War mongering

This story (Nuclear subs floated, reproduced below) smacks of war mongering, dizzying spending sprees and a further upgrading of a combined military presence in the Pacific/Indian ocean arenas.

On top of this there is a proposed presence of harbouring nuclear warships in ports so close to major populations.

The issue of a mere $26n billion here or a 38 billion there is particularly bad timing, too, considering the levies that communities need to raise to build after the recent natural disasters.

If the Gillard Labor government supports this (does Obama I wonder) then there will be a very sharp change in direction by Labor who traditionally has not supported nuclear power in Australia and I should think there would be enough intelligence to see the risk in any escalation of military might.

The ramifications are enormous as history continually tells us.

Brendan Nicholson From: The Australian,February 07, 2011 12:00AM

Nuclear subs buy floated

AUSTRALIA could buy 10 of the latest nuclear attack submarines from the US for much less than it would cost to build 12 conventional replacements for the Collins-class boats, says the Kokoda Foundation think tank.
Foundation founder Ross Babbage said the submarines could operate with US boats sharing an Australian naval base and they could be maintained by US nuclear experts.

Dr Babbage, a member of the government’s advisory panel for the 2009 Defence white paper, told The Australian 10 of the US Navy’s new Virginia-class attack submarines could be bought and equipped for a total of $28 billion.

While the white paper called for 12 new conventional subs, it gave no estimate of their likely cost. But Andrew Davies, of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, has calculated that they would cost about $36bn and that figure has not been challenged by the government.

In the past, apart from political and social objections to nuclear power, key submarine experts have dismissed the idea of Australia opting for nuclear subs because of an expected high cost and because the nation has no nuclear industry to repair and maintain them.

Dr Babbage said a dramatic step, such as taking this nuclear option, was necessary as evidence emerged of China’s rapidly increasing military power.

“Australia needs to consider purchasing 10-12 of the United States’ latest nuclear powered attack submarines in order to balance, offset and deter the dramatic expansion of China’s military capabilities,” he said.

“China’s massive military build-up is clearly designed to force the US and its allies out of the western Pacific.

“Key Australian security interests are being challenged.”

A combined force of Australian and US nuclear submarines sharing a base in Australia would send a very strong message to China’s military leaders, he said.

At the AUSMIN talks between Australian and US defence and foreign affairs ministers in Melbourne last year, the two governments agreed to a stronger American military presence in Australia, with US forces to share bases and store equipment here.

Buying boats from a “hot” production line would greatly reduce the likelihood of delays, cost blowouts and problems with technology, Dr Babbage said.