NORAD at turning point in mission
By Pam Zubeck
The Gazette
3-28-05
Canada wants to opt out of NORAD’s Star Wars mission, which could foreshadow changes in the way the United States fights the war against terrorism.
The two nations are negotiating the first post-Sept. 11 agreement for operation of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, based at Peterson Air Force Base.
The United States wants NORAD to add monitoring of maritime and land threats to its 47-year-old mission of watching the skies and space. The U.S. also wants to add a system to shoot down enemy missiles.
Canada’s decision to opt out of the missile defense system could be a sign that other areas of cooperation are in jeopardy, some experts fear.
Frank:
ReplyDeleteThis article takes one fact - that Canada has opted out of the BMD - and spins a bunch of silly conclusions from there. The government has made it clear that NORAD is still very much a part of our defense strategy.
Here's a little prediction - within a year, Canada will sign on to BMD. The PM favours it, but the political timing was wrong (he's stuck with a minority government at the moment, and depends on the NDP and the Bloc Quebeqois for support - both parties ardent opponents of BMD).
We'll be there - a good thing in my view.
Paul Kimball