It really is a worry when you get this naive sort of rubbish from someone who should be reasonably close to current diplomatic thinking.

Sounds like trying to hide behind a little wooden cross, if one met a vampire.

Perhaps our wonderful government has decided to cut more than 5 Billion out of the defence budget, & is getting a bit of ground work laid by some old diplomats.

Thanks Chris

mac

I pretty much agree with you on British decline and US still on top.

Its an odd dynamic of our big 4 banks and the US economy that they are held as being too big to let fail. Hence over recent decades the Saudis, Japanese and lately China have actually payed the US (by buying Treasury bonds) to prevent it from failing. They, but less so the US, realise they rely on each other or they all go down as inter-country trade drops.

Another thing about the US is its extraordinary economic depth - most of its wealth is internal and far less is at risk from international downswings than most other countries.

The US also makes a good ally because its economy thrives on defence spending, often boosted by warring, a good country to be onside. Orwell had it right in 1984 about constant war and fear driving great powers.

Bruce could probably tell you that most up and coming military officers and many professional noncoms from Oz actually want to go to war, as that shows professionalism, accelerates promotion and the pay and (for some) excitement is good.

Hasbeen

What with Bruce's service in Vietnam and unusually courageous diplomatic service (like hiding Black activists from the South African Security Police (BOSS) a bit like the Stasi in its day) he is unusual.

I think/hope Bruce takes my usual disagreements as backhanded respect.

Pete

What are we actually defending ? The right for people with no I.D. to come here & gradually take over without the need of a war ? Great defence system indeed, fostering a silent invasion.

The current alliance with America presents no exclusion to pursuing a new (perhaps more limited) alliance with China. They are afterall our biggest economic partner and a key supplier of "new" Australians.

There is a lot of naive thinking among these comments. The U.S. is an imperial power which, though in decline, is still trying to control the whole world. It has military bases every whichplace and engages in endless wars to secure scarce resources and strategic advantage.

Australia, by fawning and grovelling to the U.S. and allowing it to place its military on our soil, is making many enemies. If we had politicians that had vision and backbone, we would be seeking to be neutral rather than allowing our nation to become another U.S. attack dog like Israel is.

The U.S. is our enemy and the enemy of both the world and peace.

Wake up, Australia!

http://dangerouscreation.com

David G,
I must admit you & your mates in the pic above the rocket look way more pleasing than the Greenie below the pic of the rocket.