Canada Opts Out of U.S. Defense Shield

AP-YahooNews ^ | Feb. 24, 2005 | AP

[Unam Sanctam]

Our friendly neighbor to the North. I never could understand why peaceniks object to DEFENSIVE shields, as opposed to offensive weapons. And with terrorist groups that might have nuclear weapons, its not even a matter of mutually assured desruction, as in the Cold War. I guess they are just hoping that the US gets hit, like Ward Churchill and Michael Moore hope.

[ruiner]

You have to follow their logic, its our fault no matter what.

1. Nothing happens: US wasted money on program
2. We don't build/get attacked: We provoked our enemies/were negligent in defense
3. We build/get attacked:If you didn't build you wouldn't be attacked.

and so on.

[rface]

our northern neighbors are self-distructing - not because of this particular issue, but because they will do anything to be "Not-American" even if it is against their own self interest.,P>talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face......

[Sgt_Schultze]

They know they will benefit from SDI through proximity to the US. Their defense is a shell of its once former self through the same reasoning.

[randog]

The federal budget presented to the House of Commons calls for $10.5 billion in the next five years to increase the country's beleaguered armed forces — including an additional 5,000 soldiers and 3,000 reservists — the largest commitment to defense in two decades. It also called for another $807,950 to improve Canada's anti-terrorism efforts and security along the unarmed, 4,000-mile border with the United States.

A mere pittance.

Socialist countries can't survive without the umbrella of the US military. They divert any money that would have been spent on their military into their bloated social programs.

[yellowdoghunter]

Great job of summing up how our neighbors up north think.

[maestro]

Canada Opts Out of U.S. Defense Shield ....IRAN TO PLACE MISSILES IN CANADA?

.....Hmmmmmmmm.....

NORAD to close down?

[Phantom Lord]

Why would Canada opt in? Seriously. They can get a 100% free ride on this as they know that if an ICBM comes their way, the US will shoot it down regardless.

[nothingnew]

Prime Minister Paul Martin said Thursday that Canada would opt out of the contentious U.S. missile defense program

OK

Bye

FMCDH(BITS)

[Redbob]

"I never could understand why peaceniks object to DEFENSIVE shields,..."

It was Ronald Reagan's insistence on building a defensive missile shield that sucked the Soviet Union into a defensive arms race that their economy could not support, resulting in the fall of Soviet Communism.

The Canucks will never forgive us for that.

[demlosers]

Canada probably thinks it can 'opt in' at any time.

[Redbob]

Paul Martin, "Rebel Without a Clue"

He's desperately searching for some controversy to take folks minds off what a crummy job he's doing.

[Chinito]

No sweat, we just fight the war (battle?) on Canadian soil rather than try to protect Canada.

[Bogey78O]

Canada might as well let Saddam run it like he did in South Park.

[nightdriver]

Does this mean that we can let a missle through if it is going to land in Canada and not the U.S.?

[The Great RJ]

I guess the Cannucks won't mind if a terrorist nuke shot down by a US based defense sheild falls on Canada.

[mitchbert]

This is so much stupid liberal hypocracy and cowardice it's not even funny. Martin and the Liberals are playing a head game with the Canadian people (and a very dangerous game when it comes to our security and relationship with the U.S.) for no other reasons than optics for their self-absorbed and stupid Liberal base. They did the same thing with the Iraq war.

Canada is not pulling out of NORAD, and the government signed onto having NORAD manage the monitoring very quietly last fall...we are involved despite what Martin says now. Same deal with Iraq...all Canadian troops that were exercising or training with U.S. and British troops stayed with those untis when they deployed and our ships managed (and still do) security in the Gulf waters off Iraq (they were already there). Idiots in Ottawa just want to play to their base and in doing so run the very real risk of totally messing up all other aspects of our relationship with America.

I hate our government, have never voted for this bozo party as long as I've been voting, and this absolutely guarantees I never will, regardless of the quality of their candidates or lack thereof of a Conservative candidate. I'm so mad over this I could spit.

[hershey]

You're quite right. They continue to thumb their nose at the US, don't have to pay a dime for anything, plus freeload on the US missile shield. They'll rush south over the border, though, if Canada's targeted and the US shield is successful.

[clintonh8r]

What do they care? There's nothing there worth blowing up....

[muawiyah]

Look, a formal Canadian refusal to "opt in" is actually an act of war against the United States.

The reason is we need to make use of some of what are presently their Northernmost territories to place radar sites.

They can do whatever they wish regarding any other nation, but they are on our border and what they do or don't do is always our business.

It's long overdue to set those people straight on the matter.