Canada: We can be involved -- or irrelevant

National Post ^ | May 08 2003 | J.L. Granatstein

[knighthawk]

Ping

[facedown]

Canada: We can be involved -- or irrelevant

Unfortunately it'll probably be the latter.

[gcruse]

And, finally, the United States is paying the bills for NMD, not Canada,

That's too bad.  Having a seat at the NMD table should require
sharing in the cost of its development and implementation.  For
Canada to have no financial responsibilities increases the likelihood
of there being 'difficulties' with them.  Plus, the Liberals look to be
in power for a long time.  Sharing NMD technology with Chretien
and his ilk is a horrible idea.

[Billthedrill]

What's changed?

Well, mostly what happened was that a clutch of gibbering lunatics who can't grow rice have decided to play with long-range missiles and nuclear bombs, and Canada's on the flightpath.

On a related topic, can you believe that dumb old paranoid warmonger Reagan? "Star Wars" will never work and anyway we'll never need it...sure wish I'd saved some of those old know-it-all editorials...

[2timothy3.16]

Canada is uninvolved -- and irrelevant!

[rudypoot]

This is like the Turkey vote to allow US troops enter for the attack on Iraq. It's going to happen anyways and if they refuse to join they are going to miss an opportunity of a lifetime.

I have no problems with the US paying all the bills. That means we are firmly in the driver's seat of the entire project and can dictate terms.

[paul51]

Having a seat at the NMD table should require sharing in the cost of its development

As well as some changes in their immigration policy that currently puts us at increased risk

[marron]

A real leader doesn't follow public opinion, he creates it. He generates it by making his case and then forging ahead.

His opponents, at some point, must simply salute the flag and fall into line, or find themselves irrelevantly talking to themselves. This is what is happening with Canada. The same thing is happening on a host of other issues where Bush has taken a position which was initially widely opposed, and in the end becomes reality. The Russians grit their teeth and support the end of the Anti-Missile Defense treaty. The Euros send troops to support Bush's wars. Eventually they will even stop mumbling about the Kyoto Treaty that even they won't sign, but never had the nerve to reject publicly as Bush has done.

Chirac is calling Bush trying to bury the hatchett, and no doubt worrying about what ledger entries the intel boys are going to find in Baghdad with his name on them. The Germans will fall in line under Polish command, or be side-lined completely. You have to admit, it is delicious.

For the President being such a moron, it is interesting how again and again his enemies dance like marrionettes on Bush's string.

[IvanT]

Hey, for testing purposes, just like with the testing that was done on our soil for the Cruise Missile, we could allow the US the same access. Who knows, maybe some of our technology would help, but I like the idea of Canada entering this in the spirit of trying to genuinely help a neighbour protect themselves.

[yeetch!]

"Canada: We can be involved -- or irrelevant"

Too late!

What a shame that the nation we so respected for their courage in the Iran hostage crisis is now just a meaningless bother.

[gcruse]

For the President being such a moron, it is interesting how again and again his enemies dance like marrionettes on Bush's string

Just to be the devil's advocate for a moment, a moron armed with
a machine gun in a crowded room can get his enemies to dance all day
long.  It doesn't make him any less of a moron.

[IvanT]

What a shame that the nation we so respected for their courage in the Iran hostage crisis is now just a meaningless bother.

Our lack of support regarding the Iraq war aside, what about our contribution to the war on terror? Is that meaningless?

[RJL]

I don't think the United States should be sharing missile defense technology with Canada. We have working prototypes, what does Canada bring to the table that benefits the US?

It's unnecessary for Canada too; the French will protect Canada. They are the best of allies.

[WaterDragon]

There are, evidently, people in Canada who love their nation and are concerned about what's best for Canada instead of what pleases the socialists in Europe and the thugs in the U.N.

[mitchbert]

what does Canada bring to the table that benefits the US?

Potentially a couple of things, actually. First as was posted above, lots of barren empty space for testing, as well as access to the North for forward detection if necessary (recall the DEW line designed to detect incoming Soviet bombers). Second, backup facilities like the fall-back command facility for NORAD underneath North Bay, Ontario (there's a Canuck on the command team in Cheyenne).

We're also no slouch when it comes to satellite and space technology and that may come in useful.

[RJL]

Just to be the devil's advocate for a moment, a moron armed with a machine gun in a crowded room can get his enemies to dance all day long. It doesn't make him any less of a moron.

I have to say this is an unfair and poor analogy.

[gcruse]

Thank you for your well-spelled opinion.

[katana]

Ah, but a fighter pilot "moron" with a Harvard MBA and a history of wrong footing his opponents at every turn is a rare thing indeed. If Bush is a "moron", membership in the Morons of America Club should be required for every president alongside native birth and the minimum 35 years of age.

[gcruse]

To which I must agree. Being devil's advocate is a dry mouthed thing anyway. :)