# Canadian Prime blames U.S. for 9/11 attacks.... WTF!? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 13, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310 "2002-09-13T16:38:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Obvious\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Obvious\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obvious_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/1 "2002-09-13T16:38:35Z")
Thats right, you can read all about it [HERE.](http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/09/12/attack.canada.blame.reut/index.html) Apparently Mr. Chretien believes we are to blame. Oh, isnt everything our fault? Heres a few excerpts: > [@](#): > > “And I do think the Western world is getting too rich in relation to the poor world and necessarily, you know, we’re looked upon as being arrogant, self-satisfied greedy and with no limits. And September 11 is an occasion for me to realize it even more” Well excuse us for being a nation of abundance and wealth. Last time I checked that wasnt a fuckin crime. I guess by that logic it would be okay to kill all rich people, just because there uhh too rich. > [@](#): > > “It’s always the problem when you read history – (no one) knows when to stop. There’s a moment, you know, when you have to stop,” he told the CBC, saying he had made this point to a group of Wall Street executives unhappy that Canada had full diplomatic relations with arch U.S. foe Cuba. > > “And I said that day…‘When you’re (as) powerful (as) you are, you guys, it’s the time to be nice’.” What the fuck are you babbling about? That still makes no sense in explaining why you think that **we** did something to deserve thousands of people to die. And making these comments right after the 1st year anniversary is like pouring salt on a wound. So I say, Fuck you… and your mother too. If I were Canadian I would be ashamed you were my countryman. I am sick and tired of certain people blaming the U.S. for encouraging such attacks. It is naive and ignorant. **Nothing** would justify that… fucker. ---
**Author:** ![Obvious\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Obvious\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obvious_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/2 "2002-09-13T16:40:33Z")
Fuck! I proof read everything but the title. That was supposed to be Canadian Prime Minister. Anything you can do about that mods? ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/3 "2002-09-13T16:48:11Z")
I think there’s a difference between assigning blame to the U.S. and being able to objectively look at causation. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/4 "2002-09-13T16:54:37Z")
While I’m far from a fan of Mr. Chretien, I don’t see anything in there that could be intrepreted as ‘blaming the victims’. It is not automatic to say that the instant someone deviates from the line of “they hate our freedom – that’s why they attacked” that you are saying that the attacks were deserved. Then again, this is Jean Chretien, a man who has a legacy of garbled speeches longer than Dubya could ever hope to surpass, and in two languages. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/5 "2002-09-13T17:02:51Z")
First things first… Cretien has been embarrassing us for years now, so this is nothing new. But note the anger in your OP and the article you linked… “Mr. Chretien believes we are to blame” “Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has linked the September 11 suicide attacks to the perceived arrogance and selfishness of the United States and the West.” And what did he say? “… That is what the Western world – not only the Americans, the Western world…” So where do you see him blaming you Americans only? He is holding every Western nation to blame for the terrible tragedy. Personally, I cringe everytime I hear Bush say, “the attack on our liberty and freedom” when it seems to me to be an act of retribution for decades of being the brunt of Western politics. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/6 "2002-09-13T17:06:06Z")
Ah, yes. Jean Chretien, the Prime Minister who speaks neither official language. I didn’t see anywhere where he “blamed” the “US”. He didn’t even make outright reference to the US with respect to the attacks but rather to the entire Western world. Of which Canada is a member, I might add. He was merely discussing one possible contributing factor to the attacks, one which I find hard to disagree with. Nowhere did he say the the US deserved to be attacked. The timing could have been better, but that’s not his fault as these remarks were recorded in July. Why the CBC chose to air them when they did is an interesting question. ---
**Author:** ![KarmaComa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@KarmaComa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarmaComa)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/7 "2002-09-13T17:06:22Z")
I just love Chretien. He may be a mumbling street thug, but dammit, he says what he thinks, and he doesn’t read his interviews off of a screen. Perhaps when he says “it’s the time to be nice”, and that the West is perceived as greedy and self-satisfied (which it is), he means that America should be less self-serving and should look to solutions that don’t involve interference with the affairs of other countries in the form of warfare. He isn’t saying “don’t be such an asshole; this is your fault”. He’s saying “don’t be such an asshole. You’re powerful enough not to be an asshole”. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/8 "2002-09-13T17:08:52Z")
I have to say the timing of that little interview being aired, (Sept 11) was poor concidering it was taped July 17. That being said, I think he was more refering to the mindset of those who believe the US got what it deserved. He said “we’re looked upon as being arrogant, self-satisfied greedy and with no limits” as opposed to we [BOLD]are[/BOLD]. I myself don’t see a link between poverty and what happened but I do see where those who wish to do the Western world harm would believe we are too rich or powerful and want to take us down. I’ve lsitened to the speech and I’m certain he is not saying the victims were in any way at fault or deserved to be murdered. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/9 "2002-09-13T17:12:02Z")
