Liberty, War & Politics

Canadian Nationalism and David Orchard

David Orchard Campaign
Running for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. (1)

He is not a libertarian, but traditional Canadian conservatism and nationalism is compelling. With an independent Canada there is hope of a freer Canada.

March 11, 2003 Orchard Replies to Mackay on Iraq

“…Such an attack by Canada on Iraq would be a clear violation of international law, as set out in the Nuremberg Tribunal rulings, the Geneva Convention and the Charter of the United Nations itself, which prohibits the use of force by a nation except in self defence. Self defence requires an armed attack by Iraq to have taken place or to be demonstrably imminent. Under the rulings of the Nuremberg Tribunal, a participant in an illegal war is liable for its actions. An attack by Canada on Iraq would also be a violation of our own domestic law, as set out in the National Defence Act.”

“…I stand strongly opposed to an attack by Canada on Iraq unless it occurs in legitimate self defence.” (2)

December 13, 2002 Leadership Candidate for Tories Addresses Canadian Sovereignty

“Orchard said that Canada’s foreign policy, foreign ownership of its companies, and discussion about adopting the U.S. dollar are all serious threats to our national identity and quality of life. He said Canadians would be making a “mortal mistake” if they don’t act now to preserve their identity.” (3)

David Orchard’s Fight for Canada (4)

March 31, 2003 Not your typical Tory (5)

March 6, 2000 What makes me a Conservative by David Orchard (6)

I disagree with much of what he is saying here, but there is some truth in it. I believe societal institutions should be created and preserved by private entities voluntarily and naturally (individuals, families, businesses, communities, churches, charities or otherwise) but not forced by the State. There was never a chance to see if that was possible in Canada, because as you can see from the history he praises so much, the Canadian government wanted to run everything.

I disagree with the idea that fostering dependency, usurping individual decision-making and taking everybody’s money creates the best kind of society. But he is on the right track with sovereignty.

War and Liberty

March 24/03 Whose War? by Patrick J. Buchanan

“A neoconservative clique seeks to ensnare our country in a series of wars that are not in America’s interest.”(7)

March 13/03 America’s Flailing Francophobes by Thomas Fleming

“They want our boys and girls to die for their political schemes…”

“…They are always in favor of bombing, embargoing, and boycotting anyone they disagree with.”

“…The fact that as many as half a million Iraqi children have died as a direct result of the embargo on Iraq that they support is all the fault of Saddam Hussein.” (8)

March 18/03 Saddam bin Laden by Joseph Sobran

“But when you fear that your cause is bad, even the slightest disagreement may stick in the craw of your conscience. You want everyone to conform, to give your cause the appearance of righteousness, and even a single dissenter can tempt you to a frenzy of abuse.” (9)

April 01/03 America’s Other War: On Liberty by Dan Gillmor

“The Register: … Hawash has been arrested on undisclosed charges and detained. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but owes his loss of liberty – and constitutional rights – because he has [been] detained as a “material witness” on the grounds of giving to a charity.”

Quote from Wall Street Journal:

“Last week’s guilty pleas came after the government threatened the defendants with “enemy combatant” status — which meant their cases would have been pulled out of court, and the men handed over to the military for indefinite incommunicado confinement …” (10)

April 2, 2003 A ‘terrible, bloody’ miscalculation
by Alan W. Bock

“Former envoy to Iraq expects U.S. to win war, lose on many other fronts”

“… And we’ll be paying a high price for a long time to come in increased Middle Eastern instability and acts of terrorism.”

“…The idea that attacking Iraq will end terrorism is a little hard to square with the fact that we’ve called up 25,000 reservists to protect the homeland, and Colin Powell has asked for $6 billion to turn every American embassy into a fortress, all to coincide with the beginning of the war.” (11)

Ethics

April 2, 2003 Obedience to Orders, Part 2 by Jacob G. Hornberger

“…at least by 1971 most of us had come to the realization that many other Americans had arrived at – that our schoolmates were being sacrificed by our own government in a worthless and ignoble cause – and that the carnage would continue indefinitely until someone finally mustered up the courage to order the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Vietnam.”

“…It is wrong, immoral, and illegal to torture or mistreat prisoners of war and criminal suspects. It is a crime or a war crime to do so, whether it’s done by an enemy soldier or cop or by a U.S. soldier or cop. A military officer has a moral and legal duty to refuse to obey an order to that effect, whether it is issued by the president or simply his immediate superior officer.”

“…The dark days of Chile and Argentina during their “wars on terrorism” did not last forever. Ultimately the sun comes out, and then it’s just a question of who participated in the wrongdoing during the dark days and what moral and legal responsibility they bear for their wrongdoing.” (12)

Nov 16, 2000 Libertarian Outlaw: An Interview With Jacob Hornberger by Karen De Coster
Includes discussion of issues that divide libertarians: abortion, immigration, gradualist approach, religion.(13)

 

Notes

[1] http://davidorchard.com/
David Orchard: Campaign for Canada

[2] http://davidorchard.com/online/articles-2003/iraqreply-orchard-newsrelease-030311.html
DAVID ORCHARD PRESS RELEASE, March 11, 2003, ORCHARD REPLIES TO MACKAY ON IRAQ

[3] http://davidorchard.com/online/media-2002/leadershipcandidate-
021212.html
Victoria Times Colonist, December 13, 2002, Leadership Candidate for Tories Addresses Canadian Sovereignty by Darren Stewart

[4] http://davidorchard.com/online/fight/fightfor.html

[5] http://davidorchard.com/online/media-2003/notyourtypical-aikenhead
-dailynews-030331.html
The Daily News, March 31, 2003, Not your typical Tory by Sherri Aikenhead

[6] http://davidorchard.com/online/articles-2000/what-makes.html
Globe and Mail, March 6, 2000 What makes me a Conservative by David Orchard

[7] http://amconmag.com/03_24_03/cover.html
The American Conservative, March 24, 2003, Whose War? by Patrick J. Buchanan

[8] http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/HardRight/HardRight031303.html
Chronicles Extra, March 13, 2003, AMERICA’S FLAILING FRANCOPHOBES by Thomas Fleming

[9] http://www.sobran.com/columns/2003/030318.shtml
Sobran’s, March 18, 2003, Saddam bin Laden by Joseph Sobran

[10] http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/
000908.shtml#000908
SiliconValley.com, Dan Gillmor’s EJournal, April 01, 2003, America’s Other War: On Liberty

[11] http://www.antiwar.com/ocregister/bloody.html
The Orange County Register, Wednesday, April 2, 2003, A ‘terrible, bloody’ miscalculation Former envoy to Iraq expects U.S. to win war, lose on many other fronts By ALAN W. BOCK

[12] http://www.fff.org/comment/com0304a.asp
The Future of Freedom Foundation, Obedience to Orders, Part 2, by Jacob G. Hornberger, April 2, 2003

[13] http://www.lewrockwell.com/decoster/decoster13.html