959 replies to this topic

[LJ]

Yeah, basically have to end every sentence with "sorry if anything I said was inappropriate, my apologies."

[Victoria Watcher]

The United States killed al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri in Afghanistan over the weekend in a successful counterterrorism strike, a senior administration official told Fox News.

President Biden on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. E.T. is expected to address the nation from the White House on the operation.

"Over the weekend, the United States conducted a counterterrorism operation against a significant al Qaeda target in Afghanistan," the senior administration official told Fox News Monday. "The operation was successful and there were no civilian casualties."


https://www.foxnews....get-afghanistan




US just takes out a target by drone in a relatively friendly country.

Nobody complains.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 01 August 2022 - 03:20 PM.

[spanky123]

You have to wonder what the Americans are thinking.

 

https://www.nytimes....iwan-china.html

 

The last time they called China's bluff was when they crossed the 38th parallel.

Edited by spanky123, 01 August 2022 - 06:30 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

You have to wonder what the Americans are thinking.

https://www.nytimes....iwan-china.html

The last time they called China's bluff was when they crossed the 38th parallel.

It would seem unnecessary.

But at the same time, nobody tells America what they can and can’t do. Sometimes you have to reaffirm that.

[spanky123]

It would seem unnecessary.

But at the same time, nobody tells America what they can and can’t do. Sometimes you have to reaffirm that.

I am sure that Pelosi’s husband has shorted a few airlines just in case!

But seriously, are US leaders in grade 5 looking to pick schoolyard fights? They had a tough enough time in Korea and China has developed 50x militarily since then.

The natural response here is for China, which has largely been on the sidelines, to now start flooding Russia with drones and other high tech gear for use in the Ukraine.

Edited by spanky123, 02 August 2022 - 07:24 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Showboating for the mid-terms?

The timing sure seems suspect.

[Mike K.]

China’s banking system is near collapse. I don’t know how much they want to invest in flexing at this moment.

[spanky123]

China’s banking system is near collapse. I don’t know how much they want to invest in flexing at this moment.

 

I think that you have been reading too many 'opinions' in the G&M! The same folks also claim that the Russian military is about to collapse and the citizens are about to overthrow Putin!

[Victoria Watcher]

NATO chief warns Canada that Russia, China have designs on the Arctic






I don’t know. Maybe they can just have it. We aren’t really using it for anything.



https://www.cbc.ca/n...china-1.6563825


Many of the country's closest allies do not recognize Canada's claim to the Northwest Passage.

According to research by University of Calgary Arctic expert Rob Huebert, the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, Belgium, Japan, the European Commission, Singapore and Russia (when it was the USSR) have, over the past 40 years, formally protested or registered dissenting opinions over Canada's claim that the passage is an internal Canadian waterway.




Who and when was it “decided” it was ours, anyway?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 August 2022 - 03:24 PM.

[lanforod]

If we can’t enforce it, we can’t claim it.

[AllseeingEye]

Enforce it? We have only the barest, most minimal ability to maintain any sort of surveillance over the Far North which has been the case really for several decades now. Never mind actually 'enforcing' anything.

 

For that we'd have to call on the Americans, as per usual. I'm certain that "call on the Americans" is an official policy position buried somewhere in the DND bureaucracy because its not like Canada can do anything or effective in that regard.

 

Of all the branches of the CAF the RCN above all has been reduced to little more than a uniformed coastal defence force on both the East and West coasts. Insofar as the Arctic is concerned we are much less than that. Even one of the brand new AOPS ships - literally just delivered from the Irving shipyard a couple of months ago - was compelled to return to port last week after one of its generators crapped out. Although this class has four generators per ship and can easily run on only three of them, safety and an abundance of caution demanded she return to the shipyard for immediate repairs. So much for a victory lap for the latest chapter in Canada's glorious fleet history...

 

At any rate this brand new class of Arctic Patrol boat is so lightly armed its best course of action in the event of a really serious maritime incident in the north would be to do an about face and go home. I believe they are fitted with .25 mm Bushmaster guns which are really simply glorified machine guns. They have no true naval artillery guns nor any missile systems I am aware of.

 

I'm pretty certain neither the very large and well armed Russian fleet, nor the Chinese, who will inevitably push on through our northern back yard with some of their Type 055 Destroyers - featuring multiple anti ship missile batteries and missile classes and systems, a savage array of both anti air and ship to surface missiles, in addition to anti submarine torpedo's and a CIWS - will be remotely worried about our absurdly small number of AOPS with their pea shooter gun. 

 

Additionally basically we have no heavy ice breaking capacity to speak of unless you consider one of our 50 year old CCGS which at best features an officer or two sporting a sidearm pistol for "defence". I don't believe any of the Victoria-class subs in their current condition are rated for polar undersea operations, we have almost no ship to ship refuelling ability save for one LEASED ship - the Asterix - that would be promptly turned around and sent home in the event of real hostilities because of a complete lack of air defence and other defensive capabilities, not to mention it has NO ability whatsoever to survive any degree of combat damage.

 

"Northern" military capability is essentially yearly overflights by a couple of creaky F-18's maybe once or twice a year, the extremely rare Arctic sovereignty patrol by the surface navy - I'm not even sure they do this any more due to lack of funding and the fact our tiny fleet is already stretched due to NATO commitments - and perhaps a couple of second hand drones purchased from Turkey which of course are cheap to purchase and maintain....IOW the latter are perfect from Ottawa's perspective. They're economical. And they're cheap.

[Nparker]

Tell Trudeau truckers are occupying the far north, then he will send the full force of the entire Canadian armed forces to "defend" the region.

