The prolonged hesitation by Hungary to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership has intensified concerns and triggered diplomatic repercussions within the alliance. While Turkey recently gave its nod to Sweden’s NATO inclusion, Hungary stands as the sole member among the 31-nation alliance yet to formalize its approval, raising speculations about the motives behind Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s reluctance.

The Hungarian parliament’s failure to vote on the matter has become a focal point of scrutiny, prompting questions about Orbán’s foreign policy objectives. This development has not gone unnoticed by NATO allies, and it has particularly irked the United States, with its ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, openly criticizing Orbán’s foreign policy as a “fantasy.” Pressman’s warning that Budapest is “really alone” emphasizes the urgency for Hungary to honour its commitment and address the mounting frustration within the alliance.

Amid the diplomatic standoff, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has demonstrated a diplomatic approach, accepting Orbán’s invitation for discussions. However, Kristersson has firmly asserted that negotiations will not be on the table regarding Sweden’s NATO membership. This stance underscores Sweden’s unwavering commitment to its NATO aspirations and signals its readiness to engage in dialogue while maintaining the integrity of the membership approval process.

The delay in Hungary’s ratification process holds global implications, particularly in light of Hungary’s recent geopolitical decisions. Actions such as blocking EU financing for Ukraine, engaging in talks with Vladimir Putin, and resisting efforts to diversify energy sources away from Russian influence have raised concerns about Hungary’s alignment and commitment to Western values. The NATO membership delay adds another layer of uncertainty, casting a shadow over Hungary’s role within the alliance and contributing to a broader geopolitical landscape marked by shifting alliances and diverging interests.

As Hungary’s hesitation persists, the international community closely watches the developments, weighing the broader consequences of a NATO member potentially straying from the alliance’s unified objectives and values. The situation emphasizes the delicate balance between national interests and collective security within the intricate web of international relations.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a missile at the U.S. warship USS Carney in the Gulf of Aden, prompting the ship to intercept the projectile. The attack also hit a British vessel, escalating tensions in the region. It marks the first direct targeting of a U.S. warship by the Houthis. The U.S. and allies are now taking regular action against Houthi weapons sites. China has urged the Houthis to stop Red Sea attacks, expressing concern about rising tensions in the region. China reportedly asked Iran to intervene with the Houthis to protect business relations with Beijing.

Explore the frozen frontiers and witness the prowess of the United States Air Force as they navigate the coldest airspaces on Earth. In this captivating video, we embark on a journey to the most frigid Air Force bases, where temperatures plummet to bone-chilling extremes. Operating sophisticated million-dollar aircraft in these harsh conditions requires a combination of cutting-edge technology, strategic planning, and the unwavering dedication of Air Force personnel.

CLICK LINK

Inside US Coldest Air Force Base Operating Frozen Million $ Aircraft (youtube.com)

Sometimes there are Australians that don’t get the chance to smell the wattle

Sometimes there are some that never get to swim in our jewelled sea

There are people who have lost limbs defending us that never get to dance

To celebrate our special day there are some that would like the chance.

There are some that are still filled with hatred from 200 years before

When British ship bearing convicts arrived on a new countries shore

There are many who have built Australia till it grew into a nation

Then a flag was born to fly proudly as we headed forwards to federation.

There are many who have served our flag across our wide brown plains

Ready to help out mates in droughts and flooding rains

In Australia we call them mates…unknown to us but care

When disaster calls from all over ordinary Australians will be there

So why can’t we come together why do people want to change the date

Australia day should unite us, that’s the meaning of a Mate

The Flag that flies above you proudly every day

We can achieve the best that’s our Australian way

John Seagg – 26th Jan 2024

In the quiet corner of an RSL I visited, a group of veterans had gathered. They were a diverse bunch, spanning different eras and conflicts – Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, Iraq, Timor, Afghanistan. Yet, in that dimly lit space, the years melted away, and the common thread that bound them all became evident – mateship forged in the crucible of military service.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and murmurs of conversation, there was a shared understanding that transcended time and battlefield. Most of them had been mere teenagers when they first donned their uniforms, fresh-faced and filled with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Now, decades later, their faces bore the marks of life’s journey, etched with the lines of experiences that only those who had served could truly comprehend.

