," Mr. Livezay said, looking out at a throng that included Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, most of the Liberal cabinet, the leaders of other political parties, and thousands of ordinary Canadians who came to show solidarity with the United States during one of its darkest moments.

"We really feel you Canadians are our best friends," Mrs. Livezay added. "This is unbelievable."

http://www.ctv.ca/special/sept11/hubs/archives/sallot_two.html

[MrPrax]

19. Oh yeah...

If you recall...up until 9/11 AQ and it's sundry groups exclusively attacked US military targets and related allied governments. USS Cole ring a bell? American Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania? Saudi barracks? All government targets?

That is probably one of the strangest things about 9/11 -- it was a radical departure for a group that had ONLY concerned itself with US presence in Msulims countries...

But as far as killing innocents -- how many do you think Clinton killed in retaliation, huh?

U.S. Cruise Missiles Strike Sudan and Afghan Targets Tied to Terrorist Network

ASHINGTON -- Dozens of U.S. cruise missiles struck targets in Afghanistan and the Sudan on Thursday in what President Clinton described as an act of self-defense against imminent terrorist plots and of retribution for the bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa two weeks ago.

The strikes were launched from ships in the Arabian and Red Seas at dusk. It was not immediately clear whether the raids were a military success. Pentagon officials said that no Americans died but that they had no immediate estimate of other casualties or damage. Early Friday, an Islamic press agency reported 15 deaths from the bombings in Afghanistan.

With about 75 missiles timed to explode simultaneously in unsuspecting countries on two continents, the operation was the most formidable U.S. military assault ever against a private sponsor of terrorism.

NYTimes


Bill Clinton Bombs an Aspirin Factory
http://www.mega.nu:8080/ampp/khartoumbomb.html">Mega Nu wrap up of 10 stories, including the owner of the pill factory that filed a lawsuit -- unusual behaviour for a terrorist, no?

Now by innocents, do you mean the US public support for sanctioning countries like Iraq so that all the innocent people will then be compelled to overthrow leaders who otherwise would kill their people anyway...the Iraq sanctions alone may have killed half a million children. If children are not by definition an innocent. I don't know what is...

We won't even go into the Vietnam, 'highway of death' or the smoldering barrio in Panama City...

Nice dream world you live in...you must be a 75er...you know, the 75% of Americans that swallowed bogus WMDs and supported 'war crime'...

Too much...

[slowry]

26. Um...

Nobody is EXCUSING 9/11 by pointing out the origin of the terrorist's hatred (not the only cause, but certainly a major one, if not the most significant).

[sueragingroz]

40. It's not about excuses or justifications

What OBL did was wrong. Duh.

But that and other terror attacks are blowback for previous activies by the American military/intelligence machine during the cold war and after....

[Minstrel Boy]

48. "There was no excuse for 9-11"

An excuse is different than a reason.

[geek tragedy]

11. Misleading headline--look at the details

When participants were given the option of choosing more than one cause for the attacks, two-thirds blamed Islamic fundamentalists and their anti-Western views, while a third pointed the finger at Israel and its position in the Middle East.

Gee, ya think that maybe there was more than one cause?

[LynnTheDem]

20. So do I.

You can't go round killing other people's kids, interferring with other people's countries, stabbing other people's leaders in the backs, for decades, and expect not to get hit back.

[dipsydoodle]

21. I see that common sense has returned

to this post. There sure are some strange remarks above your one.

[LynnTheDem]

28. I noticed that, too.

Cdns aren't saying we "deserved" it...they're saying -RIGHTLY- that our FOREIGN POLICY is a root cause.

Yeah HELLO it sure as hell was and is! As you say, that's just COMMON SENSE.

"They" hate us because for decades the US govt has been slaughtering/supporting terrorism/supporting oppression of innocent men, women & kids in our names. Only our "media" never bothers to point such FACTS out. For some ignorant reason, too many Americans think if we Americans don't see/hear/speak of sauch things, then they don't exist ("it isn't the Abu Ghraib tortures/murders/rapes...it's the PHOTOS!")

The rest of the world though DOES know (and unfortunately experience) what's been/being done in our names.

[Jacobin]

25. I suspect this poll would be universal around the entire globe

except for Israel and perhaps Australia and Britain.

Nothing unusual here.

When your foreign policy sucks, there are consequences.

[LynnTheDem]

29. And I betcha Oz and the UK would also be in agreement. The majority

of Aussies & Brits oposed bush's bushit invasions. As did the rest of the world (even Israel's population opposed the bushit).

Funny how suppowsed liberals can't help their knee-jerk reactions. Common sense quite clearly shows it's our foreign policy that has made people hate us. It even has a name...

BLOWBACK.

Problem is, most Americans don't have the foggiest idea what kind of horrors the US has been committing around the world for years. Not a clue. So they are totally at a loss to understand how anyone could hate us so much. America; 30 years behind the rest of the world, as usual.

