The Americanization of the Canadian Military

The Americanization of the Canadian Military

Two Visions

Post 9/11 Impacts “Either you are with

us, or you are with the terrorists.” (Bush 2001)

“Traditional U.S. allies will find that calls for military, diplomatic and other support from Washington will be regarded a test of their loyalty.” (DND analysts 2001)

Fortress North America Pressure from U.S.

to increase military spending

Buy U.S.-built military equipment

Join U.S.-led missions

The Defence Lobby and Corporate Lobby alliance

Canadian decisions “Yes” to 2002 invasion of

Afghanistan “No” to 2003 invasion of Iraq “No” to missile defence in 2005 “Yes” to military spending increases

and military transformation

Military Spending 2005-2006 $14.68 billion Only 7% below

spending at end of the Cold War

One of the highest in NATO in real dollars

NATO military spending 2004 (est. U.S. millions)

$10,207Turkey8$11,601$11,601CanadaCanada77

$12,632Spain6

$16,730Russian Federation (not NATO)

$30,642Italy5

$37,920Germany4

$48,918United Kingdom3

$462,099United States1

$51,877France2

Military salaries have already been increased

New recruit, 18 years old

$29,000 yr(or $2421 per month)

3rd year in CF, 20 years old.

$42,600 yr (or $3,556 per month)

$26,500 per year

$40,000 per year

Sales & Service

National average of all FT workers

Budget 2005 $12.8 billion added

over 5 years Increase of 34% Ralph Goodale:

“Largest defence increase in 20 years.”

Conference of Defence Associations: “It’s staggering!”

New Spending in Budget 2005 (millions over 5 years)

$5,000

2,700

1,000

3,400

12,800

Childcare Seniors GreenhseGas

Aid Military

Budget 2005

Canada’s Military Spending 1980-2010

$14.68 Billion 2005-06

$20 Billion by 2009-10

Highest since WWII

Canada’s Military Spending 1980-2010

Transformation from UN peacekeeper to U.S.-led war-fighter

“Our job is to be able to kill people.”

“These are detestable murderers and scumbags.”

“…we're not going to let them rob from Canada.”

Lt. Gen. Rick Hiller

Chief of Defence Staff

War-fighting with AmericaWar-fighting with America

War-fighting with America $150 million (U.S.)

on Joint Strike Fighter program

$1 billion on submarines

$2.6 billion on CF-18 upgrades, incl. laser-guided bombs

War-fighting with America 2,000 troops being

deployed to Afghanistan with U.S. & NATO

“This is not a peacekeeping mission.”

Relieving 4,000 U.S. troops for Iraq

Afghanistan Canadian commandos

are operating with U.S. forces under U.S. command

They have killed combatants and handed prisoners over to U.S. military for “interrogation.”

Afghanistan

A Secret Army? JTF2 Commandos

Arms purchases

Afghanistan combat operations

Missile defence

Election 2006

Harper’s Defence Platform Implement Liberal

program and increases, plus an additional $5.3 over 5 years

Defence spending will reach $25 billion per year by 2010

Airborne Battalion

SOMALIASOMALIA

Strategic Transport

$2 billion$2 billion

Arctic Defence

$3-5 billion$3-5 billion

Harper will reopen missile defence If requested, will

reopen missile defence discussions with U.S.

Will bring a deal to Parliament for a (non-binding) free vote.

Dangers of Afghanistan Clear mission? Public support? Exit strategy? Canadian priority

or US priority? Risk of casualties? Are we keeping the

social contract with our troops?

Suicide Bombings: Deadly Trend in Afghanistan (G&M, Jan 2006)

Abandoning the U.N.

For every $10.00 spent on int’l missionshow much was spent on UN-led missions?

1992-93

2004-05

$9.27 ($473 of $510 million)

$0.31($34 million of $1.1

billion)

Ranking of Military and PoliceContributions to UN OperationsMonth of Report : 31-Dec-05

16 ) Sri Lanka 1012

17 ) Argentina 897

18 ) Namibia 890

19 ) Egypt 742

20 ) Ukraine 720

21 ) Poland 705

22 ) France 582

23 ) Chile 570

24 ) Tunisia 524

25 ) Niger 498

26 ) Philippines 483

27 ) Ireland 473

28 ) Zambia 451

29 ) Austria 424

30 ) Benin 421

30 ) Benin 421

31 ) USA 387

32 ) Canada 32 ) Canada 387387

33 ) UK 379

34 ) Togo 328

35 ) Sweden 327

36 ) Germany 293

37 ) Slovakia 292

1 ) Bangladesh 9529

2 ) Pakistan 8999

3 ) India 7284

4 ) Jordan 3703

5 ) Nepal 3466

6 ) Ethiopia 3410

7 ) Ghana 2520

8 ) Uruguay 2428

9 ) Nigeria 2412

10 ) South Africa 2010

11 ) Senegal 1845

12 ) Morocco 1706

13 ) Kenya 1482

14 ) Brazil 1270

15 ) China 1059

Make Poverty History?

Military spending

Foreign aid

Lost opportunities

One helicopter (28 bought for $178 million each)

1500 homes

Lost opportunities Two helicopters

Annual budget of Dalhousie University

Canadians must reclaim defence policy Freeze military

spending Prevent integration

with Pentagon Review defence

policy & role in the world

Include public participation

Canadians must reclaim defence policy

Steven Staples, Polaris Institute

www.polarisinstitute.org www.ceasefire.ca (sign up for

our newsletters)