As they swapped stories, a camaraderie emerged, weaving a tapestry of memories that crisscrossed continents and climates. The specific theatres of war may have varied, but the essence of their tales resonated with a universal truth – the bond of mateship.

During the animated conversations, an encounter unfolded that encapsulated the essence of their shared brotherhood. A seasoned veteran, having left the military behind for many years, found himself seated next to another stranger in uniform. They exchanged acknowledgments, recognizing the familiar lanyard that adorned the young soldier’s uniform.

With a wide smile, the older veteran initiated a conversation. As they delved into their respective stories, the invisible walls that often separate strangers crumbled away. It was as if they had known each other for a lifetime. The shared language of military experiences flowed effortlessly between them, creating an unspoken understanding that words alone couldn’t convey.

In that moment, the club transformed into a sanctuary of shared memories and unspoken camaraderie. The laughter and camaraderie echoed through the air, carrying the weight of years spent in service and the unique connection that only those who have worn the uniform can understand.

As the night wore on, we all parted ways, carrying with us the warmth of newfound connections and the reassurance that, no matter the era or the theatre of operation, the unbreakable bond of mateship endured. For in those chance encounters, strangers became comrades, and the shared tapestry of their military service wove a story that transcended time and distance.

That’s enough from me – enjoy the video.

In this video, we talk about the de Havilland Hornet, a late-World War 2 twin-engine fighter from Great Britain that very well may have been the best fighter constructed during the war. We first go on a brief detour to Britain’s battles in the Pacific War and talk about the Burma Campaign. We then go back to the Hornet and its predecessor, the de Havilland Mosquito. We compare and contrast the two designs – their performances, designs, construction processes, etc. – before looking at what the Hornet would be used for in Britain’s battles against Imperial Japan. We then talk about how its use in the war never came to fruition and what the plane ended up doing in the decade after the war, largely seeing use in training, air races, and record attempts. We also look at a carrier-based variant known as the Sea Hornet. We compare the Hornet to other famous and well-known fighters from the era, like the P-51D Mustang, P-80 Shooting Star, Me 262, and Do 335, and how I believe the Hornet stacks up. We end with the testimony of pilot Eric Brown and his feelings on the design.

Picture: The Founding of Australia. By Capt. Arthur Phillip R.N. Sydney Cove, Jan. 26th 1788, Algernon Talmadge R.A, 1937. State Library of NSW

Published: January 26, 2017 6.54am AEDT

ED: Taken from the CONVERSATION Newsletter.

Alongside the celebration, Australia Day also has a long history of commemoration and contestation, and this year is no different. In Western Australia, Fremantle council’s proposal to hold an alternative and culturally inclusive citizenship ceremony on January 28 was condemned by the federal government. The council was eventually forced to reinstate it to January 26.

Meat and Livestock Australia’s promotion of eating lamb on Australia Day continues to be controversial. Indigenous groups have been scathing about a TV advertisement that shows European invaders providing chops for a BBQ on the beach.

And following the recent removal of an Australia Day sign showing two smiling young girls in hijabs, a successful crowdfunding campaign will support the erection of this image on billboards across the nation.

Every year, the Australia Day holiday raises questions about our national identity and history. Colonisation, multiculturalism, social and cultural diversity and inclusion are at the heart of such debates. They ask us questions about what it means to be Australian – and “unAustralian”.

Like all national days, the significance attached to Australia Day has changed over time and the day has its own history. In May 1787, the British Admiralty sent the First Fleet carrying convicts and marines, under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, to found a penal colony at Botany Bay.

Amid a gale, on January 26, 1788, Phillip was rowed ashore at Sydney Cove, raised the Union Jack and proclaimed British sovereignty over the eastern half of the continent. The formal establishment of the Colony of New South Wales, and Phillip’s role as governor, followed on February 7.

