FactaBot

Here we go again. Australia’s big boys in khaki are peering across the globe, pondering whether to dip their boots into yet another Middle Eastern mess. This time, it’s not just strategic “support” — it’s recruitment pitches, military budgets, and the subtle echo of American footsteps getting louder.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is currently sniffing around for new recruits. Apparently, not enough Aussies are jumping at the chance to wear camo and stand by while Parliament sends them into geopolitical minefields. Could it be because, just maybe, people don’t want to be used as pawns in proxy wars that have zip to do with actual national security?

Let’s be blunt. What exactly is the benefit for everyday Australians if we get involved in yet another Middle Eastern conflict? We don’t get cheaper petrol. We don’t get safer suburbs. We definitely don’t get a thank-you note. But sure, let’s spend billions on fighter jets that may or may not take off, while hospitals collapse, housing becomes Hunger Games, and your GP wait time is now longer than a Marvel film.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is pulling the strings with their usual “freedom and democracy” puppet show, and we’re there, right on cue, wagging our tail like the good little deputy sheriff. It’s like Canberra’s addicted to Washington’s validation. “Will you like us more if we bomb someone too?” It’s not just the money, though heaven knows we’re already leaking cash faster than a Coalition budget spreadsheet.

It’s the mindset. The idea that our foreign policy must orbit around America's national interest — even when it's not in ours. Have we not learned from Iraq? Afghanistan? Or do we just collect participation medals in international disasters? Let’s get this straight: no one’s saying Australia shouldn’t have a capable defence force.

But when your idea of "security" means inserting yourself into volatile, oil-soaked regions with centuries of unresolved tensions, maybe — just maybe — it's time to rethink the strategy. Especially when we have domestic wars to fight: homelessness, healthcare burnout, climate chaos, and an education system held together with blu-tack and prayer.

Why not recruit people to rebuild this country? Why not fund a housing corps instead of a combat unit? Why is “boots on the ground” always abroad, not in disaster zones here? We don’t need to be America’s emotional support ally. We need leaders who choose what’s good for us — not what looks good on a NATO Christmas card.

So before we sign up for another Middle Eastern mistake, maybe someone in Canberra should ask: are we defending Australia, or just America’s fading ego?