Justin raps Trump over air disaster
Cites tension escalation
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday appeared to blame President Trump for Iran’s downing of a Ukrainian jetliner after Tehran’s attack on US troops last week.
“I think if there were no tensions, if there was no escalation recently in the region, those Canadians would be right now, home with their families,” Trudeau told Global News television.
All 176 people — including 57 Canadians — aboard Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 were killed when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hit the Boeing 737 with two missiles after it took off from Tehran.
“This is something that happens when you have conflict and war. Innocents bear the brunt of it, and it is a reminder why all of us need to work so hard on de-escalation, moving forward to reduce tensions and find a pathway that doesn’t involve further conflict and killing,” Trudeau said, appearing to reference Trump’s order of a drone strike that killed Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on Jan. 3.
His remarks come ahead of a meeting Thursday hosted by Canada in London in which members of the International Coordination and Response Group plan to look at ways to demand justice.
“I think full admission, acknowledgment of responsibility and some form of compensation is going to have to come,” Trudeau said.
The jet was downed hours after Iran launched missiles at two bases in Iraq housing US troops, in response to Trump’s order to kill Soleimani, who commanded the Quds Force and led Iran’s campaign to expand influence in the Middle East.
Trudeau said he has discussed the incident with Trump.
“I’ve talked about the tremendous grief and loss that Canadians are and the need for clear answers on how this happened and how we’re going to make sure it never happens again,” he said.
He added that he would have “obviously” liked a warning before Trump ordered Soleimani’s killing.
Canadian troops are in Iraq as part of a NATO training mission.
Michael Goodwin’s column said it all (“Peace Through Strength,” PostOpinion, Jan. 13).
Democrats just can’t believe the president actually accomplished something they couldn’t — getting rid of a radical monster, Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
The Obama administration, with its “we can’t offend” attitude, made things worse.
All of the anti-Trump pundits who said “we told you so” looked foolish. Their hatred continues, and they will never credit him for anything. Sam King Manhattan
Once again, I am very disappointed in so many Democrats in Congress.
Soleimani was a terrorist who was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. His forces helped kill a half-million people in Syria during that civil war.
How dare these Democrats criticize President Trump for stopping Soleimani from attacking American embassies.
If a Democratic president had done the same thing, these Democrats would have praised him to high heaven. Since it was ordered by Trump, they have a vastly different opinion.
It’s time for the congressional Democrats to end their three-year temper tantrum and behave maturely. It’s long overdue. Arthur Horn Fort Lee, NJ
Democrats’ hysteria over Trump’s takedown of Gen. Soleimani can be traced back to President Barack Obama, who refused to use the term “Islamic terrorism.”
Nevertheless, he ordered dozens of drone strikes, which according to then-National Intelligence Director James Clapper killed 2,000-3,000 enemy soldiers and up to 117 civilians — and most Dems managed not to notice. Bill Marsano Manhattan
Trump’s intent is to accomplish one thing: To bring Iran to the table, not to its knees.
Why Democrats and the mainstream media are unable to understand such a basic fact is beyond all comprehension. Earl Beal Terre Haute, Ind.
Since the shocking assassination of Gen. Soleimani, one of the most powerful and revered individuals in Iran, we have heard sometimes specific, sometimes vague explanations from the administration that shift on a daily basis and depending on who is speaking.
We have been told that Soleimani was engineering an attack on our embassy in Iraq, that he was plotting an attack on four of our embassies, that we did not know the exact time or place of the attacks, but they were “imminent,” and that Soleimani’s assassination took place due to past atrocities he had perpetrated, most notably, the killing of an American contractor
We should use our common sense rather than rely on anything related to us by a president and an administration with a history of lying.
As Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg appropriately said, “Just because he deserved it doesn’t mean it was the right strategic move.” Oren Spiegler Peters Township, Pa.
I am astonished by the Democrats’ pushback to the killing of Soleimani.
Democrats are concerned about the ramifications of killing a military general.
Soldiers have always been directed to shoot the enemies’ officers, especially generals. The only ramification of a successful killing was that the next officer in line was scheduled for the same treatment.
Since when is it wrong to take out an enemy general? John Piccolo Estero, Fla.
Goodwin skillfully summarized the mongoose dance that took place over the last week between Trump and the Iranian regime.
Giving your lunch money to the schoolyard bully doesn’t make him your friend. The Iranians backed off just as the Russians backed off from the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. President Barack Obama knew nothing of the art of the deal. Trump is the master.
Don’t The New York Times, the Hollywood elite and college professors ever get tired of looking stupid? Robert Mangi Westbury