For the whole of my adult life, I have always been interested in world affairs and tried to keep an eye on just how things are going globally. The area I’ve studied, and one I am concerned about, is how we are heading toward what might become World War Three.

The world is always on edge, and in terms of percentage, it seems that far more countries and regions are involved in conflict in 2024 than in many years prior. Conflict is widening all the time, and I am inclined to think that what’s happening in the Middle East is very much toward Armageddon.

Within our region of Australia, we have China threatening Taiwan and a lot of instability in many countries of Southeast Asia. It would not surprise me at all if, by 2030, China is making a team, possibly militarily, to subjugate Taiwan. What’s going on in Europe with Russia in Ukraine seems to be spreading.

I read an article in the Weekend Australian just yesterday. Written by Greg Sheridan, it analyses the situation in which we find ourselves and are on the brink.

Australia is not helped by the fact that our Navy is outdated, our air force is limited, and a lack of equipment rather hamstrings our army. We also have a ludicrous situation where Berry is for gates, and other things cannot be crude because there was insufficient personnel to keep these boats at sea. An increasing number of them are going into drydock.

The other thing is that we do not have any drones or mobile equipment that could be used in the event of an attack on Australia.

Living in Darwin on Australia’s north coast, I am particularly concerned because a position puts Soares first in the firing line if anything untoward happens.

I am not confident about the future and cannot think positively and optimistically about what will happen as we go forward in time.