It was copywrited material. I don’t think I should have posted it
Isn’t North Korea as much a threat to Canada as it is to the USA?
I don’t think the U. S. military needs the rr line. They already can position their
equipment with the help of other resources. However, it would be nice to see the
new line built, if it makes economic sense. If they do go ahead with it, watch for
everybody to come out of the woodwork : environmentalists, anti-war protestors,
the governments of North Korea,China, etc.
Everything. But everything. Has a military use, my friend. If you don’t believe me, find someone – they’re out there – who has been involved in a resistance or guerilla movement, if they are willing to talk. Is it needed to move US military assets? No. Could it be used? Sure. Would it be? Perhaps. If the US needs to get asset A to base B or target C, they will… IMHO, to connect it to missile defence issues is just silly.
As fievel said, if the new line makes economic sense, it would be nice to see it built. I can see some terrific commercial applications for it, which could really benefit the northern parts of BC, but whether the cost/benefit ratio is there I don’t know – that’s part of what the study is for. Environmentally it beats the heck out of upgrading the Alcan Highway and running battalions of trucks…
But, as fievel also says – count on all the BANANAs in the world to pop out of the woodwork if it ever gets past the study stage.
G’day, Y’all,
As I’ve stated in previous discussions, the US government often builds roads (or anything else) not for what we want them for but for what the military wants and the budgetary cost is hidden in the military budget.
Jock Ellis
Cumming, GA US of A
What? using railroads for military purposes? say it isn’t so ! ! Would the U.S. Government really take money out of their tiny military budget and spend it on railroads to haul around a bunch of their stuff? Now I wonder JUST who’s idea is this to build a railroad to Alaska, fishermen? tourists? sled dog owners? fur trappers? ex-Alaska highway builders? by the way, just how much is the yearly U.S. military budget, it must be way up there in the hundreds of thousands by now.
We built a road thru to Alaska in less than a year due to the japanese threat. We certianly can run railroad thru there. I dont see what the problem is.
North Korea is a threat someday to Alaska and our west coast. Rumors of missiles capable of reaching St. Louis (Not too accurate, pick any state around the metro) within 10 years.
I grew up in a time of Nike Missiles, I consider the Ballistic Defences no different. If they need rail to move em, they will get it done.
Keep in mind there are many assets being developed or in place such as “First Light” and USN Cruisers with missiles capable of targeting (Not necessarily intercepting) ballistic missiles.
St. Louis is the home of the Military Transport. If it needs to go rail, sea or air they get the call first.
Might I ask, just out of curiousity, what is wrong with the military – in any nation – paying for something the rest of the country can use and take advantage of? One could cite the Autobahns in Germany… the Interstate highway system in the US… virtually any major (and a lot of minor) commercial airports anywhere in the world… dredging for a good many port facilities around the world…
Not to mention such everyday goodies as microwave ovens, GPS navigation for you car or backpacking trips, cellular 'phone technology, and on and on and on.