News That Makes Ya' Wonder.....
Yesterday there were two news items on the CBC that really grabbed my attention, and considering we are honoring the 95th anniversary of the Canadian victory at Vimy Ridge put a 'sharper' point on the matter.
The top shows a picture of HMCS Windsor, one of the submarines we got on sale from the British (I think) which was being launched after being in dry dock for the last five years. Apparently that is how long it took to make the sub seaworthy ( yet to be proven ), which made me wonder how long it should take to build one from the ground up?
The second attention grabbing story, was the Korean Airliner that had to spend time on the ground at Comox after the airline had received a bomb threat. The airliner which was flying in Canadian airspace and was escorted to our forces base at Comox was escorted by US fighter jets. It turns out our nearest jets (presuming we really have some) are stationed at Cold Lake Alberta and there are none stationed at Comox.
Now, I realize I am no military strategist, but it would seem obvious if you wanted to defend our west coast, which is were a real threat would likely come from, it might make sense to have a plane or two stationed at Comox.
If it takes five years to make a used sub seaworthy, it's a good thing we aren't in a state of war where we might actually NEED to use it, since few enemies actually give five years notice.
On another note, I was surprised sometime ago to discover that our Coast GUARD vessels are not really armed and equipped to actually GUARD the coast. Their biggest 'guarding' role would be to call for help if they spot something that needs real attention.
We can squawk all we want about our neighbors to the south, but I for one sleep easier at night knowing they are my next door neighbor and that they really do have planes that can respond on the west coast, and they really do have subs that actually go in the water.
Do you find it also strange that news journalists (for eg. CTV's Question Period) have pointed out that the Harper Government wants the F35 stealth bombers to fend Canada against China, and that India, a 'friendly country', has succeeded in launching a missile that could reach, of all places the only one mentioned, China? And, is it strange that the Harper Government is so bent on selling oil to China that Mr. Harper would skew the National Energy Board hearings by saying that the Enbridge pipeline must go ahead? How strange the rush to sell a resource that risks our environment and security?
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