Coastal Vulnerability

 Which coast of the continental island of Australia is most vulnerable?

It all depends what the Canberra government places its emphasis in the risk matrix.  Is vulnerability translated in terms of population over run, biosecurity invasion, foreign ownership, trading shifts, geopolitical exposure or wartime attacks?

The geographical location of Australia initially denotes remoteness, long distances and a colony-like existence between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.   Unfettered skies offer striking oppprtunities to watch the night maps overhead, conduct nuclear weapon experiments and execution of joint nation military excercises.
Populations cling mainly to the Aussie coast in pockets of suburbia, leaving Indigenous Country mainly seemingly empty but full of mineral resources.

The capital of the Commonwealth of Australia is conveniently shucked like a oyster in the south east, between skiing slopes, agricultural farms, surfing beaches and her economic hubs.  Is the rest of the land open to take over, without much impact for the nation?  Famously during the age of conquest drive from the Japanese Imperial Army in the mid 20th century, the sitting Australian Prime Minister kept secret from the public about Canberra, in the worst of scenario, willing to not defend her territory above an imaginary geographical line above the border between Queensland and New South Wales. This "Brisbane Line" roughly synchronises with the Tropic of Capricorn.

In World War 2, most of the Aussie troops were deployed overseas for the needs of Mother Britain.  In the future, will history repeat for Canberra, utilising most of its offensive and defensive war resources in supporting USA geopolitical wants?  With a population of only around 27 million in 2024, non citizens included in the count, can Canberra have sufficient human power to first take care of Australia's independent strategic interests?

Australian coasts are only a passage for unwelcome intruders on the way to the riches within.

The extensive coast facing the Southern Ocean, say from Tasmania to Albany in WA, historically has been the source of whaling legends, endless desert driving, rich farming lands and ports of refuge (whether for Europeans fleeing religious persecution or 1940s American GIs enjoying a respite of R and R in Melbourne).  In the 21st century, perhaps this is the least vulnerable of Aussie coasts in times of war.

Going clockwise around Australia to Perth, we have the Indian Ocean Highway if we then drive north to Exmouth and onwards to the extensive mining resources in Western Australia ( just below the Nusantara isles like Java and Bali).

Although there is a key naval base near Perth ( HMAS Stirling),the western coast remains primarily exposed to invaders of any kind.  Detection on a timely basis as such is of very low probability.  Any mass scale invasion by foreigners is lust for control of the huge trove of natural resources in the state of Western Australia.

The Northern Territory already increasingly hosts foreign troops, battle arsenal and war prep exercises.
It can be compared to what happened to South Korea, Okinawa and the Phillippines after WW2.

Perhaps Darwin is the star attraction in Australian defence.  It is a built up entry and exit point closest to South East Asia.  South of the city has become a focus for militaries of aligned nations to be a staging point handling perceived or actual threats ( depending on your point of view) to Australia or the allied nations themselves.  The vastness and relative emptiness of the NT are perfect as bases for monitoring the skies for spying on other countries or conducting battles in the stratosphere.

From a major military hub in Townsville to the NSW South Coast ( HMAS  Albatross), the eastern side of Australia has most of the infrastructure, power grids, residential housing, telecommunications and economic veins of the country.    Invasion of such a coast would seriously imply management of masses of people, control of trade and holding hostage of talent and skills.  It can bring a nation to her knees, but logically what a price to pay for such a scenario.

Technology wise and in terms of infrastructure, the eastern seaboard of Australia remains backward, with no high speed train networks, relatively few start ups and scattered centres of biotech.  So what is the attraction for invading such a coast?

To be realistic, Australia is historically and geographically mainly far removed from any action in the Northern Hemisphere.   (Critics point to Pearl Harbour attacks in December 1941to demolish any sense of such security for the USA due to geographical distance).

It has no land borders to contend with.  The South Pacific to its east offers a friendly relative in New Zealand and a host of Polynesian and Melanesian isles.
Canberra always had this opportunity to chart her own destiny but has never done sufficiently in this respect.

Amazingly, Canberra is pretty lax in building up her relationships with South east Asia, particularly Indonesia, with the latter's span of territory from Sumatra to Irian Jaya, almost shaped like an Akruba hat sited north of Australia.

Australia does not need to control any choke points of shipping trade like the major canals of the world. 
It has enough coastal land to accomodate a larger population which can be useful in contributing to a better defensive strategy.

