CF-18 Hornets going to Europe for NATO

[teacher]

Canada is sending six CF-18 fighter jets to eastern Europe as part of a NATO operation in response to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the decision in Ottawa Thursday.
He said the jets are being sent “in response to a NATO request” as it expands its operations in eastern Europe.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Chief of Defence Staff General Thomas Lawson announces Canada will send six CF-18 fighter jets to eastern Europe as part of a NATO mission during a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday, April 17, 2014. (Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
“Obviously this in response to the situation that’s developing there,” Harper told reporters, particularly over concerns about the “expansionism and militarism” of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine.
As many as 20 Canadian Forces staff officers will be sent to NATO headquarters in Brussels as it ramps up its response to Russia’s incursion in eastern Ukraine.
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced Wednesday that NATO will deploy additional resources to former Eastern Bloc countries, including jets and warships.
Rasmussen announced that the United States, Britain, Denmark, Poland, Portugal and Germany had all agreed to send fighter jets for air patrols over the region.
"We do have the necessary capacity to implement these measures that have been recommended by our military authorities," Rasmussen said Wednesday in Brussels.
"We already know that some Allies will come forward with concrete contributions and I'm sure that more will follow."
NATO is responding to growing violence in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian activists are taking hold of government and media buildings, declaring independence and demanding referendums to join Russia.
This has led to violent clashes with Ukrainian troops and fears that Putin will move to annex more of eastern Ukraine after seizing the Crimean Peninsula.
“Canada remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and will not stand idly by while its sovereignty and territorial integrity are threatened,” the prime minister said in a written statement.
“Together with our allies, we will continue to monitor events closely and take coordinated action to enhance Europe’s security and show our support for the people of Ukraine.”
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will visit the region in the coming days, a trip that includes stops in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Latvia and Estonia.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-s ... -1.1780452

[Colonel Sanders]

Canada has six fighter jets which are older
than the pilots. How many fighter jets does
Russia have? Six hundred? Six thousand?

[crazy_aviator]

Hmm, let me think, US backed revolution, neo-nazis and thugs installed in power, Crimea and eastern Ukraine want to side with Russia but cant, NATO weapons all around the western and northern flank of russia being pointed at Russia. I call it American aggression and nation take-over for the NWO banksters! The LAST thing we need to do is send our troops and equipment over to a manufactured propaganda war,, get some gonads Mr. Harper and get out of the war business !!! Russia is NOT our enemy !

[av8ts]

I think Russia is the enemy of anyone who believes in a free democratic society. However I think Putin will be allowed to do whatever he wants. NATO does not have the will or stomach to do what it will take to stop him.

[azimuthaviation]

What a joke. Such a waste of resources. Honestly, what point is he trying to make?

[timel]

Europe gets 40% of its natural gas from Russia, not inluding oil and other resources.
Europeans will talk and pretend to do something.
Russia is auto sufficient on their resources. Americans have their hand full trying to rape the world resources from Al-quaedaaa.

What Harper is trying to do... don't know. Pilots get to do some visit, vodka drinking and we pretend to be a powerfull country.

The most northern port of russia has 1 000 000 Russian versus 200 of First nations on the other side. Ouuuu scary Canada!

[Colonel Sanders]

I have never understood the logic of
two kings each sending a million of
their troops to kill each other.

Personally, I think one Predator could
take out Putin and solve the problem,
but I'm just not a new age sensitive
kind of guy. Better to kill a million
peasants than one king. Got that.

[Rowdy]

Next to the concerns of oil, America NEEDS to keep the war machine going.. thats all this is about. Blowing something trivial out of proportion so theres a need for the troops and all the gear and manufacturing that goes with it for the US.

[FenderManDan]

All 6. Russians are shaking in their boots. Ill take rather 6 c172 at least they can fly below radar.

[Airmanship Police]

If a 777 can fly below radar, I'm sure a handful of f-18's can!!

[iflyforpie]

The C-172 made it to Red Square at the height of the Cold War....

[Rockie]

The C-172 made it to Red Square at the height of the Cold War....

