The U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) published its latest of many reports last February, indicating that the United States has increasingly relied on Special Operations Forces to project force abroad throughout the Global War on Terror. The latest CRS report predicts this trend will continue.
New to this latest CRS report, however, is a recommendation that the U.S. should outsource more covert military operations to foreign militaries to reduce the U.S. military budget.
International relations, peace and conflict
OTTAWA—Despite their moderate size – taken together, Canada and Mexico would only be the fifth largest of the world's economies – they are the major foreign source of the United States' wealth and security, says a report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) which is based on Stephen Clarkson (University of Toronto) and Matto Mildenberger (Yale University)'s pioneering book Dependent America? How Canada and Mexico Construct US Power.
Despite their moderate size – taken together, Canada and Mexico would only be the fifth largest of the world's economies – they are the major foreign source of the United States' wealth and security. The two countries accounted for almost 27% of total U.S. exports in 2010 — more than the United States’ trade relationship with all 27 countries in the European Union and considerably more than its trading relationship with China.
“One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.”
--Mark Twain, Vice-President, American Anti-Imperialist League.
Thanks to a U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks, a small crack recently appeared in the still-prevailing national myth that Canada’s government did not participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Ollanta Humala’s victory in the Peruvian election held on June 5 is the latest triumph for the Latin American Revolution. Humala, a progressive ex-army officer, was elected President as leader of the Nationalist Party. This brings to eleven the number of left-wing governments now ruling in Latin America.
“Fight like an Egyptian!” was the cry echoed by supporters of the Egyptian Revolution around the world when in 17 days the people of that country overthrew its 30-year-old dictatorship on February 11. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign and flee on that day, after millions of Egyptians joined a massive uprising against his government that included demonstrations, protests, labour strikes, and civil disobedience.
Most Canadians know the sad story of Canada’s second-hand submarines. Purchased from Britain in 1998 for a suspiciously low price, the four vessels have spent most of the last fifteen years being refitted and repaired.
OTTAWA – A new report on the future of Canada’s submarine program has just been released by the Rideau Institute and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
“That Sinking Feeling: Canada’s Submarine Program Springs a Leak” was written by University of British Columbia political science professor Michael Byers and defence analyst Stewart Webb (a visiting research fellow at the Rideau Institute and research associate at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.)
OTTAWA – L’Institut Rideau et le Centre canadien de politiques alternatives viennent de publier un rapport sur l’avenir du programme canadien des sous-marins.
« That Sinking Feeling: Canada’s Submarine Program Springs a Leak » (Naufrage appréhendé : le programme canadien des sous-marins prend l’eau) est le fruit des travaux du professeur de sciences politiques Michael Byers et de l’analyste de défense Stewart Webb (chercheur invité à l’Institut Rideau et associé de recherche au Centre canadien de politiques alternatives).
The Royal Canadian Navy projects that its (second-hand) Victoria-class submarine fleet will reach the end of their life cycle by 2030. A plague of serious mechanical problems suggests an even earlier date. However, the replacement of Canada’s submarines was not included in the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy—this omission raises significant questions concerning the government’s intentions for the future of Canada’s submarine program.