Canberra can think outside the square to adopt a neutrality status like Switzerland  in world affairs.
Australia can better offer itself as a positive beacon for an ever uncertain world, instead of, in the worst circumstances, of being a foot soldier in the military campaigns and strategies waged by
foreigners.


#yongkevthoughts

The Achilles Heel of Nations

States are formed in the political scheme of power as envisaged by human beings.   Previously there were kingdoms, fiefdoms, empires and more.   Whatever the label, political entities are strong statements of unity and control under a declared culture, way of society, a dynamic personality of aruler or dynastic rulers, religion, trading hub or federation of smaller states.

Singapore, now a modern city state of a Republic, was part of the British Empire for many years.  Eighty years ago, on 15 February, colonial troops surrendered to the Japanese Imperial Army, which had quickly conquered the Malayan peninsular after the attack on Pearl Harbour in Hawaii.  ( On 19 February that same year, 1942, the Japanese air force bombed Darwin).  The British had concentrated their defences in Singapore facing south towards the sea, instead of also providing for defences along the island's north.  This was a lesson of Achilles Heel that was learnt at much cost in human casualty, military strategy and economic damage.

The animal kingdom marks out territories for food, reproduction, survival and climate adjustment.   Human beings, with all their philosophy, religious orders and assumed brainy higher order of development, still exhibit inherent and obvious behaviours of aggression, geographical control and reshaping Earth.

Maybe in certain locations, we did not have the contemporary extent of greed in the prior history of human kind, as opposed to what is demonstrated by commercialised and militarised powers in today's world.   Most indigenous tribes, which still survive today, still emphasise not harming the Earth in its landscape, water systems, biospheres and fauna management - they only take what is enough for them and not to supply an over consumerist society.  These long standing human groups knew the Achilles Heel is to over exploit Earth and her bounty - and not make Nature's gifts unsustainable.

The multi-national corporates which confront these older cultures, when carving out huge dams, deforesting wide tracts of long growing forests or scarring Earth for its valued minerals underneath, can operate outside some confines of individual state power.

Looking at the stage of world order today, in the beginning of the 21st century, what soft belly and vulnerable portions of societies stand out? 

One feature of Achilles heel for nations is their geographical location or shape.

It is often said, when looking at a map, that the Korean Peninsular can be viewed as hanging out and hovering over the southern Japanese islands.  Sicily is like being at the foot of the Italian boot. The two main islands of New Zealand are seen by the Maoris as two large boats in an wide open ocean.  Borneo either looks like a roosting hen or a comfortably seated bear.   The bottom half of South America reminds one of the tail of a mermaid.

If your nation is controlling a vital trading route, especially a narrow one like a canal or strait, it can be a two edged sword of a geographical feature - harvest prosperity,  or be a target for takeover by foreigners.  The colonials from the 16th to the 20th centuries fought for control of the Straits of Malacca, which still has a stranglehold of passage for ships from the Indian Ocean to transverse into the South China Sea.   Gilbratar, a tiny figment of space at Spain's southern tip, is a significant cross roads between Africa and Europe, between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.    The Straits of Bosphorus divides not only the ancient and still important city of Istanbul, but also marks the line between southern Europe and the Middle East.   Again, it is a sea of water that separates Siberia from Alaska  - why ever did Russia sell Alaska to the Americans?   Russia's main access to shipping in Europe is the Baltic Sea  - apart from the Black Sea which has waters lapping at the Crimean Peninsular.

So in the 21st century, huge funded powers can control the weak points in internet, cyberspace and wifi delivery.

When you are a landlocked country, that can be your significant disadvantage and you require more options.   When your nation has huge ambitions - and the resources to realise further -  you want to expand your territorial control to another ocean.  Great Britain, in her days of Empire, demonstrated that, followed by the USA spreading out from its Atlantic coast origins.   

Switzerland, at the centre of inland Europe, however is an exception - she chose to be minimally involved with the complexity of European politics, wars and power staging - and cleverly nurtured her neutrality to be a beacon of relative peace, eventually offering her devices to host being a broker and focus on a better quality of life for her peoples.

When you have significant resources of minerals, bio materials and fossil fuels which Earth's commerce still wants in copious amounts, it can be your strength or weak point.   Financial powers linked with politics scramble to your door step to unearth your resources at the cheapest price - and make fortunes processing them before they arrive at the lap of the ultimate consumer.    

