Thus far, Trump has not raised the possibility of sending actual troops to Ontario. Instead, he seems to believe he can achieve this Canadian Anschluss by simply crushing Canada’s economy and leaving it no choice but to join the US.

But Canada in 2025 is not Austria in 1938. “Canada will never, ever be part of America,” declared newly elected Canadian Prime Minster Mark Carney last week, making the country’s position crystal clear. And, last month, the Canadian Armed Forces announced that after years of declining enrollment, it had seen a surge in enlistments since Trump took office, with about 1,000 more applicants than last year. (Canadian officials couldn’t attribute the new rash of interest to Trump’s threats, but they didn’t rule it out, either.)

Given that Canada will never voluntarily join the US—which it is adamant about—would Trump try to use force to annex it? And would Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth go along with this crazy plan?

  • TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org
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    2 days ago

    Just like they were “fighting for freedom” by invading Iraq, a country that didn’t have shit to do with the 9/11 attack or anything else going on at home at the time? Even after it was known they lied about “weapons of mass destruction”, people still signed up to be sent over there.

    They just need to find the right kind of propaganda to justify going into Canada, and then the meatheads will follow.

    • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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      Iraq wasn’t their neighbor, the average american had rarely met or interacted with an Iraqi IRL or online. The same is not true for Canada. Our cultures and demographics are far more similar. It isn’t impossible but the propaganda would have to be quite impressive to shift the overall attitude towards Canadians.

      • Snot Flickerman
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        You underestimate the American thirst for violence, destruction, and war.

        • tehn00bi@lemmy.world
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          Meh, we have WAY more people interested in staying home and jacking off than those who are blood thirsty for war.

        • peteyestee@feddit.org
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          They will fuck with anything and anyone as long as they get that adrenaline and neuron boost.

      • Tempus Fugit@midwest.social
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        2 days ago

        And to add to this, once many service members got to know and bond with Iraqi local nationals, many of them formed friendships that we/they hold dear. Of my service member friends we all have fond memories with them. Of the ones I’ve met since being in, they all have fond memories too.

    • Snot Flickerman
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      2 days ago

      They don’t even need that much propaganda. I remember soldiers pumping “Let the Bodies Hit the Floor” as a war anthem in Iraq. We have enough stupid shit in our “culture” to help justify it anyway. Just look at the pointless lyrics to that stupid fucking song that basically mean nothing yet somehow couldn’t be more on the nose if it tried.

      You wanted in and now you’re here
      Driven by hate, consumed by fear

      Sounds like every idiot asshole that signed up to kill innocent Iraqis and yet they used it as a war anthem for… killing innocent Iraqis. Fuck me I hate living in this stupid ass country.

      EDIT: Also check the YouTube comments for that fucking video, plenty of people still love it.

    • sun_is_ra@sh.itjust.works
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      Iraq is a country far far away that most Americans have never visited. Plus Saddam was a real criminal who attacked his own people with chemical weapons. That makes it easy for an average American to believe the false claims.

      Canada is right across the border. So many Americans have been there. many have wives and husbands from there. They are a democracy. no mass killing or genocides. Besides Trump is not even accusing them of anything. He just want to take it “for national security”

      The two situations are not the same.