Paul Martin (rightfully) blasts Tory spending

[Mr.Canada]

August your scenario ignores some important considerations. It is only rational that I support government borrowing if the borrowing flows through money to me to pay down the higher interest debt. Is government borrowing better than me borrowng? No, not if it means I directly or indirectly pay the debt costs without assurance that the benefit flows back to me to pay down my higher-interest debt. More than likely the borrowing will be used to fund programs which I may not benefit or only marginally benefit.

Now is the time to cut spending not time to borrow to spend more.

[Renegade]

Now is the time to cut spending not time to borrow to spend more.

I agree but not just now. It's been the time to cut spending for quite a while.

[Argus]

In which case, I can imagine nuclear weapons might eventually come into play.

Unlikely. Pakistan is not about to use its few nukes in defense of the wild men of its border mountain areas, none of whom seem to have much, if any allegiance to Pakistan anyway, and who are as likely to shoot up Pakistan army patrols as allied soldiers.

[jdobbin]

Unlikely. Pakistan is not about to use its few nukes in defense of the wild men of its border mountain areas, none of whom seem to have much, if any allegiance to Pakistan anyway, and who are as likely to shoot up Pakistan army patrols as allied soldiers.

If the U.S. openly attacked Pakistan, I don't know there would be much control over the entire country after that, do you? Aside from the military initiating another coup to try and control the situation, I think Pakistan would fall apart and the U.S. would have to secure the nuclear arsenal any way it could.

If Pakistan became a failed state with nuclear weapons, I don't dismiss the U.S. or Pakistan dissolving into an exchange of some sort.

Pakistan's problems are not limited to its western border. Terrorists are training in the heart of the capital.

[Argus]

If the U.S. openly attacked Pakistan, I don't know there would be much control over the entire country after that, do you? Aside from the military initiating another coup to try and control the situation, I think Pakistan would fall apart and the U.S. would have to secure the nuclear arsenal any way it could.

If Pakistan became a failed state with nuclear weapons, I don't dismiss the U.S. or Pakistan dissolving into an exchange of some sort.

Pakistan's problems are not limited to its western border. Terrorists are training in the heart of the capital.

Yeah, I think Pakistan is shaping up to be the next failed state, no matter what the US does. Religious fanaticism seems to be rising throughout the country. I'd kind of like to see their nukes taken away, and a cordon established around the place to stop people from leaving until they get their heads on straight. If they want to become a bunch of shrieking religious wackos that's up to them, but half the terrorist in the world now seem to be coming from Pakistan.

[Keepitsimple]

There needs to be a paradigm shift in political and military thinking - mostly the latter. Pakistan's priority has always been India and the influence it wields in the region, especially Kashmere. This priority borders on paranoia - to the extent that Pakistan tolerated and at times encouraged the Taliban in their border areas and Afghanistan....because it prevented India from exerting influence. This priority has been the center of military thinking - pretty well since the creation of Pakistan and India in 1948. Pakistan is only recently realizing that extremism can literally destroy Pakistan. There has to be a better brokering of tolerance between India and Pakistan so that somehow, Pakistan can start to put the extremist genie back in the bottle.

[wulf42]

If the U.S. openly attacked Pakistan, I don't know there would be much control over the entire country after that, do you? Aside from the military initiating another coup to try and control the situation, I think Pakistan would fall apart and the U.S. would have to secure the nuclear arsenal any way it could.

If Pakistan became a failed state with nuclear weapons, I don't dismiss the U.S. or Pakistan dissolving into an exchange of some sort.

Pakistan's problems are not limited to its western border. Terrorists are training in the heart of the capital.

If Pakistan falls to extremists......India will launch their Nukes faster than you can say ICBM.....those guys are just waiting for an excuse!

[jdobbin]

If Pakistan falls to extremists......India will launch their Nukes faster than you can say ICBM.....those guys are just waiting for an excuse!

I'm sure Pakistan could do the same.

As I said, if Pakistan falls or is threatened, I can see nuclear weapons used.

[blueblood]

I'm sure Pakistan could do the same.

As I said, if Pakistan falls or is threatened, I can see nuclear weapons used.

can pakistan launch ICBMS??? I wouldn't worry too much with Pakistan and it's nuclear arsenal. There is a major check right next door, and if Pakistan did launch against the US, the rain would come down and Pakistan would cease to exist. I think they have survival on their mind?

A tour of the Minnedosa ethanol plant for their PM and placing Pakistan under naval Quarantine should get them to smarten up.

[Topaz]

It is totally clear that people like you who now support the rudderless Liberals were either asleep during post-Trudeau times or you were still in the womb. Otherwise you'd have a pretty good clue about how Canada's economy unfolded over the last 35 years or so.

More rhetoric, devoid of facts.

There is still a chance that the government will post a modest year-end surplus. But don't let this stop you from joining the chorus of "Conservatives=deficit".

About Afghanistan, you may or may not know (or recall) that it was Chretien who committed our ill-equipped military to a war in Afghanistan. The Liberals had previously decimated our military by cutting back its funding and failing to equip them properly. Committing a military to war is the most far reaching decision a government can take. On this basis alone, by deploying a wanting military into war the Liberals failed in a major foreign policy decision.

The Conservatives acted to increase the odds of survival of our troops by equipping them properly. They also acted to meet a NATO/UN commitment made by the Liberals on behalf of Canada. Thankfully, this country still has honour.

I don't think the troops are equipment properly from what I hearing from some of the troops coming back so Harper can join that club with Chretien. Harper should have pulled the troops out because it can't be won by the military and today the US general wants to talks peace with the Taliban which probably won't come to much. IF the Libs hadn't done what they did in the past to get rid of th 45 Bil debt than Harper TODAY couldn't throw the 12 BILLION surplus around for his own political career!! What is Harper without the oil boom in Alberta or the surplus left by tth LIBs???

[wulf42]

I'm sure Pakistan could do the same.

As I said, if Pakistan falls or is threatened, I can see nuclear weapons used.

I doubt that.....Pakistan knows India is itchin for a fight and as you can see India is in pretty good shape!

Nuclear Warheads active

United States 4,075 / 5,535

Russia (former Soviet Union) 5,200 / 8,800

United Kingdom-200

France -350

China 160-400

India 65-140

Pakistan-60

North Korea 0-10

Israel 100-400

Edited October 28, 2008 by wulf42

[jdobbin]

I doubt that.....Pakistan knows India is itchin for a fight and as you can see India is in pretty good shape!

I never said there would be any rational reason for it to end in a fight.

Pakistan is heading for bankruptcy in six weeks. They have begged the IMF for relief but none is coming.

The Marriot hotel bombing has shown that no place is safe. Bhutto's death shows no one is safe.

The U.S. strikes across the border inflames Pakistanis who support the Taliban attacks in Pakistan. Many believe Afghanistan is friendly with India and are going to encircle them.

In the end, nuclear exchange might happen from someone eager to embrace martyrdom.

Edited October 29, 2008 by jdobbin