- April 12th, 2022
- Posted by EU Australia
Learning from history: It can be done but may require work and won’t tell everything you want to know.
The invasion of Ukraine by the neighbouring Russian Federation this year is a crisis of history, if this definition of such a crisis is accepted: an event affecting many people in a life-changing way, confounding all expectations, that will divert the general course of history from its pathway so far – the change will involve opportunity and danger.
Lee Duffield writes:
… Read More »
- April 12th, 2022
- Posted by EU Australia

Elections in Europe have shown up the extent of a pro-Russia sympathy, whether drawing on some traditional alignments in Eastern Europe or stirred up by the far-right.
The voting has put a dent in solidarity against the Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war of aggression against neighbouring Ukraine. … Read More »
- March 22nd, 2022
- Posted by EU Australia
The horror and brutality of the siege of Mariupol is demonstrating a futility to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia under Vladimir Putin.
A month after Russian forced crossed border on 24 February, it appeared that Putin might still get some kind of quick conquest – but any lasting great victory remains much more elusive. … Read More »
- February 25th, 2022
- Posted by EU Australia
There was a spurious relief in the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February: no more need for pretending, or false diplomacy, even no need for talk about rights and wrongs.
It is back to the raw power days, Russian tanks in Budapest in 1956, then again in Prague in 1968. Attempts at political reform and opening to the West came to that.
… Read More »
- December 8th, 2021
- Posted by EU Australia
The third independence referendum set for New Caledonia on 12 December was set to be like the last two referendums in some of its main features — but this time had worrying differences. … Read More »
- December 7th, 2021
- Posted by EU Australia
Lee Duffield
The Australian Defence Minister, Melissa Price, on 9 November told the Submarine Association conference in Adelaide that the country’s nuclear-powered submarines would be built in South Australia.
It was one more ingredient thrown into a brewing of questions and contention since the sudden announcement of the nuclear plan, and immediate cancellation of the French contract for conventional submarines on 16 September. … Read More »
- January 7th, 2021
- Posted by EU Australia
Lee Duffield closely watching the elections in the United States, had no illusions about how Donald Trump would react to getting beaten. But watching rioters break into the Capitol Building in Washington, not too surprised, he decided to place some blame and penned this message to the man behind it all. … Read More »