Why are Americans so different from the rest of us Westerners

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Can you say Canadianization (Finlandization)...

Now, how bad are those bad guys when we are still independent after all these years? I'd say they are rather harmless if they do not feel threatened.

You just made mention of how bad the bad guys can be without outright annexation of their neighbours, NYE.

There would be significant, to say the least, consequences were the US to start being territorial belligerants against a Western nation. I don't trust the US any further than I can spit, but I do trust them to laugh off that stupid an idea.

You yourself seem more twitchy about them than I am. That makes me wonder how bad they are in your eyes...

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by HershOstropoler
Get nuclear weapons. Works for Kimmy.

Hah. We wouldn't even have to manufacture the plutonium; we import it from old US and Soviet weapons (wish I could find a link)...

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Tingkai


Illusion? Why is it an illusion? Do we not set our own laws and policies that often run counter to what the Americans want and do?

How would a different vote change anything?

You seem to acknowledge that Canada does not have the resources to stop an American invasion. Or do you think that with a different government, we could create a military capable of stopping the Americans?

Now, lets try to assert soverignty over the arctic ice pack, or maybe the North-West passage...

No? Right. We are not prepared to spend the dollars and exercise the will... we lose, they win.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by notyoueither


Now, lets try to assert soverignty over the arctic ice pack, or maybe the North-West passage...

No? Right. We are not prepared to spend the dollars and exercise the will... we lose, they win.

So what would you suggest that we do?

[notyoueither]

Spend a few dollars? Have at least 2 nuclear subs? We are in the G7, aren't we? Can't we afford it?

No? OK. Just walk all over 1/3 of our sovereign territory because we can't do f*ck all about it...

[Asher]

Or do you think that with a different government, we could create a military capable of stopping the Americans?

It's certainly possible, we'd need to clone Avril Lavigne, Celine Dion, Chad Kroeger, Shania Twain, etc. though for the plan to work properly.

Perhaps we could develop a modified cluster bomb which disperses these albums to the American public as well.

[Asher]

Perhaps if we had our own military, we wouldn't need to call for American military aid next time we have an ice storm.

Just a thought.

If our military isn't strong enough to handle ice, what good is it?

They may as well eliminate it completely. Fund it adequently or stop wasting our time. Yeah! That's the ticket.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher

It's certainly possible, we'd need to clone Avril Lavigne, Celine Dion, Chad Kroeger, Shania Twain, etc. though for the plan to work properly.

Perhaps we could develop a modified cluster bomb which disperses these albums to the American public as well.

Even I wouldn't suggest such cruel punishment. There are limits afterall.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Spend a few dollars? Have at least 2 nuclear subs? We are in the G7, aren't we? Can't we afford it?

No? OK. Just walk all over 1/3 of our sovereign territory because we can't do f*ck all about it...

How will two nuke subs stop the Americans from entering our territory whenever they feel like it? Let's say a couple of American submarines sail through the Canadian Arctic Ocean. You're the PM and you've got two nuke subs up there. What would you do?

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher
Perhaps if we had our own military, we wouldn't need to call for American military aid next time we have an ice storm.

Just a thought.

If our military isn't strong enough to handle ice, what good is it?

They may as well eliminate it completely. Fund it adequently or stop wasting our time. Yeah! That's the ticket.

I agree that the Forces need more funding, but preparing the Forces to defend Canada from the Americans is another question.

[Az]

do you call your army "The Forces"?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Tingkai


How will two nuke subs stop the Americans from entering our territory whenever they feel like it? Let's say a couple of American submarines sail through the Canadian Arctic Ocean. You're the PM and you've got two nuke subs up there. What would you do?

OK. So let's just kiss our sovereignty good-bye.

Let's do nothing. Actually, right now, we would have ZERO ability to do anything about it.

If, on the other hand, we had vessels which could enforce our sovereignty, then maybe the Americans would have to listen to us on matters of the Arctic, rather than just laughing.

I believe they are laughing now.

[HershOstropoler]

What kind of "sovereignty" do you want to maintain there?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Azazel
do you call your army "The Forces"?

Yes. the Army, Navy and Air Forces. They are all the Canadian Armed Forces. Got a problem with that?

[Spiffor]

This is a really unexpected threadjack. After several pages on wood tariffs, we have 2 pages on the Canadian (lack of) military

GP :
I don't think you were "doing fine" in 1990-2001 without an Evil to fight against. During this period, the US was looking for an enemy, but didn't find one as satisfying as the USSR. First, Saddam was the Evil, then there was some searching among usual "bad" countries (Somalia, Sudan, Lybia etc.). Then Milosevic was the villain of the world, and after his defeat, another search happened again (I remember the news Networks were more hostile to France than ever at this time). Saddam got hit once during the LEvinsky affair (and the US/UK are currently still bombing it).
Sept 11. gave a long lasting, big enemy. And sadly, the US reacted the old way : rather than trying to understand why, and change its diplomatic ways, it charged and charges again, using Sept 11. as a legitimation machine.

Please tell me of any period when you feeled the News Networks and the Politicians didn't talk bad of one particular country, or of one particular foreign leader.