CAN Enhanced (Permanent?) Fwd Presence in Latvia

[GR66]

Ah, you still waiting to be annexed? I think you will be waiting a long time... not because Canada is resisting but because the US isn't even trying.

Hmm....high tariffs on our resource-based industries (in many cases higher than other countries). A stated intent to force auto manufacturers to move their production to the US. Plans to either cancel or force significant concessions in CUSMA negotiations.

Does that not sound like the type of "economic force" that he said he would use to weaken Canada (and potentially lead to eventual economic "annexation"). This from the same US President that he NEEDS to get control of the territory of another NATO Ally (Greenland)...using force if necessary.

 

[QV]

Hmm....high tariffs on our resource-based industries (in many cases higher than other countries). A stated intent to force auto manufacturers to move their production to the US. Plans to either cancel or force significant concessions in CUSMA negotiations.

Does that not sound like the type of "economic force" that he said he would use to weaken Canada (and potentially lead to eventual economic "annexation"). This from the same US President that he NEEDS to get control of the territory of another NATO Ally (Greenland)...using force if necessary.

yawn

Sensationalism

 

[Czech_pivo]

There is an air detachment

Yes, I meant fighters permanently stationed there. I should have been clearer in what I meant.

 

[PuckChaser]

Yes, I meant fighters permanently stationed there. I should have been clearer in what I meant.

They ducked out on Afghanistan, why would they show up here? We havent been a part of baltics air policing since 2014. I doubt we even have the airframes, pilots or maintainers here to make it happen.

 

[markppcli]

They ducked out on Afghanistan, why would they show up here? We havent been a part of baltics air policing since 2014. I doubt we even have the airframes, pilots or maintainers here to make it happen.

CF18s did Air Police tasks in 2022. Romania not the Baltics but not much difference there. Certainly their at least as capable as the Hungarian Gripens doing BAP now.

 

[Kirkhill]

As much as I support the Latvia mission, I think recent experiences with our Southern neighbour make me somewhat leery of any "permanent" commitments. Certainly move to postings vs rotational deployments to ease the personnel issues and upgrade the facilities as required but is there really a strictly military need that requires a "permanent" commitment vs an ongoing mission that we can continue to renew going forward?

My concern is that Russia is in long-term decline and while that poses a definite risk in the near term and requires a strong deterrent response from NATO, we are also seeing some pretty seismic geopolitical shifts around us. Ongoing US commitment to NATO is in question and there are also concerns about how long our political goals will continue to align with our European NATO partners.

Nationalist and far-Right parties are increasingly seeing electoral success in many European countries. Hungary already has Orban. The UK Reform Party is leading in the poles. The National Rally may win in France. The AFD could possibly win in several Eastern German states in the next election. The Law and Justice Party when in power in Poland had a major illiberal bent. Italy has the Lega Nord and The Brothers of Italy. Geert Wilder's Party for Freedom is the largest party in the Netherlands House of Representatives. Nationalist/Right Wing parties have increased their share of the votes in recent elections in many other European countries as well, including the Denmark and Sweden with whom we are partnered in the Latvia mission.

I think it's important to remember the words of Lord Palmerston:

“Therefore I say that it is a narrow policy to suppose that this country or that is to be marked out as the eternal ally or the perpetual enemy of England. We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.”​

With the shifts we might be looking for some friends.

Any friend of Denmark is a friend of mine. Right Jef?

 

[RangerRay]

Not posted there but the answer is - mostly no. There were a lot of jobs from Canex to bars to secretarial, but meaningful and professional were very limited.

It was for much of the time there different generations altogether where the traditional nuclear family was still very much in vogue and second income families somewhat rare. My guess is that Latvia would be similarly limited in opportunities.

Hence the popularity of Tide boxes!




I’ll show myself out.