... at the top of the thread, is the US telling other countries how to spend their budgets because we say we spend too much on other people's protection.
What we are saying is, we still want to be in charge, but we want other people to pay for it. So are we the beacon of liberty, or are we just a benevolent protection racket? How do we wish to be seen? Do we care? It's not about being overbearing to our enemies, but overbearing to our friends.
S_M got ticked, as a Canadian, because the US has precious little grounds for criticizing his nation for sending people overseas with the Americans to get shot at by Afghanis and Americans. Many Canadians have not forgotten this incident. Additional arrogance is no remedy.
As often happens, I have noticed, with engineers and other techies, the train of thought got derailed into a discussion of numbers, over which the 900-lb. gorilla has a commanding lead. This isn't about numbers. It's about respect for national sovereignty and for the behavior of a valuable and co-operative ally.
Posting a bar graph is not the same thing as saying that we should level the playing field for everyone. It's a way for S_M to support his remark about US military spending, which is technically correct. We spend the equivalent of a group of smaller nations' GDP on bombs and guns, training people to use bombs and guns, and delivery systems for bombs and people with guns.
Keep in mind Einstein's remark that, whatever World War III is fought with, World War IV will be fought with rocks and sticks. If conflict is escalated sufficiently, the playing field will be leveled for us. Considering that the opponent is comprised of apocalyptic madmen leading disaffected, angry youth with no emotional understanding of mortality (youth has no emotional understanding of mortality), rocks and sticks are probably what they're hoping for. To them, the condition of humanity is of no concern, as long as the West loses.
Regards--
Mary Anne
Current Events » in reply to Re: So -- because we’re overbearing to our enemies . . .
No, what this is about...
The whole thread (80 posts)
- Canadians lose their minds.
- Why does Canada even have an army?
- Inoperative chestnut
- Re: Why buy aircraft?
- Canadian scizophrenia
- Reposting part of the article you posted so maybe everyone will read it this time
- Something to consider
- That's fine
- Cdn military
- Just saying no
- Re: As a Canadian what you say kinda pisses me off
- Then don't come begging to us for airlift capacity
- Re: Americans spend more on military than any country in the world
- Not even to fight Bushs' war?
- Then don't come begging to us for airlift capacity