As a former Canadian soldier, the Omar Khadr “pay-off” was a despicable act by our Liberal Government. There can be absolutely no defense for this payment of $10.5 million along with an official apology from the Trudeau government.
For Canada’s own Gen. Romeo Dallaire to suggest that Khadr was owed an apology because he was a “child soldier” is ludicrous! Omar Khadr was an Al-Qaeda terrorist – trained, educated and seduced into terrorism by his own family.
Very few Canadians if any, are aware of the history of the Khadr family.
Consider these items; the family became Canadian citizens sometime in the 1980s, Omar was born in 1986, shortly after which Omar’s father moved the family to Pakistan where Omar lived until 1995. During their time in Pakistan, Omar’s father was arrested for bombing the Egyptian Embassy in Islamabad and this should have spelled the end of the Khadr family’s Canadian connection. Their citizenship should have been immediately revoked.
But believe it or not, Canada’s bleeding heart Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien argued for the senior Khadr to be released and returned to Canada with his family, after which the senior Khadr organized a “humanitarian relief group” and moved to a Taliban camp in Afghanistan and lives in Osama Bin Laden’s compound.
The young Khadr sons, including Omar, begin weapons training in camps affiliated with the Taliban while members of the family make annual trips to Canada to raise money – that we should never doubt ends up in terrorist hands.
After the 9-11 attacks, Omar’s father is put on an FBI terrorist watch list, Omar completes weapons training and begins his work as a translator for the Taliban, then in July of 2002 he plants several IEDs allegedly intended for US and allied forces that may have included Canadian soldiers.
During the same month, Omar is shot and wounded after throwing a grenade that killed a US medic and blinded another, after which he is saved by another Medic (whom he had just tried to kill)! He was then shipped off to Guantanamo Bay where in the opinion of many, including myself, he should still be residing. Of course, every one now knows the rest of the Omar story.
Many Canadians however, may not be aware of what happened to the rest of the Khadr clan. Omar’s eldest brother was released from a Pakistani prison, then arrested in Canada for allegedly running guns for Al-Qaeda. Federal Court freed him more than four years later on the grounds U.S. authorities had abused his rights in Pakistan. He lives in Toronto. In 2004, Omar’s father was killed and another brother paralyzed during a gun battle and returned top Canada for medical treatment
First of all, how can Canada’s government not only justify using tax dollars for such a settlement to an admitted terrorist, but announce it on the Fourth of July while the Americans celebrate their most special day. Not only is that an insult to our southern neighbours, it is beyond belief!
I wonder what the families of those American soldiers Khadr killed and wounded think of Canada now. For the Trudeau government to give Khadr this undeserved settlement, as well as an apology, is unprincipled, immoral and indefensible, regardless of the thinking of some Canadians who believe that the civil rights of Omar Khadr were violated while he was in detention at Guantanamo Bay. In my opinion, he gave up all civil rights when he became a terrorist.
L. (Tex) Leugner, KStG, CD, Warrant Officer (Ret’d), Canadian Army, Cochrane Alberta
