Foreign Policy

[hoganshero]

I‘ve noticed a lot of the guys on this forum share the same angst I do at the state of the Canadian Forces. I noticed alot of guys have commented that they would like to see the funding for the Canadian Forces increased as if simply increasing the funding for the Canadian Forces will increase teh forces value in the eyes of the public and the World in general.
I‘d like address what I feel is a misconception. Spending on the military does not beget a strong foreign policy which begets prestige and foreign assignments/interventions. It is the other way around.... A strong(aggresive?)foreign policy begets military spending which brings foreign assignments and hence prestige.
The US does not spend all that money on the military so that they can can make tough decisions and tell other contries how things are going to be. rather they spend the money they do on the military because tehey make tough decision and tell other countries how things are going to be. I think what needs to happen here is not that we need to tell the politicians that we want increased spending on the military but rather that we want decisions to be made about our foreign policy and the military spending will follow.
I don‘t think it is conincedence that we began starving the diplomatic corp shortly before the military‘s own diet began. I wondered what your thoughts were on this and whether our generals need to be more political in pushing for changes to our foreign policy similar to what generals in the US do?

 

[Pikache]

I think it belongs in politics forum.

 

[Infanteer]

If that arguement is true, we wouldn‘t have had to pull out of Afghanistan for a year to take a "strategic pause".

 

[Jungle]

Infanteer brings up a good point. The problem is, our Nat‘l Defence policies and Foreign Affairs policies are disconnected. There is little to no strategic planning at any level, and we react to world events without real focus.
If, for example, a govt review on Defence and Foreign Affairs established the priority on the war against terror for the short term (coming years) there would need to be some serious changes to the structure, eqpt and funding level of the CF.
Right now, the CF have no clear mission, no precise direction. In my opinion, this is partly the reason for the "freeze" on Military spending, and there are intentions on "realigning" the Nat‘l defence and foreign Affairs depts after the ongoing review.

 

[onecat]

I have to agree with the last two posts. I think the government has let both the foreign affairs and defence slip. I think it was part of chreten‘s style.. he made the choices and decisions on both; and of course could careless but the CF.

With the end of cold war, I think it left Canada without a home, so remained directionless for most of 90‘s and 00‘s. And when it find its voice; there was no defence to back their positions. I.e the Congo. Or Kosvo when we sent CF-18‘s and found airforces very over stretched and the aircraft themselves were out dated.

I do have to disagree on the reasons for the freeze on Military spending. I do think Martin wants to have a bigger role for Canada on the world stage. But I think he‘s like most Liberals and sees that role not needing defence. Hopefully there will be increased funding as even now with the limited role the Liberals have given the CF, it just doesn‘t have the funding to do them. Unless the review is open, I don‘t see go things coming from it.

 

[Infanteer]

Isn‘t it so nice to say that "that WAS cretin‘s style"....

 

[hoganshero]

In reply to infanteers point about pulling out of Afghanistan. I think that A-stan might prove the point I was trying to make. Our pulling out has put the crisis in the military on the map like nothing in the last 15 years has. We finally have tangible proof,that a politician would accept,that we are over-stretched and underfunded.
In the past week or so there has been talk of restructuring. The pattern I mentioned superficially holds true in this case. We made a foreign policy decision. We discovered we did not have the assets to back up our decision and now there is talk of change.... What are your thoughts about whether this restructuring talk is simply talk?