By Andrew L. Jaffee

It seems that some Canadians — at least the ones represented by the Liberal Party — are ready to put 9/11 behind them, that is, pretend terrorism doesn’t exist, as the House of Commons yesterday voted to allow two anti-terror laws to expire. It hasn’t even been a year since the arrests of Canadian Islamists planning to detonate 3 tons of ammonium nitrate in and around Toronto. Ah, but the planned mass murder never came about. Unfortunately, because of human nature — taking the path of least resistance — terrorist intent to slash our supple Western throats is perceived as somehow different than if our throats were actually slashed. Too late! When you notice the threat, all your blood has run out. Never mind the bloodshed happening “over there.” My, how the grass is greener at home.

Although I doubt a single Liberal MP would admit it, I wonder if the true sentiment goes something like this: “When push comes to shove, having the Americans next door to bail us out sure is nice.” Do most Americans have the will to stick it out in the war on terror? Probably, when push comes to shove, as most live in the political middle. But I fear that, for both nations, the war on terror will not end until there is another 9/11, Pearl Harbor, Beslan, Bali, etc.

Canada is truly one of the world’s great liberal democracies — and I don’t say “liberal” here in the derogatory sense. Waffling up in the Great White North does not bode well for the West winning the war against Islamo-facism. The U.S. needs good friends. Thank goodness the Stephen Harper government is still in power. Will it stay there?