Iran wants the ‘annihilation of Israel'
Israel Foreign Ministry Special Envoy Fleur Hassan-Nahoum says Iran's aim is the 'annihilation of Israel'.
The Israeli PM has told Fox News that the operation against Iran isn't just about protecting Israel, but other countries as well.
Ms Hassan-Nahoum told Sky News host Andrew Bolt that Iran has been using its proxies to 'choke Israel'.
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The Advertiser
33 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Trump won't say whether US will join strikes on Iran
US President Donald Trump has told reporters he will not say whether he has decided to order a US strike on Iran, a move that Iranian officials warned anew would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it happens. Speaking outside the White House, Trump declined to say whether he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's bombing campaign against Iran. "I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said. Trump said Iranian officials had reached out about negotiations including a possible meeting at the White House but "it's very late to be talking," he said. "Unconditional surrender, that means I've had it." Asked for his response to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejecting the idea of surrendering, Trump said: "I say, good luck." Trump said later on Wednesday in the Oval Office that he has not made a decision on how to proceed on Iran. He said Iran wants to meet and the US side "may do that". People jammed highways out of the capital Tehran, a city of 10 million people, as residents sought sanctuary from intensified Israeli air strikes. In its latest bombing run, Israel said its air force destroyed Iran's police headquarters. "As we promised - we will continue to strike at symbols of governance and hit the ayatollah regime wherever it may be," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. Khamenei, 86, rebuked Trump in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday. The United States "should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage," he said. "Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender." Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the five-day-old war to suggesting the United States might join it. A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee that the Pentagon was prepared to execute any order given by Trump. Israel's military said 50 Israeli jets struck about 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles. It advised Iranians to leave parts of Tehran for their own safety while it bombed targets. Traffic was backed up on highways leading out of Tehran as residents sought sanctuary elsewhere. Arezou, a 31-year-old Tehran resident, told Reuters by phone that she had made it out to the nearby resort town of Lavasan. "We will stay here as long as this war continues. My friend's house in Tehran was attacked and her brother was injured. They are civilians," she said. "Why are we paying the price for the regime's decision to pursue a nuclear program?" In Israel, sirens rang out warning people of retaliatory Iranian missile strikes. At Ramat Gan city train station east of Tel Aviv, people were lying on city-supplied mattresses lined along the floor or sitting in the odd camping chair, with plastic water bottles strewn about. "I feel scared, overwhelmed. Especially because I live in a densely populated area that Iran seems to be targeting, and our city has very old buildings, without shelters and safe spaces," said Tamar Weiss, clutching her four-month-old daughter. with AP US President Donald Trump has told reporters he will not say whether he has decided to order a US strike on Iran, a move that Iranian officials warned anew would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it happens. Speaking outside the White House, Trump declined to say whether he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's bombing campaign against Iran. "I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said. Trump said Iranian officials had reached out about negotiations including a possible meeting at the White House but "it's very late to be talking," he said. "Unconditional surrender, that means I've had it." Asked for his response to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejecting the idea of surrendering, Trump said: "I say, good luck." Trump said later on Wednesday in the Oval Office that he has not made a decision on how to proceed on Iran. He said Iran wants to meet and the US side "may do that". People jammed highways out of the capital Tehran, a city of 10 million people, as residents sought sanctuary from intensified Israeli air strikes. In its latest bombing run, Israel said its air force destroyed Iran's police headquarters. "As we promised - we will continue to strike at symbols of governance and hit the ayatollah regime wherever it may be," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. Khamenei, 86, rebuked Trump in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday. The United States "should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage," he said. "Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender." Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the five-day-old war to suggesting the United States might join it. A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee that the Pentagon was prepared to execute any order given by Trump. Israel's military said 50 Israeli jets struck about 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles. It advised Iranians to leave parts of Tehran for their own safety while it bombed targets. Traffic was backed up on highways leading out of Tehran as residents sought sanctuary elsewhere. Arezou, a 31-year-old Tehran resident, told Reuters by phone that she had made it out to the nearby resort town of Lavasan. "We will stay here as long as this war continues. My friend's house in Tehran was attacked and her brother was injured. They are civilians," she said. "Why are we paying the price for the regime's decision to pursue a nuclear program?" In Israel, sirens rang out warning people of retaliatory Iranian missile