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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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58 comments

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  1. Möbius Ecko

    Abbott now also wants to form a pact of like minded conservative governments around the world, like Harper’s Canada, to fight against countries bringing in carbon pricing, carbon mitigation programs and against Obama’s moves to reduce carbon pollution.

    He said this just before going to the US, who will probably be according to him our newest bestest friend ever.

    Note Abbott kept calling Harper by his first name and the full pomp and ceremony was rolled out for Abbott by Canadia. Like minds I guess though Harper is immeasurably smarter than Abbott.

    Oh and again Abbott donned the lycra and went on a peddle with the Mounties.

    You also left out one other deadly export from Canada Kaye, asbestos. Canada is I think the only remaining western country to still export asbestos in significant quantities. Though they know the terrible death and suffering they are causing in third world countries due to their asbestos exports, and there has been a long campaign to get them to stop, they refuse to.

    So why isn’t Abbott calling Harper a murderer as he has had no hesitation in calling Rudd one on two counts, HIP and asylum seekers? Of course he won’t Harper is he newest bestest friend.

  2. Nick McCarthy

    We all need to realise the more guns ‘n ‘ stuff we buy the bigger your penis grows!!!

  3. Kaye Lee

    Mr Abbott also wants to use the combined strength of countries such as Canada and Australia to ensure the fight against terrorism is maintained.

    The alliance would boost security and intelligence gathering, escalate the war on people smuggling, and entrench a new form of “economic diplomacy” over the traditional reliance on multilateral international control.

    Mr Abbott said the global security situation was in danger of deteriorating as Australians and other nationals returned home radicalised from wars such as that in Syria.

    “It is concerning people right around the world, we have an ongoing Islamist terror threat and the situation in Syria has the potential to escalate that threat as militarised radicals come back,” he said.

    “The vigilance that has been maintained since 2001 needs to be increased in these circumstances and it’s certainly no time to be reducing the emphasis on good intelligence, which has been a very important part of Australia’s response to the terror threat ever since then.

    “We should never ever apologise for doing what’s necessary to protect ourselves and to help our friends, and that’s exactly what the five eyes arrangements are designed to do.”

    The Abbott plan would promote privatisation, increase security surveillance of the population, and lower taxes while making a political virtue of cutting spending to achieve an early surplus and the prospect of pre-poll tax cuts.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-seeks-alliance-to-thwart-president-obama-on-climate-change-policy-20140609-39t93.html#ixzz34BK2sS00

  4. Kaye Lee

    Looks like we won’t be apologising to SBY for spying on his wife, and what the hell does ” increase security surveillance of the population” mean?

  5. Kaye Lee

    And how is the American press reporting Tony’s economic management?

    “The Australian government’s slash and burn approach to fiscal management doesn’t appear to have stretched to the God Squad.

    The right-wing conservatives have so far announced cuts to aged care, education, the environment, science and hospitals, plus introduced controversial new fees for doctor’s visits.

    Yet Prime Minister Tony Abbott — a staunch Catholic who opposes gay marriage and once described abortion as “the easy way out” — has somehow managed to find $226 million for a school chaplaincy service designed to support the “emotional and spiritual wellbeing” of students. That’s like the US government allocating about $2.2 billion, relative to the size of the economy.”

    http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/140605/tony-abbott-allocates-big-money-god-schools

  6. Anomander

    Abbott the moron should not be allowed out of the country, let alone out of the asylum. Someone please lock the gate and increase his medication.

    His idiocy is setting back decades of robust diplomacy, all so he can chummy-up to the mining companies and to Harper, who is another right-wing neo-liberal extremist, just like him.

  7. corvus boreus

    Disagree, Anomander.
    Travel broadens the mind, and Tony could obviously benefit from exposure to things like broad media with factual basis, and time spent with educated leaders who listen to scientists and read their findings.
    Note that I only assert that he could, theoretically, benefit, but I suspect he travels with blinkers and earmuffs, screened from exposure to contradicting evidence and viewpoints by a cordon of cronies and toadies.
    Any reprimands for his conduct and actions from more enlightened individuals will be diluted by the language of diplomacy, which Tony lacks the situational awareness, empathy and mental dexterity to decipher.
    He could, on his travels, learn much, but I suspect travel, as all else, will continue to narrow his mind.

