this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2025
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[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 1 points 17 minutes ago
[–] jaxxed@lemmy.world 2 points 57 minutes ago (1 children)

Gripen is a great jet for Canadian requirements.

[–] jaxxed@lemmy.world 1 points 56 minutes ago

If I remember correctly, Saab has even offered to have the jets built.in Canada.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 1 points 42 minutes ago

I hope they do it. Maybe the arms manufacturers will turn on Trump when they start losing trillion dollar clients.

[–] JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 hour ago

JK, fuck American tech

[–] Siegfried@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago
[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

What's to consider. Do we need to hire an american consultant? (Canada's "go to" action in the past). Also, let's get those decisions made on the Chinese EV's and get that Canola flowing. Win-win for all Canadians. We can't be politicking all the time, can we? Pull up those sleeves, put away the middle-school insults, join hands, and get the hell to work!

[–] Prior_Industry@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

I assume it's a bargaining chip for a reduction in tariffs. The problem as I see it is that any deal with Trump is not worth the paper it's written on, so I'm not sure much is to be gained.

[–] Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz 1 points 3 hours ago

If you want to make America piss itself, station J-35S.

[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 9 points 11 hours ago

I hope we snub those unhinged fash. Fuck them.

[–] frezik@lemmy.blahaj.zone 25 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Try searching Google with "f-35 sales before:2024-11-01". Countries were lining up to buy them. Boeing had a years long manufacturing backlog.

No matter how you, personally, feel about the F-35 and the US military-industrial complex, Trump wants to both increase exports in general and tout US military strength. Most of NATO running with the F-35 would have been great for both of those. He could have succeeded at it by doing nothing. Complete failure of his own goals.

[–] murvel@feddit.nu 7 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Lockheed Martin. Boeing makes the F18 (for example)

[–] Credibly_Human@lemmy.world 6 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (3 children)

There is unfortunately a lot of nuance here.

A Gripen does not do the same things that an F35 does.

Europe simply does not have an answer to 5th or 6th generation fighters and I feel like wanting to be supporting of peoples respective countries and acknowledging the US being pretty awful right now is making people unwilling to acknowledge this glaring and incredibly important fault in western arms manufacturing outside of the US.

Humans benefit greatly when people, groups etc, specialize as less resources need to be wasted reinventing the wheel, but when it comes to defence, the current situations shows how flat footed CANZUK+EU* has been left by allowing the US to basically become the single source for some of the most crucial defence items.

Projects like FCAS need to cut the bureaucratic bullshit and speed up development as its increasingly obvious that the US is not a stable partner. CANZUK+EU* despite years of warning about these facts remained unwilling to spend, viewing it as inefficient, and with every individual state that has the capabilities holding recalcitrant attitudes, fighting over who gets to build what.

Basically, what I am saying, is that I would love to have non US weaponry, but if that weaponry can't compete with US weaponry, there isn't much of a point.

I mean, quite frankly, for us, Canada, the most important thing we could possibly do this decade, is to internally create our own ultimate strategic deterrents. Anything short of that would leave us completely defenceless to our greatest military threat, and largest neighbour. There is literally no chance we win any conventional war, so in a way, not even this fighter deal matters.

[–] MrFinnbean@lemmy.world 5 points 4 hours ago

I agree you on all points, but i want to add that weapon systems where manufactorer has a back door open and they can do things like remotelly lock the missile systems or other weapons, does not really sound appealing.

[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 2 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I think we'd do not badly in a conventional war when you factor in the fact that the Americans would be fighting on two fronts - within Canada against Canadians, and within America against the substantial chunk of Americans who would be trying to bring down the regime that was causing something as insane as an invasion of Canada to be undertaken. Plus there'd be international support at play. It would be a huge mess. Canada would just need to make the mess as big and as long as possible.

That said, preventing America from invading in the first place would be ideal, so the more preemptive preparation to strengthen Canada's position and weaken America's the better. Shifting our military supply lines to European sources is a step in that direction for many reasons. I do think a nuclear deterrent would be ideal, but that's a couple of steps of escalation further down the line I think.

[–] Credibly_Human@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 34 minutes ago) (1 children)

within Canada against Canadians, and within America against the substantial chunk of Americans who would be trying to bring down the regime that was causing something as insane as an invasion of Canada to be undertaken.

Given the current trajectory, I have little faith that they would mount an effective internal resistance.

I think we’d do not badly in a conventional war when you factor in

No matter what, conventional war is horrific and wed be losing our families, homes, friends, and more. Effective strategic deterrents make it such that we would never reach that stage and as such, is far more economical and moral.

I do think a nuclear deterrent would be ideal, but that’s a couple of steps of escalation further down the line I think.

You cant make nukes loudly in such a situation, but as we've seen, you definitely cant make them under the gun. The only time is before the circumstances that you feel would necessitate them when we are still not viewed as enemies.

Disarming yourself as to avoiding presenting as a threat clearly does not work.

[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 1 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

No matter what, conventional war is horrific and wed be losing our families, homes, friends, and more.

