US General warns America's military capabilities will be 'challenged' if a war breaks out, in stark warning to Anthony Albanese after he dismissed ASPI report
The United States' military and its ability to defend not only itself but its allies has been called into question, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been forced to address his government's attitude towards defence.
General Jack Keane, who served as the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1999 to 2003, warned the US' military capabilities are not what they used to be and that it could be significantly challenged as the threat of war lingers.
He also warned of the threat of war in the Indo-Pacific region and that the likes of China, North Korea, Russia and Iran have come together to form the "most significant and serious threat to the United States' interest" and its allies since the Second World War.
General Keane recalled the 2022 Congressional Commission on the National Defence Strategy, which he contributed to, and how it concluded the US army and allies in the region would be "challenged" to win a war against China as its military capabilities currently stand.
"After two years of examination, (we found) that based on current military capability... U.S. Military capability and allies in the region, that we would be challenged to win a war against China in the near term because of the erosion of US military capability," he told Sky News' The Bolt Report on Thursday.
"Even though we're earnestly trying to repair that, we would be challenged to win and indeed, we could lose.
"We have to move with a sense of urgency to create the kind of deterrence that we need. We're trying to prevent a war from happening. (Chinese) President Xi has told his military leaders, be prepared by 2027, and he has been threatening war every single year as well."
In a statement of hope for the future though, General Keane said President Donald Trump's $150 billion pledge for defence would be "very significant" in solving glaring holes in America's military.
"(It could) solve the fact that we don't have all the missiles we should have. We don't know all the long range weapon systems, all the air defence systems and others," he said.
Earlier on Thursday, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) warned that the government risks falling behind in its military preparedness amid rising global threats.
In the report, its author and former home affairs deputy secretary Mark Ablong concluded "the failure of this year's budget to meet that responsibility will make all Australians less secure".
"Without urgent, coordinated and well resourced responses to those challenges, Australia risks a brittle and hollowed defence force, diminished industrial sovereignty, and compromised national security in a volatile Indo Pacific region."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to the report but brushed off the concerns, maintaining his government had invested in the department more than adequately.
"Well, that's what they do, isn't it, ASPI? I mean, seriously, they need to… have a look at themselves and the way they conduct themselves in debates," Mr Albanese told ABC Radio Brisbane.
"We've had a defence strategic review. We've got considerable additional investment going into defence — $10 billion.
"ASPI regularly produce these sort of reports, you know, run by people who have been in a position to make a difference in the past as part of former governments."
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