  8. Kaye Lee

    While Tony peddles BS overseas, Eric Abetz is doing a fine job on the home front. Speaking on Q&A last night he went for the easy target of DSP “bludgers”. Of course, he had no facts to back up any of his assertions – not a one – so for the benefit of those who prefer truth read the facts.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-05/jericho-disability-support-pension/5297540

  9. John 921fraser

    <

    "War Games"

    The ADF and DART want victims of abuse to come forward and take their complaints to police.

    But not one of the ADF …. from General Hurley (Chief of Defence Forces) to the Minister of Defence …. or DART (Defence Abuse Task Force) has promised the victims protection ….. from the ADF trained killers.

    No wonder no one wants to go to the police !

  10. John 921fraser

    <

    @Kaye Lee

    Last nights Q&A was, without doubt, the best ever Q&A.

    Find the time to watch it and be amazed at the responses of Rosalie Kunoth-Monks.

    Recommended viewing.

    http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s4000548.htm

  11. Kaye Lee

    John,

    I heard on the radio that one of the four women who is making the complaint still has to work next to the guy that raped her.

  12. John 921fraser

    <

    @Kaye Lee

    Correct !

  13. Ruth Lipscombe

    Up until Abbott came to blight our country I thought cane toads were the worst thing allowed in; toads of the warty kind are now a loooong way behind the PM in the (un)popularity stakes.

  14. Bob Rafto

    “The right way to go is to take sensible steps to improve energy efficiency, to cultivate better soils, to plant more trees, to take the kind of direct action measures which we certainly intend to take in Australia and which increasingly are being taken right around the world, including here in North America.” The Tone.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~Smoke and mirrors~~~~~

    Landcare is a national network of thousands of locally-based community groups who care for the natural resources of our country.

    Australia is proud to boast more than 4000 community Landcare groups, 2000 Coastcare groups and many thousands of volunteers across the country.

    Through Australia’s people and communities, the Landcare movement is making a big difference in caring for our country.

    All around Australia, Landcare volunteers are proving that together we can repair and viably manage our precious natural resources. This unique partnership between communities, government and organisations is achieving great things.

    Improving our farmlands
    Many primary producers are active participants in Landcare. They make significant contributions to combating soil salinity and erosion through sound land management practices and sustainable productivity. More than 40 per cent of farmers are involved in Landcare and many more practice Landcare farming.

    Breathing new life into waterways
    Groups work to conserve, rehabilitate and better manage our creeks, river systems and wetlands.

    Around the coast
    Coastcare groups are active in improving local coastal and marine environments.

    Bringing back trees
    Each year Landcarers plant many millions of native trees, shrubs and grasses for a range of benefits, including improved soil and water quality. They restore bushland and conserve sensitive areas on both public and private land.

    Restoring wildlife habitats
    Volunteers have provided protection for thousands of native species, including threatened and endangered flora and fauna.

    Urban action – protecting our urban environment
    Active Landcare groups in Australian towns and cities work thousands of hours each year to tackle local environmental issues of most concern to their communities.
    Quick Links
    National Landcare Directory
    Find a Local Landcare Group
    National Landcare Facilitator Project
    Coastcare
    Junior Landcare
    Junior Landcare Challenge
    Grants and Funding
    Donate to Landcare
    Volunteer
    Landcare L.I.F.E website

    Landcare has been around since the 70’s and Tone has AXED it. It may now morph into the Green Army.

    http://www.landcareonline.com.au/?page_id=2

  15. Kaye Lee

    As with everything else Bob, Tony is unravelling schemes that are working and then replacing them with his second rate brand. He abolished the International Adoption Advisory Board, and then a few weeks later, had photo shoots with Hugh Jackman’s wife saying international adoption was a priority and he would be forming a group to facilitate it. This guy really gives me a headache.

  16. Anomander

    Corvus. One has to have a “mind” for it to be broadened. Abbott’s mind is so firmly bound and constrained by his privileged upbringing and over-developed sense of entitlement, he is incapable to absorbing any external experiences.

