6 ms·

So... there's this place right next to America, called Canada. And instead of attacking Vietnam, trying to overthrow South American Governments, going deep into

So... there's this place right next to America, called Canada. And instead of attacking Vietnam, trying to overthrow South American Governments, going deep into debt over nonexistent WMDs, they just don't do military budget. And magically... they don't get attacked. Funny how that works...

freeone3000 7y ago
Canada is in NATO, and attacking Canada would automatically put you at war with the USA. You cannot consider Canada's defense policy independent of the USA.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- alexandercrohde 7y ago
  The truth is we live in a post-war era. This is a statistically indisputable fact [1]. My question is who all these odd people are who seem to have some deep emotional need for the world to operate like a game of risk, as opposed to 7 billion apes who don't know each other and don't care. [1] http://www.fallen.io/ww2/ http://www.fallen.io/ww2/ (Skip to the 14 minute mark if you're impatient)
  - fuzz4lyfe 7y ago
    The "War to end wars" was won and now it will never happen again.
- gdy 7y ago
  Who would attack Canada? Polar bears?
  - Macross8299 7y ago
    You joke, but Canada has disputes with Russia over arctic territorial claims.
    - gdy 7y ago
      And that dispute is being resolved [0] on the basis of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [1]. Interestingly, this convention is signed and ratified basically by the whole world, but not by the US. [0] https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2019/04/russia-scores-scientific-point-quest-extended-arctic-continental-shelf https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2019/04/russia-scor... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_t...
      - freeone3000 7y ago
        Russia's other recent international seizure was Crimea, which was for sure NOT done in accordance with the International Law of the Sea. Canada has, in fact, enacted sanctions against Russia. I posit that if Canada were a softer target, Russia would simply seize the territories, the way they did from the Ukraine.
        gdy 7y ago
        Look at the map, find Russia, see how large it is. Do you really think it needs more territory?
lostmymind66 7y ago
Canada, like many other countries around the world, enjoys the luxury of being protected by the US and doesn't have to spend as much money on defense. During WWII, do you think appeasement would have worked? The reason many evil countries aren't bombing the US and Canada is because they know they would be obliterated by the US military due to past campaigns.
- gdy 7y ago
  "the luxury of being protected by the US" Protected from what? From the White Walkers? Who is there to attack Canada (besides the US itself)? The Great Britain is trying to return the lost colony? France is thinking about taking over the Quebec?
  - yazan94 7y ago
    That's a bit more complicated don't you think? 70+ years with America as a superpower (20+ where it is almost the only one in its class) makes it easy to forget that things could have been massively different. Imagine a case where the Soviet Union did not dissolve, but stabilized as a military and economic equal to the US. Would you say that Canada's peace and prosperity would be guaranteed in this alternative universe? What about other countries in eastern Europe or the Middle East? To give you an couple examples in the current real world, imagine if South Korea or Taiwan didn't have such good relations with America in the post-WW2 peace. It is not that far fetched to think that there could be a single communist Korea, Taiwan could have been swallowed up by mainland China.
    - gdy 7y ago
      It surely is. I don't think that Canada in your alternative universe would've been worse off than Finland in this one. Finland's neutrality kept it safe ever since the WW2.
      - lostmymind66 7y ago
        WW2 was about conquest and they were invaded by the Russians. Being neutral didn't really save them from the attack. When push comes to shove, neutral countries eventually need to pick sides or they will be taken over.
xwdv 7y ago
Yes, funny how you don’t get attacked when you’re a cub with a lion standing behind you.
HeWhoLurksLate 7y ago
Canada does have a military, and yes, the US is a nuclear deterrent. Also of note is that the US has a lot more enemies- especially among groups that hate freedom, how morally weird we are, or how we butter our toast. Want to scare the world and become known? Canada probably isn't the place to do so, the US is way bigger, has more news outlets, and enough targets that you can probably hit at least one of them. Want to show the world how cruel you can be, and inspire revenge? Attack Canada out of the blue- the stereotype of Canadians being super chill and apologizing is international, and attacking them will get everyone and their dog angry at you. Want to do a lot of damage? US. Want to show that your country is capable of going toe-to-toe with a first-world country? The USA is your best bet. As alluded to by other commenters, Canada is also protected because its physical barriers touch the United States', and anything major that affects Canada will also affect the US, too.
Macross8299 7y ago
There are a significant number of Canadians (notably, the entire Conservative party, the official opposition) who feel that Canada underfunds their military.
Can_Not 7y ago
Not magical at all, there's a basic geographic explanation for why very few countries could invade Canada and a NATO alliance that explains why anyone who could, won't. And magically... a lot of countries that aren't Canada still get attacked. Funny how that works.

