The decision by PMS to send Canada’s Leopard tanks to Afghanistan has never made sense. General Hillier was against it and the arguments for the decision (they can cross irrigation ditches, are intimidating, are good as mobile artillery, etc.) were incredibly weak. So this decision makes even less sense.
Defence sources told the Ottawa Citizen Saturday that Canada wants to lease 20 Leopard A6M tanks from the German army. The tanks, which have improved protection against landmines and other enemy weapons, could be shipped to Afghanistan as early as the spring if the deal is approved, sources said.
The German newsmagazine, Der Spiegel, will also report on Monday that Canada wants to buy 80 Leopard 2 tanks from Germany as well as lease the other 20 Leopards.
As the Soviets discovered, tanks simply aren’t very useful in most of the battles that take place in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan. But they would be useful if the US goes to war with Iran; either as a direct participant or an indirect one tasked with protecting supply lines in Afghanistan.
So what do you think; has the Canadian military been given orders to prepare its forces stationed in Afghanistan for a war against Iran?
Back off, man!
But seriously, my answer is “no”. I think it’s all sabre-rattling for now. Besides, things got a little bit more complicated over the weekend … to my utter delight, I must say!
Probably. Harper is taking orders from the White House, after all.
The U.S. will not invade Iran. They can’t. They do not have the boots on the ground to carry off such an invasion. What they might do is however attack with airpower. They may still think they can intimidate Iran with a variation of “shock and awe” with targetted attacks against nuclear related sites. Wat a mess that would be.
Canada buying or leasing additional tanks is Stephen Harper’s attempt to “macho up” the Canadian military and when it comes to land forces nothing says strenght more than a tank.
Have you guys noticed this story (http://www.thestar.com/News/article/180709) which seems to be another in a long line of copycat actions from the Harper Conservatives. First, there was the move to get out of Kyoto and silence the bureaucrats from the Ministry of the Environment. Then there was the attack on Canada’s pension plan (a la Social Security) and the peculiar and misplaced American jingoism of “God Bless Canada.” Then there was the attempt to put the press on a leash. Now, they’re trying to make the judiciary more conservative. The Republicans are always talking about activist judges even as they stack the Supreme court with far right nutters. Harper is like mini-me: an identical but less influential version of Bush. I always wonder why such people don’t just move to the US. Don’t they have any ideas of their own?
No, the CPC has no ideas of their own. Those people worship the United States. A lot of them do move there, but end up coming back, probably because the experience can’t live up to their fantasies about what life in the US is really like.
No reason for paranoia, people. The USA can only handle one tar baby at a time. Had Iraq II gone as “planned” (= hoped) it might be a different ballgame, with a firm base in the Middle East, and a new Iraqi Army providing modern troops to a new coaliton. As is, “surgical” air strikes remain the only option, and that to be used mainly for domestic political purposes.
As to Canada preparing for war with Iran, forget it. We, too, can handle only one war at a time. Right now we could not support even one war indefinitely, and it would take a palpable threat and a lot of convincing to put this country on a war footing. You can call this cowardice or common sense, depending on your location on the political spectrum.
The Leopard 2 is a good tank, and as long as there is a tank requirement, you might as well get good ones. And as long as you need a general purpose war-fighting capability, you might as well have tanks. So I would not read too much into replacing the current tank with a more modern one. I know no army of note that does not have tanks.
I wonder sometimes if the Conservatives (lackeys of the military-industrial complex that they are) wouldn’t try to get us into wars for which we are poorly resourced for in order to force extra military expenditure. Remember that America’s defense expenditures are an industrial subsidy that conveniently by-passes free trade agreements.
If anybody is interested, there will be a conference in Washington this Wednesday on the current US-Iran debate. I’m quite certain that Clemons will provide information on that afterwards on his site.
And a treat here. [Anything that gets Bush/Cheney in a fit is most welcome ... and I like pictures!]
Ti-Guy,
Hey, it is good to have you back! The total mundaneness of jm and kotr turned the blagh into like watching a toilet flush!
That is precisely what General Dwight D. Eisenhower meant when he said ‘Beware the military/industrial complex!’ circa 1950-52 (too long ago to accurately remember the date), as the then President of United States. Interestingly Eisenhower was republican conservative.
Have they listened…NO! Seems Harper/Bush/Howard have themselves a nice little global Emoeror’s Club now, all for one and one for all…all of them of course.
So what do you think; has the Canadian military been given orders to prepare its forces stationed in Afghanistan for a war against Iran?
No.
Our Forces are kinda busy fighting the taliBAN in Afghanistan. And getting it done I might add.
p.s American Airpower will make short work of Iran if they must.
Does anyone understand ol’ Nighty’s odd habit with capital letters? I think there’s some sort of meaning there, but frankly, I’m mystified.
To Knight of the Wrong.
American Airpower will not make short work of Iran. The U.S. can bomb targets, as many of them as they want but all they’ll do is inflame the Iranian people against the U.S. It turned the Cambodians against the U.S. in Vietnam, it turned the Iraqis against the Americans in Iraq and it will do the same in Iran. And if you like the military that much and you think the military is the answer to all the world’s problems, here’s my suggestion: Enlist.
Actually, the Leopard 2 tanks the Canadian Army have in Afghanistan are proving to be quite useful. Remember that most of the battles between the Taliban and Canadian forces are taking place in flat terrain - which is perfect country for tanks. Afghanistan is not entirely comprised of mountains; it has a lot of flat desert-type terrain as well as lushly green wadis.
The tanks provide fire support for Canadian infantry engaged in combat. They carry canister-type ammunition that, to put it crudely, allows the tanks to be used as giant shotguns.
These canister rounds are designed to throw out hundreds of dart-like projectiles, or flechettes, which basically shred to bits anything standing in their path. In short, they are murderously effective against enemy infantry that are out in the open or not protected by defiles or defensive emplacements.
The tanks are also used to blow holes in walls of buildings where Taliban soldiers are believed to be hiding, or where they pose an obstacle to advancing Canadian troops.
Besides that, the tanks typically operate at considerable stand-off distances, which allows them to apply great firepower while remaining out of range of any Taliban RPGs (Rocket-Propelled Grenades). They also have much greater mobility than the wheeled LAV III personnel carriers that Canadian infantry use most of the time. That additional mobility lets them go places that are inaccessible to the APC's.
In short, the tanks help make Canadian troops that much more effective whenever they get into a firefight with the Taliban. This is hardly .macho-ing up' the Canadian Army in Afghanistan.