  17. DanDark

    I have a prospective buyer today for my house
    I haven’t been this excited for years
    Excited to get out go this country
    When you have been so right for so long
    It’s hard to swing back to centre, left is impossible

    To many blokes not only gov but running, ex military in top jobs
    Abc Chris berg, rowana idiot, there are tooo many to list
    But yes Alan jones, the messiah of the libs
    It really is tooo late for everyone except hard right extreme killing machine men
    I am getting my very smart kids out of this country
    There will be a brain drain, the men can have it 🙂

  18. Carol Taylor

    Kaye Lee, and so much of it is completely under the radar. And it’s not *just* the environment, it’s either abolishing or downgrading schemes so as to make them completely unworkable. One that comes to mind is a program to assist women of Aboriginal heritage who have been incarcerated. The program has substantial proven success. So what do Abbott and Hockey do? They withdraw funding for it…of course.

  19. Kaye Lee

    Carol,

    Over 150 Indigenous programs and activities will be collapsed into five new program areas and $534.4 million will be cut from the budget over five years.

    Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are already 28 times more likely to be in youth detention than other Australians. And when the cuts to the dole and cuts to Aboriginal Legal Services are added to this mix, the multiplier effect means this crisis risks becoming a catastrophe.

    Bet they are just chuffed to have a Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

  20. corvus boreus

    Anomander,
    Touche`, good fellow 😉
    With regards to Bob Rafto’s comments upon Landcare, I work in applied(on the ground) environmental restoration.
    My employer, a private company, works closely with Landcare and governmental bodies. Contracts for works are tendered for based upon an open market system, with assessments made according to qualifications, experience and proven prior results. We win contracts through being able to deploy skilled, experienced, motivated people, properly equipped and thoroughly understanding the works required and methods to implement them.
    We are soon to compete with subsidised sub-contractors , benefiting from both a below industry paid (cheap but unskilled) workforce and legislative preference in contract tenders.
    In effectiveness, to use militaristic lingo, it is like the clinical deployment of highly trained, professional special forces(current ADF policy) compared to rounding up reluctant conscripts, shoving guns in their hands and deploying them as human waves(go the red army!) with no knowledge of the task, minimal supervision and no workplace protections.
    All this while massively cutting funding to Landcare, demoralising groups of committed volunteers with often decades of knowledge and experience.
    Tony, with ironic hypocrisy, wants to implement socialism under the guise of environmentalism.

  21. margl

    @Anomander “Abbott the moron should not be allowed out of the country” – I reckon we shouldn’t allow him back in!!

  22. DanDark

    The toll is now showing on this country, and everyone who is not hard right extremist
    Only after 8 months, and we can strike, we can complain, we are the minority
    I have lost a good friendship, because she voted for them, because she is ignorant, and a rusted on lib
    Family members that a fairly wealthy have been dropped, cos they vote lib, never used to matter
    But now it does, so the toll on humans in this country will never really be know, and damage
    We can try and stop the onslaught, but the libs will be around for another couple
    of years, and there will be nothing left by then, labor has been useless and has no teeth
    To stop the libs and their killing machine men…

  23. Kaye Lee

    The “Tampon Affair”…until Tony removes the GST on women’s sanitary products he will be denied entry. Margie is on our side!

  24. Kaye Lee

    Stop the Abbott.

    Axe the dole

    Build the advertising campaign of the 21st century

    And get the welfare recipients to live within their means.

    It has been 7 days since an Abbott has made a successful landing on Australian shores. This has saved the citizens of Australia countless jobs, and the suicide rate has plateaued (albeit at an unprecedented high). Opinion remains divided as to whether this phenomenon can be directly attributed to Abbott induced misery, or if it is purely cyclical, rising whenever Conservatives are in power.

  25. Lost2

    Liberal Governments only seem to survive being in power when there is a war raging, otherwise the general public will not put up with their bullying, scare mongering and standover tactics, nothing like a war to distract the masses from what their real agenda is, power and money at all costs.

  26. Dan Rowden

    I don’t think I could survive on the Internet if it weren’t for the Chrome App that changes images of Tony Abbott into kittens. Work of genius.

  27. geoffreyengland

    Of course Margie is on our side Kaye. Haven’t you heard the rumour, and I emphasize it is still a rumour, Tony and Margie are no longer an item.

