Flit

BIT DISHONEST, DON'T YOU THINK?

BIT DISHONEST, DON'T YOU THINK?

The Globe has a piece today on how Steven Staples of the "Polaris Institute" has called for a freeze in Canadian defence spending:

The report recommends a defence budget that reflects the minimum necessary to ensure sovereignty patrols of Canada's territory and non-combat peacekeeping under United Nations auspices.

The Globe describes the Polaris Institute as "founded to help citizen movements 'reskill and retool themselves to fight for democratic social change in an age of corporate driven globalization.'"

What the Globe doesn't tell you is that Staples, the author, and as far as I can tell, one of only two members of the Polaris Institute, is also chair of the International Network on Disarmament and Globalization, and a long-time peace activist from Vancouver. His other affiliations include Peacewire, the Public Education for Peace Society, and End the Arms Race. He has previously opposed military airshows in Canada, and American nuclear ships in Canadian waters, and wants a ban on all Canadian exports for military purposes. His report states that the Sept. 11 attacks by Al Qaeda were sparked by globalization, free trade and world poverty, and says Canadians will feel more secure far more secure if the money is spent on health care instead.

A disarmament advocate? Calling for an end to a Canadian military? So... how did this make the front of the Globe's website again, exactly? Did the "dog bites man" piece not get edited in time? It's certainly dishonest to just reprint the group's press release like this.

WORMTONGUE UPDATE Anything that might

WORMTONGUE UPDATE

Anything that might just start to convince the national broadcasting network to not use this excrescence as their leading Middle East commentator would be worth it. Let the Wormtongue pile-on commence.