War games
From the very beginning, Tony Abbott has been even worse on the world stage than we could have possibly imagined.
Everyone is our bestest friend ever.
Stick to the economy saying how bad the previous government was but
avoid discussing any action with anyone other than the Murdoch press.
Small talk is excruciating. Body language is just wrong.
Trying so hard to take a stand then quickly changing as he looks over
at what the other guy is doing, unless it’s about climate change, in
which case we can’t see you.
And my personal favourite, though it was hard to choose what with
climbing mountains and scaring French children, only agreeing to talk
about climate change if it’s called “energy efficiency” instead.
But as he barrels around the world having his photo taken with his
“best friends”, what is Tony actually doing, other than scoping out new
casino sites for James Packer, since he doesn’t bother taking any expert
advisers with him?
In the latest news, it appears we are going to become arms dealers for Stephen Harper.
Reading an ABC article I came across this line
“Canada wants Australia to help it engage in security issues in Asia.”
In trying to find out more about this I came across this article from 2011.
“Finally the government released its latest deeply-flawed report on Canada’s military exports between 2007 and 2009.
According to the Canadian Association of Defence and Security
Industries (CADSI) — a government-funded lobby group representing 860
member companies — Canada now exports $5 Billion to $7.5 Billion in
military and so-called “security” products per year.
Despite massive loopholes in the government’s report, their data does
reveal that almost all of Canada’s military exports went straight into
the arsenals of about 40 belligerent nations fighting in the Iraq and/or
Afghan wars, which have killed over 1.5 million people.
Few know that in 2009, Canada was virtually tied in a three-way race
for sixth place among the world’s top arms exporters, right behind the
U.S., Russia, Germany, the UK and China.
Nowadays, with $4 billion a year in military products streaming
stateside, Canada is America’s top military supplier, and their hardware
is deeply embedded in U.S. weapons fighting on three important war
fronts: North Africa (Libya), the Middle East (Iraq and Israel) and
Central Asia (Afghanistan). Such U.S.-led invasions, occupations, proxy
wars and regime changes have long enforced unjust structures of economic
control over resources in the Third World. Canadian complicity in
manufacturing, exporting and deploying the instruments of war, has
helped maintain their high-rank among the world’s most prosperous
nations.”
Perhaps we are going to pay Canadian security firms to house refugees on an island in the Arctic Ocean. Who knows?
Reporting about Tony’s trip to China in April, the Australian said:
“Earlier, the Prime Minister declared Australia’s “trust
in China” as he outlined plans for greater defence links including joint
military exercises, days after tightening alliances with Japan and
South Korea.
Countering the “strategic pessimism” about security in Asia, Mr
Abbott assured 1800 government and business officials in Shanghai that
the rise of China could bring prosperity for all, including an
Australian economy that already receives $60 billion in annual Chinese
investment.
But in an apparent warning on China’s territorial claims, Mr Abbott
said it would be “unthinkable” to put everything at risk by failing to
settle disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law.”
Abbott declared at the East Asia Summit leaders’ meeting last year
that Japan was Australia’s “best friend in Asia”. Abe’s cabinet has
already increased defence spending and eased restrictions on arms
exports. An expert review panel is expected to recommend that Japan can
exercise its right to participate in collective self-defence with its
allies.
While this constitutional change is generally assumed to be referring
to the US – Japan’s key ally – it could also involve Australia. Since
2002, Australia, Japan and the US have occasionally held the Trilateral
Security Dialogue meetings between their defence and foreign ministers.
The ADF and the JSDF could therefore conceivably conduct combined combat
operations with the US in future.
So we are forming defence links and having military exercises with
China, who are in a dispute with Japan, whose side we have openly
defended, even castigating the Chinese Ambassador, whilst brokering arms
deals for Harper, presumably to both sides since we are ON both sides,
but we are warning them to be peaceful. But what of the US?
Just to make sure that everyone is being peaceful, we are going to
send $12 billion into the US economy to keep their armament industry
thriving in the hope that ten years down the track they will have worked
out how to make those 72 planes fly.
In the meantime we’ll spend $4 billion buying eight
highly-sophisticated P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes for the Royal
Australian Air Force. The US-built aircraft will be delivered in 2017 to
replace the Cold War-era P3 Orion aircraft. The Poseidon will come
equipped with torpedoes and harpoon missiles to destroy submarines and
warships.
And just to make sure American arms manufacturers have enough of our
money, a report in February said seven US-made drones would be purchased
for Aus$3 billion ($2.7 billion), but Abbott said the details of how
many and when had yet to be finalized.
And why should South Korea be left out. After admonishing Tony about
a Gillard decision to cancel a gun order, he appears to have promised
the South Koreans that we will buy guns from them too because Lord
knows, we need more guns.
The Navy’s two supply ships, HMAS Sirius and HMAS Success need
replacing, so the Government is buying two new ships but only two firms,
one Spanish, and one South Korean, will get the chance to tender for
the job.
I think that Tony is getting a tad too much of his advice from the
military who seem to have an endless budget in these days of
belt-tightening. The other smarter leaders are taking advantage of
Tony’s enthusiasm to make friends, sign free trade agreements, and play
with army stuff. That’s not fair guys, picking on the dumb new kid.
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