Riddle Me This, Ted - Part 2.

World Net Daily, 2003:

The National Infrastructure Ministry has recently conducted research indicating that construction of a 42-inch diameter pipeline between Kirkuk and Haifa would cost about $400,000 per kilometer. The old Mosul-Haifa pipeline was only 8 inches in diameter.

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Asia Times, 2003:

Hence, unless the pipeline were redirected through Jordan, another country bordering Israel and Iraq with normalized relations with Israel, the pipeline project will require a different regime in Syria. In other words, regime change in both Iraq and Syria is the prerequisite for the project. As Paritzky did not mention a redirecting option, it is safe to suggest that the Israelis are also optimistic about a regime change in Syria in the near future.

Oil pipelines are a highly vulnerable means of exporting oil, requiring a predictable long-term reliability of the countries through which they pass. Knowing this, the Israelis can only begin their technical assessment of the pipeline once they are convinced that the existing political barriers can be overcome. This requires new regimes in Baghdad and Damascus.

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Now Ted, as a loyal footsoldier of The Lobby, you will doubtless be aware that Turkey will get the guernsey unless Israel puts a spurt on. Mate, it's time to get those big Caterpillar D9s cracking and carve a groove straight from A to B. At 400 thou per K, with the US dollar looking shaky, there's not a minute to lose.

Leaving out god, ancient history and morality, will you now address this subject?

Over to you -

Bigmal, between 1949 and 1984 British subjects were naturalised only if they elected to take out citizenship http://www.naa.gov.au/fSheets/fs68.html . My argument is that many British subjects (some estimates suggest up to 1 million) did not elect to take out citizenship, yet had the same rights (and responsibilities) as Australian citizens. I take your point on National Service, but from 1967 onwards non-naturalised non-British subjects were also eligible for National Service. According to this document http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/viet_app.htm "no national serviceman would serve overseas before having the opportunity of becoming an Australian citizen." Doesn't sound like it was compulsory.

Pericles, I don't see exactly what your point is. The UK, USA, France, Canada, Russia, India, Armenia etc etc (do a Google news search) are evacuating citizens. One of DFAT's roles is to "assist Australian travellers and Australians overseas" http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/whatwedo.html . So are they there to help, or not? If not, sounds like we might as well close down all those expensive embassies.

2bob, "how many of the overseas dual nationals are responsible for the current situation by voting for Hezbollah. Given that so many of them reside in the South of Lebanon...I would suggest many". Feel free to suggest that 2bob. Perhaps you might even get back to us if you can find any evidence....

JohnJ

OK, I stand corrected as to the detail.

I dont remember it as being optional but that might be the way it was put to me. Not that it mattered one jot anyway.

We were proud to be of service to a fantastic country. Lets hope we can keep it that way, and to do that we need to be aware of whats going on around us. The antics of the Islamicists from anywhere is frankly, a big concern.

Ted the problem with dismissing the lessons that were not learnt in Vietnam is that we keep doing them.

In those days it was the dreaded reds under the beds coming to cut all of our throats and so they had to be eliminated. Well they never came in spite of about 3 million Vietnamese being slaughtered did they? Do we now demonise China as a "communist threat"? No we don't because they are so big and rich now.

Islamic fanatics are the new reds under the beds yet there are so few of them. In fact the only reason we notice them more these days is due to the same demonising as the communists during the Vietnam days yet to this day not one muslim has launched one attack on Australia in spite of a good deal of foaming at the mouth by the so-called leaders.

Now Ted. It was Israel who invaded and illegally settled part of Lebanon, West Bank, Gaza and Golan Heights and not the Lebanese, Palestinians and Syrians who invaded and occupied Israel.

The Israelis have had about 100 UN resolutions ordering them back to the 1967 borders and instead take more and more or when they are finally forced to withdraw pretend that they didn't cause chaos and misery for decades before that.

There are always two sides or even three sides to a story Ted, you just refuse to take off the blinkers and simply want to relive the glory of past battles.

Guess what Ted? No battle is glorious and when innocent children are slaughtered for the fights of others that is inglorious and a war crime.

I just can't believe how we have willingly imported all these religious and racial hatreds into Australia under the banner of tolerance.Will the cheap labour be worth it?

They have been fighting for centuries in the Middle East over their imagined dieties,and nothing has changed.

It does make you wonder if our pathetic humanity really does deserve a future.

Ted was asked on Lateline whether he and his organisation could use its influence to have Israel agree to a ceasefire to enable Australia to evacuate its citizens.

Ted didn't answer the question.

I'd like to ask Ted that question here. Ted, will your organisation use its influence in Israel to encourage the Israelis to stop shooting while Australia evacuates its citizens?