Some points of contention and some agreement.

First, poverty and hardship will create endless social unrest and crime! And shooting addicts may well end their addiction permanently/substantially reduce prison populations? But leave the Mr Bigs out there peddling their poison, with impoverished pushers left with few economic choices that put food on a usually bare table or a roof over the head.

The answer is one that is rigidly resisted by the money faced!

And that is (not for profit) affordable/carbon free energy coupled to social housing and kibbutz style type community collective, cooperative endeavor!

i.e., SOCIAL CREDIT AND COOPERATIVE CAPITALISM!

And if endlessly available cheap desalinated sanitary potable water (deionization dialysis) is also part of that mix, very different health consequences ought ensue!

However, that nailed to a cross, religious icon would have to come to life. Pull out those nails and once again walk among us, for any prospects of change that we can all believe in? Becomes the preferred, official reality!

Don't hold your breath!
Alan B.

No gay madi grass debates in the Phillipines either. How refreshing. No tolerance of homosexuality in Indonesia , doubly refreshing.
Not all bad Bruce!

IS keep women under control , no political parties, OLO or ABC. Could be winner.

Lucky then, Diver, that you are in Australia and will be voting yes.

first article I have ever read from Bruce where his hatred for Abbott has not oozed and he was not championing the people smuggling business.

There's a lot that I could speculate in regards to the Philippines, but I really don't like conjecture, and prefer facts, which I'm not sure of so I'll leave it be.
Though I will say 'Remember Benghazi', in regards to US originally arming rebels against Assad.

On another related note, the Syrian Arab Army have just crossed the Euphrates.
I'll give ISIS 2 months from today and they will be no more.
Congratulations and well done to the Syrian Arab Army!

The US will have to move their defeated proxy Mujaheddin army elsewhere, (ahem) or force the Kurds and their own embedded troops to fight Russians... Or another false flag...

The US did say it was going to pivot to Asia, didn't it?
Pretty sure I remember Obama saying that.
And here we are...

Thank goodness Putin had the sense to put Trump in office , a guy who can hold 3 or more opinions in various combinations shifting daily.
The Syrian ruler , rebels , Iran, Russia , China, Turkey , Vietnam, Kurds are allies / partners/ enemies who need massaging and bombing , cash in, cash out, threats and offers. Go Trumpy.

Trumps been effectively neutered.
At this point, the Trump administration might as well be the Obama administration, with a few Trump appointees that have little if any power.
I don't think he ever really had any control over US foreign policy.
Maybe you all think I'm nutty, well you can think that if you want.
The facts are that the US is an authoritarian nation.
The claim to be the leaders of democracy and free speech but how true is that at this point really?
The US is a nation perpetually at war, and to drive home who they really are one need only google 'RT is Russian Propaganda'
Do it, look at the news sites and articles.
They do not support free speech at all.
They oppose any narrative that is not an establishment narrative.
Still not convinced? Ok.

Look at this (and read the description - It's only got 1500 views in 5yrs, they're short clips)
http://youtu.be/bpIoBUDuL3U
What does it mean? Hint - This was before the Maidan, and this also:
http://youtu.be/y9hOl8TuBUM
Curious yet?
http://youtu.be/WV9J6sxCs5k
Tell me is Victoria Nuland (Assistant Secretary of State under Obama) not heard deciding the future government of Ukraine?
http://youtu.be/eaR1_an9CnQ
3mths after Maidan, is she not admitting they spent 5bln to overthrow the government of Ukraine? Yes / No ??
Is Soros not admitting his part with civil society groups?
http://youtu.be/oSAArjOBf_c

This talk of Russian collusion.
They (democrats) are accusing Russia of doing exactly what they have been proven to have done in Ukraine.
Let's talk about Hillary.
Did Debbie Wasserman-Shultz not resign as chair of the DNC for rigging the Primary against Bernie Sanders? Yes / No?
http://observer.com/2017/08/court-admits-dnc-and-debbie-wasserman-schulz-rigged-primaries-against-sanders/
Does anyone here not understand that Hillary would have not become the first female US President, but the first US Dictator?
Yes / No ?
Who caused the Europe refugee crisis?
Who wanted to take out Ghaddifi?

And now... the pivot to Asia.
http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2014/05/29/techcamp-paves-way-more-resilient-philippines

Why doesn't the real news tell you these things?
Answer: Because it isn't really news...

AC..

You conflate history with news. There is a constant tension between nations for world domination.
Obviously, if the US dropped off the high perch, China is next in line.

Q. Would AC prefer China as dominant world leader?

1918 Armistice had a half-time break for bleeding Germany dry and blocking Japan before play resumed in 1939 with US nuke-pilots scoring well in controversial decisions . Korean Armistice rules at paragraph 13(d) prevented the introduction of nuclear weapons and missiles. In 1956 the U.S. unilaterally abrogated paragraph 13(d), breaking the Armistice Agreement despite concerns by United Nations clubs . The U.S. Bombers informed the North Korean Kims and brought in Dead Red nukers . Chinese goals moved to fund US and Australian inside profit centres at high levels.

So we are expected to believe that poverty not the book's teachings is the core issue. Question. Why weren't there rivers of blood during the Great Depression? Maybe, just maybe it was the teachings of another book that helped prevent rampant crime and murder.

I do recall that a significant number of religious zealots and homicidal maniacs were well educated and were not begging in the street.

Next we are encouraged by another pseudo-intellect marinated in hubris that complacency and complicity are primary forms of self defense.

Yawn Yawn Yawn

Q. Would AC prefer China as dominant world leader?
Posted by diver dan, Tuesday, 19 September 2017 5:15:42 AM

Dan's comment is the real truth. We have seen what happens when the US pulled out of Iraq, ISIS rose up, it is irrelevant where they came from. The fact is they had a place to go to when the US left.

Are we to believe that not having the US bases in South Korea for the last 60+ years preferable to them not being there?

"Maybe, just maybe it was the teachings of another book that helped prevent rampant crime and murder."
Which book ? Roman Mussolini's book in Ethiopia , altar-boy Adolf's in Poland ? Philippines and Vietnam don't want the US book of Pentagon.

Aid Investment Plan Vietnam: 2015-16 to 2019-20 -
dfat.gov.au/about-us/.../aid-investment-plan-aip-vietnam-2015-16-to-2019-20.aspx . Strategic priorities and rationale. Our strong partnership with Vietnam. Australia ...

Vietnam. 521 Australians died as a result of the war and over 3,000 were wounded.