Sabre Rider

Down side to a strong dollar is our exports of other goods and materials suffer. And while high crude prices are good news for those few Provinces that produce oil, they are bad news for the rest of the Provinces. I'm a freight broker by trade, and when the C$ topped out around US1.2 awhile back, I saw a huge decrease in Canadian exports south and watched more then a few long established trucking firms go out of business. Also, high crude prices directly translate in to even higher diesel prices at the pump, which means everything you eat, wear, or use will cost you more, a lot more in some cases. So be careful about what you wish for, you may just get it.

Who said that they actually were fiscally responsible? Read closely and you will see I said: It long been a squawking point of Conservatives, especially those south of the border, that they and their party and their party leadership are soooo much more fiscally responsible then liberals. Sad fact is, many actually have convinced themselves that that myth is true and nothing is going to change that belief. Kinda explains why we also still cling to religion. Proof is not required, just faith in the myth.

Those graphs put the boots to the myth that Republicans/Conservatives in the the US are fiscally responsible don't they? But I doubt Sandy along with the other "true believers" will have much to say on the matter, especially since you have taken a shot at Saint Ronnie.

If the US went to war with Canada, it would be a short conventional war true, but no doubt a long and vicious unconventional one would follow closely on the heels of an American "Victory". And this time, with the insurgents next door and who look and sound just like you, making racial profiling a right bitch. I doubt very much that the US and Canada would go to war over trade, resources however would be a whole other matter. Apart from oil and other mineral resources, Canada has an abundance of one commodity that the US is fast running out of, fresh potable water. So far Canada has been loath to increase bulk exports of fresh water anywhere, let alone into the US. If there is one commodity that the US would invade Canada for in immediate future, I'd say its water more then oil.

I thought the Canadian Fascist Party had long since disbanded.

The Green's played their traditional role, that of spoiler. Somewhere between 6 and 12 ridings went Liberal thanks mainly to the votes the Green candidates pulled away from the NDP. Campbell should be giving the Green Party a big wet kiss in appreciation. And I would not be surprised to hear a re-count being ordered in my riding of Delta South, Oppall won with only 2 votes over Independent Huntington, makes me wish I had voted for her instead of the NDP candidate.

Very close results in many ridings, I figure that the Greens cost the NDP at least five or more ridings. Delta South is far too close to call at this time, only 15 vote separate Liberal Stone Wally Opall and Independent Vicki Huntington, maybe a recount is in the offering? As for the STV proposal, its dead in the water, over 2/3 of the popular vote has gone to the FPTP option and the majority of the ridings have rejected STV, at least according to the CBC website.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. During this election campaign, Campbell has isolated, ignore and insulted a lot of people and groups. In Vernon, he tossed a Loonie at a striking (read as on the picket only during off duty times because they are essential services) paramedic who challenged him. Also, while the forestry workers were holding a convention in Vernon, Campbell blew them off when they invited him to come and talk with them while he was just down the road in Kamloops. Wally Oppal in my riding has been taking a lot of hits both in the press as Stone Wall Oppal due to his no comments about the BC Rail Scandal. Plus he was parachuted into the riding after the incumbent bailed after being raked over the coals for the BC Hydro High Tension transmission lines that were pushed through Tsawwassen neighbourhoods without much concern about what the residents think nor the effect they had in lowering property values. People in Ladner are still pissed about having the local hospital pretty much down graded to little more then a clinic. Another thing that has a gotten a lot of people I know pissed is the negative ads run by Liberal Supporting groups on the radio. These ads are feature a couple of women talking about Carol James and the NDP in a rather demeaning and insulting manner, much the same way the Harper Conservative ads attacked the Liberals during the last Federal election. Friends and business acquaintances of mine generally feel they are being talked down to and have been put off by the ads. In Penticton where my mother resides, the Green Party Candidate is making a very strong showing and has a lot of local support. That is a traditionally very Conservative riding and one that the Liberals normally would of considered safe, but no longer. Its going to be interesting to say the least. I've done my civic duty and have to admit voting for my local NDP candidate over Stone Wally, figure its time to show the arrogant Campbellites the door. Also voted against the STV measure, I find it a bit too convoluted and most people I've talked to about really don't understand it, so this time around I think its best to stay with the first past the post system until the STV proponents really educated the general populace about what it is and how it works.

Bullocks...also, take a remedial course in grammar and punctuation.

