In an old Monty Python sketch, the British Army weaponises the Funniest Joke in the World to defeat the Germans. Non-German-speaking Tommies shout out the German translation of the joke, causing the Huns to keel over and drop dead laughing. The Germans attempt counter-jokes, to little avail. The Pentagon apparently
As I’ve laid out in previous posts in this series, for decades successive New Zealand governments have allowed its defence capability to wither away to irrelevance. The long-running strategy seems to be, “We’re safe from the world and there’s always Australia and America if things turn pear-shaped”
Well, you’ve got to hand it to Australia’s secret service – they’re very secretive. Of course, a certain level of discretion goes with the spook territory. We’d hardly expect ASIO to letterbox the neighbours, informing them that they’re surveilling the suspected foreign spy at No. 2
In the war that gave birth to ANZAC, Australian and New Zealand soldiers enjoyed a reputation as formidable soldiers. But lately, it seems, our militaries are being asked to be less effective fighting forces than Boy (and Girl) Scouts with guns. At best (and honourably) as a kind of militarised
In yesterday’s post, I reflected on the possible future for the long-standing Australia-New Zealand alliance. From colonial times, both countries were regional siblings, notwithstanding the inevitable sibling rivalry. As both countries assumed nationhood, our partnership was almost immediately solidified with a proud history of shared military endeavour. That partnership
New Zealand Labour governments have a noteable track record in poisoning trans-Tasman relations more thoroughly than Trevor Chappell bowling a grubber. David Lange trashed the ANZUS alliance in order to pander to the watermelon left. Jacinda Ardern, though, is making Lange look like a rank amateur. Ardern has steadily white-anted
Under Jacinda Ardern’s prime ministership, New Zealand is being steadily estranged from its traditional allies as it cosies closer and closer to a genocidal dictatorship. From Ardern’s incessant public attacks on New Zealand’s closest neighbour and ally to her edging nearer to formally signing on to Xi
One of the things the Swamp Monsters really hated about Donald Trump was his deplorable habit of not just refusing to start new wars but ending his predecessors’. After all, the Swamp had gotten used to the glory days of Bush and Obama (the latter holds the odious distinction of
Burying the Hunter Biden laptop story is perhaps the most damning indictment of the mainstream media and Big Tech. Admittedly, it’s a crowded field: from openly bragging about colluding to influence the 2020 election to lying through their teeth for four years about the 2016 one, the legacy media
Eric Felten realclearinvestigations.com When Google-owned YouTube suspended Donald Trump’s ability to post videos it joined Facebook and Twitter in blocking the president, and many Trump supporters, from their platforms. Conservatives and others have denounced the moves as censorship. But the decisions by tech companies to refuse service to
As I recently wrote, Australia has, like it or not, become the pivotal power in facing down China. China’s diplomatic and trade bullying of Australia, and the Morrison government’s firm resolve not to cave, has made us the focus of global efforts to check the increasing efforts of
“What’s he building in there? We have a right to know!” – Tom Waits Way back in the halcyon days of 2017, nobody thought to blink an eye or ask any questions when the Chinese communists decided to plonk a massive consulate building right in the middle of Adelaide. SA
As the backlash against the Morrison government over its mishandling of the Brereton report grows, the parliamentary gynarchy is swinging into action. The military community are furious that the report, alleging war crimes committed in Afghanistan by Australian Special Forces soldiers, was made public before its allegations were properly investigated.
