Saudis sending Canadian-made LAVs to combat Yemeni Rebels

[jollyjacktar]

:rofl:

 

[medicineman]

Apparently, the ones sold with all the chrome are mainly intended for military parades.  >

...in the places they've just conquered  :nod:

MM

 

[RCPalmer]

Hey now, you know the motto of the GOC and DND - "If it makes sense, do the exact opposite (after a lengthy Royal Commission or expensive feasibility project says to do the sensible thing)."

Now, I might pay attention to the headline if it read something along the line of "Canadian Armed Forces personnel observing (or helping) Saudi Forces combat test new armoured vehicles...are they safe for Canadians?" or words to that effect.  Otherwise, it sounds like someone is trying to make this into a "Soldiers.  In the desert.  With guns." sort of thing, at least to me.  We sold them the stuff with the expectation that they might be used in anger - I'm pretty sure it wasn't one of those things like when PET Sr. sold a CANDU reactor to another country under the condition of it not being used for nuclear weapons research (which I doubt he sent anyone to verify).

:2c: for what it's worth.

MM

It is clearly more than the expectation that the vehicles be used "in anger".  We have an arms export control regime in place precisely to keep weapons out of the hands of states with a history of human rights abuses, and this specific concern was raised throughout the approval process.  Now, we are in a position where two successive governments have elected ignore this process, and prioritize the economic imperatives. 

With regards to CANDU reactors and the Indian nuclear weapons program, that was a highly embarrassing incident which should serve as a cautionary example...just like this case.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

My source mentioned that these have a lot of "chrome and plastic" on them.  I highly doubt they would last long in our troops hands.  [

I suspect our troops will take better care of them, then the current customers, just watch a few of the Houthi Rebel videos of how Saudi troops respond to being attacked.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Only idiots couldn't see this coming.

If you sell someone weapons, you should expect them to use them when they get involved in a war.

To have different expectations is simply ridiculous.

 

[The Bread Guy]

... If you sell someone weapons, you should expect them to use them when they get involved in a war ...

There you go, making sense again - wherever will THAT get us?

 

[OldSolduer]

Only idiots couldn't see this coming.

If you sell someone weapons, you should expect them to use them when they get involved in a war.

To have different expectations is simply ridiculous.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Radical Islamists, killing radical Islamists of a different sect, hmmmmm struggling to see why we care.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Radical Islamists, killing radical Islamists of a different sect, hmmmmm struggling to see why we care.

Yup, varmint on varmint crime, nothing to see here, move along.

 

[gryphonv]

Yup, varmint on varmint crime, nothing to see here, move along.

Why not provide weapons to both sides to speed it along? We can ask the US for tips on how to do it...

 

[George Wallace]

FFS....Does this "title" not make you think that this Government really thinks that the more informed members of the Public are stupid?

Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.

Feds don't know how Saudi Arabia got Canadian made military vehicles
THE CANADIAN PRESS
First posted: Friday, July 28, 2017 09:44 PM CDT | Updated: Friday, July 28, 2017 09:58 PM CDT

OTTAWA — The federal government says it’s trying to find out more about reports that Saudi Arabia is using Canadian made military vehicles in clashes with militants.

An emailed statement from the government says Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is concerned and has asked officials to look into the matter.

The Globe and Mail reported Friday that the Saudi government was using Canadian made armoured vehicles during six days of fighting with Shia militants.

The newspaper cited experts on military vehicles who examined images and video on social media of this week’s fighting.

The statement from Freeland’s department says Canada expects the users of all exports to follow the terms laid out in export permits.

It says the Canadian government will review all available information and come up with an appropriate course of action.

“If it is found that Canadian exports have been used to commit serious violations of human rights, the minister (Freeland) will take action,” the statement said.

“The end use and end user of exports, as well as regional stability and human rights, are essential considerations in the authorization of permits for the export of military goods from Canada,” the statement said.

There was a furor last year when the Trudeau government proceeded with a $15 billion deal for an Ontario company to sell light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia. The agreement was approved by the former Conservative government.

There were calls for the Liberals to cancel the deal given Saudi Arabia’s widely criticized human rights record.

But Freeland’s predecessor Stephane Dion said he couldn’t block exports unless the armoured vehicles were being used against innocent civilians, something he had no evidence of.

Freeland issued a statement on Thursday saying she was concerned about the recent violence in Saudi Arabia.

The Canadian government updated its travel advisory Friday advising Canadians to exercise a high degree of caution due to the threat of terrorist attacks and security incidents and to avoid all travel within 30 kilometres of the border with Yemen.

Still trying to blame the Harper Government. 

 

[jollyjacktar]

Stupid enough to give them a mandate for four years.

 

[OldSolduer]

I guess the government figured they'd only be hangar queens ....,  :facepalm:

 

[The Bread Guy]

... If you sell someone weapons, you should expect them to use them when they get involved in a war ...

Well, there's always THIS option  ;D

(source)

 

[George Wallace]

Well, there's always THIS option  ;D

(source)

With the brain cells of many in Government, I would not put that past their way of thinking.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

" Now, Sir, if you'll just sign here saying you won't drive your new car from us, over the speed limit we can wrap this up"

Excuse me? Is this my car? "Yes". Is there anything I owe you that would let you tell me what I can and can't do. "No, other than this paper". Does anything stop me from exceeding the speed limit? "No, but we won't sell you any more cars, if you do". You are not the only game in town. not even the best or cheapest, we don't need to give you our business. "Uhhhmmmmmm, aahhhhh, well, you know, uhhhmmmmmm.

Canada/Saudi Arabia no different.

 

[Good2Golf]

Only idiots couldn't see this coming.

If you sell someone weapons, you should expect them to use them when they get involved in a war.

To have different expectations is simply ridiculous.

Expect the unexpected.  LAVs make excellent means of delivering sternly-worded letters of admonishment.  I'm certain that's what the Government honestly thought the Saudis would be using them for. :nod:

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I bet they promised never to use our vehicles against their Sunni Citizens.

 

[Good2Golf]

I bet they promised never to use our vehicles against their Sunny Citizens.

Fixed that for you.  It all makes sense now...  :nod:

 

[McG]

FFS....Does this "title" not make you think that this Government really thinks that the more informed members of the Public are stupid?

Well the current fuss is not about Canadian made LAV, but rather it is about the Terradyne Gurkha.  Built on a Ford F550 and found in the service of several Canadian large city police forces, I would imagine it was sold without the government as a middle agent.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terradyne_Armored_Vehicles_Gurkha