Firstly, for better or worse, ever since amalgamation the RCAF no longer exists. However, I would be the first to cheer its and the RCN's return as independent service complete with their own traditions, ranks and uniforms. Secondly, no nation in their right mind will completely and utterly trust their neighbours or allies. If history has taught us one thing, it's that nations change and that today's friend and ally can easily become tomorrows enemy and foe. It is foolish to ignore the possibility that some day in the near future the US and its Government may look upon Canada's resources and decide that they want them for themselves and make a grab for them. To turn over the defense of our airspace to the USAF would just be the first step in surrendering our entire national sovereignty to the bloody Yanks and in the long run would be suicidal. Canada's air defense is beyond a joke and has been for decades. We have what, sixty old and tired ready use CF-18's of which only thirty are combat capable at any given time? Thirty old and tired fighters to patrol and defend an airspace that measure just under 10 Million square kilometres? Give me an f'ing break. Even tiny Singapore's Air Force is stronger then ours, with some seventy F-16 C/D's, backed up by some forty upgraded F-5 S/T Tiger II's with tactical support from four E-2C Hawkeyes AWAC's and four KC-135 Stratotankers. In the ground attack role, Singapore fields a fleet of A4SU Super Skyhawk which are to be replaced shortly by even more F-16's. And this is a nation with less then 8,000 square kilometres to defend and a population of just over four and a half million people. We need a multi-layered air defense system, made up of a number of different types aircraft, including UAV's, dedicated fighters and interceptors, ground attack, maritime defense, transport, and refueling aircraft, long with proper anti-aircraft artillery and missiles. And don't get me started about our poor bloody navy and army.

Shades of gray my friend, shades of gray.

Perhaps not, most Russian military aircraft including their cargo lifters are designed to operate from very rough and short runways, mainly because Russia has a hell of a lot of them. Even many of their front line combat aircraft and fighters can operate from runways that our front line fighters couldn't use. A lot of people in the west poo-poo Russian and Soviet equipment, however while they maybe rough in appearance, they do the job they are meant to do and generally do it well. That being said, had I been a tanker, I'd of not wanted to serve in a T-72 as a gunner, the self-loader they used had a nasty habit of feeding the gunners arm into the breach.

Ayup, it's akin to handing over a blank cheque to a supplier.

He does, it's basically, "Screw you Jack, I'm alright, I've got mine".....basically the same ethical code that all politico's seem to follow.

Sorry to disagree with you, you being a true believer and all that, but the Tories record is on par with that of the Liberals......f'ing pathetic.

Again true, however the deal seemed rather rushed to me, I cannot help but wonder if we could not of gotten more for less if we sourced from non-traditional sources. Russian aviation has a long history of building excellent civilian and military heavy lift cargo aircraft which are just as modern and up to date as any in the west. I wonder how much we might of saved or how many more A/C we could of gotten had we gone with a Russian airframe, matched up with Rolls Royce engines and Canadian spec avionics. The deal made with Boeing seems a tad bit too reactive to me instead of being proactive.

True enough, but back to military expenditures, the real question is not are we budgeting enough but rather are we getting value to money? I would say that purchases of the newer C-130's to replace our current and well worn current fleet the answer is yes, as with purchasing the CH-45 Chinook heavy lift helicopters. Our Leopard 1's are also long past their due date, so getting the newer Leopard II's makes sense. And we did get value for the money spent on the Halifax Class Frigates since the ships they replace were built back in the mid 50's and early 60's. Same with the Kingston-class coastal defence vessels which not only replaced the old Bay Class Sweeper and older Porte Class Gate Vessels, but improved the mission scope and ability of the Naval Reserves which crew them. However we did not get value for money for the subs we brought, nor the Iltis Jeeps. And personally I don't think we got value when we replaced the FN-C1, FN-C2 and Sterling SMG's with the C-7 which is basically a Canadianized M-16. But then on this I am biased as I really liked the hitting power and feel of the FN and sheer nastiness of the Sterling and was never very fond of the M-16 aka the Jamming Jenny, it felt like a toy after using the FN for so many years. And I really question the need to have purchased 4 C-177 Globemasters. Nice to have the airlift capacity, but I have to wonder if they are worth the purchase price along with their operational costs.

or America, or England, or France, or Japan, or Singapore, or Italy, or Russia, or China, or Pakistan, or India, or......well I guess we wouldn't be human if we didn't find something to bitch and moan about all the time.....

....as it has been, as it is, as it always will be........ Remember when the Cougars and Grizzles came out? The Defense Minister at the time swore that the Cougars were only going to be used as tank trainers, not in combat and that new Leopards were on their way...........come Bosnia and there were the Cougars filling in for our missing tanks. No matter what era, no matter what Government, the Canadian Military always gets Rodgered without so much as a kiss first.