Which is why I said "preventing America from invading in the first place would be ideal"

You cant make nukes loudly in such a situation, but ass we've seen, you definitely cant make them under the gun.

Right, it would be done before the US invades, to prevent them from invading. Nuclear weapons are deterrence, you don't want to actually use them.

[–] Credibly_Human@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Right, it would be done before the US invades, to prevent them from invading. Nuclear weapons are deterrence, you don’t want to actually use them.

I fear my point is being missed.

My point was in response mainly to this last sentence:

I do think a nuclear deterrent would be ideal, but that’s a couple of steps of escalation further down the line I think.

My point is that it cant be further down, because if you are down that far, its too late. We've seen this was most countries that became under the gun when they would benefit dearly from having nuclear weapons of their own.

Notably, if Ukraine did so before they would have been fine, but during, they have no chance.

Iran similarly has a difficult time.

Its not about the nation, its about the fact that if you are at a point where you feel the heat is on, its too late to build nukes. Now is the time to build them.

[–] LOLseas@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

What's sad, is that Ukraine did have nukes. Then this happened in '94: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Memorandum Guess who is now a bully.

[–] Credibly_Human@lemmy.world 1 points 41 minutes ago

It should be noted that they were never actually their nukes (not their codes or delivery systems), but that this would have been a good time for them to make their own nukes.

[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 1 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (2 children)

A lot of the nuance is also one of threat assessment, and risk tolerance.

We can prepare for a situation where we're attacked by the US, but given all probabilities is that worth it compared to preparing for a situation where we get attacked by China or Russia, or is that even worth considering vs preparing for a situation where we can ramp up industrial military production as fast as possible and become a resource rich manufacturing powerhouse?

There's no way of knowing which path the world will go down, and preparing for everything simply isn't possible, so every decision is going to be a matter of what risks to take for what potential benefits.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 0 points 15 minutes ago

We can prepare for a situation where we’re attacked by the US, but given all probabilities is that worth it compared to preparing for a situation where we get attacked by China or Russia, or is that even worth considering vs preparing for a situation where we can ramp up industrial military production as fast as possible and become a resource rich manufacturing powerhouse?

Get real. If US, China or Russia attacks us, there is nothing we can do with 100X the military spending.

[–] Credibly_Human@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

We can prepare for a situation where we’re attacked by the US, but given all probabilities is that worth it compared to preparing for a situation where we get attacked by China or Russia

Very much so. Russia is not that big a threat as they are an easy sell to alliances. China and the US would steamroll us regardless, hence, given that we have no one resembling near peers, ultimate strategic deterrents are literally the only things that can defend us should the worst come.

vs preparing for a situation where we can ramp up industrial military production as fast as possible and become a resource rich manufacturing powerhouse?

This is not happening when we don't even have our own jets and every country with fancy jets (etc) wants to build them in house.

There’s no way of knowing which path the world will go down, and preparing for everything simply isn’t possible, so every decision is going to be a matter of what risks to take for what potential benefits.

A strategic deterrent program is the least expensive and most all encompassing. We generally stay out of the business of other countries so the bipolar fascist next door is the biggest threat to physical safety/sovereignty. We're also uniquely well equipped to start one. We need to have a Can du attitude.

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 84 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And the Gripen will be built here in Canada!!!!

[–] assaultpotato@sh.itjust.works 35 points 23 hours ago (4 children)

To be fair, we've manufactured a lot of parts for other country's F35s so far. That's quite standard for defense contracts. Still, if Saab commits to bringing more guaranteed manufacturing jobs than the F35 program, it could be worth it. If this gives us a leg up in F35 manufacturing bids, that could also be worth it. Feels like a strong play regardless of outcome.

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[–] Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca 7 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Wasn't a major problem with the F35 that they can't fly in the Canadian north? Shouldn't we have at least some of our fleet that can be used throughout Canadian territory in our defense?

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 8 points 17 hours ago

I think they work fine as long as the hydraulic fluid is actually hydraulic fluid, and not water.

Don't leave your drums outside in the rain.

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 33 points 23 hours ago (7 children)

Now that the US is sending them to Saudi, how secure will they be from investigation by foreign adversaries?

Plus, the entire supply chain system of relying on the US for software and hardware updates, having to physically send the planes to the US for maintenance, all while the US continues to talk about annexing us is completely fucking bonkers.

Even without the annexation threats the setup would be stupid.

I know it’s a fancy and advanced plane, but knowing how the US military industrial complex works I’m pretty sure you’re paying a high multiplier for no reason too.

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[–] Kyle_The_G@lemmy.world 18 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

I've been commenting on a bunch of threads the best way to deal with a bully is to tell them to fuck off and go play with everyone else in the playground. Glad we're taking the first few steps in the right direction.

[–] DrDickHandler@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago

That's cute and all but annexing Canada is literally in their agenda.

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[–] T00l_shed@lemmy.world 45 points 1 day ago

I fucking hope so

[–] Toto@lemmy.world 37 points 1 day ago
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