I listened to President Bush’s address to Congress, where he complimented all U.S. allies, introduced British Prime Minister Tony Blair and called the United Kingdom “our greatest ally,” I thought “Canada, George, don’t forget the Canadians!” I turned to my wife and said, “This will not sit well up north.”
Sure enough, I caught the CBC news the next night, and they were livid about being snubbed! I heard comments like “Typical how the U.S. takes us for granted” and “We are NOT just a 51st state.” What especially rankled them was the fact that Canadians considered themselves the United States’ closest neighbor. After all, not only was Canada the first country to line up behind the Americans, but it is also a key ally in fighting terrorism within U.S. borders.
Our nations are the largest trading partners in the world, and share the longest continuous border between two countries. Additionally, the Middle Eastern population in Canada far exceeds that of the U.S., percentage wise. (Remember, one of bin Laden’s soldiers was caught with bomb making material by U.S. customs officers, here in Washington.)
Don’t get me wrong, I support President Bush’s noble efforts in this war on terrorism, 150 percent. His speech was a great and historic speech, but he made this one major oversight. It may seem trivial, but the U.S. can ill-afford to discount Canadian support at this critical time in our history.
God bless the U.S. and all its allies!
Snohomish
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