He might be prescient. Even though more conflicts are either ending or being managed rather than erupting, this century is off to a shaky start that could well get worse before it gets better.
If so, Canada can expect to play a more significant supporting role than it did through the late '80s and early '90s when defence, diplomatic and development efforts were reduced to background extras on the global stage.
Despite Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier's wild accusation of a decade of darkness, Paul Martin recognized the problem and got started on solutions.
The most internationally concerned and savvy prime minister since Brian Mulroney, Martin started the military reconstruction now underpinning the Afghanistan mission and laboriously reframed foreign policy.
At Hillier's urging, Ottawa shelved its Cold War weapons and thinking to begin creating armed forces capable of speedy domestic response and swift offshore intervention as well as the slow, problematic work of stabilizing failed and failing states. Institution-building would be a priority in this hemisphere as well as in Africa and a trading nation would get serious about the challenges that come with India and China rising.
Neither the process nor the plan was perfect. But they were methodical and transparent.
That's no longer so. Following billions of dollars in new spending is now the most reliable guide to military planning.
http://www.thestar.com/columnists/article/203659
[Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on April 18, 2007]
Note: http://www.thestar.com/...
Where Is PM Taking US?
Posted on Tuesday, April 17 at 11:59 by 4CanadaContributed By
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~$550,000 per tank is very very cheap. The Lepoard 2 is consistantally rated the best tank in the world. The M1A2 Abrams is the one everyone thinks is the best, and costs 4.3 million each. The Lepoard 2 is about $3 million each, normally.
If they never leave Canada, they are a steal of a deal, and will boost our troops to stay as #1 in skills competitions.
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The preceding comment deals with mature subject matter, however immaturely presented. Viewer discretion is advised.
By the way I fully support our troops and if they are asked to wage war in this distant country they should indeed be properly equiped to do so. BUT let us be honest as to their role there.
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When you are up to your ass in alligators it is difficult to remember that the initial objective was to drain the swamp
asked to wage war in this distant country they should
indeed be properly equiped to do so. BUT let us be
honest as to their role there."
If the Government was honest about the Afghan
mission and their role, few (outside of those who are
profiting from it) would support this initiative.
Let's just hope these tanks are in a little better than
those crappy subs the Govt. purchased from the Brits a
few years back.
us anywhere? We do live in a democracy and therefore any pm can only go
where he is authorized to go. We give him that authorization by allowing,
accepting and ignoring the obvious movement away from our Canadian
sovereignty, our rights as citizens of a free nation....he does not go alone, nor
can he take us anywhere without the consent of others, those others may not
be us, but there are others involved, of this there is no doubt.
Canadians do not want war but alas we are involved in war, we do not want
poverty but poverty is all over this nation, we do not want private for profit
healthcare, yet it is here, we do not support the loss of civil rights, but it is
happening...so the Canadian people are not behind these decisions and yet
somebody still feels they have the right to make them. That is the question?
Who is behind the dream to dismantle our country and create a new world
order called corporate rule? If this is a democracy and we are not behind
these decisions then what have we got?
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"aaaah and the whisper of thousands of tiny voices became a mighty deafening roar and they called it 'freedom'!"' Canadians Acting Humanely at home & everywhere
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A little peice of heaven is found in good deeds.
<br />
<a href="http://www.forces.ca/v3/engraph/home/home.aspx?bhcp=1">http://www.forces.ca/v3/engraph/home/home.aspx?bhcp=1</a><br />
Hoz it goin Bro?
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Authority has always attracted the lowest elements in the human race. All through history mankind has been bullied by scum. PJ O'Rourke
Somewhere down the "garden path" I would expect.
Leopard 2's are good tanks, and overdue replacements for what were being run before.
Sweden currently uses Leopard 2A4 tanks.
As for subs, I'd like either the Swedish Gotland class, or submarines like the Australian Collins class (built there under licence from the Swedish company Kockums). Both are world leaders in the diesel electric class with underwater endurance times measured in weeks, if not months.
Destroyers could easily be replaced with Swedish Visby class corvettes.
Both could be built under license here in Canada and help out the ship building industry on both the east and West coast.
Why Swedish tech? Because they have much the same requirements as Canada does and similar operating conditions.
I'd also love to see Canada adopt the Swedish system of mobile basing of aircraft rather than the vulnerable airbase system, but it's not my world, is it?
I fail to see why Canada should always purchase US gear when equipment better suited to our needs can either be purchased from countries without imperialist ambitions or developed here at home.
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The two most common things in the universe are apparently Hydrogen and stupidity.
Corrupt governments LOVE war. It is a grand way to make money and cleanse the people.
Get a few 'mericans and canucks ,a sprinkling of Brits and Aussies,maybe the French,and voila,the makings of an auto-democracy. Breed out the islamites,muslims jews etc,etc. Replace with good ole seudo-democratic bloodlines and you have it made. Money making Iraqi type wars all over the place.
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A little peice of heaven is found in good deeds.
Don't get me going on that subject. Why do we follow the states in anything? Cause thats what all good biotchs do.
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A little peice of heaven is found in good deeds.
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The two most common things in the universe are apparently Hydrogen and stupidity.