Mid-East foes should ponder costly futility of endless war of hate

So many lies are said about the Middle East, and Israel in particular. Unfortunately, our Foreign Minister definitely does not have a truth detector and cannot fathom who the “bad guys” are in this battle.

I was thrilled to read Alexander Downer (“This is Bibi’s chance to break the status quo”, 16/6) expressing the view that Israel had no choice in this action.

He also recognises that the Iranian people are distinct from their leaders and that the people do not support their evil, violent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

I have seen videos from Iran of ordinary civilians cheering Israel’s attack and, with Israel’s help, there might be a possibility of overthrowing the IRGC and returning to a more moderate life in Iran. Just Google “Tehran in the 1970s” to see what a wonderful cosmopolitan place it was before Khomeini took over. Israel and Iran cohabited in a civil manner in the Middle East back then, and could do so again.

Corinne Haber, Caulfield, Vic

I often think what the conversation would be like if warring sides in the Middle East actually sat down together primarily to discuss: Why are we doing this?

Killing people, destroying homes, and costing each nation billions to take part in the theatre of war, and really, for what end? Whatever happens, there will still be anger and dissent, not to mention the lives and homes never to be seen again.

Helen Mahoney, Greenslopes, Qld

It’s pretty obvious that Iran’s extreme religious mullah leadership isn’t paying any attention to Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s limp call for Iran and Israel to de-escalate their hostilities.

Why doesn’t she make a statement telling Iran to publicly withdraw its offensive claim that Israel has no right to exist and it would wipe Israel off the map? This just may be a positive and serious step to possible de-escalation. However, noting that Iran has been belligerent against Israel for decades, one cannot be hopeful.

Coke Tomyn, Camberwell, Vic

Energy wake-up call

The takeover bid for Santos by Middle Eastern giant ADNOC is a stark wake-up call for Australia (“Giant bids $30bn for Santos”, 17/6).

Over the past decade, Santos, once a cornerstone of Australia’s energy independence, has been steadily undermined by protracted regulatory delays and a relentless wave of activist-led legal challenges targeting its natural gas projects.

Now we face the absurd situation of building LNG import terminals to bring in gas from overseas, while sitting on vast undeveloped reserves at home.

This is not just bad policy; it’s a direct threat to our national energy security. In an increasingly volatile and geopolitically unstable world, energy security is not optional, it is essential for economic resilience and national sovereignty.

If we continue to ignore the warning signs, we risk sleepwalking into an energy crisis that cannot be fixed when the lights go out. Australia must decide whether it wants to control its energy future or surrender it.

Don McMillan, Paddington, Qld

Conservative void

The Coalition is trying to work out if it should ditch net zero, but no debate is required. Of course it should abandon net zero. One of the main reasons the Coalition was decimated at the election was its tendency to be not too different from Labor. Labor-lite will never work for the average conservative voter.

People want an alternative and the Coalition was so close to Labor values that it was never an option. There is a huge conservative vote out there searching for a conservative option.

Ross Dillon, Murrumba Downs, Qld

PM a global minnow

Every time I heard about the G7 sideline meeting between Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump, I said to myself it would never happen. Every day, in every way, our Prime Minister remains a minnow in the ranks of world leaders. He certainly appears to have been fearful of making an official visit to the US to front Trump and state and defend his government’s case.

I think Trump’s attitude towards Australia has a lot to do with the our current leftist government. It’s a government surrounded by two glaring auras: a clear distaste for Trump and his America, and; confusion about how it should be relating to the communist Chinese government.

Trump will never take Australia seriously while we present these risky images to the world.

Richard Burnett, Wollongong, NSW

AI, nukes? Power on

Artificial intelligence has great potential, and nuclear power has low-carbon emissions (“US pollies embrace nuclear to power AI”, 17/6.

What’s there not to like it?

John Hughes, Mentone, Vic