  28. DanDark

    I did read somewhere I think on msn
    Margie was in a refuge for women a few years ago
    It was all a family farce to help Tone’s get into power
    Paid off with scholarships maybe, and other goodies
    The family received 😉

  29. John 921fraser

    <

    " Tonight on Four Corners, some of the victims of the worst of that abuse speak publicly for the first time.

    And they allege that rapists are still in the ranks.

    These are the people who feel that the past inquiries and reviews into abuse in the ADF have failed them and protected the perpetrators. And, they're not the only ones who fear it's about to happen again."

    Abbott knights the Governor General who was right there as Chief of Defence Force (CDF) 2002-2005.

    Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has former SAS Brigadier Jim Wallace …"Wallace has publicly expressed opposition to women in combat[7] and changing the Marriage Act of Australia.[8][9] Several of his public comments, particularly those about homosexuality, have attracted criticism." …. as a lobbyist.

    General Hurley becomes Governor of N.S.W. after being at the top of the Army (CDF) since 2011.

    Apparently these people saw and/or heard nothing (the sergeant Schultz defence) therefore had to do nothing.

    The similarities with the catholic church is there for all to see.

    The ADF has paid out $28,000,000 of taxpayers money and it continues to pay ….. and taxpayers continue to pay the wages of the abusers as well as those who protect them.

  30. Florence nee Fedup

    One could get the impression, our Tony has become bored with the role of being PM of Australia. Has moved on to the world stage, leading the challenge of bringing any actions to deal with carbon emissions down.

    Yes, chief salesman for the coal and other such industries.

    Sadly for him, and good for us, he cannot succeed. Cannot be done, anymore than at the beginning of last century, one could have stopped the automobile replacing horses.

    Renewals to generate power, time has come.

    Australians took quickly to the car, as they generally do to all new technology. Even Abbott cannot stop the flow.

  31. Florence nee Fedup

    I wonder how long that rumour has been around.

  32. Kayla

    I just can’t help it ……I really really gotta comment, the blood boils, the heart pumps fast, the urge to comment has taken over, it’s compelling ……. arrrrgh I’m losing control arrrrgh! My fingers are as confused as my head…….don’t know where to start! Breath in breath out ……reeelaaax. sigh…..

    OK I’m done. Rather than take on all the peskies one at a time let’s just put them in one basket and call the basket for what it is. We’ve seen it all before, we’ve seen it’s destructive ambitions explode across nations strangling it’s citizens, decimating social justice, spreading it’s claws around the globe, labelling critics as war mongers against freedom, raping the earth everywhere, disempowering societies and etc breath in breath out reeelaaax …………..
    Ok …… the basket of course is Corporate Capitalism. It choked itself to near death in the US but got bailed out. The citizens revolted and voted, the evil machine was hampered somewhat. The basket to revive and survive looks across the big pond. And here we are, Corporate Capitalism fighting for survival with a front man making a fool of himself.

    I’m done! I need nothing more than the constant reminder of motive, the basket’s motive and methodology to gather the eggs, all of em. “PROFITS AT ANY COST! REGARDLESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OR SOCIAL JUSTICE”.

    I just wish we didn’t have to fight the good for good people again and again. Have we learnt nothing from Rome?

  33. Gregory T

    I wonder if they make the bomb suit (as per the photo) in blue ? Because he is going to need it when he returns.

