Canada’s Right Wing Militarism

canada-military

North Korea

A few days ago I heard a short clip from former Federal Cabinet Minister Peter Mackay discussing the issue of missile defense. It was his reaction to the unproven statements that North Korea has ICBMs that can deliver nuclear warheads to North America. While this may be within their reach, and while the rhetoric is extremely hostile, there is good reason not to get too excited about it.

First, the North Koreans – while expressing hostility to the west, the U.S. in particular because of its carpet bombing of all structures in the North just before the truce was agreed upon – have not acted irrationally. To use their nuclear weapon(s) against the U.S. would be a sure way to guarantee their own annihilation in kind. And what about the vaunted U.S. anti-missile system? Is it not as good as they claim it to be? Or would they not activate in order to create a significant situation allowing massive retaliation?

Secondly, I would doubt that their arsenal presents a significant threat to anyone and is essentially designed as a deterrent. The U.S.’ record for war since the end of WW II has been to attack only weak second and third world countries. If attacked, North Korea has a large military force that would create havoc upon South Korea, taking with them a large contingent of U.S. military personnel stationed along the armistice line.

However, given that, the U.S. does not worry too much about ‘other’ people, especially if they are not ‘white’ or subservient to ‘white’. At the same time, their cannon fodder spread along the armistice line could prove useful for domestic consumption about the evil of the North Korean regime.

The final gist of Peter MacKay’s argument was regret that Canada did not join in with the U.S. on its missile defense system. The right wing in Canada would be glad to be part of this system, in part as they are advised by U.S. advisors, and because they have adopted the U.S. right’s dogmatic, hubristic fearmongering. Of course the U.S. would love this, not because of North Korea, but because of Russia. Imagine, all those northern islands of Canada armed with nuclear capable missiles ready to fire at Russia and China at a moment’s notice. A militarists wet dream.

Saudi Arabia

Also in the Canadian news are reports of Saudi Arabia using Canadian military vehicles for military actions (Oh! The horror!) against their own people. Did anyone really think that would not occur? And given the state of the Saudi’s ineffective and idiotic war in Yemen, any military equipment sold to the Saudis over the past several decades, while not necessarily directly involved in the fighting, would certainly be used in a logistical manner to provide provisions to the military. Further, any Canadian vehicle used in a ‘policing’ role frees up other materials for use in the actual conflict zone. As it stands the eastern regions of Saudi Arabia are now closed to foreign correspondents, as the Saudis crack down on the Shia population of the region.

Is Canada so weak that it will sell its military supplies to a known supporter of and exporter of terrorism in order to maintain its job numbers domestically for future elections? Obviously yes, as these are the actions supported by both the Liberal and the Conservative governments. This is just one more action by the Canadian government as it follows the lead of the U.S. empire to control the world to its own liking.

More North Korea

The real kicker for this letter comes from CBC’s Power and Politics where the topic naturally was North Korea, a good headline maker. Several comments highlighted the idiocy of the conservative thinking in regards to the recent rhetoric and threats coming from U.S. President Trump. His “fire and fury” statement demonstrates the incredible stupidity of the man concerning military matters, humanitarian matters, and simple common sense. Perhaps he is unaware of the “shock and awe” that hammered Iraq – well sure, they won the initial military part of the war, but they lost the ‘peace’, and they left the region much worse off than before.

The first comment to attract my attention came from Chad Rogers, a founder of the right wing think tank (conservative views and lobbying) Crestview Strategy (crestviewstrategy.ca). Admittedly Rogers is about as right wing as one can get. He has worked under the auspices of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (Remember? The lady who thought 500 thousand dead children was worth the price of removing Saddam Hussein in Iraq.) and reportedly worked in many of the countries harmed by U.S. covert or overt military actions.

The initial statement I heard was that North Korea had “apocalyptic weapons – a danger for all the earth.” Well, maybe the one or two serviceable missiles with perhaps accurate guidance might be used to threaten a U.S. city but certainly not all the earth. To put his statement into a global context would mean that it is the U.S. that is the greatest threat as it has the largest arsenal and has a first use policy for them. And the wacko Trump for President.

Considering Trump’s threats, bluster, and rhetoric the greatest danger for all the earth clearly lies on the doorstep of the White House or Mar a Lago, wherever he is at the moment. There are nine nuclear armed countries in the world, three of whom – Israel, Pakistan, India – have not signed on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. North Korea is not the threat the mainstream media and the military-political are attempting to make of it.

The real goal is to get closer to China and Russia in order to threaten them with the same kind of action, to demonstrate to the world that the U.S. truly is insane and would rather take it down than accept a multipolar position.

Rogers also mentioned the “Iron Dome” over Israel, the 6 minute launch warning time for nuclear weapons, and the nuclear weapons “threatening our shores when Cuba had their weapons.” All good right wing rhetorical bombast.

For its part Cuba was the staging ground for intermediate range deterrent nuclear weapons, the USSR’s response to U.S. nuclear weapons in Turkey and Italy aimed at the USSR, the deterrent being to act against another U.S. attempted invasion (another remember – the Bay of Pigs.). But the real point is the scaremongering over a situation that was settled peacefully, even while there were no missiles there that could reach Canada’s shores.

Canada buys in

Unfortunately Canadian politicians seem to always buy into U.S. hype and hubris. Both the Liberals now in power and the former Conservative government fully accept the bizarre workings of the U.S. deep state as if it were our own (Hey, wait! Maybe it is!).

If North Korea really does have deliverable nuclear weapons, then expect their usage if they are attacked. If used, no doubt the U.S. would respond in kind in order to simply use them because they can, and to demonstrate that to the world. All that could be contained, but knowing how the world of warcraft goes, it could also lead to the true war to end all wars.

All of this is part of the larger global picture of waning U.S. economic power supported by an increasingly ineffective, yet overwhelmingly powerful military. As Russia, China and others gradually withdraw from the U.S. based petrodollar reserve currency system, the more likely the U.S. is to strike out in anger and frustration at its created enemies.

Sadly, Canada will go where the U.S. leads.

Jim Miles is a Canadian educator and a regular contributor/columnist of opinion pieces and book reviews for The Palestine Chronicle. Miles’ work is also presented globally through other alternative websites and news publications.

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