"Bulk up your armed forces and form alliances with reliable allies so that you outnumber your enemy." Well Graham, then we can all march off and repeat WWI. Have we not learned anything in a 100 years, there must be a better way. I do agree on the foreign aid issue, I have seen first hand the benefits of foreign aid in Fiji and Vanuatu, its not a matter of redirecting away from others, it a matter of increasing it to an acceptable level overall, Australia has failed to do that. If you're starving you don't care about the politics, or religion, or colour of the skin of the man who gives you bread.

I have asked, what is the practical alternative for China to the pseudo communist party governing the country now, as yet no one has given an answer. Considering China's past history its not surprising that an authoritarian regime is in control. How do you govern a vast country of 1.4 billion, mostly poor illiterate people, the luxury of a western style democracy as we enjoy does not appear to be a realistic option. The alternative might be the Indian model, if I was China I wouldn't be choosing the Indian model, would you?

On Trump, he can't hide from the World what he is, so if you are correct the other bloke must be absolutely pathetic. America has a history of mostly dumb presidents, why change now.

China has a history of a supposedly powerful regime fragmenting. The CCP is aware of that history. That is one of their fears. I am amazed that they let the protests in Hong Kong go on as long as they did. I have hopes of China fragmenting as the USSR did. The USSR looked impregnable in its unity but imploded. The same thing could happen to China.

Dear Paul,

You wrote of China having a pseudo communist party. Why? As far as I can see they have a real communist party. Perhaps there is an ideal communist party somewhere analogous to the Platonic theory of forms. Aristotle denied Plato's theory of forms and contended we must deal with things as they really are. The CCP is one example that defines what a communist party is.

david f,

Can you explain why the Soviet Union imploded?

I think thee are a whole lot of reasons why the West can win a Cold War.

I would be surprised if a major war occurred, as the US and the CCP would have much to lose.

But who knows what will happen once the West turns the screws

Dear Mr Opinion,

One reason the USSR imploded is that they tried to finance a great power military establishment without having a great power economic base. Consumer shortages exacerbated popular discontent. Another reason is that non-Russian nationalities did not appreciate Russian domination. Another reason was rising expectations. Although the average USSR citizen was better off than they were under the czars their situation was not nearly as good as life in the western democracies. One can thank Gorbachev for the peacefulness of the implosion.

david f,

Your on the right track re the economic and political circumstances that the USSR was in during the 1980s.

Would you believe it was Ronald Regan who caused it.