Last week the self-appointed “strategic” experts’ in the Opposition predictably were quick off the mark to criticise Prime Minister Albanese for taking time to carefully consider a US Navy approach (in public) for an RAN ship to be deployed to yet another US “coalition of the willing” in the Middle East. This time to mount an international response to attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea by the rebel Houthi regime controlling much of Yemen.

From its outset the Albanese Government correctly has recognised that our recent past is all too littered by Australian governments falling over themselves to rush into and respond to US requests for military support especially, but not only, in in the Middle East. Memories of the WMD farce which led us into Iraq remain. As also is the increasing scepticism in the US about its headlong rush into the “war of terror” following the Twin Towers tragedy which cost the US (and Australia) so dearly in personnel killed and injured let alone in years and dollars. It also provided the first test for Albanese’s commitment to prioritising the urgent strategic need to boost our presence and capability in the Indo Pacific. There had been a hasty announcement in early October by Defence Minister Marles of the despatch of a “significant” increase in forces along with two RAAF aircraft to an undisclosed location in the region as a contingency in case of need for evacuation of Australians from the area.

So it was reassuring that the Government has taken its time to give very careful consideration of the US request for the deployment of an RAN vessel to help in the Red Sea. Its focus should immediately have switched to the lessons from our recent military expeditions with the Americans in that part of the world. High on that list should be the fullest possible understanding of what the Americans have in mind as its principal objectives, the risks of it spilling into a wider confrontation, and some idea of an exit strategy. For one quick example, how likely would it be that the RAN vessel might have to go beyond purely anti-missile or drone defence into countermeasures which would involve firing at Houthi small boats or even missile sites inside the Yemen – all........

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