mgmargate, you are boycotting travel to Canada and Russia, I hope you are also boycotting Canadian and Russian oil. And while you are at it, boycott Saudi oil.

You sound like the American ambassador to Canada, mouthing off with a limited view of history. Do you know how many days passed between the first Canadian death and the first American death in both WW1 and WW2? This does not diminish the sacrifice of those brave men but get off your high horse.

And please, remove spew from your vocabulary because it leaves me reaching for the "bucket."

Pronounced, I presume, like "bouquet", Hyacinth...

Are those that are boycotting France and Germany also going to boycott California, Vermont and South Dakota? Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean and Tom Daschle were also opposed to military intervention in Iraq. Where are the boycotts against the people and places that they represent?

As an aside, I will point out that France did provide useful support for our recent ouster of Aristide. So much for critics that claim Bush has destroyed any chance of US-Europe collaborations again.

Like I said previously, history can be used by both sides...I believe that there are photos of Don Rumsfeld when he was special envoy to Iraq (many years ago) with a smile and a friendly handshake with...Saddam. In those days, they were the friend of the west, since they were fighting a common enemy, Iran. So the US supplied them with arms, helicopters, etc...I have heard that these helicopters were the ones used when Saddam gassed the Kurds..Different times, different rules. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. So...once again, it makes a great argument when you can pick out any event in history and say..See, it proves my point...but EVERY story has two sides.

And yes, Canada does not have a large 'offensive' armed force, we decided that we could never spend enough to 'kepp up with the neighbours' so we scaled back to some tactical forces, with more of a focus towards peakeeping, where we think we can be more effective. And in this new world,tanks and aireraft carriers may not be the only or best way to fight the new ennemy.

HyacinthB: As per your request,I will call your post nonsense instead of the other word.Why don't you address my arguments directly instead of going off on a tangent.It's tiresome.

Robespierre: Since you're all knowing and seeing the rest of us can now sleep at ease.The problem is what if you're wrong.

I've found this thread very interesting and the responses, for the most part, thoughful and reasoned... the exceptions have been kind of predictable.

Has Switzerland's official neutrality in WW2 put it on anyone's boycott list?

People certainly have the right to spend their travel dollars where they wish, and even if it makes no difference to an economy, if it makes them feel better, well OK. No matter how petty and misguided, that's a person's right. And I have a feeling that if your choices are governed by something like this, you would not enjoy experiencing the culture of another country anyway. Better to stay at home in your comfort zone.

gieffel: Canada's armed forces are in a pretty sad state, it's true. Despite that we are still contributing to multi-national forces all over the world - Afghanistan comes immediately to mind. As far as needing support from the US if we were to get into trouble on our own soil, that may be. But many Canadians feel that the most likely invasion could come from south of the border!!

HyacinthB: For the record I don't ride a horse,I drive a cadillac.

mg--a pink one? (you are in Bruce's home state, aren't you?)

fueled by saudi oil

Taggie: It's your right to call it "petty & misguided", of course we would think of it as principled.

smueller - "Are those that are boycotting France and Germany also going to boycott California, Vermont and South Dakota? Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean and Tom Daschle were also opposed to military intervention in Iraq. Where are the boycotts against the people and places that they represent?"

The reason I am not going to France and Germany is not simply because of what Chirac and Schroder said or did. It is not because they did not support us on Iraq. It is because the people of the countries they represent are overwhelmingly anti-American and elected their leaders explicitly on that platform.

If Californians felt the same, I would not go there either.

Leelani - a simple "yes". World views influence my travels.

Sorry mgmargate just being silly

I have really enjoyed this discusion - especially elle, Neil or Michel.

elle: it's more like "pewter".

indie: No problem.

elle: to answer your other question,YES.

Absolutely not. Even if you disagree with a foreign government you can still love the people/place. Surely your freind is aware that no elected government gets 100% of the vote. I also believe others coming to the US realize that not everyone here voted for the current US president. In fact, it's well known that he got even less votes that his main challenger.

Elle: The first time I saw him was approx.1975 at the Spectrum in Philly.

Bardo: You are correct,but we all know winning the popular vote is not what gets you the prize in our system.

That's where I first saw him, too. But for me it was more like '83 or maybe '84?