KURTENBACH: The Militarization of Canada

[Oscar]

KURTENBACH: The Militarization of Canada

February 28, 2013

To the Editor,

It is only right and just that Canadians should ask, "What is IDEX 2013?"

It is a huge arms show taking place in the United Arab Emerites [UAE] in the heart of the Middle East [ME] - a region rich in oil.

The IDEX 2013 will involve 1000 exhibitors, 52 countries, and 60,000 interested people, including the manufacturers of weapons and, of course, the arms dealers.

On February 17th, Gulf News quoted Canada's Ambassador to the UAE, Arif Lanlani, who stated that, "We're excited to see such a large number of Canadians exhibitors". The list of Canadian weapons and parts for weapons available for arms dealers, or anyone else who is planning a war against a warmonger's favorite enemy, [terrorists] simply boggles the minds of those who abhor war.

The Canadian frigate, the HMCS Toronto, is docked in the Persian Gulf near the site of the IDEX 2013 arms show. The HMCS Toronto operated in unison with the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group during the illegal 2003 "shock and awe" war against Iraq. For a period of six months in 2004, the HMCS Toronto assisted in the launching of more than 1500 warplane sorties that dropped 82 tons of ordnance on Iraqi targets.

The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries [CADSI] represents 945 Canadian corporations. They meet with leading government politicians from whom they receive generous funding to promote Canadian military exports.

On their website, [ https://www.defenceandsecurity.ca/ ] CADSI speaks glowingly about the opportunities for Canadian military exporters to sell their wares to the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] by stating, "The defence spending forecast across the MENA region for 10 years, 2010-2020, is U.S. $1,233 billion. With defence budgets declining in many countries, now is the time to focus your sales effort in this region."

Is Canada promoting World WAR III?

Instead of helping developing nations to resolve their problems through peaceful means, it appears that Canada is happily and gleefully ready to assist them by selling them our technologically-superior weapons of death -- so they can settle their disagreements -- by trying to kill each other.

Leo Kurtenbach
Saskatoon
TEL: (306) 652-5129.