I find it strange that, that when these revelations appear in public, no action is taken except a tut tut in the newspapers.
In early 2003 the Australian newspapers reported on the fact that, before Saddam's ultimatum to surrender, given by the USA, had expired, Australia's then Prime Minister, John Howard had ordered Australia's SAS into Iraq to "take out", in the dead of night, the Iraq forces lined up against Israel. Clearly a war crime, reported in the Australian newspapers, and verified by Israel.
Australia is not now the same place as when I grew up.
We are now accomplices with the United States of America in their crimes of war.

You are the international joke Nicholas !

I suspect that the people with whom Rudd has done, currently does and will in the future do business are savvy enough to realise that these things are said by a vast majority of pollies around the world. They are probably just hoping that their own foot-in-mouth moments don't become public. More likely 'business as usual' than 'international joke'.

If the writer was so depracating in relation to Rudd and his inconsistencies, he should remember that Rudd at least has been on the side of Julian Assange, sheeting home the blame to internal US security and though not mentioned, elements perhaps in the US government, who because of the of lies and devious dealings by the likes of Clinton and Co., may have contributed to the cables for an altruistic purpose. Very understandable.

Had he spent a little more time on the glaring failings of Gillard, his article would have had real value.

We have gone into this Xmas period with an estimated 70% of people who would like to see a change, albeit anyone but Abbott, the one reason why the coalition will not "move forward". They are unlikely to realise this fact sadly as their level of political intelligence can not be describes as of a high quality.

However, all is not lost as the 17 politicians and public servants venture off to Israel for a "Leadership Conference" to be brainwashed and to join the ranks of Gillard, Rudd and Arbib who will then be able to act as a conduit for national information to be viewed and digested by the analysts in both the US and particularly Israel, Gillard's Alma Mater.

The naive politicians should realise that the information they so willingly pass on to other countries will not be of any benefit to us in Australia but solely designed for the likes of both these countries to get some commercial or military value out of the spoken and hidden words of wisdom, however wise they are likely to be from Gillard and Arbib but treasonous, or in the very least, unpatriotic.

It is not just the reputation of Rudd that has been tarnished but the credibility of this government sitting on the decks of the Titanic with many more icebergs to come, most of their own making.