In early colonial Sydney, almanacs began referring to “First Landing Day” or “Foundation Day”. Successful immigrants – particularly ex-convicts – held anniversary dinners on January 26. In 1818, Governor Lachlan Macquarie formally marked 30 years as a colony with a 30-gun salute (a practice followed by his successors) at Dawes Point. Foundation Day continued to be commemorated, and an annual regatta in Sydney Harbour soon became its main attraction.

Other colonies commemorated their own imperial foundations. In Van Dieman’s Land – later renamed Tasmania – Regatta Day in early December jointly acknowledged the landing of Abel Tasman in 1642 and its separation from New South Wales in 1825. In Western Australia, Foundation Day on June 1 celebrated the arrival of white settlers in 1829. South Australia’s Proclamation Day was held on December 28.

In 1888, a week-long program in Sydney marked the centenary of British occupation. Anniversary Day — as it was then known — was a holiday in all capital cities except Adelaide. In Sydney, thousands attended the unveiling of a statue of Queen Victoria and the opening of Centennial Park. Representatives from all Australian colonies, and New Zealand, visited their “sister colony” to join the celebrations.

With 60% of the non-Indigenous population in Australia now “native-born”, the idea of a national day was gaining greater momentum. But views on what was being remembered on January 26 remained mixed.

Many felt that NSW’s convict origins were best forgotten. And there was little for Indigenous Australians to celebrate. The NSW governor, Henry Parkes, recognised that the day was a reminder to the Aborigines of how the British had “robbed” them.

The inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 strengthened the idea of a foundational holiday, and the Australian Natives Association took up the cause. In 1905, Empire Day was introduced on May 24, the late Queen Victoria’s birthday, to signal the continuing strength of imperial ties in the newly federated nation.

On July 30, 1915, an Australia Day was held to raise funds for the first world war effort. But Australia’s landing at Gallipoli earlier that year was to launch the commemoration of another national day: Anzac Day on April 25.

This date was first commemorated in London in 1916. By 1927 the day was a national holiday in all Australian states. During the 1920s, the Australian Natives Association continued to lobby for a national Foundation or Anniversary Day.

In 1935, all states adopted a common date and name for Australia Day, January 26. By the 1940s a national public holiday was in place.

The sesquicentenary of British colonisation was widely celebrated throughout Australia in 1938, particularly in Sydney. The re-enactment of Phillip’s landing and hoisting of the British flag at Sydney Cove was followed by an extensive pageant with motorised floats that demonstrated a march to nationhood. There was no representation of convicts, although the initial float depicted precolonial Aboriginal society. The white organisers had brought Aboriginal people from outside Sydney to perform.

In Sydney, over 100 Aborigines gathered at the Australia Hall for an Aborigines Conference to mark the “Day of Mourning and Protest”.

Jack Patten, of the Aborigines Progressive Association in NSW, chaired the meeting; other leaders present included William Cooper of the Australian Aborigines League in Victoria. Speeches protested against “the callous treatment of our people by the whitemen during the past 150 years” and asked for new laws to grant citizenship and equality to Aboriginal people.

In the second half of the 20th century, the federal government began to take an increasingly prominent role in organising Australia Day. It established the National Australia Day Committee — which became a federally funded council in 1984.

The council aimed to promote national unity and was boosted by the preparations for the Bicentenary in 1988. Australia Day celebrations in Sydney included the arrival of tall ships from around the world, and a re-enactment of the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney. A huge protest march of over 40,000 Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Sydney disputed the “celebration of the nation” as a day of white invasion. This drew national and international attention to Indigenous rights in Australia.

Public participation in Australia Day events — including concerts, fireworks and other community gatherings — has increased since the 1990s. Most Australians welcome the public holiday, which has come to mark the end of summer and the return to school.

But the day has continued to be one of Indigenous protest, with Invasion Day and Survival Day rallies held across the nation.

Elsewhere in the world, foundation days commemorating European colonisation are similarly contested. In the US, for instance, the national institution of Thanksgiving marks the autumn feast of the Pilgrims, but Native Americans have long considered it a “national day of mourning” and a celebration of cultural genocide.

