“In Mr. Arcand’s film [Les Invasions Barbares], there are many suggestions that, like Rome, our culture has become decadent enough to be vulnerable to barbarians, however unworthy they may be. Most barbarians have the vigour of their appetites, if not the courage of their convictions. The barbarians who savaged America on 9/11 had the courage of their convictions, too."

William Thorsell in Globe & Mail August 30, 2004

Thanks to everyone who has pushed the "Israel for Canadians" funding campaign past the 10% mark. But there's still a steep hill to climb and less than 4 weeks to climb it. So if you want to help set the record straight on the dynamic, open, peace-loving Jewish homeland, the only democracy in the Middle East, and you haven't yet backed the project, please make a pledge today and share it on social media and elsewhere.

If you are a backer, thanks for the contribution and please keep helping spread the word so we can get to 25%, 50%, 75% and then by the April 2 deadline to 100% and maybe beyond.

As always there's a stretch goal; if we get significantly past our basic target I will also make an "Israel for North Americans" version and perhaps one for Australians and others. But first things first.

Let's get it funded.

In my latest National Post column I say it's time to leave Afghanistan and keep our powder dry and our morale up for the next challenge.

In my latest National Post column I call the willingness even of a sizeable minority of Britons to vote for a Labour Party headed by the appalling Jeremy Corbyn a worrying sign of loss of the self-control on which self-government depends throughout the Western world.

In my latest National Post column I say the bombing of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester should remind everyone, including progressives, that Islamist fanatics do not hate our open society for being repressive or for defending itself. They hate it because it is tolerant. They hate our permissiveness. They hate us for who we are not what we do. And there is nothing we can do to appease them that would not be a fundamental betrayal of ourselves and our ideals.

In my latest National Post column I argue that while history doesn't repeat, its lessons do... especially for those not paying attention. (Due to an editing mishap, at the end of the 3rd paragraph, between the sentence ending "great and small." and the one beginning "Regrettably, as with...", the sentence "But I am sure we’re not going to fight World War One again." was omitted.)