If U.S. President Donald Trump fails in his stated goal of annexing Canada through economic force, what would happen if he ordered the world’s most powerful military to invade?

Some experts and academics say it’s a notion too preposterous to even contemplate. But Aisha Ahmad isn’t one of them.

“When you look at the power (imbalance) between the U.S. and Canada, an invasion would immediately result in the defeat of the Canadian Armed Forces,” said the University of Toronto political science professor, who last month published an essay on the subject in The Conversation.

“But a conventional military victory is not the end of this story. It’s just the beginning.”

    • @[email protected]
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      206 days ago

      I feel like this has to be the case. America is a disaster but I cannot fathom the populace or even the military being complacent as they march over the border.

      • @[email protected]
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        6 days ago

        Look up Kent state shootings. They fired on their own. The people in the military are maybe there for an education but mainly to get paid and some to shoot people. They’ll have no issue attacking us at all.

        If it comes to that, those that would have an issue will have left on their own or been purged by that point.

  • @[email protected]
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    366 days ago

    The modern US hasn’t fought a war with someone right next door, who looks and talks like them. Not only would it be hard to hold captured cities, but I think many Canadian fighters would walk across that massive unsecured border and start fucking up US resources like electrical stations, water supplies, subway systems, internet backbones, government buildings, . It is super easy to buy guns and ammo in the US, bombs are not hard to make. We would have a fair amount of local support as well.

    We Canadians could just walk around the US in public and you’ve never know it.

    • Tiefling IRL
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      6 days ago

      Blue states won’t stand for it either, the US will have to deal with the double threat of saboteurs and defectors

      • @[email protected]
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        136 days ago

        Blue states understand that you can’t just go and TAKE a country’s sovereignty, and that trying to do so sets a dangerous precedent.

        Red states seem to forget that it goes both ways. Another country can try to TAKE the US (e.g., Russia, china).

        Red states seem to forget that they would be furious if another country tried to invade the US. They fail to look in the mirror.

      • @[email protected]
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        36 days ago

        Honestly you would have to go county by county. As someone from MN, there are rural areas that vote red and would probably be for war with canada if it came down to it.

        Then cities and people in blue counties would probably be the opposite.

        • Tiefling IRL
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          6 days ago

          While true, I think people would easily drive a few counties to sabotage an invasion force, which blurs the map. I would consider the state level about even

          • @[email protected]
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            35 days ago

            There would also be civilian targets. Those huge retirement towns filled with MAGA boomers in Florida - the ones where they drive golf carts around - those will burn to the ground.

    • @[email protected]
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      66 days ago

      It’s stupid because a lot of Americans have families in Canada and some Americans actually live in Canada and loads of American businesses have offices and branches in Canada so they’d literally be bombing themselves.

    • @[email protected]
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      66 days ago

      Not to mention so very many of the Americans in the states that border Canada would probably be more than willing to aid the Canadian efforts.

    • Justus
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      46 days ago

      Canadians were known as the most ruthless wartime force. I will bring that back to protect my daughters right to her body. Our neighbour should never mistake kindness for weakness

  • discomatic
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    107 days ago

    Starting to really consider a meshtastic device for every family member. Thankfully, we mostly all live within range of each other.

    • @[email protected]
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      57 days ago

      Do you plan to DIY? I am intrigued but wish there were more reasonably priced and well-reviewed turnkey units.

      • discomatic
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        26 days ago

        Yeah, I will probably DIY it. I need to cover 6 households, so I’ll be buying in bulk.

        • @[email protected]
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          6 days ago

          I thought about this as well, but kinda assume they’ll be jammed fairly quickly if discovered to be tactically useful. And then non of our garage door openers will work.

          • discomatic
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            16 days ago

            I feel like it would be useful for mobilization more than anything. By the time they get around to jamming signals, I think my family will be safely out of harm’s way. If it works after that, bonus.

  • PlzGivHugs
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    117 days ago

    Is there any communities dedicated to helping Canadians prep? IE, content like guides on getting your PAL, information on firearms, and just general independence and (realistic) prepping advice?

    • @[email protected]
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      7 days ago

      Rod and Gun* clubs, and similar groups, are all over the country. They have all of what you need. The diversity of a group might vary based on things like region but charter-rights Canadian values are generally a baseline.

      If a search engine isn’t helping to find an appropriate target sports group try calling local gun ranges and asking them for contacts.

      *god and run clubs

    • @[email protected]OP
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      7 days ago

      Not that I’m aware of. There are manuals/pamphlets that other nations have put out that offer some basic advice, ie: have 3 days-2 weeks of canned food available, fill multiple jugs with potable water, etc.

      Fyi - PAL courses are filling up fast in my area, so people are aware of that at least.

    • @[email protected]
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      27 days ago

      Government should cancel PAL requirements and all registration type paperwork. Make it hard for US to track guns

      • @[email protected]
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        26 days ago

        That would also make it a lot harder for the Canadian government to track whether pro-American annexationists are amassing guns. We can’t assume everyone who wants a gun is a Canadian patriot, especially if the US ramps up hybrid warfare techniques to stir up unrest here.

  • @[email protected]
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    117 days ago

    How tough would it be for an insurgency force in a nation with high gun ownership rates and who have been more or less comfortable committing war crimes in the past? I suspect Canadians would drop the officer average lifespan by at least a decade.

  • @[email protected]
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    46 days ago

    I commented before that I didn’t think that Canadian and have it in them to fight an insurgency, but I have been impressed since then with the Canadian civil and political response since them (Carney more than Ford.) Now I realize that the US has never had to face an insurgency at there border, of ppl who they couldn’t possible recognize. When you hear stories of Ukrainians who speak Russian being very successful as insurgents gives a lot of suggestion of how Canadians could make it really annoying for the U.S. government. Then think of how the border couldn’t all be guarded.

