Congratulation to Derrick and Rabble for interviewing one of the best minds on the Middle East and empire. It concludes:
DO: Obama-mania is a political phenomenon every political operative in the world is trying to tap into. Here in Canada, some have even touted Michael Ignatieff as Canada's Obama, or as the 'new Trudeau.' What were your impressions of Ignatieff during his twenty-plus year stint in the UK?
TA: Trudeau was an independent-minded leader, not a stooge of the neighbouring country. The Count (as we called Ignatieff) supported the war in Iraq, defended torture and aligned himself in a dog-like coital lock with the Bush-Cheney gang. If Canadians elect him as Prime Minister they might as well join the United States after demanding exceptional status on health, education and the CBC. Why not? It will be that in everything but name.
From this you'll have gathered that my impressions of his stint here were not totally positive.
lus year stint in the UK?
TA: Trudeau was an independent-minded leader, not a stooge of the neighbouring country. The Count (as we called Ignatieff) supported the war in Iraq, defended torture and aligned himself in a dog-like coital lock with the Bush-Cheney gang. If Canadians elect him as Prime Minister they might as well join the United States after demanding exceptional status on health, education and the CBC. Why not? It will be that in everything but name.
From this you'll have gathered that my impressions of his stint here were not totally positive.
Tariq Ali is a novelist, historian, political campaigner and one of New Left Review’s editors. After two North American book tours related to his book on Pakistan, he is working on a set of essays on politics and culture, The Protocols of the Elders of Sodom and Other Essays, for Verso's Spring 2009 list.
