ONE Australian soldier is dead and another is missing after a Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the sea while landing aboard HMAS Kanimbla off Fiji today. The victim was pulled alive from the water after the helicopter went down but died as he was being treated for his injuries aboard the Kanimbla. He has not [...]

When posting on Peter Tinley the other day I resisted the temptation to ask when he was going to nominate for federal parliament although I did say that if ex Army Officers critisize the government of the day they should do so quoting their political aspirations rather than their military qualifications. I was so sure [...]

Well it’s all settled then. We have the Shadow minister for defence saying defence policy should be dictated by a Major. I guess smaller incursions than Iraq, say Fiji, could be stage managed by the Sergeant’s Mess on that basis. Peter Tinley has been reported in Saturday’s press as saying Iraq is a moral blunder [...]

From my military days I recall this definition of civil war; civil war: A war between factions of the same country; there are five criteria for international recognition of this status: the contestants must control territory, have a functioning government, enjoy some foreign recognition, have identifiable regular armed forces, and engage in major military operations. [...]

The Prime Minister visited the battle scene at Long Tan yesterday and according to some veterans it wasn’t before time. I must admit I never felt anguished over the fact that a politician hadn’t visited the area but some obviously have and if that makes them happy then good. I note an old aquaintence gets [...]

Why couldn’t the people who organize public protests in Melbourne have scheduled these guys to be appear at the same time as these vermin. All those front end buckets could have cleaned up the filth in no time.

IRISH rock star Bono has praised John Howard’s management of the domestic economy, but accused him of taking Australia to the bottom of the global league in engagement with the world’s poor. “What kind of Australia do you want to live in? You’ve got this incredible prosperity – I’ve been coming here for 20 years [...]

After receiving a request from the Government of Tonga on Friday evening, Australia, in conjunction with New Zealand, has deployed military and police personnel to help restore stability. The New Zealand-led military deployment includes approximately 50 Australian Defence Force personnel. Their mission will be to support the Tongan Security Forces in stabilising the situation following [...]

US President George W.Bush left Washington yesterday bound for the Asian economic summit in Vietnam with advice from left, right and centre ringing in his ears to change course, not only in Iraq but on foreign policy in general. Good Idea. Start with securing the borders of Iraq and then attacking the terrorists lines of [...]

THE Howard Government will be able to more easily deport refugees on temporary protection visas after the High Court ruled asylum-seekers were responsible for proving that a return to their homelands would be too dangerous. More than 630 asylum-seekers from countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Sri Lanka, who have applied for further protection [...]