*That is a responsible democracy whose voters are "educated" in the vital importance ethics, politics, economy and the art of civil society, who see life as a practical exercise devoted to answering the question, "how should we live?*

But Squeers, now you want to start educating the voters, in the things
that interest you. You are free to stand on that political platform
and convince them, but I put it to you that the majority would simply
not be interested.

In a democracy you might just have to accept that those not interested, have a vote too.
Many millions out there are quite
happy with their lives. They focus on their famiily, their friends,
their footy team, their dream to win lotto next week.

This talk of "educating people" sounds to me like what the Marxists
did in Russia etc in their camps, for those who did not play the
Marxist game, the Govt's way. Scary stuff indeed.

How we should live is up to each of us to decide for themself and
live accordingly. Our society allows each of us, to do exactly that.

Its a furphy to suggest that only the correctly educated, would know
how we should live.

As to question of what does the U.S.have to defend about Australia?. e.g our borders etc,
such notions are not realistic. The U.S is focussed on the protection of its own borders,
it's own interests, as is clear through Wikileaks exposures and other sources.

Logically the Indonesians would be the obvious country to enter a territorial disagreement with Australia.
An overpopulated group of islands nearby with a history of annexation of neighbouring territory e.g. West Papua etc.
Historically our own ability to protect our own borders has been the most relevant tool of discouragement for such disagreement.

Recently things have changed with Indonesia set to take delivery of Russian aircraft, while we dither with the U.S's drawing board theoretical (fraught with faults and cost blowouts) aeroplane (strike fighter?) ultimately inferior anyway, as discovered by the ADF in it's own theoretical testing.

The U.S. Alliance is effecting our own defence capacity to defend our own borders as we speak against the advice of our own defence boffins !?. Why?.

Because they've got the Nuke?. Of course they are the only country to have tested such a device on a population!. So it's not clear that they wouldn't do so again, if they thought it suited their best interests, or from their point of view.

What do you think about them apples?.

Of course your right Poirot in pointing out the embarrassing side of our relationship with the U.S. and our,(dare I say) conga line of P.M's, but when you drill down more seriously these so called beneficial associations with the U.S, like euphemistically named Free Trade Agreements etc, are just a crock really. And right now I feel more vulnerable and less reassured by such associations anyway.

China should not be considered a threat to Australia because it just isn't,. It has never shown any desire to expand it's own territory with the exception of Tibet, considered a strategic necessity Vs USSR not a desire to expand territorially, let alone way down here.

Is it possible for Australia to act in it's own interests for a change in terms of policy direction, defence capability etc, without consideration for such alliances?, and can we survive in our region independently?, I like to think we could.

Thinker 2 your right on the ball. Now two things can happen when all have nukes in the backyard. 1..All will respect all others...hence...all will die if one pushes the button.......and 2...no-one will push the button........hence rule number one.

In all.....it will be balanced world.....or game-over. Now the cold war is a perfect example of why peace is the winner in a world of know one wants to die.

Again........simple.

All bullies.........no fight.

BLUE

Good thinking Deep Blue.

Now, whose idea was it to arm Burma, Congo, Sudan, Afghanistan, Italy, Sri Lanka, Iceland, Indonesia and numerous other tinpot nations with a full set of nuke-u-lar weapons?

Let's work for a return to the world of M.A.D., shall we?

I'll feel so much safer.

Arrrrrrrr yes...what to do with the in-sane dictators......well slowly arm all who don't have mental problems:) and keep supplying ak-47's at a price all can afford.......and when they past the test.........we just might share:)

What do you think?

BLUE