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Originally Posted by Charlatan
I would argue that Freedom is a natural state of affairs. It is military force that strips those freedoms away.
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Right. And it is military force that reestablishes the "natural state of affairs" (human freedom). Tyranny does not end when democratic nations disarm. Hitler was not defeated by some Rousseauian fantasy. Canadians understood this well during World War II. They understood it during the Cold War.
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Originally Posted by Charlatan
Peace need not come at a cost but it frequently does. There have been many solutions that brought "peace" that did not come from the end of a gun.
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I agree. It "need not." But in the real world of corruptable men, wishing won't move the mountain. Unfortunately, whether or not peace is achieved is not always in the hands of men of goodwill. British PM Neville Chamberlain negotiated away the freedom of a large part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler and claimed he had achieved "peace in our time." Six months later the Germans invaded and conquered the rest of Czechoslovakia. To coin a phrase, the lion does not lose his appetite for lamb when the sheppard is sleeping. The real lesson of history is that to be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.
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Originally Posted by Charlatan
The key here, as in all things, is a balance. Yes, we need standing armies to defend our nations and to lend assistance when needed to our allies abroad. BUT... something is clearly out of balance with the US outspends all of the other nations military budgets combined.
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I agree. If Canada and other countries would spend their fair share, the United States could spend less. You need to understand that Canada is not setting itself apart from the United States by abrogating her responsibilities. The opposite is actually true. It is the Finlandization of Canada. Without the ability to defend yourself, you are becoming more dependent on the United States. I encourage you to read the report at
http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/c...#_Toc115156292