Western Australia's riches, Brazil's exploited resources, South east Asian forests and petroleum in unstable nations have been targets.  Countries that do not apply more technology, to add value to their natural resources being dug up, do usually and eventually lose out in the high stakes of economics, trade and finance.

There is always money and trade hidden behind the outbreaks of war.

We are told to get involved in war outbreaks around the world to fight for freedoms and democracy, but a more intelligent populace knows that the viability for such talk is getting thin.  

The Achilles heal for militarily mighty nations is that the ability to wage effective warfare is now spread across more nations.  There is more effective competition and decreasing ability to lord over the rest.

Warfare is sadly engaged by commoners at the ground level, directed by commanders in safe and comfortable hideouts calling the shots.    Are such commanders thinking more of a better life for their subjects, after waging a war, or are they more interested in protecting their privileges in controlling the financial currency of trade, their monopoly of vital assets like petroleum and in maintaining the world order where they still can be kings?   The world stage concurrently faces more political tensions as  emerging super powers possess increased abilities to face the incumbents.   The soft belly for powerful militaristic nations is the loss of control of what funds them.

If no wars break out , the huge ornaments industry will be significantly affected financially and in production of inventories.

So there can be prominent nations always seeking out issues, carrying out covert work and stirring up groups to create conditions leading to confrontation and military fights.

An obvious Achilles heel of nations is the inability or not having capacity to secure sufficient control of vital operations.   It may be the easier thing for governments to outsource more and more operations, leaving control to multi-national corporations, commercial providers other countries and entities outside their political control.   Have you come across a nation's government  keeping reserves of vital supplies in a foreign nation, located thousands of kilometres away?  Some nations do it probably because they do not have enough physical capacity to store those vital supplies, being a small island state does come to mind.  Others, even with lots of land, still amazingly keep their back up reserves physically in an allied nation far away.

In the still intense stage of international politics, a soft belly of usually weaker nations is to be used as a pawn in the high stakes chess game of proxy war.  Such a stage will mean this specific nation is targeted to cause a diplomatic or military incident, which then sparks off a larger argument, point of difference and the commencement of long simmering hostilities.   The sad state of such a soft belly being utilised is that usually the main opposing powers do not wage a physical or virtual battle in their own precious territories, but only on the land of the used smaller state.  They say to be careful to choose your friends, for having alliances with unsavoury powers that make use of you for spying facilities, battle waging and buffering against the sworn enemy can be expensive for smaller states.

Finally, but not exclusively, is the manner of how ruling governments treat and manage voters in a so called democracies.  It is getting obvious that electoral processes can be manipulated by hidden and overt powers in such political systems.   The game of playing dirty seems to be more blatant across the world in the beginning of this 21st century - ponder how significant corruption has broken out without much accountability and shame in more nations.   The manner in which Covid has been handled by ruling powers has brought out their deficiencies, intentions and power play in such pronounced ways.    Going forward, let the people judge.

