Just say ‘no’: Canadian political leaders should have the courage to stand up to the U.S.

Michael Ignatieff, the Canadian award-winning broadcaster, author and expert on nationalism who teaches human rights at Harvard University, caused a stir last year when he supported the American-led invasion of Iraq. Ignatieff backed the war partly because he felt the United States, as a global empire, could use its strength to achieve positive change. He spoke in Toronto as the second of four speakers in the Grano lecture series on the potential and limits of American power:

“The critical issue with America is the legitimacy gap in the exercise of its power. It has got force. It has got power. It does not have authority — and you only have authority if you have legitimacy. And to an absolutely astounding degree, to a much greater degree than at any time in my lifetime, with the possible exception of Vietnam, American power appears to be illegitimate and, therefore, appears to the world simply as naked force.”

To read an excerpt from his remarks, click here.

To read more about the Grano series, click here.