Washington think-tank criticizes Harper government’s planned purchase of F-35 fighters

The Harper regime can screw up to its heart's content now. Taking our hard-earned tax dollars and spending like crazy! Hope they keep screwing up so that they get kicked out in 2015.

this critical evaluation is not surprising. In fact, its well understood that these systems are poor defensive choices for Canada, and can not do the job. It was discussed during the election right here on yahoo. One must consider what it means for a Prime Minister to want to waste the money in the context of saysing 'canadians must be prepared for interventions'

I have to admit that this purchase is of great concern to me. Canada certainly doesn't need this many fighter jets to defend our airspace, and the USA would never permit an intrusion of enemy aircraft over Canada. I really wish our government would scrap the purchase and use the money for more critical domestic issues such as health and education.

Yes we need a well equipped armed forces to help Canadians in need like flooding in Manitoba, rescue efforts for sea emergencies, to defend our North, but not this fighter jet! Who are we attacking? And what about the maintenence of these jets? Stick to helicopters and sea worthy vessels. We have enought jets!

This $10 Billion Dollar transfer of wealth to US military companies could entirely pay for comprehensive mass transit in all our major cities, creating 1000s of jobs, enhancing the productivity of commuters, and decreasing the amount of pollution in our urban environments. THIS IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY

I cant believe the retards on here actually defending the purchase of these planes, as if the people in the washington thinktank aren't better informed and more capable of making a reliable decision about this than you - sitting their on your fatass in your armchair - you make me laugh

If Harper continual lied to us before, Canadians have to understand he won't change his stripes (or stars and stripes) with his majority.

let's pay our debts with the money and scrap this plan

So yeah, in a nutshell... They're basically spelling out why Harper is buying these jets that no one in parliament wants to voice out. Harper's Tories are moving to shift Canada into a war-monger like the US. Thank you to all Canadians who abstained to show your protest vote and gave Harper his majority! Now there's no way to stop him from literally turning us to mini-US. Our housing bubble is just about ripe to burst anytime soon. And if for some reason the US defaults on their debts in August? Another economic recession! And this time, no surplus to buffer our fall! Good times! Good times!

What a complete waste of money. Why can't we spend this 9,750,000,000 on researching new energy technologies, or to build more efficient mass transit in Canadian cities?

What a complete waste. I am totally disappointed by Canada's "leaders"

Harper and cronies probably raking in big bucks for this. You voted them in, suck it up.

I have been saying it for quite some time now, the world's third ant-christ is right here under our noses. This sociopath Neo Nazi PM is going to start the next world war with or without those planes, because antagonizing and instigating fights with people, and countries, like with Russia for example, and constantly feeding us lies is all he knows, all for the almighty power and oil. And his subservient blind followers are becoming more and more like him, patronizing and condescending to no end.

Ivan Ho is no knight of the round table, certainly, but he has as much chance of being heard in the corridors of Ottawa power i.e. "The Halls of the Harper Government" (Note that it isn't any longer "The Government of Canada") as a lace curtain in hell. Stevie wonder doesn't understand any rational for such a purchase,other than the "fact" he thinks he (we) need them. Whether they _ARE_ needed or_ ARE_ capable of fulfilling the uses he thinks he wants to put them to is immaterial... He has 4+ years to indulge his fantasies of being a "BIG BOY" now, and surely, a war or two _WILL_ crop up, into which he can insinuate our young people so he can keep the body bag industry in clover. Sadly, of course, when the dregs of the boys he's sent into his artificial conflicts. come back, their will be a big percentage who will have trouble adapting again to civil life, due to T.S.D.- Will he be anxious to throw money at their support, & treatment, I think not..

This is the same party (The C.R.A.P. Party- P.conservative. Reform, Alliance dregs)
which used the Liberal "Sponsorship Scandal" to try and sink the Liberal ship. I wonder
how dear Stevie rationalizes the non-tendered F-35 contracts??? Of course!!!! The purchases wil go to enrich his cronies, and associates. The mere fact that Canada will be stuck with a basically unsuitable aircraft is to him, unimportant- OF COURSE- IT ISN'T COMING OUT
HIS PARTY'S POCKETS!!!!!!!! Those who don't understand the British Parliamentary form of Government we live under (because they haven't bother to learn about it, and were lead to believe a coalition wasn't legitimate, should look a the current British coalition. Harper suckered you all with his childish rhetoric, into getting you to deliver the candy store into his greedy, hot little hands.. I hope long, before the 4-5 years we have to put up with this reincarnation of Der Furhrer, those who were even too lazy to get up off their duffs, to vote,will
quickly see the error of there ways.
It only proves once again that universall sufferage is only workable where those possessing it have any intelligence.. Sadly, it has largely proved here in Canada to be a dead letter.......

We need to organize Canada-wide protests against this. Harper needs to be humiliated regarding this issue.

Stunning revelation, "Conservatives are shifting to an interventionist foreign policy similar to the U.S." Is this what a Majority of Canadians want ? Absolutely Not.
Why is Washington revealing this and NOT our own Government ?!

Wow David... you think so much like an American.

Personally, I think its much more profitable to try to work advocating for peace. You know... there was a time when Canada marched peacefully alongside other nations and not against them. You know... Like what Pearson did during his stint as Canada's representative in the UN Security Council. I think striving for that future when we won't need fighter jets or not having the fear of other countries invading other countries is a much better future to invest in and strive for.

And really... the Americans actually talking reason about the weapons of mass destruction that they are pandering over our Dark Lor-- I mean Prime Minister's stubborn reasoning? I think that's a red flag about the actual level of how in touch he is with the world. I'm more worried about that personally...

Sop Harper.

yes but you can not tell Harper not to buy his new toy. After all that would make sense and cost less for the taxpayer.

After all the information that has come out in regards to this planned military purchase..........that it is not needed by Canada and that it is too expensive......only a political party committed to the Military-Industrial complex that SUCKS every living penny from more important social issues would continue its closed ear policy to this debate.

we should buy what we need with a reasonable and attainable budget guideline, buy chinese built planes, or russian, british, german or french even...give bombardier that much money and get them to design a plane we can customize to use for our particular needs, or if you won't get the avro back on track, at least buy what we can use. this is what's going to happen, we'll pay the money and then use it for more US invasions as the ally. I hope quebec seperates so I can move there and not have this empty feeling anymore. being canadian doesn't mean the same thing anymore.