Calling all Canadians...how would you fix our military?

[St Leo]

1. Halve the budget.
2. Use it for UN missions exclusively.
3. Cooperate as little as possible with the Evil Empire Jr.

[private hudson]

Well I'm no canadian, but you could always do what we brits do and get the Gurkhas to fight for you! I swear as soon as anyone hears they are on their way they surrender soon afterwards!

Oh and don't disband you know damn well mr Bush is itching to just add some more stars to that flag!

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by private hudson
Oh and don't disband you know damn well mr Bush is itching to just add some more stars to that flag!

They wouldn't have to worry about that, except during the hockey season.

Hockey players from Canada would become terrorists, and Canada would become a rogue state.

[Gatekeeper]

It seems like I remember some years ago something going around about British Columbia wanting to possibly one day join the United States. Either BC or some other western province(s). I'm serious, too. Obviously, nothing ever came of it ... but I just thought I'd mention it to see if anyone else had heard of it.

Gatekeeper

[private hudson]

Hmmm haven't heard that one before. It suprises me really I always thought Canada and the USA kinda hated eachother secretly, after all they did try and take canada in the 1812 war!

Besides wouldn't all those frenchies in Montreal object if america wanted canada?

[Mr. President]

Really? I was under the impression we have better relations than some, since we could almost be the same country in some ways (open borders, &c.)

As for the question, I don't really know how Canada sees its military situation, so I couldn't comment with any authority.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by private hudson
Hmmm haven't heard that one before. It suprises me really I always thought Canada and the USA kinda hated eachother secretly, after all they did try and take canada in the 1812 war!

Besides wouldn't all those frenchies in Montreal object if america wanted canada?

Except the frenchies of course.

[Gatekeeper]

I predict that, one day, the United States of North America will come into existence. What I don't know is if it would be a complete union, or just an economic one — sort of like NAFTA — or a military one or what. It will be composed of at least the current US and Canada, and maybe even Mexico.

Then we shall truly be the Beast of the Americas! (And they thought the Beast was bad now.)

Gatekeeper

[Velociryx]

Would love to see it, GK....further, I'd love to see a Transatlantic Economic Union....perhaps not long after a NA econounion.

Imagine....an economy worth 22+ TRILLION a year.....wow.

-=Vel=-

[Tingkai]

Re: Calling all Canadians...how would you fix our military?

Originally posted by Kontiki
1. Increase the budget by about $1-2 billion.

Where do you get the money?

Originally posted by Kontiki
2. Scrap our armoured regiment altogether. We are not likely to ever deploy it, and even if we did, Leopard I tanks from the 70s ain't exactly top of the line.

Valid point.

Originally posted by Kontiki
3. Develop a lightly armed, but well equiped, rapid reaction force or two that can be moved to trouble spots on short notice - say 1000-2000 men each. Here, I'd invest in some good APCs (Coyotes are a good start, but they're meant more for recon duties) and upgrade our light truck fleet (we've got to have the most pathetic jeeps in the world).

The Canadian Army is already fairly mobile and has a plan to become more agile.

Originally posted by Kontiki
4. Increase the full-time personnel to around 80,000.

At least 80,000. Our peacekeeping commitments probably require a larger force with more people in the army.

Originally posted by Kontiki
6. Keep our CF-18s in better condition so that they can be effectively used alongside our allies if and when needed.

The CF-18s are being upgraded through a $900 million modification program that will keep them airworthy until 2017.

The question is: do we really need the fighters?

We need to increase the size of the primary reserves.

[Kontiki]

Re: Re: Calling all Canadians...how would you fix our military?

Originally posted by Tingkai

Where do you get the money?

...

The question is: do we really need the fighters?

$1-$2 billion from our budget isn't that much - hell, currently our surplus is bigger than that. However, I'm sure you could fanangle that much from other areas without having too major an impact.

As for the fighters, I'd say that we definitely need them. If we ever want to contribute an offensive force, the fighters are the best thing we've got.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
I predict that, one day, the United States of North America will come into existence. What I don't know is if it would be a complete union, or just an economic one — sort of like NAFTA — or a military one or what. It will be composed of at least the current US and Canada, and maybe even Mexico.

Then we shall truly be the Beast of the Americas! (And they thought the Beast was bad now.)

Gatekeeper

No chance, buddy. I'd consider joining a massive Western Bloc...but only after the Euros had already joined to provide a counterweight.

[Gatekeeper]

Pah. Stop being such a party-pooper, you future American you, Froggums.

Gatekeeper

(P.S. And, Vel, a trans-Atlantic union would be something indeed ... but I don't think that'll happen in our lifetimes.)

[KrazyHorse]

We're already too close to the elephant. We like you at arm's length, not stomping on our head.

[Gatekeeper]

Oh, for goodness sakes, you Canuck you! You're just being stubborn, that's all. Like some Americans I know!

Gatekeeper