I think the USA has long desired a stronger nation to the north. Not only would it be a good place to sell second-tier weapons (CF-5 anyone?), but it is also quite an important border to secure. It's only the extreme harshness, inaccessibility and vast distances that make it less of a concern. Well, that and Alaska provides enough of a launching point to swat at anything of concern.

The "you don't need it" excuse might have faired in the 90's post-war peace dividend times, but that's been a thing of the past for decades now. Our politicians really have used it as a chequing account when they can't make things balance. Hell, our airshow demonstration team was flying aircraft some 50 years old, and this was just disbanded - for budgetary reasons!

We've long done things radically on the cheap. From buying discarded legacy F-18's, to old garbage UK second hand subs. Hell our MCDV maritime defense vessels are cobbled-together from: a turbine for a skyscraper, WWII guns taken from museum pieces, and a hull that was never designed for any of this. You can imagine how well that worked out.

It's not just cheapness - it's political wankery. We had a multi-billion dollar helicopter contract cancelled, and paid more in fees that it would have cost to deliver the aircraft. Only to just buy those aircraft anyway years down the line. We signed on to the F-35 program, to bail on it, only to re-join it again. Our politicans act like we don't need a military, and it can be thrown around for political purposes - it's embarrassing, honestly.

If you want a good perspective from a veteran, a good resource is Esprit de Corps: https://www.youtube.com/@espritdecorpsmagazine