Mathias Rust - I remember it well because at the time I was studying NATO standing war plans for entering Soviet Bloc airspace without getting shot down and thinking we should all just rent C-172's.

Six CF-18's seems like a joke compared to the massive Russian war machine, but I believe it is just the beginning of a large scale, long term NATO build up to counter a reincarnated imperialistic and expansionist Russian bear. Putin is a ruthless KGB anachronism who is not going away, and he is going to drag the world back to the bad old days of the Soviet Union.

In my worst nightmares I can't help but notice the similarities between 2014 and 1936. But that couldn't happen in this day and age...could it?

[azimuthaviation]

But that couldn't happen in this day and age...could it

The days where a country's leader advocated the use of poison gas to wipe out "uncivilized tribes", who practiced a philosophy of conquering nations land and replacing them with his own "superior" people and offered no apologies, only stating "I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race, has come in and taken their place". His intolerance for non-Christians, calling them a threat to Europe and saying they will lead to its collapse as the Roman empire collapsed. A genocidal, maniacal, unapologetic, military expansionist racist who believed the in the supremacy of his people.

The above mentioned person is Winston Churchill of course.

Theres no good guys in Europe, why is Canada taking sides?

[Rockie]

Well, for now at least there are no other despotic leaders over there with the means, intentions, and now very recent history of annexing another country's sovereign territory. As much as I despise Harper he is bang on characterizing Putin as a major, real threat to world peace. That's why we are taking sides and why I think this is just the beginning.

[Mr. North]

Europe gets 40% of its natural gas from Russia, not inluding oil and other resources.
Europeans will talk and pretend to do something. Russia is auto sufficient on their resources.

They may be resource sufficient but Russia is just as dependant on the sale of its energy exports to maintain its economy. That 40% the EU receives is actually 60% of the net Russian gas exports. And since the Russian economy obtains nearly half it's income from oil and gas, even if sanctions fly, It is unlikely Putin will turn off the tap. Both regions are tied at the hip by their mutual dependance on the energy trade. The EU can try and look elsewhere but it will be YEARS before they can ween themselves off Mother Russia's teet.

The concept of international law is a facade, countries will always act in their own interest. Thanks to the internet, it's easier to sift through the barrage of propaganda.

[crazy_aviator]

Those villifying putin and Russia aught to take a look at history and remember Iraq and the WMD and the american overthrow. How about Syria? Egypt? Afghanistan? Central american countries? America has been a warmongering whore for a long time ,,,,, Russia is intent on preserving its local interests and people , anything wrong with that ?? Get off the MSM cool-aid and look at the facts !!

[Colonel Sanders]

similarities between 2014 and 1936

They have rifles these days that are good out to a mile.

[co-joe]

That 172 made it to red square not because it wasn't on radar, but rather because the mig pilot ordered to shoot it down refused. How many years did that kid spend in the Gulag?



1 Sqdn of hornets are a force to be reconed with. Especially if they are guided by NATO AWACS, and accompanied by their friends... which they surely will be.

10-4 on the US Wermacht Rowdy.

[2R]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014 ... ver-Crimea

The drones may not be an option ,once the telemetry has been compromised , Hence the need for manned fighters.

If a Russian company can compromise the drones ,others may want to buy or steal that technology.

With no A-10's in Europe anymore and only a handful of M1 battle tanks ,there is not much to stop a three day tank drive to most of the capitals

[Darkwing Duck]

I for one am glad Canada is sending over a small contingent. Hopefully this will get bigger. This is not a matter of the US being war mongers or needing to spur on the economy for the love of oil or weapons. This is about stopping expansionism and a former communist wanting to relive the Golden era of his former regime. If Ukraine is being annexed by the Ruskies we should give our support to keep them from an empirialist like Putin. You cannot tell me Putin did not have plans regarding the invasion of Ukraine for some time. Heck, if it was not Russia hosting the Olympics and 3/4 of the world boycotting them, he would have done this sooner. Heaven forbid should Canada be invaded for our resources. With our small military we would not hold off the invading mongrels for a lengthly time and would need the support of our allies. And the more friends the better. I for one believe one good deed deserves another.