Canada cant even get 6 F-18's to Afghanistan(US to provide their air cover)

National Post ^

[MARKUSPRIME]

Canadian soldiers deploying next month to Afghanistan will be relying on the United States for air cover after a proposal to send Canadian fighter-bombers to the region was scrapped at the last minute, the Post has learned.But the air force had to change plans because of the high cost of getting the six upgraded fighters from 4 Wing in CFB Cold Lake, Alta., to Afghanistan and the technical difficulties involved in basing high-tech aircraft halfway around the world.

"It was a bridge too far," said one air force officer, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They just couldn't get the maintainers [and] all their equipment there and keep them there for six months."

[MARKUSPRIME]

I feel for you friendly canadians. Your liberal government has nearly destroyed your military, and it is leaving the northern part of our shared continent dangerously unprotected. I mean for gods sake the Dutch are sending F-16's and apaches with full logistics and the have a much smaller population than Canada. The US deploys anywhere in the world in a matter of days as do the Brits. I think you guys really need to rebuild your military infrastucture. You are leaving open a dangerous flank in North America.

[Phantom Lord]

The Salvation Army could defeat the Canadian Army.

[keithtoo]

Canada can't be a better country than the US. Canada isn't even a country. It's a suburb.

[MeanWestTexan]

I would think, given the USAF screw up (and it was) firing on Canadian troops, they'd be more sensitive to this issue.

[golfisnr1]

I agree wholeheartedly. Just a crying shame.

[TexanToTheCore]

I wonder what those General officers do everyday...because they're not planning anything, I think.

[Horatio Gates]

The US military is pretty much Canada's first line of defense.

[razorback-bert]

How many Canadians does it take to wind up the rubber bands?

Goes to show how good our guys are.

[Gordongekko909]

Canada is currently crippled by liberalism, much like California and Western Europe. They've got potential.

Bear in mind that a mere two centuries ago, we were some half-fast agrarian backwater that the British decided to abandon because we weren't worth the cost of hanging on to. And in two centuries time, we became the most powerful nation on the face of the planet. Never underestimate the power of human ingenuity when it isn't being choked by liberalism.

[Phantom Lord]

Thats why I don't blame Canada for opting out of the missle shield. Why should Canada spend anything to help you US build its missle shield? If anyone thinks for a minute that if a missle was heading for any part of Canada that we wouldn't shoot it down, they are sadly mistaken.

Canada is going to get a free ride on it. Who can blame them?

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Under Clinton our military was almost in the same shape. Remember the Apaches sent to the Balkans, while Wesley Clarke was in command, were soon grounded because so many were crashing due to lack of maintenance.

[fanfan]

If our Conservatives win the election on the 23rd, we can start to rebuild our Military.

[RobbyS]

No. There are excellent units. It is just that they are starved by the liberal government.

[fanfan]

Canada Ping!

Please FReepmail me to get on or off this Canada ping list.

[right right]

We took a path pretty close to that under Carter. Ronnie saved our butts when he got in but it sure kicked up the spending. Typical dim trick, spend all the cash on our stuff while letting the military suffer and let the other guys catch up on their time.

[RobbyS]

Not true. The Army was grounded because Clinton didn't want any casualties.

[in hoc signo vinces]

Lots a blame to go around in that fiasco. Dont just hang it on the USAF.

[Phantom Lord]

If some of Americas armed gangs were to band together and invade Canada, I would be hard pressed to bet on Canada being victorious. Without US military assistance that is.

[peyton randolph]

If our Conservatives win the election on the 23rd, we can start to rebuild our Military.

Where is the money going to come from? Higher taxes? Scrapping socialized medicine?

[Herakles]

Hey, if you Canadians want, you can petition to become a state of the most noble, bravest, freest country to exit since the beginning of mankind. One side benefit is that we have the most powerful military in the universe (assuming the are no Klingons out there) and we will defend these United States (all of them) to our enemies last dying breath.

You can join; just ask!