- Harper, The F-35's To Be Used For Search-and-Rescue - That's A Nice Way To Spend $30 Billion and counting

Submitted: 9:46am, PDT, 18 Apr.'11 Toronto Star
Engines included in F-35 deal, officials insist, Apr 17 2011, The Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/976138--engines-included-in-f-35-deal-officials-insist

"The DND documents, which outline answers to questions about the F-35, also note that the stealth fighter could be used in a secondary role for search-and-rescue." (Ottawa Cit 17 Apr.'11)
Canada’s F-35s: Engines not included, Government will be required to provide powerplant for stealth fighters, documents show, David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen April 17, 2011
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/Canada+Engines+included/4629251/story.html

Am I reading that Right (morally as opposed to some right-wing extremist sort of way).

Now Harper and the Con's are trying to say we can use the Strike Force F-35 Stealth Fighters for search-and-rescue.

What,

For when someone gets lost in the arctic and we discover the hordes coming over the Pole to invade. Can't we just ask Santa and the elves to keep a look out. Wouldn't that be more reasonable.

Of course, Canada has no stated military objectives, no stated operations requirements i.e. no purpose and no excuse to use them. So, I guess that's as good a reason to spend $30 billion as any, or at least as good as the one where we are chasing Russian prop planes away.

U.S. defence specialist Winslow Wheeler, has warned that the extra cost of an engine could boost the price of an aircraft for Canada to around $148 million.

However, Paul Manson, has challenged this saying Wheeler lacks credibility since he is associated with a left wing organization.

But isn't Manson the ex-chairman of Lockheed Martin Canada, and former chief of the defence staff. And isn't Lockheed Martin the company going to make the F-35's.
(Ottawa Cit 17 Apr.'11)

Someone should ask Manson why his statements are credible, and what his interest in the whole thing is anyway.

Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html