War and Peace

"What have we done to deserve this?" Quote by civillian father, 14 May 2021, whose home in a building was destroyed by superior rockets shot at residential neighbourhood. This man's wife and several children all died in the ensuing carnage. Instincts of human beings, especially with political power, military capability, financial excess and cultural imperatives, have organised strong structured governments which still readily wage destruction and death on fellow beings who belong "to the other side". All the accumulation of knowledge, technology, philosophy, religion and grief in human history has not deterred the uncivillised habit of killing in the name of defence, freedom, conquest, civilisation and more. Increasingly the names and labels quoted and utilised by intolerant and aggressive political leaders to justify war and conflict bear no resemblence to the real and underlying causative reasons. War breaks out because the leaders we have emphasise more on strive, differences and an inability to reconcile. When you are an astronaut and look back at Earth from the darkness of space, all human beings and their affairs seem so small and fragile. And yet when wars are waged, they are killing each other. This rather basic and vile need and act to kill fellow human beings is an insult to the otherwise good progress of Homo Sapiens, who started killing for food - and now continue to kill each other for essentially tribal dominance, economic competition, financial gains from selling arms and misplaced perceived need to be on the top of the hierarchy. When religion is invoked as the rationale to go to war, it becomes more complex. Perhaps religion is misused to rouse the rabble, increase passions and make individuals willingly sacrifice themselves. For war to break out, compromise, communication and negotiation have already been thrown out the window, like the proverbial bath with the baby inside. Political leaders we get stuck with, through elections and whatever means in different societies, have gone radical, form alliances and pyschologically prepare their populace for the war. They deemphasise shared common values between opponents in a conflict - and can weave untruths to prop up the spirit of troops and civillians they will use as the price of war. It is always the older generation who send the younger generation to their demise. Veterans of the last world wide war, in their old age, still mutter " What was all the death and destruction for?". These aging survivors of horror and pain are convinced war is totally meaningless for the foot soldier and civillian. Yet, in the 21st century, threats of war rattling and beating of drums of conflict continue to be heard. Perhaps the damage in future wars can be less of human deaths, but more disabling of supply, energy and cyberspace networks. ICBMs, oh it sounds so 1970s, can now be supplemented by biological warfare - but in the end, it is the score of mass numbers of fatalties of human beings that are key indicators for the eventual victor. Maybe like the effects of a bush fire, human kind needs to be routed in order to grow better again. World wide forums set up for nations to cooperate over and resolve differences can be just money wasted to hold expensive Town Hall meetings. They did help over many matters over the past hundred years, but still were toothless and ineffective to prevent major hostilities. The severity of two intense world wars in the 20th century seem to be forgotten by a new generation of so called "leaders". "Those who ignore the lessons of history are bound to repeat its mistakes." So, as civillians, as most of us are, what did we do to deserve suffering and destruction in the next major conflict? All it takes is for good women and men to do nothing, in the face of being possibly manipulated by egoistic individuals who urge us to go to war. The latter then retreat to their well protected bunkers, when the rest of us are highly likely to be fodder in this game of destructive chess. #yongkevthoughts

In the Event of War, for Australia

In the event of war, how would Australia possibly be affected?

The natural resources of Western Australia come to mind. Would a foreign power eye and corral this rich bed of minerals which Nature has endowed upon this land, particularly in the State's north and centre?

The significant numbers of tertiary students paying full fees to our universities cannot be under estimated in times of military conflict. Will they be recalled home, dabble in political matters here or remain neutral in a time of war?

The extensive coastlines in our nation's north can become more vulnerable and risky, especially when not many of our naval, land and air forces are based there, apart from Darwin.

Will there be questions raised about naturalised Australians who come from diverse multi-cultural backgrounds, or will they be embraced for political loyalty?

Will Australia have adequate and relevant types of military equipment in a holistic sense, especially in relation to our smaller population? Can we measure up in defending ourselves to manage cyber wars, ensure protection of our energy requirements, or have enough food stockpiles and fuel?

Do Canberra and the states have a sufficient strategic plan to protect the interests of Australia first, as compared to how Australia joined wars historically to fight proxy wars for other aligned nations?

Will Australia fight for ideology, in places far from home?

Will parts of Australia become battle grounds to serve the interests of other powers, instead of its own?

#yongkevthoughts

New Zealand Remembers - Te Papa Wellington 2015

Mr. Spencer Westmacott OBE, 1885 - 1960.

The Great Adventure, that is how it is referred to at the Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa - to commemorate, reflect and remember  the great and deep sacrifice made by individual New Zealanders joining British another troops from the Commonwealth in the Great War from 1914, particularly at Gallipoli, Turkey.   In a remarkable set up at Te Papa, Te Aro, on Wellington's waterfront, are three bigger than life size recreations of three selected players of a real life saga - a supporting medic, a sniper in action  and a waiting digger.  

Dr. Percival Fenwick, 1870 - 1958.

The Maori Regiment, New Zealand Engineers and the Mounted Rifles have their efforts and trials embedded in history.   Visitors can examine in confronting detail the lapels of uniforms, the dust on shoes and the expression on realistic recreated skin of the exhibits.  Rousing and yet haunting music play in the background, whilst visitors to the Museum are transfixed standing or sitting in the darkness.   I stood and yet moved with a group of widows who still can recall with fondness what it all meant, what they had undergone inside their hearts.

