The Challenge for Defence Readiness: The Impact of Politics
09/29/2024
By Robbin Laird
If one is focused on how the force in being can be a more ready force, one will generally look in vain in the political class for a keen focus on this challenge. And this is true for all of the AUKUS partners.
It is not difficult to see why. A ready force needs supplies, munition stockpiles, reliable energy supplies, food stocks, logistics capability and an ability to mobilize civilian and reserve military manpower. All of which cuts into spending for social programs, envisioned transitions to the green economy and supporting whatever party is in power’s pet rocks on defence projects.
It is also the systemic bias towards short-termism in defence thinking as well as the desire of new governments to craft alternative defence futures with weapons that are not here and now. This is true across the board for the three AUKUS countries.
As Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn AO (Retd) and Group Captain Anne Borzycki (Retd) wrote in a recent essay:
https://sldinfo.com/2024/09/the-challenge-for-defence-readiness-the-impact-of-politics/
