POLITICS: Canada to reject missile defence

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin is set to anounce that Canada will not take part in the missile defence plan. This is contrary to what the next ambassador to the US just stated yesteday, claiming that Canada would agree to the system. There has been no word on a reaction from the US as of yet.



George Bush has been pushing for Canada to agree to take part in this defence system, even making it a part of a speech he gave when in Ottawa two months ago. While Martin has been trying to "kiss and make up" with the US ever since becoming Prime Minister, this will no doubt throw a wrench into his plan. It's also curious that this comes out right after future Ambassador McKenna stated that Canada was already taking part in the system. Perhaps he should have kept quiet till he was actually the ambassador, or after he had the facts.

I'm curious as to what this means, "...the country will not partake fully in the controversial program."

...On one hand Martin says Canada will not participate in the missile defense plan, then he says Canada "will not partake fully."

Talked to a tradesman yesterday who gets called to Canada's settlement called "Alert" - the farthest northern settlement in the world. He says there are US fighter planes and anti-missile aircraft all over the place, running tests all the time. ...He also says there are similar places all over Canada's North West Territories, dedicated to missile defense, and active. Says he and other tradesmen get called up all the time...

Anyone else know about this? Not 'Star Wars' I know, but seems the old system is still active.



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I guess we will have to shoot the missiles down over Canada then.

Originally posted by Bourgeoisie
I guess we will have to shoot the missiles down over Canada then.

Don't you know what happens to people who throw their weight around too much?

...Shiite happens. Like maybe everyone in the world will dump their US Treasury Bonds, lose the USD and then ya'll will take the rest of us down with you. Not a good plan IMO.



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Originally posted by soficrow

I'm curious as to what this means, "...the country will not partake fully in the controversial program."

...On one hand Martin says Canada will not participate in the missile defense plan, then he says Canada "will not partake fully."

Talked to a tradesman yesterday who gets called to Canada's settlement called "Alert" - the farthest northern settlement in the world. He says there are US fighter planes and anti-missile aircraft all over the place, running tests all the time. ...He also says there are similar places all over Canada's North West Territories, dedicated to missile defense, and active. Says he and other tradesmen get called up all the time...

Anyone else know about this? Not 'Star Wars' I know, but seems the old system is still active.

Maybe he means this will be a U.S only project.

Doesn't really matter, we already have the laser system up and running.

Originally posted by soficrow

Originally posted by Bourgeoisie
I guess we will have to shoot the missiles down over Canada then.

Don't you know what happens to people who throw their weight around too much?

...Shiite happens. Like maybe everyone in the world will dump their US Treasury Bonds, lose the USD and then ya'll will take the rest of us down with you. Not a good plan IMO.



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Sounds like a good plan to me. Try anything funny and we will take the rest of you down with us.

So nothing happens then. Economic or Nuclear.

I know there are those that want us to get nuked, but they also know they will get nuked as well, or die a long painful death.

So at the end of the day, the nukes don't fly, and these people go about their way with a tear in their eye.

[edit on 23-2-2005 by Bourgeoisie]

Bourgeoisie... obviously, dealing with the US is NOT the one and only option for the "rest of the world" these days.

I would imagine that Paul Martin will tell Canada that we wont be participating on the level that would weaponize space.

I love it.

I'd rather my government is spending my tax dollars on things like health care, child care, and social programs than a defense system that runs in the BILLIONS and is pretty much a useless exercise in paranoia.

Will the defense shield ever work? Will it ever be needed?

To sink so much money into something that may never be used is ludicrous and seems like a big waste of taxpayer money.

Cheers Canada!


And if there ever is a need for the shield and it works, well great. If it doesn't work, at least we Canadians can die knowing that in the interim, we spent our country's money wisely and on the proper things, and didn't spend the remainder of our days on earth cowering in fear from imagined enemies.

Just an example of canada taking advantage of America's Love for its allies. They know that despite this should a threat to Canada ever emerge we would protect them anyway, whter they helped or not. Why fund this, why help us to defend them when they know we will anyway?

Originally posted by Jakomo
And if there ever is a need for the shield and it works, well great. If it doesn't work, at least we Canadians can die knowing that in the interim, we spent our country's money wisely and on the proper things, and didn't spend the remainder of our days on earth cowering in fear from imagined enemies.

The enemies are not imagined. The threat is real. And especially from smaller nuke countries like North Korea, who might just wake up one day and decide to try their luck. While a missilie shield may not stop a full fledged nuke attack, at least it may prove to be quite useful in that scenario. And not only that, the US would fund most of the effort.

