Curtis: How should Canada respond to the rising violence in Syria?

By:
John Curtis
/
27 February, 2012
By: John Curtis
Adjunct Professor at Queen's University and Chair of Statistics Canada's Advisory Committee on International Trade Statistics

Canada has no role, or very little role, in the Middle East including in Syria. We can posture, make declarations, etc. which will appeal to our domestic audience but realistically we will look silly and moralistic as Dean Acheson said about us some 60 years ago.

On the other hand, if serious international initiatives are undertaken once the violence comes to an end, Canada then (with others) could intervene to help re-build civil order and institutions…where we have a comparative advantage and can make a difference…governance, not military force is our strong suit.

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