We were warned that this day was coming. We, like the Europeans, just hoped it wouldn't. My new piece on the implications for Pacific security of last week's geopolitical earthquake in Europe.
Even if Trump only lasts 4 years, trust with the US is broken - again. Perhaps it is time to start looking out for ourselves - in Australia that is. I expect the Europeans & Ukrainians have already come to that conclusion.
You are now blaming TRUMP for your own foolish support for a war-of-choice - prepared, stoked and provoked - by BIDEN-JOHNSON-NATO and a completely avoidable war that would have left Ukraine neutral and intact; the hundreds of thousands of dead young people alive; and the warmongering West in its boxes with their economies intact … instead you got hubris; fake stories of “victory”, thousands of dead people who died for absolutely nothing except the immoral vanity of BIDEN-JOHNSON and NATO…the West will continue to suffer these humiliating defeats u til its intellectuals start to provide them with the moral and strategic compass they so lack…Australia must face its own reckoning now too … the Asians are watching you…silently
Mick, you have hit the nail on the head with your closing comment '... he is building the environment for misunderstanding and gross strategic miscalculations by China and others in our region. The decreasing trust that US allies have in America means Putin and Xi have more gaps between America and its friends to exploit.'
It seems that the very transactional Trump administration does not understand the concept of 'strategic signalling' ... OR maybe they do, which would be a much greater worry.
I'd like to raise what I believe is a major geo-strategic problem in relation to Australia's preparedness to face an aggressor in the near future: energy supplies.
The problem with our oil reserves being held in the US is well known and should be a political issue at the forthcoming federal election.
But even more serious in my view is Dutton's plan to continue our highly-centralised, currently fossil-fuel-based, grid system. His general plan is to simply place nuclear power stations in the vicinity of our few, ageing, coal-fired power stations allowing Australia to continue with the current grid. Leaving aside the question of the length of time, cost, radiation safety (etc), issues that have been much ventilated in the media already, I believe Duttons plan would be a geo-strategic disaster. The centralised nature of the present system (let alone a future nuclear version) would make it extremely vulnerable to a few well-placed missiles or drones fired from offshore. Ukraine's plight in the current war vividly demonstrates this vulnerability.
On the other hand the highly decentralised renewables system we're currently well on the way to completing would be relatively invulnerable. There would simply be too many targets: rooftop solar, solar farms, thousands of scattered wind turbines, small and large batteries (backed by gas-powered units) community micro-grids, vehicle batteries, etc. In terms of storage, much of this gear, especially at the town, suburb and village level, would be easily relocatable and concealable.
It would be great to see a proper public discussion of the military implications of this issue.
Trump 1.0 - Chaos, Trump 2.0 - Even more chaos
Even if Trump only lasts 4 years, trust with the US is broken - again. Perhaps it is time to start looking out for ourselves - in Australia that is. I expect the Europeans & Ukrainians have already come to that conclusion.
Dear Mick RYAN
You are now blaming TRUMP for your own foolish support for a war-of-choice - prepared, stoked and provoked - by BIDEN-JOHNSON-NATO and a completely avoidable war that would have left Ukraine neutral and intact; the hundreds of thousands of dead young people alive; and the warmongering West in its boxes with their economies intact … instead you got hubris; fake stories of “victory”, thousands of dead people who died for absolutely nothing except the immoral vanity of BIDEN-JOHNSON and NATO…the West will continue to suffer these humiliating defeats u til its intellectuals start to provide them with the moral and strategic compass they so lack…Australia must face its own reckoning now too … the Asians are watching you…silently
Mick, you have hit the nail on the head with your closing comment '... he is building the environment for misunderstanding and gross strategic miscalculations by China and others in our region. The decreasing trust that US allies have in America means Putin and Xi have more gaps between America and its friends to exploit.'
It seems that the very transactional Trump administration does not understand the concept of 'strategic signalling' ... OR maybe they do, which would be a much greater worry.
Good thinking
Thank you.
Thanks Mick. Read the piece in the SMH.
I'd like to raise what I believe is a major geo-strategic problem in relation to Australia's preparedness to face an aggressor in the near future: energy supplies.
The problem with our oil reserves being held in the US is well known and should be a political issue at the forthcoming federal election.
But even more serious in my view is Dutton's plan to continue our highly-centralised, currently fossil-fuel-based, grid system. His general plan is to simply place nuclear power stations in the vicinity of our few, ageing, coal-fired power stations allowing Australia to continue with the current grid. Leaving aside the question of the length of time, cost, radiation safety (etc), issues that have been much ventilated in the media already, I believe Duttons plan would be a geo-strategic disaster. The centralised nature of the present system (let alone a future nuclear version) would make it extremely vulnerable to a few well-placed missiles or drones fired from offshore. Ukraine's plight in the current war vividly demonstrates this vulnerability.
On the other hand the highly decentralised renewables system we're currently well on the way to completing would be relatively invulnerable. There would simply be too many targets: rooftop solar, solar farms, thousands of scattered wind turbines, small and large batteries (backed by gas-powered units) community micro-grids, vehicle batteries, etc. In terms of storage, much of this gear, especially at the town, suburb and village level, would be easily relocatable and concealable.
It would be great to see a proper public discussion of the military implications of this issue.