Can’t Donald Trump build his ‘Golden Dome’ without Canada? Defense experts weigh
US President Donald Trump has announced large plans for a powerful air and missile defense shield in North America. According to Politico report, he cannot build it without Canada, and it is still not clear that Canada wants to be a part of it. The massive initiative has been termed as “Golden Dome” and costs at least $ 175 billion. This system depends a lot on Canada’s cooperation. The center of the project uses the Canadian Arctic sector to host radar stations and tracking systems to intercept missiles from countries such as Russia and China.“Would it be helpful? Perhaps, but it’s not important or existence,” Alaska Senator Dan Sulivan said, reducing Canada’s role. But many defense experts and officials have otherwise argued.‘What does Canada really bring areas’The United States is facing a serious difference in its missile rescue in its northern flank. Missiles removed from across the North Pole may find out until the initial warning systems are deeply placed in the Arctic of Canada. This makes Canadian cooperation important.“What can Canada really bring, the region,” said the former head of the retired US Air Force General Glennhark, the former head of the US Northern Command. “If we status, or the position of Canada, northwards in the Arctic northwards, or more-Horizone radar, which dramatically extends the ability of the United States and Canada to see the pole in Russia in Russia and other places.”Despite this, Trump rejected Canada’s role when he announced the project on Tuesday. “They also want protection, so as usual, we help Canada,” he said.But Canadian leaders are not running to join the attempt. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has shown hesitation, urged the US to be careful and warned that Canada should not be taken. “This is something we are seeing and something that is discussed at a high level,” he said on Wednesday. “But not – of course, one interacts on it.”Last tension, current leverageIn recent years, there has been tension in tension between the two colleagues. Trump has accused Canada of taking advantage of US military protection and has imposed trade tariffs during his previous term. In response, Carney’s government has seen to strengthen other global security participation.Now when the Golden Dome needs Canada’s help with radar, interceptor and aircraft, Ottawa has gained new bargaining power. Conservative MP Shovaloy Majumdar said: “There is a lot that we don’t know now. There is a need to explain a lot about the Economic and Security Partnership with the US and Canada how an economic and security partnership with the US and Canada will be revealed.”The Canadian Parliament has not yet approved funding and will not finalize its budget until autumn. It is also weight to support the shooting of ballistic missiles historically in Canadian Defense Policy.Norad is still central, but not enoughThe two nations already cooperate on air defense through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) for a long time, share radar data and operate the Arctic Patrol. Ottawa has been spending $ 38 billion to upgrade Norad over the next two decades and has recently signed a $ 4 billion radar contract with Australia using British-made systems for arch-monitoring.Nevertheless, US lawmakers emphasized that more would be required for the work of Golden Dome. Republican Senate colleague said, “It will be very important where Canada decides to set up its over-the-Horizone radar.”Jack Reid, a senior democrats of the Senate Armed Services Committee, were more blunt: “Due to his rhetoric, a large part of the Canadian population has separated … It’s not, you know, good old Canada-USA.”There is still no final deal, and without the full support of Canada, Trump’s Golden Dome Project is stuck. Despite this, Trump continues to carry forward the idea of bringing Canada closer, even floating the idea of making it a 51st American state.
