But there is nothing remotely comparable at that price point anywhere else. They have made it so that type of luxurious vacation available to aspirationally middle class people who would never be able to afford anything like that anywhere else.
No, not really. This just hardens his status in most of them. Any visit from Netanyahu would not have been welcome for most NATO countries before, this intensifies that. It is a no-win situation for most NATO leaders, the Canadian government absolutely doesnât want to be put in a position of arresting or not arresting Netanyahu were he to visit - so would make absolutely sure that visit doesnât happen. I donât think the UK would be much different.
Youâre assuming that the NATO countries would do anything other than what USA dictates ?
Based on personal experience, absolutely. Netanyahu is not likely going to be welcome in any NATO country outside the US, because as soon as he does there would be demonstrations demanding his arrest, counter-demonstrations, etc. So Trudeauâs PMO will kill the idea quietly long before it becomes an issue. Canadian Jewish leaders wouldnât even blink at that, because they arenât stupid. Better that the question never gets asked.
Most NATO capitals wonât have as much care as to US thinking on the issue as Ottawa. Heck, Madrid might even say he is more than welcome to come and be arrested.
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Eye of the beholder is spot on. Iâve never been to Dubai but as a comparison we went to Disneyland/Disneyworld three times when our kids were little.
They loved it, and there are families who rave about the whole thing. To me it was a form of torture. I didnât want to do it, but I endured it for their smiles. Now that they are grown Mrs ROTW loves looking at the pictures, but the truth is I would have much rather swerved the whole thing.
Vegas might be another example, more for the grown ups. Some people love it. Iâve been there a couple of times, mostly for a nice meal, a nice show, and a round of golf in the desert sunshine. But walking down the strip is a plastic, shallow experience.
Anyhow, what prompted the Dubai tangent was the 18 year old who met the 17 year old on holiday. This should not be illegal! And even if their culture is different, stuff like this should have an exception if they are going to covet the tourism.
There are many angles to the story, one of which is the girlâs parents. They seem vicious, and the iron grip they have on their daughter will likely lead to little-to-no relationship in future, when she is old enough to fly the nest.
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I would like nothing more than what you do say. But letâs just say we postpone this bit to a later time. I think the rest of NATO are american stooges. Time will say otherwise.
Do you think or do you feel?
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Is there a difference ?
At the macro level, NATO isnât going to do anything without American say-so. But that isnât what is at question here. A visit to Ottawa is a huge headache for the Government. Either they extend diplomatic immunity to bar enforcement of the warrant, or some local Crown Attorney has a chance to make a political career with an arrest (remember Pinochet?) and start a political firestorm. But if they extend diplomatic immunity, they just took sides in a dispute that they have been contorting themselves to avoid doing for over a year (managing to suck and blow at the same time, as it were).
So some 28 year old in PMO gets told to make it impossible. Security complications, logistics, scheduling, or a blunt off-the-record conversation. There is absolutely no question of a Netanyahu visit being welcome. In the current climate of being about to be crushed by the Conservatives, either alienating the Jewish vote or ceding the progressive left to the NDP would be political suicide. They just wonât do it, no matter what the White House wants. A new Conservative government will actually land on fairly similar calculus.
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Yes and they often historically do so.
ICC is generally regarded as in critical interests of the European states and it would be politically extremely costly if western states ignored this; which is why such a visit would not happen in the first place.
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It is also a matter of the rule of law. Absent some very heavy-handed intervention, he would be liable for arrest without the explicit permission of the government. No government is going to put themselves in that situation regarding another head of state - the Pinochet situation was incredibly awkward even decades removed from his status.
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A thought requires actual weighing up of evidence and some kind of reasoning process to arrive at a conclusion.
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Thereâs been a whole lot of those issues in the past as well. Countries do and well extend diplomatic immunity when thereâs another leader visiting. Remember when Modi was persona non grata because of the gujarat riots etc. And heâs openly being allowed to visit now.
Youâre conflating very different issues. Iâd love to see where there have been examples of diplomatic immunity granted to leaders who have international arrest warrants, particularly by NATO members.
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Apples are not oranges.
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U.S. Court Issues Summons to Modi in Lawsuit Over 2002 Riots - The New York Times U.S. Court Issues Summons to Modi in Lawsuit Over 2002 Riots - The New York Times
I would not expect Modi to be visiting Ottawa any time soon, for exactly the same reasons. Every Sikh in the country will want him arrested, most of the other Indo-Canadians would be outraged at the idea. A Modi visit would put the question, good politics and diplomacy is making sure the question doesnât come up.
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There is an unsubtle difference between a US civil lawsuit and an ICC arrest warrant.
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Back in 2005 an Israeli general only avoided arrest in Britain because he was tipped off that , after a complaint had been made against him , a court had ordered an arrest warrant , his plane returning to Israel before the warrant could be served.
There were further instances of Israeli officials , most notably Tzipi Livni but also other generals of the IDF , and the head of Shin Bet , all accused of complicity in war crimes. Iâm not sure how likely that is now but itâs surely not inconceivable that a British PM who was once Director of Public Prosecutions would be minded to follow the law were it to happen again. Netanyahu and his cronies will be painfully aware of that fact.
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