The employment concept document hammering home the threat to Canada from China and Russia comes as the military leadership and its supporters advocate for billions more dollars in defence spending.

But pumping more money into the military comes at a time when the Liberal government is pushing fiscal restraint on federal departments. In addition, the Canadian Forces and National Defence have faced questions about how they manage the money they already receive as well as concerns about equipment projects that have gone tens of billions of dollars over budget without providing additional military capability.

  • Car@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    1 year ago

    We must remember that Russia and China do not differentiate between peace and war

    The hostile intentions and actions of our adversaries show that they consider themselves to be at war with the West

    I don’t think that words have consistent meanings coming from this guy. If their adversaries (China) show that they consider themselves to be at war, then they also consider themselves to be at peace?

    • ttmrichter@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      We must remember that Russia and China do not differentiate between peace and war

      [citation needed]

      The hostile intentions and actions of our adversaries show that they consider themselves to be at war with the West

      As opposed to the oh-so-friendly rhetoric getting slung from the USA and Canada right now.

      A bunch of churlish hypocrites, the lot of them.

    • Umbrias@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      I feel like this guy is largely just drumming up defense budget.

      But like, your critique is kind of a silly mischaracterization of what he’s saying that doesn’t actually address the content of his message. Yes, he’s saying that he believes China and Russia treat peacetime the same as wartime, and that they also consider themselves to be at war with Canada. These aren’t incompatible thoughts…

      • Car@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 year ago

        They are incompatible thoughts. Peacetime posturing and wartime posturing involve completely different priorities and lines of effort for governments.

        Wartime governments need to prioritize their war efforts. Peacetime governments do not - while there may be some light overlap for creation and maintenance of a self defense military force, individual liberties are not restricted, economic efforts are not diverted to replenish critical resources, and industrial outputs are not shifted to materiel production. Posturing for war places extreme stress on a nations ability to participate in global commerce and academia.

        • Umbrias@beehaw.org
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          1 year ago

          You’re immediately going to posturing, something specifically not mentioned, to choose an interpretation which makes it nonsensical. It could simply represent a level of aggression and imperialist intent.

          No they are not incompatible thoughts.

          I really don’t care about this dude enough to argue this point any longer, just try to actually respond to arguments for their content and rhetoric rather than just choosing a nonsensical interpretation out of many sensical though still disagreeable ones.

  • Szymon@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    ITT: Lemmy infected with fear mongering Winnie the Pooh fans

  • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    How about instead of antagonizing foreign nations on the other side the globe with the few military resources we have … we just keep things at home and don’t start fights where we aren’t supposed to be.

    When it comes to China … if we are at war with them … why the hell is our economy hinged on Chinese trade worth billions with them?

    I always love this argument -> China is evil but we don’t mind doing billions of dollars worth of business with them.

    Stop beating the drums of war … if you want to spend millions on something … spend millions on peace … the more money you spend on war, the more likely you’ll get a war.

    • SamsonSeinfelder@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      spend millions on peace

      How do you do this? How could e.g. Ukraine had spend money to not get invaded by a foreign Military and stay at peace? Are you high?

      • zephyreks@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        By signing the peace deal back in 2022 that would have even kept Donbass in Ukraine (as an autonomous region, sure, but it’s damn well better than the current conflict borders).

      • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        The US dumped billions into Ukraine before, during and after this war … the only goal seems to be - > more war.

        If the west, especially the US had not invested so heavily in Ukraine, do you think there would be a protracted war right now?

        Everyone is so preoccupied with what the war is now, but no one ever asks how, why and where the war originated … or even why it is continuing. And its not as simple as saying that Russia has expansionist goals and wants to rule the world. If any country is guilty of that, I only know of one country in the world that has directly or indirectly affected the statehood of many, many nations over the past 80 years.

        I’m with every detractor out there including you … I don’t have any love for authoritarian Russia and I don’t agree with one country invading or occupying another.

        But I do keep a wide eye on global politics to know that, most if not all wars are preventable and wars that are in motion can be stopped if the participants and supporters of any side are willing. And war only continues if both sides are willing to invest it with money … lots and lots of money … which Ukraine has none right now.

        So my question stands … does the world want to keep investing in perpetual war … or is anyone willing to spend a penny on peace?

        • ttmrichter@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          There’s no money to be made in peace. Well, not as easily, I mean. To make money in peace takes actual talent and ability to create.

          • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
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            1 year ago

            Which is what I am afraid of … no one is thinking or considering the future … no cares about resolution, or the long term … all anyone wants to talk about is war … especially if it means funding a war where other nations are dying in … this isn’t about anything except feeding an insatiable war machine

            • ttmrichter@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              The hobby of the west has for centuries been killing brown folk abroad. Why do we expect different now?

        • ebc@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          If the west, especially the US had not invested so heavily in Ukraine, do you think there would be a protracted war right now?

          Probably not, Ukraine just wouldn’t exist anymore. How is that better?

          If any country is guilty of that, I only know of one country in the world

          There are a few countries like that, actually. There used to be other ones, too. The fact that one does it does not excuse the other. And no, it’s not okay that one does it “because they’re the good guys” either (altough I don’t think many people outside that country think they’re the good guys, really, I certainly don’t).

  • forked_bytes@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Stop trying to make China our enemy. There is no reason we shouldn’t aim to improve relations with China.