Omar Khadr does not deserve a $10.5-million payout
I just don’t get it. Omar Khadr gets $10.5 million and an apology? He killed an American soldier and blinded another with a grenade at age 15 — old enough to pull the pin and throw the grenade in the right direction in Afghanistan.
Yes, he was detained in Guantanamo and questioned. But was his treatment worse than the beheadings of innocent people by his comrades, which were viewed by millions around the world on video? I think not.
Khadr met al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden at age 10 and his father had strong al-Qaida ties. They were no saints, but now we are supposed to believe Khadr is a martyr of some sort? Who speaks for the families of the dead and blinded U.S. soldiers?
Not one wooden nickel
I can’t believe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would offer to pay a killer, Omar Khadr, money to assuage the feelings of our politically correct politicians.
We had Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002 when Khadr was fighting with al-Qaida, so I can’t think of how Trudeau could possibly insult our military more. Trudeau and his government may as well go out and spit on every soldier they see.
I don’t care how hard Khadr’s childhood was, how badly influenced or mistreated he may have been, or what happened to him while he was in U.S. custody. Canadian taxpayers shouldn’t pay $10 million, or even one wooden nickel, to a person who fought alongside al-Qaida in Afghanistan.
Perry Coleman, Delta
Situation sure to confuse
Re: Parent fighting for genderless birth certificate.
I pity the child that grows up to, say, five years of age and finds that their parent is either his or hers and not its. When reality rears its head, sorting out the mess could be near impossible for the child.
Rick Angus, Vancouver
What if they built peace?
I’ve always wondered about the U.S. military. Ever since the birth of the U.S., they have been either internally or externally at war or in armed conflict with someone.
They either want everyone to know they’re the big bullies on the block or, worse and more likely, the CEOs of the companies that produce ships, planes, guns, ammo — all the pieces to make a war machine work — are supporting politicians to keep themselves in business.
Imagine if they pursued new avenues for the betterment of mankind.
Ken Linforth, Surrey
It’s Clark’s time to move on
All the talent and experience is now on the opposition benches of the B.C. legislature and the amateurs will be handling files that they know nothing about.
Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon did what she thought was the right thing, but if this government lasts six months it will be something of a miracle.
Meanwhile, it’s time for a new Liberal leader, and the sooner the better. The feelings both inside and outside the party are simply too negative toward Christy Christy. She did a great job, but it’s her time to move on.