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I read the report and commented above.
I can agree that we are underspending and would have agreed we are underspending prior to reading this... my disagreement lies in the amount we are underspending and and a fundamental disagreement about the way the world works.
Historically, freedoms are taken by military forces controlled by the ruling powers. Kings maintained their power through military force... in a democracy, it is not as important to squash the will of your people through military might. Is this not one of the reasons the US is so strident about "the right to bear arms?"
The reality of Canada is that we do not need a massive standing army to defend our land from invaders. Unless the US is going to attack... it just isn't going to happen.
I would like to see our Governement live up to its committments of Defense, Diplomacy and Development. We are good at diplomacy and as a relatively neutral nation have served in this function well. We have devoted millions to foreign aid but no where near the .7% goal set out by Prime Minister Pearson in the 60s.
I can appreciate the situation you describe with Chamberlain... it is an old saw that those who want Military soloutions haul out. Sure it makes sense but it ignores the fact that I made above that many of the threats that face North America today are as a result of US military incursion on the rest of the world.
As I said before... it's about balance.
Yes, there are tinpot dictators out there that we should deal with as part of the global community. Canada was there in Rawanda and had we the military might as well as the diplomatic strenght we might have been able to halt the genocide... might.
In the end, I would argue that of Triple D the latter two Ds are the most important. Without development and diplomacy you cannot be successful if you intention is to make the world a better place. Too much emphasis on Military might as a means to solve international issues leads to exactly the problem that the US finds itself in today...
It is this might is right solution that creates the resentment that we are talking about...
So... while yes, we do need to spend more on our military I think the US needs to take a long hard look at their own international policies and the domestic policies that drive them (i.e. unchecked consumption of oil).
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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke
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