Canada halts relations with Iran

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http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2 ... bassy.html

This decision came as something of a shock to many in Canada and the world. There is a lot of speculation going around- that the closure of our embassy there could be a prelude to a joint US-Israeli attack on the nation. Other concerns include the Iranian embassy tracking Iranian-Canadians and acting against them on Canadian soil or when they return to visit their country, and the embassy being used to control sleeper cells in Canada. Nothing seems completely clear at this point, but I am disappointed that our government really does not think diplomacy is going to work. I also question the consistency of Canada in enforcing this "moral principle towards diplomacy", since we still happily deal with Saudi Arabia, China, etc, nations with equally bad or worse human rights records. I have spoken to a few Iranian-Canadians about this and they are quite concerned and uncertain about the future of their fairly large community in Canada. In any case I would like to hear what everyone thinks of this matter.

So wait... you don't think a war with Iran is a good idea because of potential for global implications, but support cutting off diplomacy with them that could very well prevent such a scenario?

Let's bear a few things in mind:

1) We haven't had an ambassador on the ground in Tehran for years. Even before we recalled our last ambassador we had no real access to government decision makers, our intelligence gathering capabilities were really no stronger than CNN's (well, since 2006, Fox News'), so the PERPA program (Political/Economic Relations and Public Affairs) was sitting, twiddling its collective thumbs.

2) We have virtually no trade relationship with Iran beyond personal trade conducted by Persian Canadians in their personal capacities. So the Trade Commissioner program had nothing to do.

3) Our ability to provide consular assistance to Canadians was virtually nil--particularly Persian-Canadians who were considered local nationals by the Iranian government.

So the only programs the were operating on any meaningful level were the Immigration program and the Administration program. Well, we can easily run the immigration program out of Ankara--we run lots of our immigration programs out of missions in third countries. And if the Administration program exists only to serve diplomats who can't actually get much of their jobs done, they why are we doing it?

Add to that the fact that the Iranians have done precisely nothing to improve security for foreign missions after the mob attack on the British Embassy last year (which was in a fortified compound, rather than our much more exposed location), and that Canada is one of the last remaining countries that was on the ground that supports Israel as a matter of explicit foreign policy, and the situation beings to look very dicey from the perspective of the safety and security of Canada based staff.

If you can't get anything done, then why put Canadians at risk? That $7million can be better spent deploying additional resources to Cairo, Damascus, Amman, Riyadh, Ramallah and Tel Aviv--where we can actually talk to the governments and administrations.

I guess Canada is probably gonna bring troops into Iran when the US declares war.

Though oddly, Obama rebuked Israel recently. Is Canada becoming even crazier than the United States?

Good for Canada.

This does not bode well.
I would look to see how many other major powers will be cutting off their ties in the coming months (esp. Britain, etc) - and watch for a pattern.
And wait for the propaganda campaign that will surely follow, if this is an attempt to escalate the situation.

Previously - the U.S. has never attacked anyone with nuclear deterrents. There has always been a lot of chest beating, coercing and maneuvering, but never an actual attack.

If they wanted to resolve this, then they would be using diplomatic means. Iran reacts in a tit for tat manner and always has. The fact that Canada don't want to use diplomatic means tells me that they are not after a solution, but either want to escalate the tension enough into Iran making the first move, or (and this is more likely) coerce them into meeting their demands.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Jg41szSg4&feature=related[/youtube]

Sanctions don't really work.

Countries that have free trade with each other are less likely to go to war.

Of course we'd be bombing the Martians right now, if it were politically viable.