President Donald Trump’s “war with Canada” remains what would be one of the more mystifying elements of the second administration were it not for the fact that Trump has antagonized every decent nation on Earth in favor of the cruel, despotic, and corrupt governments that he tends to favor. The Canadians weren’t about to gift Trump a new 747 – that took the Qataris, and the Canadians may have grown suspicious if Trump were good to them anyway. But Trump may now wish that he had been a little nicer because now Trump wants a big, beautiful, “golden dome,” over the United States as a missile shield. But it turns out that Canada must sign off on the whole deal if it is to work, and it’s an open question as to whether the Canadians want anything to do with the U.S. military under Donald Trump.
Yes, we all know Israel has its “Iron Dome” missile protection system, made to knock down missiles coming from Iran or Lebanon. So, of course, our “Trump-Version” must be the “Golden Dome” (Why must we humiliate ourselves with everything named like Vegas? Why can’t we have the “Angel Dome” or something?) and our dome would shoot down nuclear missiles coming over the polar cap from Russia or China. Keep the polar cap in mind.
Because there is a lot of airspace under the northern Western Hemisphere and nearly all of it is controlled by Canada, hence Canada’s participation as a partner in NORAD, or “North American Aerospace Defense.” Similarly, this new endeavor – the “Golden Dome,” which may become Trump’s big white whale (And elephant, at perhaps as much as $500 billion) will almost surely require Canada’s cooperation, something that Trump is already touting as “desperation,” according to reporting in Politico:
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. And it’s not clear America’s northern neighbor wants in. Canada would need to play a pivotal role in Trump’s signature, potentially $500 billion effort to build the so-called Golden Dome, according to U.S. officials and experts, with Ottawa providing radars and airspace needed to track incoming missiles in the Arctic.
It would seem to be self-evident that if one has the ability to shoot missiles down (The old, hit a bullet with a bullet proposition), it is best to do so above the Arctic Ocean and Yukon than over Missouri – as just an example. This easy-to-understand principle probably should have informed Trump back when he was gratuitously calling Canada the 51st state and handing the election to the Liberal Party. One would presume that Trump’s “Golden Dome” idea is informed by some level of analysis going back to the inauguration. How did he not know then, “I’m going to need them to be cooperative with this country… ”
Pete Hegseth is gassing up Trump while standing next to a crude illustration of the "golden dome"
Trump then proceeded to make things worse because, of course, he did, that’s what our “Arti of the Deal” president does. The report goes on to state:
And while Trump insists the country wants to participate, Canadian leaders appear more tepid. Trump, in his Golden Dome announcement on Tuesday, dismissed what Canada could offer the project. “They want to have protection also, so as usual, we help Canada,” he said. Yet whether he realizes it or not, Trump suddenly finds himself in need of an ally he has largely forsaken. He has singled out Canada for free riding on American military might and preferential trade ties, and has engaged in a tariff battle that has stilted relations.
This was inevitable. Donald Trump approaches life as nothing more than a series of ongoing transactions – “What can you do for me today?” The rest of us live with relationships built solidly on principles – “We both believe in democracy and individual liberty in a tough world, we graciously work through differences in favor of long-term benefits to both… ” Indeed, if Trump makes any nod toward a principled basis for cooperation, it has been with those strikingly corrupt despotic leaders around the world who ‘gift” 747s to an ego maniac. But now Trump needs Canada. “Per usual,” Trump decides to antagonize the Canadians again, saying: So as usual, we help Canada. He apparently doesn’t have the tools to do this any other way.
How would this sound, instead: “We have had some tough times of late, but I am not worried, we always work things out with our ally Canada. We count on each other,” or something to that effect? It would sound presidential, is how it would sound. Unfortunately, Trump has never had that club in his bag.
It is exceedingly hard to tell if the “Golden Dome” is even a good idea. To be sure, under certain scenarios, it would be the best money the United States ever spent. The real questions are whether the effort would be worth the money (Would more life and property be saved with $500 billion invested in infrastructure and healthcare? Is this a gift to Elon? Or would it prevent a nuclear holocaust?). Either way, the project – even the analysis- is going nowhere without Canada’s participation.
As usual, Trump’s shortsightedness is now both his worst enemy and our frustration. He gets in the way of important opportunities more than he brings about them. Canada is probably too principled to base cooperation on reconfiguring a trade agreement. But if they did, could anyone blame them?
Expect Canada to rise to the occasion, either way, with a real cost-benefit analysis, with mature reflection, technologically sharp, no one’s 51st state, and a better name.
“Ice Dome.”
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“Ice Dome” *falls over laughing” well said, sir, well said!
You mean “The Art of the Deal” isn’t to start by insulting and bullying the guy you’re dealing with? Who knew?