Any decision to change Australia Day to an alternative date or disband it altogether would need to be made by the combined federal and state governments.

That seems unlikely to happen. Suggestions from time to time that Australia Day be moved to another date have met with little enthusiasm.

It should be noted, though, that in the frenzy surrounding the centenary of the first world war, Anzac Day has increasingly come to be seen as Australia’s more significant national day.

I salute and pay respect to Lieutenant James Cook FRS, commander of HMB Endeavour, who claimed Australia for the British Crown in 1770 and Admiral Arthur Phillip, who in 1788 as Governor of New South Wales, established Australia’s first civilisation, which has since developed to become the most tolerant and generous civilisation on the face of the Globe. God Bless Australia and protect it and its unique culture from politicians and those who would attempt to destroy it. Proud to be born an Australian and prepared to defend.

Wishing you a wonderful Australia Day celebration and as we continue with efforts to maintain January 26th as the National Day. Celebrating and preserving cultural heritage is an essential aspect of national identity. May Australia continue to prosper and thrive. With strong unity into the future.

In the ever-evolving landscape of global geopolitics, Australia finds itself at a critical juncture, compelled to reevaluate its defence strategies in response to the increasing challenges posed by great power competition and multipolarity. The recent Defence Strategic Review by the Albanese government signals a paradigm shift for the Australian Defence Force, recognizing the imperative to transform from a “balanced force” to a “focused force” in order to effectively navigate the complexities of the Indo-Pacific region.

A Familiar Echo

The lack of preparedness and a perhaps underestimated acceptance of the gravity of the geostrategic environment echo sentiments heard in other parts of the world. As nations grapple with the changing dynamics of global power, Australia stands at the forefront of a region rapidly becoming the most hotly contested in the world—the Indo-Pacific.

Shifting Priorities

The Defence Strategic Review, released in late-April 2023, underscores the urgency of addressing the deteriorating geopolitical, tactical, and strategic situation in the Indo-Pacific. The call for a flexible and future-proofed force capable of responding reliably to the evolving needs of policymakers reflects the necessity to adapt to an era marked by increased great power competition.

The Wolves at the Door

Despite the evident signs of geopolitical challenges closing in, there appears to be a delay in the collective response. The analogy of wolves at the door, barking dogs, and visible silhouettes on house walls paints a vivid picture of the urgency that often goes unnoticed or unheeded. The question arises: why the delay in acknowledging and addressing the shifting global dynamics?

A Wake-Up Call for Australia

Australians, it seems, are either reluctant or oblivious to the reality that the world is rapidly becoming “multipolar.” The Indo-Pacific, in particular, is emerging as the epicentre of intense competition among major powers. It is imperative for Australia to recognize the need for a strategic realignment that reflects the evolving global order.

Enhancing Australia’s Capacity

As the challenges of the global geopolitical order unfold, there is a pressing need for Australia to enhance its capacity to act as an independent power. This involves incorporating great power-style strategic economic, diplomatic, and military capabilities. Such enhancements not only symbolize Australia’s sovereignty but also signify its commitment to bolstering the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

Seizing Opportunities

Embracing this strategic approach presents Australians with exciting opportunities. By collectively building economic resilience and competitiveness, Australia can position itself as a formidable player in the new world power paradigm. The nation must recognize and capitalize on these opportunities to ensure it does not merely fade into the pages of history.

Economic Resilience as Deterrence

The core focus of the government should revolve around expanding and enhancing opportunities for Australians while concurrently building critical economic resilience. Economic strength serves as a powerful deterrent to coercion, ensuring that the nation can effectively deter aggression towards its interests. This underscores the interconnectedness of economic resilience and national security.

Conclusion

Australia stands at a pivotal moment in history, facing the challenges of an increasingly multipolar world. The Defence Strategic Review is a step towards acknowledging the urgency of strategic reshaping in response to evolving global dynamics. To secure its future, Australia must actively embrace opportunities, fortify economic resilience, and recognize the vital role it plays in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific. Only through proactive adaptation can Australia safeguard its interests and contribute to the stability and prosperity of the region.