[LINK] Australia must be prepared to, "launch combat operations from its own soil."

[David]

On Saturday, 7 June 2025 09:17:06 AEST Tom Worthington wrote:
> Australia could spend better, rather than more on defence. For example, cancel nuclear powered submarines and order tens of thousands more smart sea mines, hundreds of conventionally powered robot submarines and perhaps a few crewed ones.

I have no specific defence background, but speaking as a voter, I've not seen any remotely convincing  justification of the AUKUS project.  This is particularly so when considering the capricious decisions being being made daily by the current US Administration, the likelihood that US and Aus. tactical interests would diverge at some point in any conflict, and the degree of remote US control of Aus. assets which may be possible.

It's not as though we have hundreds of missiles capable of intercontinental reach to back up a couple of AUKUS submarines.

Similar considerations apply to nuclear power generation.  Australia would be completely dependent on US / European companies and the integrity of supply infrastructure for something as basic as electric power.  We can't even manufacture the fuel rods.

It seems small, smart, and widely distributed is the way to go - look at Ukraine's recent attack!

_David Lochrin_