foreign policy

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“In ancient times, the opulent and civilized found it difficult to defend themselves against the poor and barbarous nations,” Adam Smith observed in 1776. “In modern times, the poor and barbarous find it difficult to defend themselves against the opulent and civilized.” It seems the 21st century is more ancient than modern. What else could be said of an era when failed and failing states generate far more worries for the international community than powerful states?


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The change to world affairs and Canadian foreign policy that began with the horrific attacks of 9-11 was as a big as the onset of the Cold War, only it happened more quickly and with less forewarning. Both America’s role in the world and its identity at home went through a full makeover. Canadians have been affected by the terrorist attacks and by changes to American policy at all levels; in our foreign and defence policy and in our economic and domestic security affairs.


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“What happened to hope?”

That’s the question many of President Barack Obama’s supporters are asking three years after a campaign that criticized “wars of choice” and the PATRIOT Act, promised to “finish the fight” in Afghanistan, and vowed to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and use “tough direct diplomacy” to break prevent Iran from deploying nuclear weapons.