freeone3000 7y ago

Canada is in NATO, and attacking Canada would automatically put you at war with the USA. You cannot consider Canada's defense policy independent of the USA.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
alexandercrohde 7y ago
The truth is we live in a post-war era. This is a statistically indisputable fact [1]. My question is who all these odd people are who seem to have some deep emotional need for the world to operate like a game of risk, as opposed to 7 billion apes who don't know each other and don't care. [1] http://www.fallen.io/ww2/ http://www.fallen.io/ww2/ (Skip to the 14 minute mark if you're impatient)
- fuzz4lyfe 7y ago
  The "War to end wars" was won and now it will never happen again.
gdy 7y ago
Who would attack Canada? Polar bears?
- Macross8299 7y ago
  You joke, but Canada has disputes with Russia over arctic territorial claims.
  - gdy 7y ago
    And that dispute is being resolved [0] on the basis of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [1]. Interestingly, this convention is signed and ratified basically by the whole world, but not by the US. [0] https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2019/04/russia-scores-scientific-point-quest-extended-arctic-continental-shelf https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2019/04/russia-scor... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_t...
    - freeone3000 7y ago
      Russia's other recent international seizure was Crimea, which was for sure NOT done in accordance with the International Law of the Sea. Canada has, in fact, enacted sanctions against Russia. I posit that if Canada were a softer target, Russia would simply seize the territories, the way they did from the Ukraine.
      - gdy 7y ago
        Look at the map, find Russia, see how large it is. Do you really think it needs more territory?

lostmymind66 7y ago

Canada, like many other countries around the world, enjoys the luxury of being protected by the US and doesn't have to spend as much money on defense. During WWII, do you think appeasement would have worked? The reason many evil countries aren't bombing the US and Canada is because they know they would be obliterated by the US military due to past campaigns.

gdy 7y ago
"the luxury of being protected by the US" Protected from what? From the White Walkers? Who is there to attack Canada (besides the US itself)? The Great Britain is trying to return the lost colony? France is thinking about taking over the Quebec?
- yazan94 7y ago
  That's a bit more complicated don't you think? 70+ years with America as a superpower (20+ where it is almost the only one in its class) makes it easy to forget that things could have been massively different. Imagine a case where the Soviet Union did not dissolve, but stabilized as a military and economic equal to the US. Would you say that Canada's peace and prosperity would be guaranteed in this alternative universe? What about other countries in eastern Europe or the Middle East? To give you an couple examples in the current real world, imagine if South Korea or Taiwan didn't have such good relations with America in the post-WW2 peace. It is not that far fetched to think that there could be a single communist Korea, Taiwan could have been swallowed up by mainland China.
  - gdy 7y ago
    It surely is. I don't think that Canada in your alternative universe would've been worse off than Finland in this one. Finland's neutrality kept it safe ever since the WW2.
    - lostmymind66 7y ago
      WW2 was about conquest and they were invaded by the Russians. Being neutral didn't really save them from the attack. When push comes to shove, neutral countries eventually need to pick sides or they will be taken over.

xwdv 7y ago

Yes, funny how you don’t get attacked when you’re a cub with a lion standing behind you.

HeWhoLurksLate 7y ago

Canada does have a military, and yes, the US is a nuclear deterrent. Also of note is that the US has a lot more enemies- especially among groups that hate freedom, how morally weird we are, or how we butter our toast. Want to scare the world and become known? Canada probably isn't the place to do so, the US is way bigger, has more news outlets, and enough targets that you can probably hit at least one of them. Want to show the world how cruel you can be, and inspire revenge? Attack Canada out of the blue- the stereotype of Canadians being super chill and apologizing is international, and attacking them will get everyone and their dog angry at you. Want to do a lot of damage? US. Want to show that your country is capable of going toe-to-toe with a first-world country? The USA is your best bet. As alluded to by other commenters, Canada is also protected because its physical barriers touch the United States', and anything major that affects Canada will also affect the US, too.

Macross8299 7y ago

There are a significant number of Canadians (notably, the entire Conservative party, the official opposition) who feel that Canada underfunds their military.

Can_Not 7y ago

Not magical at all, there's a basic geographic explanation for why very few countries could invade Canada and a NATO alliance that explains why anyone who could, won't. And magically... a lot of countries that aren't Canada still get attacked. Funny how that works.