We live in difficult times. Vicious terrorist groups like ISIS, Al Qaeda and Boko Haram threaten our safety and security. Last year’s tragic Ottawa shootings stunned the entire nation. The senseless murders at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s building, followed by two hostage situations, shocked everyone who truly believes in democracy, liberty and freedom.

It’s at times like these that we expect our leaders to make strong statements to ensure that the wars, conflicts and political battles were not fought in vain. To ensure that the principles and values we cherish will be defended at all costs. To ensure our way of life will not be threatened by the totalitarian states, rogue nations and terrorist thugs who seek to destroy it.

In my view, that’s what makes Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s recent comments about Canadian military action downright deplorable.

Trudeau was recently in London, Ont., to attend a Liberal party caucus. While in town, he engaged with local media – as most political leaders do – to drum up support.

In particular, he had an interview with AM 980 radio host Andrew Lawton. For those who aren’t familiar with Lawton, he’s a young, intelligent and well-spoken conservative pundit. He’s quickly established his name and reputation with strong political positions and religious convictions (Christian, and firmly pro-Israel), thoughtful commentary, and solid writing and speaking skills.

For a while, the interview was uneventful. The radio host threw out typical questions, and the Liberal leader provided straightforward and/or predictable answers.

Until they moved into the issue of war and military action. Take a look at this exchange:

Andrew Lawton: So, under what circumstances as prime minister would [military action] be warranted in your eyes?

Justin Trudeau: I think it’s warranted if there is a reasonable chance of success, if there’s a way that Canada can offer expertise the rest of the world is unable to provide.

Andrew Lawton: Just to clarify, are you saying there’s no chance of success with the fight against ISIS?

Justin Trudeau: Oh, I’m saying, this is going to be a very long, long challenge against ISIS, and Canada’s role in engaging with that needs to be best suited to what we can do better than other countries.

Read it again. Trudeau, if he ever became prime minister, would send the Canadian military into battle only if he thought they could win. When Lawton gave him a second chance to clarify his statement, he dug the hole a bit deeper.

I’m a fiscal and social conservative. I have no love for the political left, including the Liberals. Yet, I can’t think of any previous Liberal leader who would have ever said or believed such a foolish thing.

Would Trudeau have stayed out of the War of 1812 and World Wars I and II? All of those wars were before his time, but there was no guarantee of a “reasonable chance of success” in any instance.

Would Trudeau have enacted the War Measures Act during the FLQ crisis in October 1970? His father knew there was a huge risk, and it could have been unsuccessful. Yet, he went through with it. The son would have cowered during this difficult moment.

Let’s also consider it from a Jewish perspective.

Would Trudeau have agreed to send in troops to help Jews escape from the Nazi concentration camps? Would he have fought off the enemies of the State of Israel? Or, if he was hypothetically the French prime minister, would he have sent in the military to break up the Hyper Cacher kosher market hostage situation if the police had been unsuccessful?

You get my point.

We don’t fight wars and conflicts that we could win. We fight them to win.

That’s really not hard to figure out, Justin. What is hard to figure out is why anyone still has faith in your political leadership. 

Michael Taube is a Washington Times columnist, and a former speechwriter for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.