Only $100 million?

Well Aidan was ahead with what I wanted to say - I second him!

I support Bronwyn's comment earlier today. Sadly the more time goes on, the harder it is for a negotiated settlement, but it's going to have to come sooner or later. Why not Australia play a peace-maker or peace-advocating role?

I agree with Aiden, we have plenty of resources to help a country that is unjustly attacked. I suspect that we and most other liberal democracies will be spending significantly more on defence in coming years, as the world becomes more dangerous and unpredictable.

Scott argues that “Japan only entered the second world war … because they observed Nazi Germany's success in Europe at that time.” If Russia succeeds in Ukraine, what message does he think that will send to China about the chances of its success in Taiwan, or seizing disputed territory in the South China Sea? Or its use of economic coercion to silence its critics in liberal democracies like Australia? And if China does become more aggressive, how can we credibly argue that the USA or other military powers should be willing to intervene, if we don’t think the Ukraine invasion is anyone’s business except the Europeans?

Perhaps Europeans were naïve in assuming that full-scale wars are a thing of the past, and that it was ok to rely on Russia as a major energy supplier. But they seem to be waking up to reality, as the rush by Finland and Sweden to join Nato attests.

Tragically, we seem to be sliding into a new cold (mostly) war between the liberal democracies and authoritarian autocracies. Given where we sit geographically, the outcome will matter to us enormously.

The interest on our debt is $99.1 million p.a, and we owe, what, $3 trillion or heading that way. But it's not just a matter of money. Ukraine has nothing to do with us, and we have unnecessarily made an enemy of Russia, which is no threat to us, and we have also further miffed Russia's ally, the Chinese Communist Party, which is definitely a threat to us.

I wonder just how much gratitude we are likely for denuding our own very meager defenses to send gear to the Ukraine. We certainly have not seen much from France, or the middle east for the tens of thousands lost there in a couple of world wars.

Not seen much from Singapore or Malaysia for many killed, & much money spent defending them from communism post ware, or from Korea either for that matter.

Can anyone imagine a single French, German or Ukraine man or bit of equipment sent here if the Chinese do start getting rough? Fat chance.

Even the Poms under Churchill wanted to let the Japs take Australia, rather than send our troops back from the middle east. "We'll take Australia back after we have dealt with the Germans" were his words.

Don't kid yourself, none in Europe are likely to lift a finger to help us if we need it, with men or equipment. We should be keeping every bit of equipment, & building or acquiring a hell of a lot more, & much more destructive, [think nuclear], weapons for our own defense.

We will only be able to expect help from the US or anyone else if defending us fits into their own defense strategy, which is somewhat unlikely with the present leadership in the US & elsewhere.

It might give some dills a nice warm fuzzy feeling to help Ukraine, but that warm feeling might become very hot & uncomfortable very quickly if we don't increase our own defense capability, & damn quickly.

Hasbeen,

Good points. Australia is used and abused by everyone because our pathetic political class is trying to look good in the UN (our biggest critic) and globally. They treat us like a cheap tart.