Yes there are pros and cons, but being a small nation, we need a
mountain. But I think we are still trying quite hard to project a
position where America can count on us and vice-versa, yet we are
still able to talk to the Palestinians, Iranians and the North
Koreans of the world.
Yes, this is pragmatism, something which is laudable in the
international arena, not in domestic politics and the politics of
welfarism in the heartlands.
Shotgun, the Global Hawk assets will be based in Guam on a pooled
basis for use by the RSAF and RAAF. Similar projects like the
rumoured C-17 or C-5 Galaxy pooling were touted before, but didn't
really get off the ground. LALEE comes into the equation because
the Global Hawk is a high altitude platform, whereas the LALEE is a
low-altitude battlefield endurance sensor system, and how these
might work in conjunction, I'm not too sure. But I do believe that
information gathering on our side and our allies' side will improve
tremendously.