While your statements make sense to an extent Jakomo, I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that the enemy is imagined, or as to think that a working missile shield might not be of value. The protection Canada gains from the US as a close ally on a day to day basis is worth every penny you are talking about and more. I think it would be nice if Canada assisted in the protection of North America. You are benefitting from our expenses on our military technology, so why is not reasonable for the US to ask for some help? It would be nice if we could spend all our money on the "proper things" too, but we can't.

i can verify the exisitance of the Canadain base called Alert- as to the mission well that is another story. i was up there last year and spent over a year at the US base in Greenland called Thule. Alert is supplied through Thule Greenland believe it or not.

Thule is the site of a US missile warning radar that looks down on Russia. it currently has both US and Canadian operators but as to its roll in a "missile shield" i cannot say.

Originally posted by Jakomo

I love it.

I'd rather my government is spending my tax dollars on things like health care, child care, and social programs than a defense system that runs in the BILLIONS and is pretty much a useless exercise in paranoia.

Will the defense shield ever work? Will it ever be needed?

To sink so much money into something that may never be used is ludicrous and seems like a big waste of taxpayer money.

Cheers Canada!


And if there ever is a need for the shield and it works, well great. If it doesn't work, at least we Canadians can die knowing that in the interim, we spent our country's money wisely and on the proper things, and didn't spend the remainder of our days on earth cowering in fear from imagined enemies.

Lol Socialist health care.

The MDS might be up and running, and used by the time it takes you to wait in line to see a doctor. Infact you might get nuked before you ever see that doctor, money well spent eh?

PM Paul Martin has a minority government which means it could be brought down by a majority vote of the other parties. He therefore has to kiss butt and for now that means not following the Bush line.

I understand he's been invited to Bush ranch in Crawford Texas. If that meeting happens who knows what will agreed to?

I would think Canada being right next door to the US in itself may deter (somewhat) nuclear strikes in itself.

If Canada was hit the world would come running and even the mid east countries housing terrorists would surely clean house.
Neenless to say it would be a little late at that point..

Dallas

It's official. We're out! :-)

edition.cnn.com...

TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- Prime Minister Paul Martin said Thursday that Canada would opt out of the contentious U.S. missile defense program, a move that will further strain brittle relations between the neighbors but please Canadians who fear it could lead to an international arms race.

Martin, ending nearly two years of debate over whether Canada should participate in the development or operation of the multibillion-dollar program, said Ottawa would remain a close ally of Washington in the fight against global terrorism and continental security.

He said he intended to talk to President Bush later Thursday and that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had been informed of the decision earlier this week.

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YEA Canada!



and oh yeah, Paul Martin too. Must have hurt. Bet he had all kinds of goodies sitting on the table.


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Hmmm. Just had an idea. Maybe we can kill that stupid Continental Corporate Takeover super-sized NAFTA one clause at a time. Just pick the chips off the table one at a time, pop, pop.

Anybody have the list?

Originally posted by mwm1331
Just an example of canada taking advantage of America's Love for its allies. They know that despite this should a threat to Canada ever emerge we would protect them anyway, whter they helped or not. Why fund this, why help us to defend them when they know we will anyway?

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
The protection Canada gains from the US as a close ally on a day to day basis is worth every penny you are talking about and more. I think it would be nice if Canada assisted in the protection of North America. You are benefitting from our expenses on our military technology, so why is not reasonable for the US to ask for some help?

I always wonder where this idea comes from. Canada is NOT protected by the US, nor does it need this. Canada's job is to protect Canada, not North America. Saying that the US is protecting us because we share a border is a lame arguement to garner support another countries policies. Let me ask, how much protection did Poland get from Russia, who shares a border with them, 65 years ago?

Good. He had to put off addressing this, he had to wait until the budget was announced and out of the way. Good strategy .
If he did it before the budget came out then the conservatives (pro-missile defense) would of picked apart the budget. The Conservatives liked the budget because for the military boost and the tax cuts. Had Martin announced the 'no' answer to missile defense before hand. Steven Harper would of complained that the budget was not good enough. That would of caused a chain of events leading to an election.

Originally posted by Umbrax
Good. He had to put off addressing this, he had to wait until the budget was announced and out of the way. Good strategy

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If he did it before the budget came out then the conservatives (pro-missile defence) would of picked apart the budget. The Conservatives liked the budget because for the military boost and the tax cuts. Had Martin announced the 'no' answer to missile defence before hand. Steven Harper would of complained that the budget was not good enough. That would of caused a chain of events leading to an election.

Umbrax I agree he had to do it this way, I think Canadians do better with a minority government. The Government kiss our you know what to stay put




[edit on 24/2/2005 by Sauron]