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Canada makes the right descision
Feb. 25th, 2005 08:04 amIn a move that was not unexpected, the Martin Government announced Thursday that it had decided to not participate in the US's anti-ballistic missile program. A lot of stupid comments have been coming from Bush Government about this choice, saying that Canada has given up some of it's sovereignty...but that is a response that really has nothing to do with the question. Similarly, these who say that it was a decision based upon the fact that an ABM system would spark a new arms race are bringing up more red herrings. In fact, the only really good comment to come out is that Canada is already part of the system, which is true.
Confused? Let me help you out.
First the last comment, that Canada is already participating in the ABM system. That is very true. You see, part of any anti-ballistic missile system is detecting an incoming missile. Ever since it's inception, the NORAD, the combined American and Canadian aerospace detection and defense command has been watching for both incoming bombers and missiles. And Canada has agreed to allow NORAD to tie it's detection systems into a US ABM system. So, yes, technically, we are already part of the ABM program.
So what did Canada decide not to participate in?
Canada won't allow the US to place ABMs on our soil, nor will Canada spend money on R&D, manning, or maintaining US's ABM system.
Some may ask why we wouldn't want to participate in our defense, but again, that is a misleading question, and here is why.
The US ABM system doesn't work!
Time and again, they have tested the system, and it fails consistently. Go over to google.com, and use their news search feature to investigate it, and you will find that it doesn't work.
Now those of us who remember the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, or in the media, "Star Wars") from the Reagan Years will find this sounding familiar. Back then, the Reagan Government tried to create a missile defense shield over North America, with a number of super high tech weapons that despite years of research, didn't work. The US Government funneled billions of dollars into this research, and what came out of it? Not much. Certainly a business oriented government like Reagan's should have been appalled as the return on investment, or ROI of this program, but they weren't.
Why?
Because it was a great scam to convince the public to spend more money on defense with little protest. I met scientists who worked on SDI programs, and virtually all of them told me they knew the systems wouldn't work, but it allowed them to finance basic research at the same time, and thus thought that SDI was a great cover for the US Government to fund science. And a great deal of money also went to private contractors, and I bet most of those were contributor to the Republican Party. I am sure that if people spent the time to research SDI's funding and who got to feed at it's trough will find that the same hogs are at the ABM trough today.
So possibly one of Mr. Martin's advisers quoted that saying that most Star Trek Fans attribute to Uber-Engineer Scotty, "Fool me once, shame on your. Fool my twice, shame on me!"
The ABM initiative is not about a defense shield, but is payback to those who helped fund Bush's second term campaign. And Canada refused to be suckered into the same old trick that Reagan pulled.
ttyl
Confused? Let me help you out.
First the last comment, that Canada is already participating in the ABM system. That is very true. You see, part of any anti-ballistic missile system is detecting an incoming missile. Ever since it's inception, the NORAD, the combined American and Canadian aerospace detection and defense command has been watching for both incoming bombers and missiles. And Canada has agreed to allow NORAD to tie it's detection systems into a US ABM system. So, yes, technically, we are already part of the ABM program.
So what did Canada decide not to participate in?
Canada won't allow the US to place ABMs on our soil, nor will Canada spend money on R&D, manning, or maintaining US's ABM system.
Some may ask why we wouldn't want to participate in our defense, but again, that is a misleading question, and here is why.
The US ABM system doesn't work!
Time and again, they have tested the system, and it fails consistently. Go over to google.com, and use their news search feature to investigate it, and you will find that it doesn't work.
Now those of us who remember the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, or in the media, "Star Wars") from the Reagan Years will find this sounding familiar. Back then, the Reagan Government tried to create a missile defense shield over North America, with a number of super high tech weapons that despite years of research, didn't work. The US Government funneled billions of dollars into this research, and what came out of it? Not much. Certainly a business oriented government like Reagan's should have been appalled as the return on investment, or ROI of this program, but they weren't.
Why?
Because it was a great scam to convince the public to spend more money on defense with little protest. I met scientists who worked on SDI programs, and virtually all of them told me they knew the systems wouldn't work, but it allowed them to finance basic research at the same time, and thus thought that SDI was a great cover for the US Government to fund science. And a great deal of money also went to private contractors, and I bet most of those were contributor to the Republican Party. I am sure that if people spent the time to research SDI's funding and who got to feed at it's trough will find that the same hogs are at the ABM trough today.
So possibly one of Mr. Martin's advisers quoted that saying that most Star Trek Fans attribute to Uber-Engineer Scotty, "Fool me once, shame on your. Fool my twice, shame on me!"
The ABM initiative is not about a defense shield, but is payback to those who helped fund Bush's second term campaign. And Canada refused to be suckered into the same old trick that Reagan pulled.
ttyl
