Yes one should vote for Hastie (a Leader of Men) at the Canning by-election. Who cares about women?

A vote for Hastie will also serve as a most excellent endorsement of Abbott and Hockey, who will then forget about Canning.

“It is an area ripe for research and further debate, but at least the lessons appear to lead us toward one conclusion - that an open democracy is one guarantee against conflict. … This conclusion also draws lessons for Syria. The objective of the West has been regime change, designed to oust Bashar al Assad. The United Nations has rejected elections in Syria. But with massive international supervision and support elections would seem possible .Is it not worthy of an attempt?”

The West’s objective is flawed. Going on what has transpired in Libya and Iraq since the ousting of their respective dictators, it is idealistic, if not irrational, to assume that open democracy can be achieved successfully in Muslim-dominated countries.

As have shallow thinkers in the West, the author engages in wishful thinking by promoting the ousting of Bashar al Assad so that ‘democracy’ can be installed in Syria. By ousting Assad, they obviously believe that Shia and Sunni will abandon their persistent bitter rivalry and adopt democracy. Or even more fanciful, they believe that ISIS and similar ideologists will ditch extreme sharia law and convert to democratic rule.

Oh god. It is these lefty fools, who consider themselves our elite thinkers who desperately want to put our & their own necks on the block of pacifism.

They want to bleed all over our enemies, doing nothing to defend the kindest societies the world has known.

Where oh where is a Richard the Lionheart, with his heavy sword, when you need one. Hell even a Maggie would be a big help right now.

Just to be pedantic, MarsBar,
"....can be compared to Fiddling whilst Rome burns in many ways"

There can be no comparison as no one fiddled whilst Rome burned, nor even played the lyre.

Peter,

If you use the polemics from GetUp as references for Tony Abbott's character then use this as a base for assessing his future actions, don't be surprised if most people think that you have the IQ of a squirrel and that your article is just another fatuous polemic.

TA has by far spent more of his time doing community and charity work than any other sitting MP including the bleeding heart Greens.

Peter, being left wing means you look with disdain on all us ill-educated proles. We should not have the vote it should be left to little tin gods like you eh?
Well sunshine this is a democracy and nothing you wrote make me think any worse of TA and better of you.
Mate, up the medication and stay off the red cordial. Oh yes and suck it up, your labour mates are the opposition now.