Gillard is making us nuclear targets by allowing US bases here.It is NATO and the USA who are the aggressors.We don't need or want WW3.

The US is now claiming to be a principle Pacific Power, why doesn't that surprise me. From that they claim the right to interfere in all regional matters be they economic or territorial. As always the US (military) will be out there protecting American economic and strategic interest in the Pacific region. There is little old Australia going along with it all, bring it on, more US troops in the NT all the better (for the Yanks) that will allow for a quick deployment any time US interest in the region is threatened. Who cares what's in Australia's best interest, Gillard and Co don't.

Its started! The pacific nation of Niue (pop 1400), yes there is such a place, has flatly refused the very generous American offer of 2 cents a ton, down from 3 cents last year, for its coconut crop. Us pres OB has ordered a coalition of the willing, consisting of 300,000 US troops, 10 Australians, 2 Moroccan camels and a Bulgarian (he may be useful as an interpreter, the Americans think their languages are similar). Donald Rumsfeld told George Bush that the Niueans were developing weapons of mass destruction, and also there are secret Al Qaeda training camps on the Island. If that not enough the Kiribatians, yes there is such a place, are demanding 5 cents a ton for their bananas, the cheek of em'. How many camels can Morocco spare, not to mention the Bulgarians.

There have been dramatic developments with the Niue crises overnight. Spokesman for American big business J D Rockefeller has stated that the coconut shortage was costing him $1 million a day with lost production at his South Carolina coconut processing plant and the quicker Pres OB moved to install freedom and democracy in Niue the better, not to mention the supply of coconuts. Also American spy satellites have shown the Niuean navy on maneuvers in the local lagoon, yes both canoes are in the water, also spotted were several Niuean warriors on the beach brandishing spears. Pres OB in a thinly veiled diplomatic threat to Niue said "If the SOB's don't hand over the coconuts within 24 hours I'll nuke the joint." in layman's terms this can be interpreted as "If the SOB's don't hand over the coconuts within 24 hours I'll nuke the joint." Chairman Moo of the 'YP' people, as I said before I can not name this mysterious Asian country as our boomerang sales to them were up 4 billion percent last year and it kept us out of the economic do do's. Chairman Moo said as his country has just opened the Worlds largest coconut processing plant on the Yellow River, in reference to the Niue situation the chairman said "If the SOB's don't hand over the coconuts within 24 hours I'll nuke the joint." roughly this can be interpreted as "If the SOB's don't hand over the coconuts within 24 hours I'll nuke the joint." Lets all pray for World peace.

A nice mean-spirited summary of a media sideshow.

It should be realised that all such events are primarily designed for domestic consumption.

I have contacts in the USA who insist that - unlike our local coverage - virtually none of the locally much-vaunted Howard/Bush love-fests made it into their local media. At best there may have been just a passing mention of how GWB was warmly received but nothing of any significance.

This was about as meaningful as the visits by the Queen or the Kardashians.

Paul not everybody knows where nuie is. besides you are writing in shorthand.