cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/44616333
President Donald Trump left out a key detail this week when he outlined his plans for a massive missile and air defense shield over the continent: He can’t build it without Canada.
Ottawa has historically funded about 40 percent of NORAD investments, according to VanHerck, and is putting $38 billion into the command to add new radars in the north over the next two decades. Without those investments — and additional sensors that can peer over the North Pole — officials believe the U.S. will have trouble putting together a credible North American air defense.
Historically, this has been an easy sell. If the US gets nuked, Canada is just as fucked. Canada was happy to host US early warning radar throughout the Cold War.
The fact that it’s not an easy sell now highlights how bad Trump is at everything. You never needed The Art of the Deal to set this up in the past.