OMAR KHADR IS A CANADIAN CITIZEN

Whatever your opinions on Canadian immigration policies since the second World War, the reality is that Mr. Khadr was born in Canada and is a legitimate, legal Canadian citizen. Our federal government has a broad diversity of duties and responsibilities, but one of the most basic is looking out for the rights and security of Canadian citizens. Omar Khadr at the tender and impressionable age of fifteen was put into a house by his father that was later bombed and attacked by U.S. military forces. Khadr's acquaintances and friends all died and he himself was wounded almost unto death. The U.S. government alleges that he threw a grenade killing one U.S. soldier while he was lying terribly wounded on the ground. After a mere eight years in captivity in the notorious Guantanamo, he confessed to that killing in exchange for a transfer back to Canada. Quite frankly after eight hours in captivity most of us would confess to just about anything to get out of the hands of the people who had mortally attacked us.

The Progressive Conservatives don't have a leg to stand on. They appear to have been supporting their U.S. ally from the beginning with absolutely zero concern about a fifteen year old Canadian citizen's life much less rights. Shame on the federal tories. Omar Khadr is finally back in Canada, despite the Conservatives not because of them. Shame on them again. Mr. Khadr has been treated like trash by Canadian politicians. Allegedly Public Safety Minister Vic Toews is worried that Mr. Khadr might have been "radicalized" by his confinement in Guantanamo. Who the hell's fault is that? Khadr certainly didn't ask to be attacked, bombed, shot, imprisoned and then left to rot by the Canadian government. There are days that I feel that I've been "radicalized" by the hypocrisy, lies and deceit of our politicians. Who could possibly be "normal" after spending one's youth, teenage years and early twenties in prison after allegedly commiting a crime as a "child soldier". Indeed he was a child. I'm not so sure they ever proved he was a soldier much less anything else. U.S. military "justice" does not win any awards for transparency, honesty or integrity. Shame on the lot of them, U.S. and Canadian authorities. Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys the most recent story.