strikes. At Ramat Gan city train station east of Tel Aviv, people were lying on city-supplied mattresses lined along the floor or sitting in the odd camping chair, with plastic water bottles strewn about. "I feel scared, overwhelmed. Especially because I live in a densely populated area that Iran seems to be targeting, and our city has very old buildings, without shelters and safe spaces," said Tamar Weiss, clutching her four-month-old daughter. with AP US President Donald Trump has told reporters he will not say whether he has decided to order a US strike on Iran, a move that Iranian officials warned anew would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it happens. Speaking outside the White House, Trump declined to say whether he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's bombing campaign against Iran. "I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said. Trump said Iranian officials had reached out about negotiations including a possible meeting at the White House but "it's very late to be talking," he said. "Unconditional surrender, that means I've had it." Asked for his response to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejecting the idea of surrendering, Trump said: "I say, good luck." Trump said later on Wednesday in the Oval Office that he has not made a decision on how to proceed on Iran. He said Iran wants to meet and the US side "may do that". People jammed highways out of the capital Tehran, a city of 10 million people, as residents sought sanctuary from intensified Israeli air strikes. In its latest bombing run, Israel said its air force destroyed Iran's police headquarters. "As we promised - we will continue to strike at symbols of governance and hit the ayatollah regime wherever it may be," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. Khamenei, 86, rebuked Trump in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday. The United States "should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage," he said. "Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender." Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the five-day-old war to suggesting the United States might join it. A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee that the Pentagon was prepared to execute any order given by Trump. Israel's military said 50 Israeli jets struck about 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles. It advised Iranians to leave parts of Tehran for their own safety while it bombed targets. Traffic was backed up on highways leading out of Tehran as residents sought sanctuary elsewhere. Arezou, a 31-year-old Tehran resident, told Reuters by phone that she had made it out to the nearby resort town of Lavasan. "We will stay here as long as this war continues. My friend's house in Tehran was attacked and her brother was injured. They are civilians," she said. "Why are we paying the price for the regime's decision to pursue a nuclear program?" In Israel, sirens rang out warning people of retaliatory Iranian missile strikes. At Ramat Gan city train station east of Tel Aviv, people were lying on city-supplied mattresses lined along the floor or sitting in the odd camping chair, with plastic water bottles strewn about. "I feel scared, overwhelmed. Especially because I live in a densely populated area that Iran seems to be targeting, and our city has very old buildings, without shelters and safe spaces," said Tamar Weiss, clutching her four-month-old daughter. with AP US President Donald Trump has told reporters he will not say whether he has decided to order a US strike on Iran, a move that Iranian officials warned anew would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it happens. Speaking outside the White House, Trump declined to say whether he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's bombing campaign against Iran. "I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said. Trump said Iranian officials had reached out about negotiations including a possible meeting at the White House but "it's very late to be talking," he said. "Unconditional surrender, that means I've had it." Asked for his response to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejecting the idea of surrendering, Trump said: "I say, good luck." Trump said later on Wednesday in the Oval Office that he has not made a decision on how to proceed on Iran. He said Iran wants to meet and the US side "may do that". People jammed highways out of the capital Tehran, a city of 10 million people, as residents sought sanctuary from intensified Israeli air strikes. In its latest bombing run, Israel said its air force destroyed Iran's police headquarters. "As we promised - we will continue to strike at symbols of governance and hit the ayatollah regime wherever it may be," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. Khamenei, 86, rebuked Trump in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday. The United States "should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage," he said. "Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender." Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the five-day-old war to suggesting the United States might join it. A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee that the Pentagon was prepared to execute any order given by Trump. Israel's military said 50 Israeli jets struck about 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles. It advised Iranians to leave parts of Tehran for their own safety while it bombed targets. Traffic was backed up on highways leading out of Tehran as residents sought sanctuary elsewhere. Arezou, a 31-year-old Tehran resident, told Reuters by phone that she had made it out to the nearby resort town of Lavasan. "We will stay here as long as this war continues. My friend's house in Tehran was attacked and her brother was injured. They are civilians," she said. "Why are we paying the price for the regime's decision to pursue a nuclear program?" In Israel, sirens rang out warning people of retaliatory Iranian missile strikes. At Ramat Gan city train station east of Tel Aviv, people were lying on city-supplied mattresses lined along the floor or sitting in the odd camping chair, with plastic water bottles strewn about. "I feel scared, overwhelmed. Especially because I live in a densely populated area that Iran seems to be targeting, and our city has very old buildings, without shelters and safe spaces," said Tamar Weiss, clutching her four-month-old daughter. with AP