For now anyways, but then the Mujahideen didn't have Stingers to begin with at the beginning, until some kind souls decided to give them to them by the bucket loads. Now if some kind soul, say Russia looking for a little payback for instance were to secrecy supply the Taliban with some 9K38 Igla's or Chinese made FN-6's, how long do you think the AC-130 missions in the area would last? Save you the trouble....zero, they had and still are using Hum V's which just as prone to getting blown apart by IED's and RPG's as were the Iltis, the only difference is, Hum V's make bigger and easier to hit targets.

Right of centre fiscally and left of centre on social issues.

You are missing an option......stay the hell out of it.

Actually, the original Spooky was the AC-47 (not to be confused with the ACH-47 Chinook helicopter gunship) variant of the C-47 Dakota/DC3 aka Puff the Magic Dragon. Some smart person had realized that if an aircraft was to fly around at a set altitude at a high bank angle with side mounted weapons, it could deliver a concentrate amount of firepower into a small killing zone for a sustained period of time. This is what the AC-47 variant was designed for and it proved to be good infantry ground support and area denial platform, however it was under gunned and under powered to take on heavier weaponry. The C-130 Hercules transport however had the payload capacity, engine power and fuel load to not only carry a heavier weapons load but could do so at a higher altitude and for a longer duration and so some were converted into the AC-130 Spectre. First mounting an array of 7.62 mini-guns, 20 MM Gatlings and a pair of 40 MM Bofor Cannons, its main mission was to interdict NVA supply trucks traveling down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Later the Bofor's were replaced with 105 MM howitzers. The Spectre differed from the Spooky not only in terms of fire-power but also with it sensor suite which included, early FLIR, low light TV, and other exotic sensors to help them locate their targets. Also, they are the only fighting A/C in the USAF that still carry enlisted crewmen. The third fixed wing gunship developed was AC-119 Stinger based on the then recently retired Fairchild AC-119 Flying Boxcar, it was brought into service as a replacement for the AC-47 Spooky and to support the AC-130 Spectre. Because of the nature of their attack mode, basically drilling circles slowly about the air, all three are very vulnerable to ground fire. In order to minimize the risks, these A/C operate mainly at night under the cover of darkness and in areas generally free of SAM's or radar assisted Triple A guns. During the Vietnam War, 6 Spectres were lost to ground fire and SAM's. I have an interesting book written by a former Spectre Navigator about their war in Vietnam. The main rule of thumb was, once SAM's appeared on the scene, Spectre' made like a ghost and disappeared, and the NVA were very apt at setting up SAM sites where no one ever imagined they could. The newer AC-130U's have been designated Spooky II instead of Spectre for some reason and apparently they are working on a lighter version to support the AC-130's which is to be designated Stinger II. Of course not, even the USAF has a very limited number of AC-130's because they have a very limited mission scope, basically they can only operate in area's where there is a minimal anti-aircraft threat and mainly under the cover of darkness. Bring in SAM's or even Manpad anti-aircraft systems and those lumbering AC-130 are just so many sitting ducks flying around in circles saying, "Shoot me, shoot me now!!!". As for your Iltis Jeep comment, thanks for confirming that bush_cheney equates to boorish_clown.

Four were built as test beds and deployed to Vietnam. Three were sent over with one being left behind in the states for further testing. One of the original three was destroyed when it ran into another parked helicopter, the one left in the US was sent over as its replacement. Of those three, one actually shot itself down when one its fixed 20MM side mounted forward firing cannons broke loose and shot off its forward rotor. A second one, your Birth Control was brought down by enemy fire and the fourth was retired to be used as a training platform. All in all, not a good record. That is why most Military' have opted to smaller dedicated gunship platforms.

Perhaps, but it is still jury rigging at best. Chinooks are rather large and slow helicopters with a heavy lift capacity and having rotors fore and aft makes them very vulnerable to ground fire. Mounting mini-guns and rockets on Griffins and pressing them into escort service is really a stop gap method that dates back to the Vietnam War when the US Army retro fitted older UH-1 Hueys into the role. A dedicated Attack or Helicopter Gunship is much better suited for the role as its crew is trained for the mission, the A/C is specifically designed for the mission and has the weapons and sensors required to carry out the mission. So far we have been really lucky in Afghanistan in regards to helicopter loses, however that may not be true in the future. During the Soviet-Afghan War, the Soviets fielded a large helicopter force and at first ruled the ground and skies with almost impunity. Then the Mujahideen got their hands on some FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and the tables were turned. One can only imagine what would happen to CH-47 Chinooks and our Griffins if the Russians decided to return the favour and secretly supply the Taliban with a few hundred or thousand 9K38 Igla or Chinese made FN-6 shoulder launched missiles.