[coalition_unwilling]

34. Hard to decide whether Americans are stupid (born that way) or

ignorant (consciously cultivated state). Either way, sit back and enjoy the decline and fall of the American Empire. Won't be long now before Lincoln's notion of America as "the last, best hope of mankind" is but a distant memory.

[sueragingroz]

41. Blowback

""Blowback" is a CIA term first used in March 1954 in a recently declassified report on the 1953 operation to overthrow the government of Mohammed Mossadegh in Iran. It is a metaphor for the unintended consequences of the US government's international activities that have been kept secret from the American people. The CIA's fears that there might ultimately be some blowback from its egregious interference in the affairs of Iran were well founded. Installing the Shah in power brought twenty-five years of tyranny and repression to the Iranian people and elicited the Ayatollah Khomeini's revolution. The staff of the American embassy in Teheran was held hostage for more than a year. This misguided "covert operation" of the US government helped convince many capable people throughout the Islamic world that the United States was an implacable enemy."

From: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20011015/johnson

Here's some light reading:

http://www.amazon.com/Steeles-Short-List-on-Blowback-Dissent-Intl-Relations/lm/1HDI2MHA1JNEI

[bamacrat]

35. Oh Canada, our home and native land.

Why cant we be more like you.

[Captain Hilts]

51. Ohhhh, Caaaanaaaduh, I live next door to thee....nt

[Canadian_moderate]

55. What's your point?

If you have the ability to read the article, you'll find that the headline is very misleading. Canadians don't believe that America deserved to be the victim of 9/11 attacks. At least most Canadians don't, there are some exceptions and you'll find that Quebec's view on Americans can be very extreme at times.

It is obvious that foreign policies and America's influence over the rest of the world, and much of the Middle East, has resulted in resentment and hatred against Americans. Justified ort not, that is the cause of the terrorist attacks.

[Captain Hilts]

56. It means I live next door to Canada.

I lived in Toronto for four years and I'm first generation with both sides of my family coming to the US through Canada. I have relatives in government in Canada.

I understand, and generally agree, with much of the Canadian point of view with the exception that I seem to like Canada more than most Canadians I met while living there.

OBL's real beefs should be with his own government. I've never supported US troops staying there for a world of reasons.

But saying the US deserved it is a whitewash that distorts more than it explains. Yep, the US screwed over Iran in the 50s. Big Time. Did Carter have anything to do with it? Well, no. The US expended a great deal of time, effort and troops through the 1990s protecting Muslims and their interests in the Middle East. So, OBL plans the WTC attack.

[Canadian_moderate]

61. Other than the misleading headline

I don't think the majority (or even close to that) of Canadians think that the USA deserved to be attacked on 9/11. That's what I'm trying to convey.

Because the USA has so much foreign involvement, both businesswise and militarily, it results in some people resenting the USA (and other western countries, for that matter).

As for Saudi Arabia, if you hadn't noticed yet, there have been numerous terrorist attacks and terror plots that have taken place there over the past decade of so. OBL has been an outcast for about a decade or more by now and I believe his own family has also pretty much disowned him.

In many ways the USA is damned if they do and damned if they don't. Remember how Europe basically begged Clinton to do more in Serbia and Kosovo? Being the primary superpower is not easy.

[greccogirl]

36. I'm not surprised....................

[0007]

43. Canada has it right....

Anericans are too busy paying attention to Bill O'Reilly ..

[madmusic]

63. That's great!

Can the sheeple read though or do they just look at the pictures and go bahhh?

[BeHereNow]

44. Well, DUH!

Gee, I wonder how a strike on those particular
targets could be related to US CORPORATE led foreign
policy ???

Meh,
BHN

[HuffleClaw]

49. damn straight

and our current pm's bush bootlicking isn't helping.

[ryanmuegge]

50. I agree, but...

There's something about outsiders saying something about my country that makes me want to react with "fuck you. Shut the fuck up already."

Again, they're right about our foreign policy bringing it on, especially, among other things, the installation of the Shah in Iran.

[JohnyCanuck]

53. Some Canadians go a step further

and say 911 was an inside job. If Osama's men were involved, they were set up as the patsies to be the fall guys.

False Flag Operations: Declassified Military Documents Show How US Government Planned Terrorist Attacks Against its Own Citizens

SNIP

In his newly published book "Towers of Deception – The Media Cover-Up of 9/11," Barrie Zwicker, writes about Operation Northwoods and many other such operations that the military and intelligence community refer to as "false flag operations." http://www.newsociety.com/bookid/3932

Zwicker is a lifelong journalist who was a media critic for 35 years and who often appeared on Canadian national TV and radio.

His book explains that these covert operations are designed to appear as if they are being carried out by other entities, such as other countries or terrorist groups, to help demonize them and justify wars for geopolitical reasons and for financial gains.

The term "false flag" is derived from the naval warfare concept of flying false colors; that is, flying the flag of a country other than one's own.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/prweb/20060907/bs_prweb/prweb434292_2

See also Top 40 Reasons to Doubt the Official Story on 911