Defence and Security
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If Gaza carnage continues, then nobody is safe
If the genocide in Gaza is not stopped we all face a very dark future Continue reading »
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Conditioning Americans for war with Russia
With new US action against Moscow, Russiagate remains like a vampire, with noone able to drive a wooden stake into its heart and keep it there. Continue reading »
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Albanese has a second chance with AUKUS
Australia is to spend mind-boggling money to weaken its own security. Minister RIchard Marles has released a National Defence Strategy which centres on what he calls “projection”. That is, Australian forces threatening China from China’s surrounding waters. The Albanese Government’s defence policy manufactures grievous risk for Australia. That risk must be understood by the government. Continue reading »
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Australia’s collaboration with Israel’s genocide
Republished from DECLASSIFIED AUSTRALIA, September 03, 2024 FOI document releases show that behind the press releases and statements of concern, lie the facts of the Australian Government’s knowing support for some of the gravest human rights crimes of the century. Continue reading »
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Land Forces comes to Naarm
It seems bizarre that a massive police contingent will be deployed to disrupt a massive public protest against a massive arms fair. Continue reading »
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Will Australia be off to war in the Middle East again?
There is a disturbing void in Australian political debate about the prospects of another regional war in the Middle East. Continue reading »
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The dangers of AUKUS, the FPA and nuclear submarines
AUKUS and the FPA will lead us into unnecessary war, compromises our sovereignty and bring with them toxic risks to our health through radiation leaks, accidents associated with the nuclear reactors and the toxic waste from porting US and UK nuclear submarines Continue reading »
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Advocates for nuclear power should heed the lessons from Kursk
On 22 August, Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned of the deadly effect a military attack on Russia’s nuclear power complex at Kursk would have on civilian communities in Russia, Ukraine and potentially across Europe. He had previously warned of the consequences of such attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear reactors at Zaporizhzhia. Continue reading »
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Labor on the AUKUS battleground
One of Lyndon Johnson’s sage pieces of political advice was that one should never get into a piss fight with a skunk. Kamala Harris should take note. But so should Anthony Albanese, who is inadequately equipped for an argument over AUKUS and the submarine deal with his predecessor Paul Keating. Continue reading »
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Failed Australian purchase of advanced missile technology raises questions over the Albanese Government
Failed Australian purchase of advanced missile technology raises questions over the Albanese Government’s commitment to its sovereign defence plans, as China swoops in on the deal. Continue reading »
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Engaging Pillar 2 of AUKUS: losing self-respect and encouraging self-harm
Pillar 2 is a thing that AUKUS created: it appears at different times and with different meanings and possibilities and yet is not entirely, or even at all, predictable because the initial conditions and predicate logic on which it depends are themselves illusions or fabrications of the collective mind of those who constructed it in Continue reading »
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Wars and the interests served
A recent article by Michael MacKinley provides an accurate reflection on the (lack of) value placed on human life by those who propagate war. It brings to mind a statement of the past that, to paraphrase, states “a bayonette is a weapon with a working man on either end.” Continue reading »
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The geopolitics of cyber espionage
In March 2024, the United States government and its Five Eyes allies issued dire warnings about a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group known as “Volt Typhoon.” They alleged a shadowy entity had compromised thousands of devices worldwide to target critical infrastructure in Western nations. Continue reading »
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The military control of Australia
The Albanese government with their policy is likely to turn Australia into the 51st state of the United States, writes former Prime Minister of Australia, Paul Keating. Continue reading »
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Australia’s economic security depends crucially on working with Asia
Australia has unveiled a new National Interest Framework which integrates security considerations into domestic economic policy, aiming to secure economic resilience and security amidst changing global power structures and increasing geopolitical tensions. But Australia has not yet placed strategic economic diplomacy at the forefront of the framework. Managing Australia’s security environment requires emphasising the importance Continue reading »
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A complex, fluid dispute in South China Sea
Amidst the spat with Beijing over safety of its troops on Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal, the Philippines is becoming increasingly stretched. Pooling all available resources to deal with one of the worst oil spills in many years in Manila Bay could mean playing down conflict with Beijing. Continue reading »
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AUKUS servility just one facet of poor governance
Richard Marles has the Navy out in force firing torpedoes at AUKUS critics. Continue reading »
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Aussie ‘Top Gun’ Dan Duggan submits final appeal for Australian justice next month
In August, Dan Duggan makes his final submission to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who will decide whether Duggan is extradited to the United States for training Chinese pilots in 2012. Continue reading »
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Beyond the stockade – is Australia ready for US isolationism?
