|
| Thread: Canada Says NO Again | |
|
zsa
Famous Hero
|
posted February 25, 2005 01:36 AM |
|
|
Canada Says NO Again
"Canada has said no to the U.S. missile defence program, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced Thursday. "
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/02/24/missile-canada050224.html
I wanted to get the HC pulse on the matter so fire away please  .
Here are two posts from the "enlightened" people on the Nation States forum to get you started.
Of course Canada would sit on their behinds while watching American TV and drinking American soda onthis one. You have the luxury of being the neighbor the the most powerful nation in the world. We providie all the military protection you could want simply because of your location. In fact you should completely disarm because you know the good 'ol red white and blue won't let anything happen to you anyway.
This is gonna make many Canadian angry but I must.
In the past Canadians had a true national identity and so they were comfortable living next to the United States, they didn't feel the need to constantly disagree with the US simply for the sake of doing so.
Now, however, with US culture being so dominant and with heavy and largely unassimilated immigration, Canada has lost much of its national identity and now as a nation it defines itself mainly by what it is not, part of the US. (I know you like beer and hockey and that counts for something) So, Canada now as a kneejerk reaction rejects whatever the US does. It does not actually matter what the US is doing, Canada will reject it simply because it is a US action.
Missle defense, much malaigned, will cost Canada nothing so whether it would work or not is irrelevant. They know if it does not work they can feel good about themselves for so smartly rejecting it and that if it does would the US will use it to protect Canada whether they rejected it or not. Canada is part of the homeland defensive sphere of the US because of its proximity to us.
Canada doesn't have to have a military because the US military is the defacto defense of Canada. I feel bad Canadian soldiers, it must be a bit humiliating for them to know how outdated and pathetic their equipment is. Sure, they have pride and will say, " We don't need all that fancy gear! We can do a good job with circa WWII ships and 1960's armaments." My point is not to insult the Canadian military at all, I have great respect for them because at least they care about the defense of their nation enough to try and not leave it up to another country.
I realize the use of "they" is a generalization and I do not believe all Canadians feel this way, but enough of them do to have allowed their nation to become this weak. If Canada wants to reject the missle shield that's just fine and dandy because all their talk of rejecting it will make not one whit of difference to the situation. The US has to defend them to defend itself.
|
|
Conan
Responsible
Supreme Hero
|
|
posted February 25, 2005 02:11 PM |
|
|
When you don't conquer middle-east countries, and your country is not at war, you don't need to be scared that bombs will fall on your head.
Yes, I acknowledge that the US will defend us if anything happens. The above post is true. But, will it ever come to that? Who hates Canada? We are people that wear our flags on our backpacks when we go to other countries. We get better service because of it.
We Canadians respect the fact that the US wants this missile defense programm. We don't have to join them. We don't need to. We are accused of loosing our sense of identity in the above post. Well, this proves the contrary. We are Canadians and able to think for ourselves. The fact that we are not joining the missile programm showes we have our own identity.
I greatly respect the US even if I disagree with some of what they do. In my mind, they are still good people. But why are they so mad we did not join? It's because it would only benefit them.
We are 2 great countries living side by side. We need to get along and we can. We just need to respect the other's choices.
____________
Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service.... us. - Star Trek TNG
|
|
angelito
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
proud father of a princess
|
|
posted February 25, 2005 03:07 PM |
|
|
Quote:
You have the luxury of being the neighbor of the most powerful nation in the world. We provide all the military protection you could want simply because of your location. In fact you should completely disarm because you know the good 'ol red white and blue won't let anything happen to you anyway.
They talk about Mexico, right?
____________
Better judged by 12 than carried by 6.
|
|
sirzapdos
Promising
Famous Hero
Open the pod bay doors, Hal.
|
|
posted February 26, 2005 02:10 AM |
|
|
Did you ever stop to think that the US and Canada disagreeing so much might have something to do with the fact that there is a right wing government south of the 49, whereas us Canucks have a left wing one?
Between 1984 and 2000, the US and Canada have had similar winged governments (except for parts of 1992 and 1993 with the Chretien/Bush sr overlap), so disagreement there was not so common.
Now, all of a sudden, with a conservative US and a Liberal Canada, you're chalking it up to lack of identity that we're disagreeing? Come on. The governments hold completely different viewpoints on numerous issues, one of which, is the aforementioned defense and military. So, it isn't surprising to me in the slightest that Canada has not shown interest in this 'Star Wars' mumbo jumbo.
____________
So I try to live a complicated world...
|
|
draco
Promising
Famous Hero
|
|
posted February 26, 2005 06:13 PM |
|
|
I don't Agree with the decision, but the PM didn't have much choice in the matter, The majority of Canadians were not in favour of the Star Wars missile defence and the liberal party could have been thrown out of office. Also if a Missile was being sent to chicago and shot down where would it land? somewhere in Canada, why would we want to support something that AT BEST WILL SHIELD THE US AT OUR EXPENSE landing in Canadian territory. much beter they nuke Chicago then me
I like the Idea of a battlestation in space with missiles, but only if it could also shoot down Ennemy Spacecrafts  or I guess meteors that will strike us. beter sade then sorry right
|
|
sirzapdos
Promising
Famous Hero
Open the pod bay doors, Hal.
|
|
posted March 05, 2005 11:42 PM |
|
|
I just read an open letter from Lloyd Axworthy (former Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs) to Condaleeza Rice, US Secretary of State. Quite the article, read it here.
Any thoughts?
____________
So I try to live a complicated world...
|
|
drlucifer
Adventuring Hero
The Surgeon of Death
|
|
posted March 06, 2005 04:45 PM |
|
|
Nicely written article.
And it's absolutely true. The missle defense is a program that will not work unless America spends $999999 trillion on it.
Furthermore, there really isn't a reason for it. Those of us who know our American history know that nobody has ever launched a nuke at the U.S. and I personally don't think it will happen any time soon. On the other hand, the U.S. has been attacked by terrorists (9/11 and the Oklahoma City bombing in '95, for example.) US could defend itself much better by taking money out of missle defense and giving it to 3rd world countries to make them stop hating us.
I will now stop before I begin a rant concerning the stupidity of US defense strategy.
____________
Doctors are not necessarily your friends.
|
|
sirzapdos
Promising
Famous Hero
Open the pod bay doors, Hal.
|
|
posted March 06, 2005 05:46 PM |
|
|
To be fair, the Oklahoma City bombing was done by Americans, who were angry about Waco.
I was under the impression that the only real nuclear threat was North Korea, but aren't there talks going on now? And who else has nukes? Russia? Russia's part of the G8, not likely to bomb another G8'er. India? No motive to bomb the US. So, I don't really see the point either. Maybe if a Democrat gets in in 2008 he can pull the plug and put all the $$$$$$$$ somewhere useful.
____________
So I try to live a complicated world...
|
| |
|
|
