At least I think we did.
Admiral Johnston said the ADF must “act with a greater degree of urgency to prepare for the worst-case scenario” because it could no longer rely on a decade-long warning time before a major conflict.
He also made a passionate defence of the AUKUS submarine program as “a game-changing capability for Australia”.
In response to questions from this masthead, Johnston said that while Australia and China had a “constructive, diplomatic relationship”, the rapid expansion of China’s People’s Liberation Army raised important questions that Beijing had not answered.
Oh, I guess we didn’t. Because we’re not allowed to. It might upset the CCP, which is firing nuclear missiles at us.
What kind of weak-kneed government is in charge?
We’ve been bullied diplomatically, circumnavigated and mapped, and now mock-nuclearly bombed. And what’s the response? Exactly.
Silence is not a deterrent. Harsh language directed at a blank wall is not a deterrent. Telling the CCP to tell us its plans is not a deterrent.
A deterrent is a missile, 10k drones, or a nuclear capability aimed straight at Beijing if any PLA vessel sails within 1000 km of the Australian mainland.
Currently, Australia has no secondary escalation option. ANZUS can’t be trusted. AUKUS can’t be trusted. These were nice ideas while they lasted, but they’re too early and too late.
We need Iranian-style defences NOW. Ten missile mounts would cover the whole coastline. Put two into cross-firing positions in the Pilbara and create an artificial Hormuz for iron ore.
Next, abandon Taiwan. Forward power projection is over. Guam is useless. Asymmetric war is the future.
Then start reversing it on China.
Lob a cruise missile at Solomon’s Chinese ports.
Start firing cheap drones at any PLA ship that comes within 1k of the mainland. They’ll soon get the message. Aircraft carriers are yesterday’s garbage. Bring them here, and they’ll be sunk or develop laundry fires.
I would also be working to create a Pacific NATO. It’s not PACOM any more. Dump is a conman fool. You can’t hang national defence on that.
PATO could build out missile and drone capabilities aimed straight at the PLA from all directions. Sailing through would be suicide. Australia could offer the nuclear umbrella. Purchase a small fleet of B2s.
We should aim to become the Iranian-style hegemon of the South Pacific to keep liberal values intact and to protect our own shipping lanes as the US disappears up Dump’s cloaca
Slash the NDIS to its real needs, and we can afford it.
Get on with it. We are out of time.
