# Episode 136

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/asia-pacific-defence-reporter-6383527/episode-136
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/asia-pacific-defence-reporter-6383527/episode-136.md
Podcast: [Asia Pacific Defence Reporter](https://stenobird.com/podcast/asia-pacific-defence-reporter-6383527)
Published: 2026-04-28T23:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6461aa4dcd2b40001119e5eb/e/69f04758139a58c7ab7e7cca/media.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/asia-pacific-defence-reporter-6383527/episodes/episode-136
Duration seconds: 1235

## Resource

We start with the US and another attempted assassination of President Donald Trump. While there might not be a causal link, his obvious pleasure in inflicting pain and suffering on others - identical to that of the appropriately named Secretary of War Pete Hegseth - has helped increase a propensity for violence. The US seems to be moving further away from what we regard as Australian values. Then we have the abrupt sacking of Navy Secretary John Phelan - unqualified for the job in the first place - which is part of a continuing purge of the US military. In Australia we have the news that the government is buying an additional 270 Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles and also we are spending $2.3 billion on Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) and a second regiment of HIMAR launchers. PrSM is an excellent weapon - but we are doubling down on an overloaded and unreliable US supply chain at precisely the wrong time. A better choice would have been PrSM plus the Strikemaster system using Bushmasters with Naval Strike Missiles on them. Also some words about a report by the UK House of Lords clearly and factually pointing out that the "Special Relationship" with the US is over - and will never return. When will our government accept this new reality and stop fooling themselves and the Australian people? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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