Yves Engler, a contributor to rabble.ca, has a bone to pick with the editorial choices here. His comments in full, so far:
In recent days rabble.ca has run three interviews from the Halifax International Security Forum. This is sponsored by NATO, Department of national defense and a whole slew of military companies. For years, I’m not sure if they’re still doing it, activists in Halifax picketed the conference. This is serious neoconservative kind a crowd. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives research affiliate Christopher Majka published interviews of him asking a bunch of softball questions to Halifax International Security Forum invitees regarding Libya, Syria and Russia.
Taken to account by some readers for interviewing a NATO sponsored pro-war Libyan feminist, Majka responded with something I believe sums up what is wrong with social Democrats on foreign-policy. Basically Majka says we should trust the pro-invasion Libyan feminist because the powerful institutions that run global affairs do. Here in his own words:
“In terms of an understanding of the social and political situation of Libya, both under the Gaddafi regime and at present, there is a reason why Alaa Murabit has earned a sheaf of international honours (from Jordan, Italy, and the United States); runs a national Libyan organization (The Voice of Libyan Women); is invited to address International fora from Canada to Singapore (including the United Nations Security Council, the Halifax International Security Forum, The Snow Gala, a TED Talk, etc.), serves as an advisory board member on two United Nations institutions, is a board member for the German Marshall Fund's MENA Partnership, and is a fellow of Ashoka Innovators for the Public. In other words many key thinkers and international institutions recognize her experience, insights, understanding, and expertise in this area. For that reason I, and I suspect many others, will be more inclined to trust her analysis of Libyan politics and society rather than yours.”Please join me in telling the good people over at rabble and CCPA that the Halifax Security Forum – and the Speakers It Chooses – Do Not Represent Progressive Values.
editor@ rabble.ca
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I've got to agree with Engler's critique. More to follow.