Quote:
Originally Posted by Sly
I was talking to a Canadian friend last night. He chuckled about what I said, but in the end he agreed.
The allies of the United States like to make fun of our military might. They think we are warmongers. They think we care only about violence. They think we don't care about our people. They think we would rather kill others then feed families. They make fun of our massive military budget.
It's true. Our military budget is insane. Our military is very large. Our military technology is quite good. Our military training is very good. We have military bases all around the world.
Our focus on military allows our allies to spend less on their military. They can spend their money on social programs, a variety of domestic programs, a variety of aid programs, so on and so forth? for their own countries. And that's all fine, no problem.
When shit hits the fan? Not if? When? There are going to be a lot of phone calls to one particular Defense Department. It's not going to be Canada. It's not going to be the United Kingdom. It's not going to be France. It's going to be the United States.
I'm not knocking the militaries of Canada, the United Kingdom, and France? We train with them, they are allies. We simply have a better set up. And sure, all of those guys will get called in to the battle as well, but there will be a ringleader. We can all laugh and giggle and deny it all we want? But deep down, we know who that ringleader is going to be.
So, allies of the United States? When you need our help, don't worry. We will forget that you chastise our military nonstop. We will forget that you spend less on your defense because we spend more. We will forget that you think we are evil warmongers. We will be there, don't worry. Sure, we might want oil, we might want infrastructure contracts, we might even want your damn trees... but hey, we will be there. And when that time comes, you won't care.
Yes. I am an arrogant American, but you know I'm right. ;-)
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Dear 'Ringleader':
It depends on what measuring stick you're using.
Canada entered WWII in Sept./1939 - the U.S. in Dec./1941...two years after Canada had declared war on Germany.
During the course of the war 730,000 Canadian men and women served in the army, 260,000 served in the air force and 115,000 served in the navy. Canadians distinguished themselves at several theaters of the war most notably at Dieppe in France in 1942, the invasion of the Italian peninsula in 1943, the liberation of the Netherlands and the Allied invasion of German occupied France from Normandy in 1944.
From June/1940 to July/1941 Britain stood alone against Germany and without Canadian assistance likely would have fallen to German forces.
The battle of the Atlantic was largely the responsibility of Canada. The UK was heavily involved as well, but the US was largely absent from this theatre until very late in the war.
Before you let your American 'arrogance' run away with itself - don't forget Kasserine Pass in Tunisia where American troops ran like rabbits and had to rescued by British and French troops.