Canadian Defence Minister John McCallum has bluntly told the US to stop complaining that Canada isn't spending enough on its military. Canada has the lowest defense budget in NATO except for Luxembourg (the smallest military) and Iceland (which doesn't have a military). The readiness, capability and size of the Canadian armed forces has become a growing irritant for Canadian politicians. The largest source of aggravation is stories of inadequate, obsolete or worn out equipment, told by the troops themselves.--Stephen V Cole