International support needed to combat the Houthi rebels

The Australian’s editorial points out that “it is time for Israel and the free world to dismantle the Houthi menace in Yemen” because it’s a global concern given the Houthis’ deadly attacks on warships and global shipping in the Red Sea (“World must unite against the Houthi terror rebels”, 2 /1). I agree with your editorial judgment that it shouldn’t just be the US and Israel putting an end to the Houthi terrorist menace.

The Houthis are inflicting major damage on Mediterranean economies with their Iran-supplied missiles and drones attacking shipping. To date we’ve seen little response from countries like France, Italy and Spain. But it won’t only be direct strikes on the Houthi leadership and missile depots that will achieve deterrence, especially against the Houthis’ targeted attacks on Israel with Iranian-supplied hypersonic missiles. It will also require targeting Tehran each time there’s an attack to persuade Iran to stop sending missiles to the Houthis.

Anthony Bergin, Reid, ACT

For some reason, Israel is being left to do the heavy lifting in destroying the Iranian proxies. While that may be understandable in its direct fight with Hamas and Hezbollah, the Houthis are impeding the remainder of the world with their missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

For too long, Band-Aid solutions have been the acceptable norm to counter the Houthis’ aggression, and of note was the Australian response to a US request for a ship to a join a multinational naval force; we sent half a dozen clerical staff. The time has passed for a combined large-scale sea and air action to decapitate the Houthi military capability and apply direct military pressure on the ayatollahs to force them to cease and desist.

Tom Moylan, Dudley Park, WA

Dereliction of duty

Loud bravos and deafening “onya, mates” to Hindu Council of Australia’s vice-president Surinder Jain for his courage and powerfully resounding words: “Those who hate Jews also hate people of others faiths except their own” (“Hindu leaders urge PM to act”, 2/1). It is one of this nation’s most shocking scandals that, by the dereliction of their duty to protect the security of Australia and its people, Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong have done nothing to protect our Jewish communities. This pair, demonstrating cowardice by refusing to visit the site of the October 7 massacres, have allowed anti-Semitism to flourish.

Stephanie Millar, Cremorne, NSW

Beijing’s games

Rowan Callick’s excellent piece exposes the blatant fiction that is the Beijing’s stated rationale for its claim to Taiwan (“Taiwan’s fate can’t rest on the ignorance of friends”, 2/1). Given the weakness of that position, one has to wonder why the PRC would risk a ­potentially bloody maritime invasion of that country rather than engage in constructive dialogue and the fostering of greater economic ties.

China is, after all, Taiwan’s largest trading partner and Taiwan has very significant investments in mainland China, currently valued in excess of $US200bn. Could it be that the PRC has ambitions to control all of the world’s most coveted manufacturing industries that supply essential components for everything from motor vehicles to guided missiles and washing machines? Taiwan is home to the world’s two largest producers of semiconductors. The conundrum confronting China is that if it were to resort to taking Taiwan by force, it would almost certainly cause major damage to “the goose that lays the golden egg”.

Bill Pannell, Pemberton, WA

Vale, Chad

The death of Chad Morgan signals the sad passing of another great Australian character. Chad was the larrikin of Aussie country music, with such classics as the Sheik from Scrubby Creek and the Cat Came Back.

Those who attended a Chad concert at the remote Aileron Pub in the Northern Territory in early 1970s will never forget Chad cheekily telling the crowd that night that Slim Dusty knew the waterhole was poisoned but never told “Trumby”. Patrons refused to play Slim records on the pub jukebox thereafter and the publican threatened dire consequences if Chad ever returned. Vale, Chad, you have brightened the lives of so many Australians.

John Bell, Heidelberg Heights, Vic

Winds of change

Your correspondent David D’Lima must surely have been writing with sardonic tongue in cheek when observing that “Woolworths has returned within the consumer circle of trust as it has restored proper recognition of Australia Day” (Letters, 2/1).

Any organisation that bends and sways to the prevailing winds of “progressive” populism will do so again. I think Woolworths has merely been forced to “read the room” and realised that woke populism isn’t so popular or conducive to their bottom line.

Deborah Morrison, Malvern, Vic