This is just silly:
A few weeks ago, Canadians heard something from their country's foreign minister that rattled them: pointed criticism of the United States.
“Many of the [American] voters in last year's presidential election cast their ballots, animated in part by a desire to shrug off the burden of world leadership,” Chrystia Freeland told the House of Commons, before announcing an uptick in military spending.
"To put it plainly: Canadian diplomacy and development sometimes require the backing of hard power,” she said. “To rely solely on the US security umbrella would make us a client state.”
So after 8 years of Obama "leading from behind," which looks an awful lot like failing to lead, a Trump determination to defend American interests--which defends the West in its wake--now inspires Canadian fears of lack of American leadership? Seriously? I'm actually supposed to buy that?
I wrote a few weeks ago that the notion that Canada couldn't trust America and that Canada was bypassing American power is nonsense:
Not that Canada hasn't stood up for the West. Canada has my undying thanks for their death toll fighting with American troops in Afghanistan. Canada is one of the few allies who actually fought and bled with us. They are good troops.
But Canada's low defense spending means that their military is ill-equipped to do as much killing as dying.
And even in a decade, Canada will still be well shy of the 2% of GDP NATO goal.
Early reports were likely just made to make a defense increase more palatable as a reaction against Trump rather than doing what Trump wants.
Remember, in a decade under this surge of leadership, Canada will spend 1.4% of GDP on defense--up from 1.2% now.
On that foundation Canada plans to exert independent leadership on the world stage backed by more hard power?
Pray tell, just how big a force does Canada intend to deploy abroad? And who moves it there? And then sustains it?
Oh, that's right, America's logistical and transportation machine.
This is all just a ploy to get Canadians to back more defense spending under cover of defying Trump.
Canada's military is tied into American defense capabilities. And they will remain under our security umbrella and reliant on our logistical support.
To put it plainly.
And thanks to Canada for the fun time I just had in Toronto. I enjoyed Tim's, poutine, and your beer. That whole Canada at 150 explains why I was reamed on hotel costs! Bad timing on my part for that.