A Republican administration under Donald Trump would bring a fundamental change to America’s engagement with the world, necessitating a radical reassessment and reformulation of Australia’s foreign, trade, and defence policies. Falling back on the faithful ally tactic would not suffice to buffer the prosperity and security of Australians. Continue reading »
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Loss of empire, loss of lucidity
As the United States’ imperial system and Western hegemony circles the drain, lucid thought is becoming a rare commodity. But there is hope. Continue reading »
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Five-minute scroll
We start the week with our five-minute scroll on X to bring you a sample of the world and local issues that may not be found in our mainstream media. Today the first posts we saw include the plea to educate yourself on the history of Israel’s actions in Gaza, Malcolm Turnbull talks reality regarding Continue reading »
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‘AUKUS-plus and the realities of Australia’s involvement in US nuclear proliferation’
US attack submarines operating from Australia could be armed with US nuclear weapons at the stroke of a presidential decision; and US strategic bombers based in Australia could be nuclear-armed, as in fact USAF nuclear safety regulations permit in crisis already. Continue reading »
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We’re right behind you: The AUKUS delusion
The series Blackadder, set in World War 1, was full of farce built around black humour. In the final episode it has been determined by High Command to send those involved to go “over the top” in a hopeless race toward German machine-guns. The night before they are visited by their commanding general who pompously Continue reading »
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Australia’s colonised universities: in partibus infidelium*
A recent article on The Citizen by James Costa carries the welcome news that certain students, professional staff, and faculty have, for some eight years, been disturbing the academic brothel-keepers at the University of Melbourne by urging them to sever the links it has to weapons manufacturers and Continue reading »
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Forked tongue foreign policy
Asia posturing. At least the Americans discern no contradiction in Australian strategic policy, but the government continues to contort its messaging. Continue reading »
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AUKUS could be the biggest Ponzi scheme in history
Much of the angst being generated by the worst foreign policy decision since joining the American invasion of Vietnam may well be misplaced. Continue reading »
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Returning to Australia’s bedrock for security
Richard Marles’ double-speak knows no bounds. His national strategy is entirely contrived to deliver “projection” for America’s ends, without mentioning that Australia is now merely one cog in the unfolding US war machinery across the periphery of Asia. Which is what Paul Keating is saying. Continue reading »
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That time when Canada cancelled its nuclear submarine order
Back in 1987, when no one knew that the Cold War was just about to end, the Canadian Government signed up to build ten nuclear-powered submarines. That submarine program lasted for all of two years before being cancelled in 1989. No nuclear Canadian sub ever even began construction, let alone gettin Continue reading »
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Prioritising global overheating over AUKUS: a kumbaya opportunity for hawks and doves
Australia punches well above its weight when it comes to global fossil carbon emissions. With less than one-third of one percent of the world’s population, we are responsible for about 4.5 percent of fossil carbon emissions globally, and around 80 percent of this comes from our fossil fuel exports. Our nation is thus responsible for Continue reading »
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AUKUS: Submarines afloat in — and perhaps causing — a sea of troubles
In the wording of the Ministerial Statement after the recent AUSMIN meeting between Australian and US Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs, and in a subsequent on-the-record conversation, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles strongly endorsed both AUKUS and a greater US defence presence in Australia. Unfortunately there are questions about AUKUS which the Government has Continue reading »
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Should AUKUS have focused on unmanned submarines?
Australia’s AUKUS submarines could be “wildly out of date” by the time they arrive, according to David Sanger, the White House and National Security Correspondent for The New York Times. Continue reading »
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Greens blast new conditions set by US and UK for AUKUS deal
The revelation that the US and UK have imposed additional conditions for their being part of the tripartite AUKUS deal with Australia has not gone down well in some quarters. Continue reading »
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The potential US withdrawal from AUKUS must be an election issue
Resolution of the tension between President Biden’s policy of strengthening America’s position through allies and partners, and the US Navy’s (USN) mission requirements, will come to a head in the next president’s term. The AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines will be at the centre. Continue reading »
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The intimate relationship between nuclear weapons and nuclear power
Nuclear power provides the nuclear explosives and a cloak for for hiding the development of nuclear weapons. Continue reading »
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The Americanisation of our public policy, media and national interest
John Menadue AO eminent former public servant, ambassador and businessman – now independent founder, publisher and Editor in Chief of the online public policy journal ‘Pearls and Irritations‘ – offers an in depth conversation about how Australian public policy is making us more vulnerable in dangerous geopolitical times, by compromising pursuit of our sovereign interests, Continue reading »