Dr. Percival Fenwick

In the coolness and comfort of climate control inside the Museum, we did not fully appreciate the stifling heat and humidity of the southern Turkish coast in those hours of conflict, stalemate and dangerous uncertainty.   We were spared the utter reality of sudden noises of gunfire, desperate cries and aggressive booms in the air.  We did not have to face the violence, the smells or sweat, the risks and being so far away from home.   We did see the recreated artificial blood stains, the forlornness of lying on foreign soil and the sheer blank looks of being caught up personally in a time to rise for honour, to fight for a cause and to try to survive in a down out scenario.

Mr. Jack Dunn, 1889 - 1915.

Unlike today's world when communication is so much easier, apart from your fellow troop members, it was a strikingly lonely world, in and out, for the digger, with obvious thoughts for loved ones in a truly far away land, surrounded by landscapes that were alien.  Yet what kept up the spirits of these individuals is to be admired, respected and upheld to inspire ourselves and future generations.   The sense of contributing to community and country was so far stronger than what you sense these days.  One did not hold a mobile phone, but a can, a shred of written letter, a momento, a small tangible piece of hope and possible return to civilisation and the love of home.

Mr. Jack Dunn

Yet the artistry of the Weta Workshop shines through in this exhibit.   The sheer idea of having giant figures - 2.4 times human size -  speak volumes - and yet it is in the details also displayed that mean more.   2779 Kiwis lost their lives in the eighth month Gallipoli campaign - Lest We Forget.

Mr. Jack Dunn

Visitor entry to Te Papa Museum is free, including this exhibition.   Wi-fi is also provided with compliments at this venue.   The Gallipolli:  The Scale of Our War Exhibit is one of the best on display in this 100th anniversary of Gallipoli.

New Zealand Remembers - National War Memorial, Wellington

Cu Chi Tunnels - Vietnam

The cu chi is a fruit, but less well known as the tunnels named after them on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. When the city was officially called Saigon, the tunnels were a labyrinth of physical access, supply routes and community living intentionally hidden from society on the surface, as they housed the Vietcong, with which US forces and the South Vietnamese army engaged militarily, in the many years of the war in the sixties and early seventies of the 20th century, now referred to as the Reunification War.  An underground network, the tunnels played a pivotal role to successfully turn the tide of victory for Ha Noi - and was especially critical in the Tet offensive of 1968 on Saigon city itself.  Today the forested area caters to tourists, local and foreign, to echo the harsh and challenging life of the soldier fighting on the side of their leader, Ho Chi Minh.   The tunnels, with air shafts, were used to connect spaces storing weapon caches, those serving as secret field hospitals and corners utilised as kitchens and living quarters.  The nature of the environment with such narrow tunnels nurtured the spread of malaria.  Above photo captures a present day army cobbler making leather foot gear as was practised  during wartime.

Remnants and reminders of the American military involvement can easily be seen in dilapidated tanks
displayed on site (picture above) and in huge craters resulting form the carpet bombing of the area by B52 bombers.   A visit to the tunnels today does not reveal the extent of rats, spiders, centipedes, scorpions and ants that infest such accommodation. Our guide reminded us that the original tunnels were much narrower than what is existing today.  I did not go beyond the first stage of the four phased tunnel climb earmarked for tourists. On coming out of the tunnels, we washed our hands, legs and elbows on a trough with water flowing from a makeshift pipe system.  From Saigon city centre, it easily took  travelling of around 70 kilometres to reach the tunnels.

Visitors can take quiet paced strolls under the canopy of the tropical forest (above), or try their skills in a shooting range and even observe chickens in a placid village-like setting (photo below).  Such calm experiences does not fully reveal the extent of conflict and violence raging on the same grounds a half century ago.  I did wonder how the area would look and feel like on a wet rainy day.  Would the water run into the tunnels, or the drainage has been designed well enough to prevent flooding underground?   We were given rough and ready yam snacks to remind us of the lifestyle for those living in the Cu Chi Tunnels during wartime. Our guide, Mr Hye, also gave a talk to accompany a Government issued movie in a make shift hall on premises.

The Cu Chi Tunnels were laden with punji stake pits and vicious forms of booby traps for the unsuspecting soldier from the other side.   It was an Australian specialist engineering troop (known as 3 Fd Tp) which discovered and realised the significance of the tunnels and passed that information to the American forces.  Grenades were thrown into the tunnel entrances to flush out any hiding forces from the enemy side. The dexterity and passion of the individuals living in such tunnels for a personal belief and cause cannot be under estimated.