    • @[email protected]
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      56 days ago

      Canadians are not a people you want to piss off. There’s a reason they had their own beach at Normandy, they had earned a reputation for savagery during both World Wars, and their special forces operators are some of the finest in the world.

      Imagine having the Taliban as your neighbors. Canadian insurgents would be able to regularly hit targets in the United States, and I have zero doubt they would quickly become a force to be reckoned with.

      • @[email protected]
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        46 days ago

        That’s the thing people forget about, they just think of the Nice Canadian who is always saying “sorry.” Seriuosly, for a country known for being “nice” people forget that their national passtime is Hockey, one of the least “nice” sports there is.

  • @[email protected]
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    35 days ago

    If conservatives ever get insane enough to actually try anything like that, understand that a fair amount of that hypothetical insurgency will be happening on the American side of the border as well. A lot of people who live near the border have a lot of Canadian ties. They would effectively consider any military action taken against Canada to be an attack on them.

    • Phoenixz
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      45 days ago

      Not just near the border, it’s throughout the entire US. Same goes for Mexico

  • Laser
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    277 days ago

    Come fuck around with Canada, murica! We’ll be waiting for you!

    • @[email protected]
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      177 days ago

      If they do invade us they will have accepted genocide as the most efficient tactic before crossing the border.

      • FaceDeer
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        117 days ago

        I mean, I don’t really want to genocide America, but I guess if they’ve accepted that who am I to hold back?

      • Laser
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        107 days ago

        As long as they understand we will show no mercy!

        • Match!!
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          97 days ago

          and that the canadians will have help from everywhere

        • @[email protected]
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          7 days ago

          Neither will the Americans that decide to help you guys. Trump and Co seem to forget that the right hasn’t had a monopoly on guns for a long time in this country. The left just doesn’t make it our entire personality.

          BTW, I’m pretty sure you patriotic Canadians can still legally purchase old APCs and BMPs from our stockpiles. Might wanna get a few for each town near the border. At least I’m pretty sure it would be legal for you to buy them down here. Dunno if Canada would have something to say about that. Tell Canada they’re for the mounties, lol.

          If they wanna fuck around with Canada, they’ll find out. Same for Mexico.

  • GingaNinga
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    867 days ago

    Do you have any idea how hard it is to focus on school/studying when this is the kind of news that keeps popping up?

    • @[email protected]
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      46 days ago

      I have a job that’s repeatedly being reminded that it’s going to be taken over by AI in my news feed. Between Marvel Rivals and Penn and Teller Magic Tricks I get reminded of constant tariffs and war.

      Do yourself a favour and find different outlets and ways of getting information. Mental health is important dude.

    • @[email protected]
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      36 days ago

      we’ve instituted Analog Sundays at our house. No screens of ANY kind. No computer, no tablets, no tv, no phone. Books, boardgames, sketch books, musical instruments. It makes for a great brain reset and lowers those cortisol levels a titch.

    • @[email protected]
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      96 days ago

      I know a few people who’ve had to limit their news consumption so that they could focus on life. It might help.

    • @[email protected]
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      517 days ago

      I remember being constantly terrified of nuclear annihilation during the cold war in the 80’s, when every night after dinner, Peter Jennings would tell America how close we were to MAD. Now I live in Canada and I have that same existential dread that I had 45 years ago living in the US, except somehow it’s even worse

      • GingaNinga
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        237 days ago

        worse than nuclear annihilation? I guess that would at least be quick. I was complaining to my parents about how shit just being alive is right now and they replied with “every generation has their struggles”… I had to cut the conversation there, I couldn’t even be bothered to respond to that.

        • @[email protected]OP
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          137 days ago

          As you grow older you learn how to have control over your brain, ie: you can, through practice, tell it to shut the fuck up when it’s screaming all your fears at you all at once.

          Your brain can either be like a spoiled child running around creating chaos, or a fairly well behaved child who listens to your requests and needs. Choose wisely.

          • @[email protected]
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            127 days ago

            As someone who is in their 40s this has been my life since about 2006. Crisis after crisis, all the while boomers got theirs and all future generations are fucked from it

            Just turn it off and stop caring i guess, it’s the boomer way

            • @[email protected]OP
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              37 days ago

              I guess if you wanna turn it off that’s your choice.

              I prefer to teach it some manners and self-control instead.

              • @[email protected]
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                97 days ago

                Take life head on. Don’t shut out your feelings or ignore what’s happening

                Entire generations are losing to a “I got mine mentality”. Now is the time to fight. Fuck manners and self control. It’s time to organize and destroy facism again

                • @[email protected]OP
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                  37 days ago

                  I’m not avoiding life. I’ve simply taught my brain to stop ranting about future and present fears that I can’t do anything about.

                  That’s how I have the time to sleep peacefully and prepare for what’s coming, instead of freaking out.

      • @[email protected]
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        87 days ago

        One of those fears is of the mad cruelty of a few men, the other is of the mad cruelty of thousands, if not millions, of attackers and supporters.

      • @[email protected]
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        36 days ago

        Having life suddenly end in a brilliant flash sounds scary, but struggling through decades of war torn hell sounds depressing. And believable. :(

  • synae[he/him]
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    116 days ago

    Do they mean an insurgence comprised of Canadians or US folk…? Both maybe.

  • Joe Dyrt
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    66 days ago

    Canada is home to millions of conflict refugees (i.e. veterans) from SE Asia, northern Africa, and the Middle East. I don’t know what would happen, but I hope this would be a significant factor in any insurgency.