Ludicrous decision

The decision to buy four new Poseidon submarinehunting planes for $2.3 billion is surely ludicrous. Submarines travel very slowly and are hardly likely to be heading down to our southern country, with only a few crew on board. Defence Minister Ron Mark has been corralled by his bemedalled advisers, whose only interest is keeping up the defence budget for their chums, and who want to go kicking tyres with their contacts in the US. The armament industry has come close to wrecking the Middle East, and we should have the sense to steer clear of them.

John Burn, Merivale