I agree with much of Maracas' impressions of that ugly episode and its residue that we witness now. Though I also feel it's about time we refer to the context of global resource competition where Alkatiri's leadership sought a better deal with China: the timing of that Reinado 'crisis' and its 'collapsed rule of law' was all too convenient in that broader strategic picture.

Little wonder too that Indonesia now officially courts China in a defence pact; any fool could have seen that coming. We probably shouldn't count too much on the East Timorese keeping these issues out of mind either, despite much Australian presumption about their simpler perspectives due to poverty: decades of being sold out have taught them well.

The question for Canberra now seems to be how many, how reliable and how expensive the puppets of Horta and co in keeping East Timor under the lid. Or maybe there's a need for more marriages by Australian party families into the East Timorese leadership elite?

Messy stuff this oil and gas market...

What...??

"Ritual claims of foul play are now part and parcel of the ongoing conflict within East Timor’s political elite."

Hardly, its just the normal exposures of Western interference in East Timor guided by ASIS and an Indonesian lobby inherited from Whitless Whitlam.

They wanted a chaotic situation - they created a chaotic situation - they then used the chaos to implicate fretilin and boost pro-Western puppets.

Simple - its been done time and time again as America built up its empire in the 1950's and 60's.