The Advertiser
34 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Putin says Russia could help end Iran Israel conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to help mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting a settlement could allow Tehran to pursue a peaceful atomic program while assuaging Israeli security concerns. Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies, Putin noted that "it's a delicate issue," but added that "in my view, a solution could be found." Putin said he shared Moscow's proposals with Iran, Israel and the United States. His comments follow a mediation offer that he made in a call with US President Donald Trump last weekend. Trump said on Wednesday that he told Putin to keep focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine. "I said, 'Do me a favour, mediate your own,'" Trump said he told Putin. "I said, 'Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.'" The comments represented a shift for Trump, who earlier this week said he was "open" to Putin's offer to mediate in the Middle East. Putin, meeting with senior news leaders of international news agencies, on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, emphasised that Russia has a trusting relationship with Iran and built its first nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran, a policy that potentially opens opportunities for Moscow to play power broker to help end the confrontation. Putin used his round table to praise Trump's push for peace in Ukraine, seconding the US leader's repeated claims that the three-year-old conflict wouldn't have started if he had been in the White House in 2022. "If Trump had been the president, the conflict indeed might not have erupted," Putin said. Russia has intensified its aerial campaign in Ukraine in recent months and stepped up ground attacks along the more than 1,000-kilometre front line. He has effectively rejected Trump's offer of an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. He said he is open for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but repeated his claim that he lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year - allegations rejected by Ukraine and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of settlement," Putin said, noting that the previous round of talks had paved the way for the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. The Russian leader also dismissed Western warnings of Russia's purported plans to attack NATO countries as "ravings," noting that the alliance's military spending far exceeds Moscow's defence budget. The Russian leader has used the annual forum to highlight Russia's economic achievements and seek foreign investment. Western executives, who attended the event in the past, have avoided it after Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, leaving it to business leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. Putin met earlier with former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who now heads the New Development Bank created by the BRICS alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He is also set to have meetings with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to help mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting a settlement could allow Tehran to pursue a peaceful atomic program while assuaging Israeli security concerns. Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies, Putin noted that "it's a delicate issue," but added that "in my view, a solution could be found." Putin said he shared Moscow's proposals with Iran, Israel and the United States. His comments follow a mediation offer that he made in a call with US President Donald Trump last weekend. Trump said on Wednesday that he told Putin to keep focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine. "I said, 'Do me a favour, mediate your own,'" Trump said he told Putin. "I said, 'Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.'" The comments represented a shift for Trump, who earlier this week said he was "open" to Putin's offer to mediate in the Middle East. Putin, meeting with senior news leaders of international news agencies, on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, emphasised that Russia has a trusting relationship with Iran and built its first nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran, a policy that potentially opens opportunities for Moscow to play power broker to help end the confrontation. Putin used his round table to praise Trump's push for peace in Ukraine, seconding the US leader's repeated claims that the three-year-old conflict wouldn't have started if he had been in the White House in 2022. "If Trump had been the president, the conflict indeed might not have erupted," Putin said. Russia has intensified its aerial campaign in Ukraine in recent months and stepped up ground attacks along the more than 1,000-kilometre front line. He has effectively rejected Trump's offer of an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. He said he is open for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but repeated his claim that he lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year - allegations rejected by Ukraine and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of settlement," Putin said, noting that the previous round of talks had paved the way for the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. The Russian leader also dismissed Western warnings of Russia's purported plans to attack NATO countries as "ravings," noting that the alliance's military spending far exceeds Moscow's defence budget. The Russian leader has used the annual forum to highlight Russia's economic achievements and seek foreign investment. Western executives, who attended the event in the past, have avoided it after Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, leaving it to business leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. Putin met earlier with former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who now heads the New Development Bank created by the BRICS alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He is also set to have meetings with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to help mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting a settlement could allow Tehran to pursue a peaceful atomic program while assuaging Israeli security concerns. Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies, Putin noted that "it's a delicate issue," but added that "in my view, a solution could be found." Putin said he shared Moscow's proposals with Iran, Israel and the United States. His comments follow a mediation offer that he made in a call with US President Donald Trump last weekend. Trump said on Wednesday that he told Putin to keep focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine. "I said, 'Do me a favour, mediate your own,'" Trump said he told Putin. "I said, 'Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.'" The comments represented a shift for Trump, who earlier this week said he was "open" to Putin's offer to mediate in the Middle East. Putin, meeting with senior news leaders of international news agencies, on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, emphasised that Russia has a trusting relationship with Iran and built its first nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran, a policy that potentially opens opportunities for Moscow to play power broker to help end the confrontation. Putin used his round table to praise Trump's push for peace in Ukraine, seconding the US leader's repeated claims that the three-year-old conflict wouldn't have started if he had been in the White House in 2022. "If Trump had been the president, the conflict indeed might not have erupted," Putin said. Russia has intensified its aerial campaign in Ukraine in recent months and stepped up ground attacks along the more than 1,000-kilometre front line. He has effectively rejected Trump's offer of an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. He said he is open for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but repeated his claim that he lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year - allegations rejected by Ukraine and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of settlement," Putin said, noting that the previous round of talks had paved the way for the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. The Russian leader also dismissed Western warnings of Russia's purported plans to attack NATO countries as "ravings," noting that the alliance's military spending far exceeds Moscow's defence budget. The Russian leader has used the annual forum to highlight Russia's economic achievements and seek foreign investment. Western executives, who attended the event in the past, have avoided it after Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, leaving it to business leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. Putin met earlier with former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who now heads the New Development Bank created by the BRICS alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He is also set to have meetings with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to help mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting a settlement could allow Tehran to pursue a peaceful atomic program while assuaging Israeli security concerns. Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies, Putin noted that "it's a delicate issue," but added that "in my view, a solution could be found." Putin said he shared Moscow's proposals with Iran, Israel and the United States. His comments follow a mediation offer that he made in a call with US President Donald Trump last weekend. Trump said on Wednesday that he told Putin to keep focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine. "I said, 'Do me a favour, mediate your own,'" Trump said he told Putin. "I said, 'Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.'" The comments represented a shift for Trump, who earlier this week said he was "open" to Putin's offer to mediate in the Middle East. Putin, meeting with senior news leaders of international news agencies, on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, emphasised that Russia has a trusting relationship with Iran and built its first nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran, a policy that potentially opens opportunities for Moscow to play power broker to help end the confrontation. Putin used his round table to praise Trump's push for peace in Ukraine, seconding the US leader's repeated claims that the three-year-old conflict wouldn't have started if he had been in the White House in 2022. "If Trump had been the president, the conflict indeed might not have erupted," Putin said. Russia has intensified its aerial campaign in Ukraine in recent months and stepped up ground attacks along the more than 1,000-kilometre front line. He has effectively rejected Trump's offer of an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. He said he is open for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but repeated his claim that he lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year - allegations rejected by Ukraine and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of settlement," Putin said, noting that the previous round of talks had paved the way for the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. The Russian leader also dismissed Western warnings of Russia's purported plans to attack NATO countries as "ravings," noting that the alliance's military spending far exceeds Moscow's defence budget. The Russian leader has used the annual forum to highlight Russia's economic achievements and seek foreign investment. Western executives, who attended the event in the past, have avoided it after Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, leaving it to business leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. Putin met earlier with former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who now heads the New Development Bank created by the BRICS alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He is also set to have meetings with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Australia to become 'aircraft carrier' for the US with bases and possible nuclear weapons, retired Lieutenant General says
