T-90 vs Abrams

[Webstral]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

There's a lot to be said for a single controlling entity responsible for rationalising not just the military but the entire government, without having to answer to voters, special interest groups and any other influences outside saving money, people, and minimising bureaucracy. Keep politics out of it and work on a logical and efficiency basis.

Like fascism or communism. Is that the way you see Australia going? Certainly I'm not interested in having a power with no accountability to voters deciding anything. We have enough problems with government agencies running amok without eliminating any and every form accountability. We fought a war specifically to free ourselves from a government in which the citizenry had no voice. Still, our Australian cousins have to form the government that best serves your interests.

[schnickelfritz]

On the subject of the T-90 and related high performance Russian armor, my concern would be whether they could field anywhere near enough of them to make a difference versus the current Western tanks in a real shooting war.

And are the T-80 and T-90 as dangerous to the crews as the T-72 is?

The Mi-28 and Ka-50 are fearsome machines, as are the latest Russki jets, but their problem is one of resources. They've come up with some veicles and systems that may work well enough when it starts, but will there again, be enough to make a difference? Will there be enough of the Mil-28 and Ka-50 to survive all of the Stingers and such? My guess is no.

I seem to remember an issue of the old International Combat Arms magazine in the 80's that was showing a variety of anti-helo aircraft the US was looking at...the Piper Enforcer and Cavalier Mustang 2 included. I believe that the thought that these would be used sort of as the Skyraider was in 'Nam, and sort of to hunt and shoot down Pact helicopters.

I'll tell you this...I think Western gear is generally good enough to fight the Pact to a stalemate in Europe, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to see the Tanguska SPAA at anytime from inside anything airborne. Ever.

-Dave

[Legbreaker]

Our current government will be lucky to last their current term. They are polling around 30% support which is absolutely ABYSMAL!
They lied through their teeth about a number of key issues during the last election campaign and have back flipped on some very serious issues. Some people (30%) do still support them for various reasons, however...

Globally almost all economies are struggling, or in few cases (not pointing the finger at anyone here Greece) are near as dammit bankrupt. What I'd like to see, but sure as hell will never happen, is some competent financial administrators brought in to sort out the mess, pay off debts and generally streamline governmental processes, without being subject to removal by politically driven mechanisms. A period of 12-36 months should be enough to get most countries back on track before handing back to the politicians (to screw up again).

But, none of that is EVER going to happen while humans remain, well, human.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Our current government will be lucky to last their current term. They are polling around 30% support which is absolutely ABYSMAL!
They lied through their teeth about a number of key issues during the last election campaign and have back flipped on some very serious issues. Some people (30%) do still support them for various reasons, however...

Yes they lied about some issues. One of the key issues to which you refer, I suspect, is the carbon tax. You know as well as I do that the current Prime Minister meant what she said when she vowed not to introduce carbon pricing but she wouldn't be the PM if she hadn't struck a deal with the Greens to form a minority government, and the cornerstone of that deal was a carbon tax. Call it lying if you want but in reality that's just political expediency. Hmm, a choice of not holding government or doing an unpopular deal and holding government. Be honest, what would you have done?

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Globally almost all economies are struggling, or in few cases (not pointing the finger at anyone here Greece) are near as dammit bankrupt. What I'd like to see, but sure as hell will never happen, is some competent financial administrators brought in to sort out the mess, pay off debts and generally streamline governmental processes, without being subject to removal by politically driven mechanisms. A period of 12-36 months should be enough to get most countries back on track before handing back to the politicians (to screw up again).

But, none of that is EVER going to happen while humans remain, well, human.

Australia is currently in the strongest position economically of any developed economy in the world. You might not like the current government but they have steered Australia through a period of massive global economic turmoil very successfully. I'd rather live in Australia at the moment than just about anywhere else. Australia doesn't need any independent financial experts to fix its financial problems because it's problems are tiny compared to just about every other developed economy.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

I'd argue that the current Australian government has not done one single thing to steer Australia through a period of massive global economic turmoil. Even the Kevin Rudd government had little enough to do with Australia being in the position that she is in. What really counts for the Australian economy is having 40 years or more of selling iron ore, natural gas, wheat and wool to China, Japan and the Middle East*


* I know that that's a gross over-simplification but that's what's really saved our arse, not the (barely-existent) policies of the Gillard or Rudd governments.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic

What really counts for the Australian economy is having 40 years or more of selling iron ore, natural gas, wheat and wool to China, Japan and the Middle East*

I hope so... I am considering moving down there to Perth, and working some jobs about Karratha.

If I can get a work Visa ($350 Aus.) to apply, and the plane ticket is $1200+ US.

Be fun though.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by ArmySGT.

I hope so... I am considering moving down there to Perth, and working some jobs about Karratha.

If I can get a work Visa ($350 Aus.) to apply, and the plane ticket is $1200+ US.

Be fun though.

Mate, good luck to you! There are jobs galore in the NW of Western Australia at the moment. Good money to be had too. I've been out of mining-related industries for some years but if there is any assistance I can offer, PM me and we can swap details.

[ArmySGT.]

Thanks.

I am a Heavy Equipment Operator, but I don't have enough experience to compete when the job pool is so small. So I have been building my business related computer skills as an Admin assistant. Not glorious but, it pays my bills.

T-90 vs M-1

T-90 is Toast. That reactive armor is not all that impressive and has been discarded in the west. Jammers have been discarded in the West too.

The West is going to active defenses that shoot down ATGMs. Look to see those on M1A2s in the near future.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Webstral

Like fascism or communism. Is that the way you see Australia going? Certainly I'm not interested in having a power with no accountability to voters deciding anything. We have enough problems with government agencies running amok without eliminating any and every form accountability. We fought a war specifically to free ourselves from a government in which the citizenry had no voice. Still, our Australian cousins have to form the government that best serves your interests.

No modern democracy is perfect. I see major issues with both the US and Australian democratic systems. We here in the Antipodes do have a couple of significant advantages, though, in terms of democratic principals. All citizens of voting age in Australia are required to vote, so (theoretically at least) a greater proportion of citizens in Australia actually have a say in who governs them than citizens in the US do. Of course, I'm sure Americans would fiercely guard their right to disenfranchise themselves from the democratic process, if that is their individual wish.

Secondly, it seems (from waaaay down here anyway) that the US has a firmly entrenched 2 party state. Any political groups other than the Republicans and the Democrats are so tiny as to have virtually no relevance. We have 2 main parties here, too, but a number of minor parties regularly get enough seats, particularly in the Senate, to have some say in the political process. I know many people (including myself) who regard a 2 party state as not being a whole lot more democratic than a 1 party state.