Fred and Russ, your lack of respect for Canada in this situation is strange.
Some things for you to remember...
The United States did not join Canada and the allies in the first world war for the first three years of the four year war, and in the second world war, they stayed out of it almost as long, only entering when Pearl harbor was bombed by the Japanese.
That makes me wonder why the U.S. should be so upset because Canada didn't join them at the start of the war against Iraq.
Did we take economic sanctions against them for dragging their feet? Aren't we entitled to take a couple of years to make up our mind, like they did in two major world wars?
Maybe if Bush had intervened in the softwood problem when twice the World Trade Organization had found in favour of Canada: maybe if the U.S. hadn't inferred Canada was responsible for the entry of those responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center buildings ( when they had entered through Florida on American visas).
Maybe if Bush had known Mexico was not his largest trading partner, but Canada was. Maybe for reasons even more basic, like Canada wanting United Nations' authorization before becoming involved. Then maybe our people would have gladly joined in the effort to displace Saddam Hussein.
Regardless, my feelings is that Canada's role in the international arena is in peacekeeping. Our reputation was excellent before we assisted the U.S. in the previous action in Afghanistan.
Then too, maybe it is too dangerous to fight beside the U.S. because of "friendly fire" problems
their own generals say are inevitable.
In these days, when sattelites can read a licence plae number on a vehicle, when the art of communication is the best there ever was, that is a lot of balony. Their trigger-happy pilots just shoot first and alibi later. Ask the British! They probably lost more men to the U.S. than to the enemy.
Perhaps Canada doesn't want to risk the military because the Liberal Party hasn't outfitted them with the means to do so. Our people would have to hitchhike to the war front or ask the U.S. to send a plane large enough to carry the men ad equipment, like we did last time.
Fred and Russ, put a sock in it! Canada has been in the liberation wars long before the U.S. found it convenient to join us. In world wars, not conflicts involving little nations.
Your arrogance isn't statesmanship, it is ignorance of history.
By the way Russ, Canada does have a few things of interest to the U.S., water is the first thing that comes to my mind...