A former Chief of Australia's Army has questioned whether the US has, or is planning to store nuclear weapons in Australia – while also questioning how long it would be until American 'places' become official US 'bases' around the country. Retired Lieutenant General Peter Leahy – who joined the service in 1971 and rose to become Chief between 2002 until 2008 - has told Sky News that he foresees Australia becoming an 'operational base' for the US under AUKUS. 'Many would remember that during World War II we were the aircraft carrier for the Pacific, I see that happening again. The build-up of American places and let me say … I wonder how much longer we are going to say places rather than bases and I think we need to recognise that,' he said. 'We are seeing fuel farms all over the place, we are seeing a concentration of forces down in Western Australia. There is going to be much more of their air force up around Katherine and Darwin. 'I think a large part of what Australia has got to offer the United States is geography … and a debate yet to be had, are they bases or places?' His thoughts follow sobering comments from Australia's Chief of Defence, Admiral David Johnson who recently revealed the Commonwealth's national security strategy was being recalibrated with the 'security blanket' of ten-year's warning time having now evaporated. 'We are having to reconsider Australia as a homeland from which we will conduct combat operations. And that again is a very different way - almost since the second world war - about how we think of national resilience and preparedness,' Admiral Johnson told the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's annual defence conference. 'We may need to operate and conduct combat operations from this country.' The assessment is broadly interpreted as how Australia would respond to a conflict between America and China. It also takes into account Washington's efforts to reposition strike forces in the region, while keeping them out of immediate danger. 'We are going to become a very important part of that strategic depth for the United States in the Indo-pacific,' Mr Leahy said. 'But I'm yet to figure out as we become more of a base, and we see the positioning of their submarine forces and their bomber forces and perhaps some of their missile forces in Australia, who is going to ask the question, are any of those nuclear armed?' 'Would Australia become a place where we would store nuclear weapons? Because it would seem a bit silly if you've got the capabilities here without the weapons (then) why are you even bothering? 'I think a discussion yet to be had … where are the nuclear weapons?' A spokesperson from the Department of Defence told Sky News, 'The United States does not store or station nuclear weapons in Australia. 'Stationing of nuclear weapons in Australia is prohibited by the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty … to which Australia remains committed.' They said Australia would continue to comply with its international obligations. 'The United States understands and respects our obligations regarding nuclear weapons,' the spokesperson said. It's a case of political incongruity. Under our alliance relationship, Australia benefits from America's strategic nuclear umbrella. Concerned Defence Analyst, Peter Jennings believed Admiral Johnson's remarks showed the Department of Defence now needed 'a rethink' with regard to how the homeland would be protected. 'I thought it was a remarkable statement from our Chief of Defence … and one which says to me, that somehow, they have lost sight of what our key military strategies should be, which is about range and long-distance operations,' he said. 'Our military thinking has always been that we will move our forces as forward into a potential military theatre as we can, in order to avoid the conflict coming to our shores. ' 'We now need a rethink about just what exactly (are) the foundations of our defence policy.' He believes Defence Minister, Richard Marles and Defence Industry Minister, Pat Conroy wanted more money but had been refused by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, saying it 'locked (them) into a policy of non-delivery'. When it came to the Trump administration, Mr Leahy believed looming discussions over budgets would involve an element of 'bluff and bluster' though in part he supported the Prime Minister's position. 'We need to be careful about what we want. How we acquire it. And how we introduce it into services,' he said. 'I don't think we will get pushed that hard (by America) because of the geographic nature of Australia and our importance,' he said. 'I think the US is still keen to have us as a flag on the table. 'But I also think that they recognise there's only so much in terms of what we can offer in terms of capability, in terms of the scale … but eventually we will need to spend more on defence … because the security situation I don't think is going to get any better.' When asked by Sky News if Australian governments had wasted years or money, the former Army Chief declared: 'Both. Without a doubt.' 'We should have been doing this (increasing capability) ten-years ago. And we've wasted money. Some of it is opportunity cost. But the thing that concerns me the most is the immediate readiness and preparedness,' he said. 'We are going to spend a shedload of money out there in the future but right now I see our ability to deploy, to be able to look after our own defence - and surely that's the first thing of a responsibly for a government (to) look after ourselves immediately - we are lacking on that. We need to spend more money for capabilities now and those capabilities are needed now.' he said.