[spanky123]

Haven't we given most of the 'far north' back to FN? Shouldn't they be the ones paying to protect it?

 

The MSM has to get their story straight though. Up until yesterday we have been told that Russia is on the verge of social and economic collapse due to the war in Ukraine and that their military is being decimated.

 

Today we are told that they want to invade the north.

Edited by spanky123, 27 August 2022 - 09:16 AM.

[Mike K.]

Tomorrow they’ll remind us they have nukes.

[LJ]

Politician after politician has made photo ops in the Arctic de rigueur, and then promptly done nothing, ever.

 

Best defence would be to cede the Arctic to the Americans.

[AllseeingEye]

Haven't we given most of the 'far north' back to FN? Shouldn't they be the ones paying to protect it?

 

The MSM has to get their story straight though. Up until yesterday we have been told that Russia is on the verge of social and economic collapse due to the war in Ukraine and that their military is being decimated.

 

Today we are told that they want to invade the north.

 

 

Where have you read that? I haven't heard or read anything to that effect although I admittedly haven't been as diligent in following military and strategic sources recently. Got a link? I do know from what I've been told that Putin has not one but two possible escape plans ready to go in the event of a catastrophic or sudden failure of the military to bring Ukraine to heel. One option apparently is to skedaddle to Syria, the other Iran. Neither would be very palatable to me but any smart dictator worth his salt always has a plan.....

 

I do know well before he launched the Ukrainian Adventure, beginning roughly in 2007 that Russia spent a lot roubles completely rebuilding, expanding and heavily re-arming most if not all of more than 50 of the old Soviet-era Arctic bases as existed prior to 1991. Those included bases for all of the army, air force and navy and so are definitely something we cannot ignore. This includes the refurbishment of thirteen air bases, ten radar stations, twenty border outposts, and ten integrated emergency rescue stations. Russian special forces units are also part of an Arctic Brigade and have routinely deployed to the region for exercises and training. Most worrisome, Russia has tested new Arctic-based military capabilities such as hypersonic cruise missiles and nuclear-powered undersea drones.

 

By contrast, in addition to Justin's good wishes and procrastination's, Canada has a small, hastily built, and completely unmanned naval 'refuelling base' that as I recall includes a chain link fence and a couple of barrels of bunker fuel oil; a few Canadian "Rangers" who patrol the High Arctic in bright RED fleece tops, and are armed with 60 year old bolt action rifles. It would hardly be a fair fight....

 

Additionally Russia has split up its Arctic sphere into defined West, Central and East zones respectively. Each is heavily armed with multi-layered military systems including in the Western Arctic at Severomorsk on the Kola Peninsula, the entire Russian Northern Fleet. The Northern Fleet in case you're wondering is composed of nuclear-powered missile and torpedo submarines; missile-carrying and anti-submarine aircraft; surface ships with missiles, aircraft-carrying, and anti-submarine capabilities; coastal troops; a combined independent force; the Russian Air Force and Air Defense Force; and the army corps of the Ground Forces.

 

We, by contrast, only give any thought to the Arctic when our NATO partner-allies periodically wake up and realize that we have quietly continued our freeloading ways for going on 50 years now, and they become politically grumpy and agitated that we continue to be the alliance's 98-pound weakling and finally publicly call us out on it. Currently we have no permanent naval or ground forces stationed anywhere near the Arctic, a couple of mid-latitude early warning radar stations which haven't been updated in over 40 years, a single fighter base in Cold Lake AB from which we can launch a few ancient F-18's and.......um.....not much else. 

[spanky123]

The Dany Fortin sexual assault trial has finally come to court. General Fortin was head of vaccine distribution and was removed over a year ago based on sexual assault allegations made by a fellow cadet for an incident that occurred 34 years ago.

 

From what I can tell, there is no physical evidence that an assault occurred and both of the plaintiff's witnesses have disputed any knowledge of the event. The plaintiff has also offered differing stories as to when and how the alleged assault occurred.

 

I have no idea of course whether an assault happened but you have to wonder how a case like this can be brought to trial let alone some ones career ruined. No wonder General Fortin pressed the issue.

 

https://halifax.city...n-trial-5843499

[Wayne]

The Dany Fortin sexual assault trial has finally come to court. General Fortin was head of vaccine distribution and was removed over a year ago based on sexual assault allegations made by a fellow cadet for an incident that occurred 34 years ago.

 

From what I can tell, there is no physical evidence that an assault occurred and both of the plaintiff's witnesses have disputed any knowledge of the event. The plaintiff has also offered differing stories as to when and how the alleged assault occurred.

 

I have no idea of course whether an assault happened but you have to wonder how a case like this can be brought to trial let alone some ones career ruined. No wonder General Fortin pressed the issue.

 

https://halifax.city...n-trial-5843499

 

 

Guilty till proven innocent.

[Nparker]

Guilty till proven innocent.

Sadly, these days this is true .

[Victoria Watcher]

The Dany Fortin sexual assault trial has finally come to court. General Fortin was head of vaccine distribution and was removed over a year ago based on sexual assault allegations made by a fellow cadet for an incident that occurred 34 years ago.

From what I can tell, there is no physical evidence that an assault occurred and both of the plaintiff's witnesses have disputed any knowledge of the event. The plaintiff has also offered differing stories as to when and how the alleged assault occurred.

I have no idea of course whether an assault happened but you have to wonder how a case like this can be brought to trial let alone some ones career ruined. No wonder General Fortin pressed the issue.

https://halifax.city...n-trial-5843499

Not sure if this trial features “plaintiffs”.