TBC
Updates on the global arms trade
Tue, 2016-01-05 13:48
#1
Updates on the global arms trade
Tue, 2016-01-05 13:49
#2
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/j-baglow/2016/01/sunni-ways-trudeau-gree...
Now Canada, with the able assistance of Justin Trudeau and his predecessor, will be blessing this gang of anthropohagi with a vast fleet of Light Armoured Vehicles, already beta-tested on the hapless Shi'ite population of Bahrain.
Presumably they won't be driven by women. Maybe Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion can utter another mild protest about that.
"Jeeps," Trudeau says. Here is a more detailed description:
Armed with a 25-millimeter, 300-pound chain gun with a range of three kilometers, there isn't much a modern LAV can't destroy: airplanes and helicopters, other LAVs, and of course people. It has the aura of some terrible, resilient insect, its many antennae rocking stiffly and synchronized as the whole vehicle recoils into its shock absorbers after it fires. With half of its wheels destroyed, it can still roar deliberately downrange. It has two secondary machine guns for use against personnel, as well as four grenade launchers embedded in its chassis. Its main gun can be replaced with weapons systems that range from a tank cannon to a mortar system capable of firing cluster bombs. Fully amphibious, it has rear propellers that allow it to ford any inland body of water. LAVs can even be parachuted into theatres of war from a C-130 Hercules.
Think jobs. Think profits. And do try to look the other way as screams fill the air and blood continues to flow. Let's not spoil the honeymoon.
Mulcair also backed away from opposing this deal as well.
http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/who-wants-to-get-rid-of-harper-more-mulca...
Mulcair, who initially described the deal as "abysmal," noted that he would not back out of the deal as a matter of business ethics. He added that he would ensure no future deals would happen with the country, however.
I would rather Canada not have an arms trade so I don't see this as a partisan issue which is why I put the thread here rather than in Canadian Politics.
Tue, 2016-01-05 15:09
#3
There's so many links in your post that I'm a bit confused. Is this about re-confirming a deal made with the Saudis under Harper's tenure? Or is this about a new deal by the Liberal government with the Saudis? Either way, it seems the controversy of the Liberals continuing to do a deal with the Saudis after the Saudi mass execution committed on January 2, 2016, is the issue here.
ETA: or perhaps continuing to allow a private company to do the deal, since I don't think the government is directly involved. Hmm.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-going-ahead-with-sau...
Okay, so even though it's a private company, rules require the feds to prevent export of goods that may be used by unscrupulous foreign governments to harm local populations. The Saudi government committed a mass execution of 47 people on January 02, 2016, so some are feeling the Liberal government should prevent this transaction (this export of goods to the Saudis). A staff of Stephane Dion, the Liberal's foreign affairs minister, said they will allow the transaction to go through.
Tue, 2016-01-05 15:54
#4
[url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-has-no-intention-of-cancelling-sau... has 'no intention' of cancelling Saudi arms deal, despite mass executions[/url]
Glad to see that all our parties are still unanimous on not alienating our Saudi allies.
I'm waiting for the Canadian Labour Congress, and in particular Unifor, to say something. I don't expect to be pleasantly surprised, but if anyone notices a comment before I do, please post it here.
Tue, 2016-01-05 16:01
#5
[url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-has-no-intention-of-cancelling-sau... has 'no intention' of cancelling Saudi arms deal, despite mass executions[/url]
Glad to see that all our parties are still unanimous on not alienating our Saudi allies.
I'm waiting for the Canadian Labour Congress, and in particular Unifor, to say something. I don't expect to be pleasantly surprised, but if anyone notices a comment before I do, please post it here - we need the union movement to take a stand on this travesty.
Tue, 2016-01-05 16:45
#6
How Saudi Executions Followed Giant US Arms Deal
https://www.rt.com/news/328019-saudi-executions-us-contract/
"Just days before Saudi Arabia's mass execution of 47 people, the US announced the approval of more military contracts with the Gulf Kingdom. The House of Saud funds American politicians, lobbying groups, PAC's and media companies, employing a well-funded PR machine through companies like EDELMAN to influence US opinion..."
Tue, 2016-01-05 20:51
#7
swallow
The deal was announced under the Cons and confirmed under the Liberals, who have issued the necessary permits.
The government is being dishonest when it paints this as a deal made by a private company, given that the deal involves the government's Canadian Commercial Corporation. Canadian-made Light Armoured Vehicles (armed and armoured, not mere "jeeps") may have been used against civilians in stifling pro-democracy protests in Bahrain.
[url=http://ploughshares.ca/pl_publications/what-we-know-about-the-14-8-billi... Ploughshares backgrounder from October[/url]
Letters of concern should go to [email protected]
Tue, 2016-01-05 21:22
#8
"Jeeps," Trudeau says. Here is a more detailed description:
Armed with a 25-millimeter, 300-pound chain gun with a range of three kilometers, there isn't much a modern LAV can't destroy: airplanes and helicopters, other LAVs, and of course people. It has the aura of some terrible, resilient insect, its many antennae rocking stiffly and synchronized as the whole vehicle recoils into its shock absorbers after it fires. With half of its wheels destroyed, it can still roar deliberately downrange. It has two secondary machine guns for use against personnel, as well as four grenade launchers embedded in its chassis. Its main gun can be replaced with weapons systems that range from a tank cannon to a mortar system capable of firing cluster bombs. Fully amphibious, it has rear propellers that allow it to ford any inland body of water. LAVs can even be parachuted into theatres of war from a C-130 Hercules.
Whoever wrote paragraph requires a better research assistant and editor. It is full of errors.
I believe it wrong to provide these LAVs to Saudi Arabia.
Tue, 2016-01-05 21:33
#9
swallow
Michael Lista wrote it - you can follow the link to read the whole article, which is an interesting attempt to link the LAV sale to Canadian poets via Scott Griffin, who is with one of the sub-contractors for this sale (General Kinetics) and also the donor behind a major Canadian poetry prize.
Being a Canadian writer, I doubt he can afford a research assistant!
Tue, 2016-01-05 21:40
#10
Michael Lista wrote it - you can follow the link to read the whole article, which is an interesting attempt to link the LAV sale to Canadian poets via Scott Griffin, who is with one of the sub-contractors for this sale (General Kinetics) and also the donor behind a major Canadian poetry prize.
Being a Canadian writer, I doubt he can afford a research assistant!
I gave up reading the article after a bit; I found the numerous inaccuracies hard to take seriously.
Sorry for being rude however it is a bad article.
Wed, 2016-01-06 01:10
#11
Wed, 2016-01-06 03:08
#12
I think the primary point of the article is that the vehicles are not just jeeps. They are weaponized. Selling them to countries like Saudi Arabia is taking blood money. Some conservative politician actually said that if we don't sell it to them someone else will.
Wed, 2016-01-06 04:19
#13
Saudi Arabia is one of the main supporters of Takfir terrorism, including ISIS. Yet, they and Turkey, another proven sponsor of takfiri terrorists, are included in the US-led coalition 'fighting' ISIS to which Canada belongs. Our multi-billion dollar arms sales to them, and the acceptance of al Saud blood money is a clear sign that we do indeed support their state terrorism. Canadians must express their opposition somewhat more vigourously than they have been, obviously, if this is to change.
S Arabia & Qatar Among Top US Arms Buyers Despite Human Rights
"When it comes to arms dealing, the US are the big guns dominating the industry with almost one third of global trade..."