  34. Stephen Tardrew

    Thanks all I am listening and watching. What more can I say than to concur and add my voice to the scream of pain that is being felt in the progressive community. We do feel your pain and that is why we want justice and a decent living for all. To want to harm your fellow citizens for no more than to make more profit is a blight upon you, your children and your children’s children. To knowingly, and willingly, harm our environment with no more than a cursory glance and tacit, but ingenuous recognition, is the lie of lies. To deceive is to lie, to lie is to distort the truth and to bring our children and their futures into disrepute. What a grand Faustian bargain you have made in the name of our children’s future while emasculating goodness and a moral sense of justice and fairness. What of your religion when children find out you are the perpetrators of evils soundly condemned by your teachers and masters? You will hide behind deceitful lies blaming the victim while you are the true perpetrators of inequity and injustice. Be warned you will pay, and pay dearly, for the inhumanity foisted upon this country and its people in the name of profits and greed.
    For you resemble all that is selfish and twisted about capitalism and neoconservatism which is, in effect, the antithesis of a democratic market economy. You have so twisted democracy as to make it unrecognizable to those who yearn for justice, equity and reasonable distribution of resources. There is no wealth simply the sharing of life sustaining goods that belong to all whether janitor or CEO. He who cleans your toilet is your brother in life who saves you from drudgery as they struggle day by day to survive. You are heartless fools hiding behind your vacuous religiosity while undermining the science that has given you your wealth and privileged. It wasn’t God who designed that factories made the spectacular technology and engineering feats that provide us with a better and more comfortable life.
    No you are not my leaders or even my enemy. You are to be pitied for your foolishness and twisted sense of your need to see your narcissistic reflection imprinted upon the faces of the poor and underprivileged. You are emasculated and distorted human beings with little sense of moral probity and fairness.
    To love is to love all yet you would pick and chose based upon your own self interest while causing untold suffering and hardship. You may not hear our voices but one day you will be held to account for the harm you have perpetrated on your fellow human beings.

  35. James Cook

    The most frustrating part is not that Abbott and the LNP are a bunch of corrupt, lying bastards, it’s that the MSM is not in a rage about how our country is being dragged down by these pricks. How do these “journalists” sleep at night? How do they pick up their pay? Thanks you all for these independent and truthful news sites. Thank you all for your comments and insights. My wife and I are not, by nature, haters. But we are now. We have never felt such rage towards a person as we do to this maggot. And we feel the same for all of his cohort. Please keep up the fight, the news, the comments…and we will continue to convince friends and others to follow you on the net. We MUST exterminate these grubs.

  36. Terry2

    Well, it seems that Mr Abbott’s slogan “Australia Open for Business” is working. Evidently we have received enquiries for Australian manufactured automobiles……………..Oh ! wait a minute.

  37. Kaye Lee

    How many different nations can this shambolic government piss off? Are they going for a record? Even the British press are onto Tony’s bs.

    “Australia has a lot of best friends. Sometimes it’s Japan. Sometimes it’s Indonesia. Sometimes it’s China.

    Now, though, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thinks he might have found a new best mate Down Under.

    Mr Netanyahu singled out Australia for high praise at his weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday.

    It came after Australia last week stepped into the always-combustible territory of Middle Eastern linguistics, and seemingly changed its position regarding whether East Jerusalem is “occupied”.

    Last week the Australian Attorney General George Brandis issued a statement saying: “The description of East Jerusalem as ‘Occupied East Jerusalem’ is a term freighted with pejorative implications which is neither appropriate nor useful.”

    The Palestinian Authority reportedly summoned Australia’s representative to explain the change in position.

    The Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki called it a “radical change in Australia’s position on Palestine”.

    Independent Australian Senator Nick Xenophon said it was “an extraordinary and reckless departure from the bipartisan approach of the last 47 years”.

    “Even Israel’s strongest ally, the United States, does not hold this position,” he added.”

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27761956

  38. mars08

    Kaye Lee:

    Waving my pinkie

    Sure… Putin…

    But that photo of GW Bush!!!??!?! Phwoar! QUITE the lad!

    I remember readying an article by a nice conservative lady (NYT, I think) about how she got all flustered and excited to see the presNit is that flight suit. kabow chicka wow wow…

  39. Kaye Lee

    Those are the same sort of ladies who feel better about themselves when they go to a beautician. And that’s another thing we waste FAR too much money on. The amount spent globally on perfumes and cosmetics is obscene. The idea that painting ourselves and making us smell like chemicals should make us feel good is so bizarre. How about eradicating hunger. That would make me feel good.

  40. mars08

    Kaye Lee:

    Those are the same sort of ladies who feel better about themselves when they go to a beautician…

    Those are the same sort of ladies who feel good about America bombing a disarmed, demoralised and impoverished nation which did not threaten them in any way.

  41. Kaye Lee

    More to the point….

  42. Kaye Lee

    In truth, the military may end up with more cash than it knows what to do with. In the salad days before the global financial crisis, Defence regularly had to hand back money to the Treasury because it couldn’t spend it all in a calendar year. Even allowing for the vast expense of projects such as the Joint Strike Fighter and the new submarines to replace the Collins class boats, Defence may well struggle to spend its windfall.