I am tired of every person who speaks openly about the causes of 9/11 having their roots in American behavior being crucified. This is not to say that American civilians deserved to be killed, nor that America is to blame for the actions of terrorists, but rather that, objectively, there **are** reasons why America was attacked and not some other country. America has its problems and we do tend to have arrogant foreign policy. Saying that it would be a good idea for the West to consider that our wealth compared to overseas poverty is going to affect how we are seen abroad and, thus, affect the emotional grounds of terrorism isn’t anti-American. What’s more anti-American is implying that people have no right to say such a thing. **Raygun99** makes an excellent point. We are not being attacked by senseless, evil demons who only wish to see suffering and wish to destroy Truth, Freedom, and the American Way. We are being attacked by people, misguided and callous as they might be, with real motivations that are based in (real or perceived) wrongs committed by the American government. Does that justify killing thousands of civilians? Of course not. However, the horror and atrocity of the attacks does not mean that we can do no wrong, nor that it might not be a bad idea to see how prevalent anti-American hatred is or what we can do about it. ---
**Author:** ![Obvious\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Obvious\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obvious_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/10 "2002-09-13T17:34:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FordPrefect \* > \*\*And what did he say? > “… That is what the Western world – not only the Americans, the Western world…” > > So where do you see him blaming you Americans only? He is holding every Western nation to blame for the terrible tragedy.\*\* He did say that, but I think its pretty clear that he’s putting the majority of the blame on America. > [@](#): > > _Originally by fluiddruid_ > **We are being attacked by people, misguided and callous as they might be, with real motivations that are based in (real or perceived) wrongs committed by the American government. Does that justify killing thousands of civilians? Of course not. However, the horror and atrocity of the attacks does not mean that we can do no wrong, nor that it might not be a bad idea to see how prevalent anti-American hatred is or what we can do about it.** I agree theres more we could do to prevent anti-American sentiments. I get the feeling tho, this is one of those things where we are damned if we do and damned if we dont. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/11 "2002-09-13T19:06:55Z")
Yeesh, Obvious Guy. Does your head hurt from when your knee hit it? ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/12 "2002-09-13T19:12:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*Yeesh, Obvious Guy. Does your head hurt from when your knee hit it? \*\* Wha?😕 ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/13 "2002-09-13T19:17:48Z")
An overblown knee-jerk reaction. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/14 "2002-09-13T20:01:47Z")
FordPrefect wrote: > [@](#): > > Personally, I cringe everytime I hear Bush say, “the attack on our liberty and freedom” when it seems to me to be an act of retribution for decades of being the brunt of Western politics. And I cringe every time I hear people say crap like that. There might have been all kinds of reasons for those sick fucks to have hated the American government. But they didn’t attack the American government. They slaughtered thousands of innocent people. That’s not retribution. That’s just plain mass murder. ---
**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/15 "2002-09-13T20:06:53Z")
That South Park song must have really pissed him off. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/16 "2002-09-13T22:42:04Z")
This is not surprising coming from the Prime Minister of a country that uses its tax dollars to support the likes of [Sunera Thobani](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1684779#post1684779). ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Magic8ball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Miss\_Magic8ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Magic8ball)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/17 "2002-09-13T23:12:08Z")
being canadian, i should prolly respond to defend chretien… but actually, I think hes an ignorant fuck, and I’m glad this is his last serving term. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/18 "2002-09-13T23:28:15Z")
Okay, let me see if I got this straight. He’s not blaming America, but the entire Western world. Why? Because the Western world is rich, and the middle- and far-east are poor? Hmm… all right. I’m poor. Does that mean I can go blow up Bill Gate’s house? ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/19 "2002-09-14T00:09:17Z")
No, he’s saying we shouldn’t pretend like we don’t know that the root cause of terrorism is poverty and that by fixing poverty, we’d be a lot further along to stopping terrorism than by bombing people and just giving them something else to be angry about. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310/20 "2002-09-14T00:50:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Raygun99 \* > \*\*… the root cause of terrorism is poverty … \*\* I see. Osama Bin Laden must have been raised in squalor and his childhood must have been one of utter deprivation. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-prime-blames-u-s-for-9-11-attacks-wtf/128310.md?page=2)