That is what the New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof is asking this terrible morning:

Unconfirmed via Al Hadath: The downed Ukrainian aircraft outbound from #Tehran was accidentally shot down by Iranian AA units. https://t.co/5R8gnh4S89

— The Intel Bear (@IntelCrab) January 8, 2020

If that turns out to be the case, Iran has committed an act of war against Canada. The League of Nations, among others, define an act of war as an attack by a state’s land, naval or air forces, with or without a declaration of war, on the territory, vessels or aircraft of another state. So this would appear to qualify, if true.

This morning, the government advised Canadians to “avoid non-essential travel” to Iran. That seems to lack the requisite emphasis, but maybe that is the way Global Affairs expresses itself.

In any event, in the case of the burgeoning Iran-U.S. undeclared war, Canada’s desire to render itself very small hasn’t worked. The families of those murdered Canadians are going to demand answers and action.

We’re involved now, whether we like it or not.

Comments (44)

I REALLY LOVE YOUR BOOKS

Dear Mr. Kinsella

I’m sorry to waste your time on this, but your books (specifically the X Gang series) have helped me through so much. I’m a thirteen-year-old girl, and I have loved punk rock for as long as I can remember. my favorite bands are Bad Religion and Bikini Kill. I have always felt so ignored and cast out by everybody. Recently, I told somebody I thought I could trust that I had feelings towards other girls, and that person told everybody. Even though getting called “fag” and “dyke” is the highlight of my day, dressing like the unborn child of Sid and Nancy didn’t help that case at all. Your books and your characters are like my family. It is so amazing to see how close the punks were back then. I wish I knew people like X, Kurt, and Patti in real life. I can’t even imagine all of the things they had to go through. And to think it was based on a true story. I also love the constant Clash and Pistols references. Your books (along with a lot of great music) helped me realize that it’s okay to dress how I dress and believe in what I want to believe. If you ever happened to see this, thank you so much. punk’s not dead (I hope). I recently figured out that the Hot Nasties were a real band. I don’t know if you played in it, but they rock. My favorite song by them is secret of immortality.

Sincerely, 

one of your readers

p.s. 

In my head X kinda looks like teenage David bowie, and I tried to change that image cause I don’t really love the image of bowie kissing teenage girls but now that image is forever in my brain. Also, Kurt is my favorite character cause I guess I can relate to him the most and he was like a make-shift best friend to me for a long time. sorry for wasting those few seconds of your life you’ll never get back.”

Comments (2)

The decision of Donald Trump to target Iran’s Qassim Soleimani is, according to every expert, very significant. The experts say it is bigger than bin-Laden. Bigger than Mugniyeh. Bigger than Baghdadi.

This morning, I was up early. I wondered whether Trump – as he has done in the past – advised Justin Trudeau in advance of the Soleimani action. Given that we have Canadian troops and citizens and diplomats in harm’s way in the region, it is a reasonable question.

When I posted that query on Twitter, however, I got back a barrage of juvenile, puerile crap about the Liberal Prime Minister. For instance:

• The Trudeau-haters, who would be attacking Trudeau for being at his desk in Ottawa, were instead attacking him for not being in Ottawa.

• The Trudeau-haters, who would be attacking Justin Trudeau for sending someone out to make his liquor purchases, were instead attacking him for allegedly making his own liquor purchases.

• The Trudeau-haters, who would be attacking Trudeau for being too much in the media during the holidays, were instead attacking him for being less visible during the holidays.

• The Trudeau-haters, who would be attacking him for bringing his wife and family on a jet to Costa Rica, were instead attacking him for not being seen with his wife in Costa Rica.

And on and on. It was relentless.

Listen, Conservative folks: I am rumored not to be a major fan of this Trudeau guy, either. But – despite being greatly weakened by LavScam and blackface and assorted other controversies – he still won more seats than your guy. He won.

Making idiotic comments about his marriage, or his willingness to stand in line to make his own purchases, or not being in Ottawa and out of the limelight for once – well, it makes you sound idiotic.

It also will help to ensure that he wins the next election, hands-down. And it won’t be a minority, either.

Grow up. Wake up. And, if you’ve got nothing meaningful to say at a very serious time for the Middle East and the world – well, you might consider shutting up, too.



Comments (34)

I did, for a few weeks in the Fall. Didn’t miss it. Didn’t look at it. Only came back because the account had been hacked and needed fixing.

I’ve got about 42,000 followers, and a lot of them seemed to be okay that I was back. Some people said nasty things, which I enjoy retweeting or – if they’re really awful – putting on Facebook and this web site.

That said, read this. The points he makes sounded really, really – really – familiar to me.

Comments are open. I’d be interested in what you think (as always).

I still read Twitter — its utility as a news source is unparalleled — but I don’t participate in it at all. And yes, I miss it. I miss presenting my work to readers. I miss presenting my magazine’s work to readers. I miss getting off the one-liners that amuse me and seemed to amuse others.

If I could find a way to participate simply by tweeting out articles and gnomish would-be witticisms, I would. But I can’t see how I would be able to avoid sinking back into the mire.

There’s a reason Twitter has ­defined this decade’s communications. It’s the most interactive ­medium the world has ever known, and it’s great fun.

But Twitter has an oversoul now, and the oversoul is poisonous. It ­rewards bad rhetorical behavior, it privileges outrage of any sort over reason of all sorts, and it encourages us to misunderstand each other. It’s the devil on our shoulder.

Or, at least, it was the devil on mine.

Comments (6)