    Ballooning Military Spending Comes At A Cost

  43. Roger

    Abbott continues to plumb new depths. Have to say, watching the various news reports from the USA Peta Credlin wasn’t there….or perhaps in the shadows.?? My family has relatives in the USA, various States including New York. So I was surprised our very own blunder boy got to do a run with members of FDNY and fumbled his way through some sort of meet n greet with NYPD. God Save Ireland. our family lost members of FDNY and NYPD in 9/11. So now I tell them abbott is not one of us, in fact he’s against 95% of us, he doesn’t represent us…in his own mind perhaps. I’m reminded by the US comedy M*A*S*H, a conversation between Henry Blake and Frank Burns, discussing Col Flagg – CIA. Burns: “Well he is a superior officer” Blake: “Frank, He’s a superior psycho” sums our boy up perfectly

  44. mars08

    …So I was surprised our very own blunder boy got to do a run with members of FDNY and fumbled his way through some sort of meet n greet with NYPD…

    WTF? Really? Is that bloke 8 or 9 years old?? Soldiers, policemen, firemen? Ohhhh… Ahhhh. Gotta love all those uniforms!

  45. Pingback: The Political Sword | CASABLANCA'S CACHE 2014-06-06 (Current)

  46. Terry2

    Roger,

    Abbott has been photographed wearing a wired ear plug during his speeches and press conferences in Canada and the US. The interesting thing is not so much why he is wearing it – prompts and reminders is the general view and shows why he is hesitant with his responses with pauses while the appropriate response is relayed to him.

    The big question being asked is who is on the other end (behind the Wizard of Oz curtain) and my guess is that it is Credlin.

  47. Florence nee Fedup

    What gets me with the ear plugs, is that they are so bulky and noticeable, Surely there is better technology available.

  48. Florence nee Fedup

    Do not believe it, Hockey getting a hard time on AM. Uhlmann must have got out of bed on the wrong side.

    Hockey is still saying climate change is not a economical matter.

    ABC AM 702

  49. Florence nee Fedup

    One good thing, Abbott forced to explain what DA is. Whatever, one should keep in mind, it does not come free. Will cost those taxpayers Hockey is concerned about dearly. Will cost much for little results, if the experts are correct.

    Abbott and Co are the only ones that have any faith in the scheme.

    Should be put before the parliament before the vote is taken on the CEF suite of many bills.

  50. Terry2

    As competing and allegedly complementary schemes it is essential that the repeal of the Clean Energy legislation should not be voted on until the Direct Action legislation has been brought before the House.

  51. Kaye Lee

    The Senate has already had committee hearings into Direct Action. Here are their recommendations.

    http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Direct_Action_Plan/Report/a04

    Basically they say that the Coalition HAVE no plan, just a brochure.

    Recommendation 11

    6.87 The committee recommends that the Government not proceed with the Emissions Reduction Fund as it is fundamentally flawed and in doing so notes that:
    there is insufficient funding to be able to secure enough abatement to meet Australia’s emissions targets now and into the future;
    there is a lack of a robust safeguard mechanism with stringent baselines and penalties for exceeding baselines;
    there is no legislated limit or ‘cap’ on Australia’s emissions in line with emissions reductions targets;
    there is no access to international emissions credits;
    the maximum terms of contracts for purchasing emissions reductions under the Emissions Reduction Fund need to be increased;
    the use of international permits needs to be limited at 50%, with the maximum caps being 12.5% from Certified Emissions Reductions under the Clean Development Mechanism and 37.5% from European Union permits;
    an increase of staffing will be required within the Department of the Environment to enable the scheme to be designed properly;
    an increase of staffing will be required within the Clean Energy Regulator in order to administer the scheme properly; and
    the maintenance and establishment of a range of complementary measures, including the Renewable Energy Target and fuel emissions standards are required.

  52. Terry2

    Florence nee Fedup

    There is better technology available that the ear plugs : it’s called a brain.

  53. Florence nee Fedup

    Terry2. would help. Then if it gave him advice, he still would not listen

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