[thechat] What?? WHAT?????

[isaac]

> (no, no, I kid. I agree, Lach. Howard is indeed, as Isaac so
> succinctly put
> it, a tool -- and a tool of the first order. It is a source of
> constant frustration to me that the alternatives are all so... weak)


Australia is spending $300m on the new F-35 development. A fighter plane
that, by the time it's finished, we might not even choose to buy.

What an absolute fucking waste. That $300m should be spent on local R&D and
manufacturing. Local job creation.

And if they absolutely have to fund military hardware, fund an Australian
company like  www.metalstorm.com -- at least their weapons have agricultural
and fire-fighting uses.


Howard is so intent on trying to make a spot amongst the big boys, but I
really don't see the point. What's wrong with being a happy country of 20m
unthreatened people who don't force their policies down the throats of
disadvantaged countries, etc. I don't want to be a larger player with
influence if that's what our influence brings.


isaac