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Funny, because Canada (and other countries) likely wouldn’t be able to get away with having such a small army if it were not for the protection afforded by US p

Funny, because Canada (and other countries) likely wouldn’t be able to get away with having such a small army if it were not for the protection afforded by US power projection. It’s easy to look at the large military in the US and feel morally superior living in a country with a small military. But most likely that country benefits from an alliance with the US. The fact that the US has such a large military is a major reason why many other countries do not need one.

seanmcdirmid 7y ago
I don’t think that is true, especially when you consider that if the USA didn’t project power, Russia might not either, and then the Canadian military is just exchanging bottles of liquor with the Danes. The fact that the world is polarized around two or three superpowers creates its own problems for the other counties. The USA not projecting any power wouldn’t necessarily require its former allies to acquire bigger militaries. The size of the EU’s combined military is already comparable to Russia’s for example. Japan and South Korea would be in much harder spots, comparatively.
- TechBro8615 7y ago
  Well, yes, if no country had a military then no country would need a military. But that’s a rather moot point isn’t it? World peace would be nice but it doesn’t look to be achievable in our lifetimes, and arguably goes against human nature. It’s also worth noting that the military does a lot more than perpetuate violence. It’s really a jobs program more than anything. And soldiers are often on the front lines of humanitarian disasters, as well. Just look at the hospital they built in New York for one recent example.
  - mirimir 7y ago
    > Well, yes, if no country had a military then no country would need a military. It's always seemed that way to me. Indeed, you could pretty much replace "military" with "national government" in that sentence. But anyway, it'll likely never happen. Unless we get into a war with aliens, I guess. I did love Vinge's "bobble" concept. Wherein individuals became as powerful as governments. Or at least, could escape from them across time. And send them across time, as well.
- MR4D 7y ago
  > The size of the EU’s combined military is already comparable to Russia’s for example As an American, I’d bet on the Russians winning that fight every time. Size of force means nothing here. Likewise with the Israelis - they punch above their weight. Not trying to put words in your mouth, as I don’t think you meant that at all, but I wanted to show that projection of power doesn’t necessarily equal headcount. The French for instance, have nuclear weapons. If they were really about to lose their country, they could unleash some serious devastation.
barry-cotter 7y ago
> Funny, because Canada (and other countries) likely wouldn’t be able to get away with having such a small army if it were not for the protection afforded by US power projection. Not true in the Canadian case. Over 90% of the Canadian population is within 100 miles of the US border and they'd have no chance in a conflict with the US. They could just straight up abolish their military like Costa Rica and it would have almost no effect on their security situation. Having an ocean between you and any potential enemies that you can actually defend against is different from genuine free riders like Germany.

seanmcdirmid 7y ago

I don’t think that is true, especially when you consider that if the USA didn’t project power, Russia might not either, and then the Canadian military is just exchanging bottles of liquor with the Danes. The fact that the world is polarized around two or three superpowers creates its own problems for the other counties. The USA not projecting any power wouldn’t necessarily require its former allies to acquire bigger militaries. The size of the EU’s combined military is already comparable to Russia’s for example. Japan and South Korea would be in much harder spots, comparatively.

TechBro8615 7y ago
Well, yes, if no country had a military then no country would need a military. But that’s a rather moot point isn’t it? World peace would be nice but it doesn’t look to be achievable in our lifetimes, and arguably goes against human nature. It’s also worth noting that the military does a lot more than perpetuate violence. It’s really a jobs program more than anything. And soldiers are often on the front lines of humanitarian disasters, as well. Just look at the hospital they built in New York for one recent example.
- mirimir 7y ago
  > Well, yes, if no country had a military then no country would need a military. It's always seemed that way to me. Indeed, you could pretty much replace "military" with "national government" in that sentence. But anyway, it'll likely never happen. Unless we get into a war with aliens, I guess. I did love Vinge's "bobble" concept. Wherein individuals became as powerful as governments. Or at least, could escape from them across time. And send them across time, as well.
MR4D 7y ago
> The size of the EU’s combined military is already comparable to Russia’s for example As an American, I’d bet on the Russians winning that fight every time. Size of force means nothing here. Likewise with the Israelis - they punch above their weight. Not trying to put words in your mouth, as I don’t think you meant that at all, but I wanted to show that projection of power doesn’t necessarily equal headcount. The French for instance, have nuclear weapons. If they were really about to lose their country, they could unleash some serious devastation.

barry-cotter 7y ago

> Funny, because Canada (and other countries) likely wouldn’t be able to get away with having such a small army if it were not for the protection afforded by US power projection. Not true in the Canadian case. Over 90% of the Canadian population is within 100 miles of the US border and they'd have no chance in a conflict with the US. They could just straight up abolish their military like Costa Rica and it would have almost no effect on their security situation. Having an ocean between you and any potential enemies that you can actually defend against is different from genuine free riders like Germany.