Sure. All we’d have to do is sign a mutual defense treaty with Russia and China, and Donald J. Trump seems to be driving us in that direction. Then the USA would have Cuba and Canada to worry about.
I want to look at the situation from a purely military standpoint. Could Canada equip and field armed forces capable of beating the United States? Let’s look at the numbers.
Gross Domestic Product vs Population
Now that’s interesting. The Socialist countries of Switzerland, Norway, Ireland, and Denmark all out produce the United States. Canada too. Maybe we are doing something wrong…
Let’s look now at the military budgets of the larger countries.
The USA is the big spender. Where’s Canada?
Ah, there we are, in fifteenth spot. Effectively to become a serious threat to the United States we’d have to spend a lot more on defense than we are right now.
Yes, we could do it. Spending $568 billion on defense to equal the USA is possible with our economy. In fact it would probably be a big boost to the economy. There are a lot of countries looking at the USA right now and asking if the USA can be trusted when it comes to arms sales. Can we say export opportunity?
In fact I have no doubt that folks in Ottawa are considering banning any American participation in our fighter purchase program. If they aren’t, they damned well should.
Which is pretty sad. We’ve been good neighbors for a long time, and now wacky Uncle Donald seems to want to throw all that away.
Regards
Wayne Borean
Monday June 11, 2018