Thanks Tim.Rudd is a worry!
The AFP should not be operating offshore. It is morphing into a para-military force without sufficient parliamentary oversight and under Howard has been politicised.
The ALP will need to clear out Howard loyalists, change the culture (of whatever it takes) and bring it under a Federal Police Commission or similar body.
Bruce Haigh

Has the writer of this article actually talked to anyone in Asia? As I understand it from people there they are not too happy with the idea of Kevin Rudd or an ALP government. They are certainly unhappy about the likely changes to some policies and they have warned me that we should not expect any dramatic changes in the overall regional attitude towards Australia, indeed we are in danger of undoing the work already done if Rudd tries to move Australia in where it is not wanted.
This sort of article is so unthinkingly anti-Howard and pro-Rudd that there it can apparently see no good at all in the former and only a halo around the latter. The truth is surely somewhere in between?

The average person in the street in Indonesia, India, China or Malaysia have no idea who Mr Rudd is. You should not have to hide behind bull dust to vent your hatred towards Mr Howard.

I believe if you bailed up any Indonesian/Malay/Singaporean and asked hi "who is Kevin Rudd?" he/she wouldn't have a clue. John Howard, or Alexander Downer, however would probably be known because both have rattled around this region long enough to have a profile. It is fair, I think to say that for the most part they have served us very well in furthering Australia's interests and raising our acceptance in the Asia Pacific region.

"Saint Kevin" would probably have to spend quite a few years to get up to speed.

Among other major faults, this article is a little premature. The elections to be held later this year will determine whether most Australians want to see the back of the Howard government.

This article expresses an idea as silly as the idea of a democratic Cuba.

Besides being premature it is also naive. I for one haven't seen one pronouncement from Opposition Leader Rudd or his shaddow (Ghostly would be more appropriate) Foreign Affairs spokesman. No policy announcements but here we have another biased 'expert' telling us his expectations of what Rudd would possibly do.

Much of this story is like the labour party committment to withdrawal from Iraq. A withdrawal you have when you don't want a withdrawal. A policy you have when you don't have a policy.

See my comments on Bruce Haighs story in Online Opinion
'Domestic politics shape Australian foreign policy'
for a rebuttal of this writers negative 'expose' of Howard and Downer.