You want to know why Russian opposition to NATO on their doorstep is completely reasonable?
- BECAUSE ITS EXACTLY HOW WE WOULD REACT

Let's say China entered into a defensive agreement with all ASEAN nations, how do you think Australian politicians, defence force and university political scientists could react?

They would be throwing conniption fits, they would be running around hands in the air SCREAMING and spending billions upgrading the NAVY and AIR FORCE and doing absolutely everything in there power to stop or undermine it.

And FYI, NATO isn't a defensive pact.
Does Kosovo, Libya or Afghanistan ring a bell?

ttbn,

Taiwan is also far away should this be ignored? Consistency is not your strong point. The invasions of Taiwan and Ukraine would both be unprovoked and illegal invasions by tyrants into stable democracies.

The illegal invasion of Ukraine is the biggest land war since Korea and WW2 and not a "spat" and your apathy is pathetic, which begs the question as to why you even posted.

Baldrick,

You are either knowingly lying or very stupid. Ukraine's internal affairs might have peeved Putin, but by absolutely no means could be considered sufficient provocation for a legal invasion.

If Indonesia mused about joining a defence pact with China Aus would not be happy, but certainly would not be stupid enough to consider it a pretext for an invasion.

As for Russia's performance, only the most delusional Putin fanboy would believe that Russia is doing well. The reality is that Russia is not gaining any territory and holding on to what it has is costing Russia 1000s of dead soldiers every month.

Russia is losing this war.

"Women must report for duty!" Ukraine desperately calling girls to fight
http://youtu.be/durAm1yC-Dg

- Give them 5 weeks training and send them to the front...
What a disgusting waste of life.

They've thrown away the lives of all their most capable men.
Called in students from university, there goes their brightest.
And now they go for the breeders.
So they won't even be able to give birth to the next generation.

The United States has destroyed an entire nation of people, because it can't lose out on it's investment.
Not sure the Taiwanese will choose this path the US has set for them.

Anything the US touches turns to shite.

SM

Your geography is shite.

Taiwan is 5,614kms from Australia, and in our region
Ukraine is 12,975kms from Australia and not in our region.

Australia would actually have to assist in the defence of Taiwan - if there is anything to fight with after Albanese's glad-handing of our equipment to Ukraine.

Why would we have to help defend Taiwan? Because Taiwan is a democratic island with a similar sized population to Australia.

If an island democracy of 23 million is not significant enough for the United States, Australia and other partners to help protect, then Australia could have no confidence that allies and partners would help defend Australia.

Ukraine neans sweet FA to Australia. Taiwan means a hell of a lot to Australia.

"Australia would actually have to assist in the defence of Taiwan - if there is anything to fight with after Albanese's glad-handing of our equipment to Ukraine."

If Australia sends men to assist in the defence of Taiwan
(Assuming Taiwan doesn't vote for the pro-unification KMT and throw out the DPP first)
Then all those Australian military men and women will certainly die.

The Fleeting Mirage of Imagined Supremacy
http://imetatronink.substack.com/p/the-fleeting-mirage-of-imagined-supremacy

Staggering Towards the Abyss
http://imetatronink.substack.com/p/staggering-towards-the-abyss

The Object of War
http://imetatronink.substack.com/p/the-object-of-war

Dear Ttbn,

«Australia would actually have to assist in the defence of Taiwan»

And it does:

By helping Ukraine with the little we can, we contribute to the effort of deterring China so that Taiwan will not be attacked in the first place.

Better stop China early, 12,975 km away, with much lower costs and casualties, where victory may be achieved with conventional weapons only, than wait for a much bloodier phase of the war closer to home, and where Australia itself is likely to suffer a nuke or two.

«if there is anything to fight with after Albanese's glad-handing of our equipment to Ukraine.»

There is no way in the foreseeable future in which Australia can defend itself against China, so the absence of this equipment makes no difference. Sadly, we can only survive with the help of friendly nuclear powers, even then with great destruction and many casualties.

Better stop China from attacking Taiwan, now in Ukraine!