Will Canada ever have a Army the world can respect again?

[102first_hussars]

I feel as a just recently retired JTF-2 specialist and now a Cheif Warrant Officer in the Canadian Regulars that we are being sucked dry with constant budget cuts, Insufficiant supplies. My regiment just got 30 new recruits just in but we had to send them home without time or pay simply because we dindt have any uniforms, boots, equipment or rifles for them.

Im ticked off because after 9 years of military sevice with 2 degrees fom Kingston RMC me and the other NCO's are on a goddam salary cap.

The Canadian Army has about 65000 soldiers total, 108 Leopard Tanks which are 30 years old, 99 Griffin Helicopters which are just are old Hueys with upgrades ect, 99 helicopters! 65000 soldiers!!!!!! do the math thats pathetic.

In 1990 Kuwait had a larger army than canada does right now, Kuwait was Invaded in less than a day.

I just discoverd that when Brian Mulroney was still Primeminister he had put in a fresh order of 1200 Lynx Helicopters for the army, but was cancelled when that French Peice of **** theif Jean Chretian came into office.

Im not a fan of Mulroney but at least he looked after our Military instead of diverting millions to pay former Liberal MPs and Primeministers their goddam undeserving pensions.

[Maestro]

To answer your question : no.

Why ? Because our frigging army is saw by a majority of peoples as a peace-keeping force... NOT as a combat force.

Ask any rookie why he enlisted in the army. I'm ready to bet dollars to doughnut that they'll answer either : "I'm here to see the world." or "I want to help peoples in need."

God damn ! If you wanna do that, find a job within the Red Cross.

They don't wanna fight, they want an easy job with a free formation and a good pension check.

That's rotten, but that's the truth about most rookies.

Well thats a dam shame considering what the future holds for Canada and the rest of the world.

We could be forced into a war with China and/or North Korea,

Especially North Korea if they decide to invade the south Canada has no choice but to deploy as we have previously signed a promise of commitment of 3500 soldiers.

If that happens we are severly ****** considering how hard it was just to send 200 soldiers to Haitis, which is why I hope we meet our 300.000 manpower objective by 2007, Because then the government will have no choice but to buy newer and better equiptment such as tanks,apc's, helicopters and other requirments.

[102first_hussars]

Thats True, and I hope your right

[trackend]

Well Im out numbered by Kanucks here but in my opinion yes the world can and does still respect the Canadian army the fact that it has politicians buggering about with it and reducing or cutting its effectivness does not mean the personel have lost their professionlism or their reputation as quality soldiers even if the kit they have to use is poor or out of date.
I agree that it makes doing their duties 50 times as hard and puts them under unnesescary pressure & danger (Canada is not the only place where whinging cuts are in motion) but that does not mean the rest of the world thinks they are a push over & as has been proven in the past when needs must Canada can pull its weight along side any of it's allies, it does mean however with a reduced capacity to take on larger tasks gearing up for a conflict does take time and the poor old regulars have to hold the fort while mobilisation would have to take place.

[102first_hussars]

True But Like I said Kuwait had a larger Army than we do now and Iraq took them in an afternoon.

[Nonskimmer]

This country has never respected it's armed forces. Sure, we'll hail the sacrifice of our veterans and write books and poems about it, but respect for the Army (or Navy or Air Force) is not something that has ever, ever existed in Canada. The military has always been, and continues to be, a simple afterthought with no kind of priority whatsoever. Well, the Air Force did have priority for a few short years in the 1950's, but that was it. These days the soldiers themselves even have a tough time viewing themselves as soldiers. It's hard to do when your own government and people hardly give a damn about you.

Will the Army ever be one the world can respect? I seriously doubt it.

[lesofprimus]

NO.....

[evangilder]

Sad though.

[Blackwatch]

this is what happens when you let communist liberals have power ANYWHERE in the world....the Canadians are a brave, good people with communists in charge....listen to the reteric now and compair to the communists of 1917...little difference

[syscom3]

Canada should simply decide what it wants its military to do and arm and train them for it. If you want to be a UN peace keeper, then give up your armour and use only light infantry.

Since the days of a NATO/Warsaw pact battle are long over, and another korean war being remote, you might as well scrap your troop commitments that are no longer applicable.

[Nonskimmer]

It's already in the works I think. The big rumblings going around now are that we are in fact about to give up the tanks. For the Navy, they're looking into going with a single class of warship. Sort of a destroyer/frigate combination. God knows what's in store for the Air Force. It takes a parliamentary debate to decide on the purchase of a single aircraft at times.

The new focus seems to be on domestic security, with long-term overseas commitments taking a back seat. Afghanistan not withstanding of course. I guess we'll see.

[102first_hussars]

The RCN is actually Buying A brand new class of ships, our Navy is among the best in the world, our submarines however are something I dont like to brag about.

[Nonskimmer]

I don't know where you're getting the idea that our navy is among the world's best. The surface ships aren't junk, but we're puny with no real offensive capability. Defence would be a challenge too with the small numbers.

FYI, it hasn't been called the RCN since 1968.

[syscom3]

I heard a rumour that Canada is buying two dozen assault canoes