“yada yada yada” is a copout noise that doesn't adequately account for the position we are in as regards the threats to peace and hence to Australia from China and the USA. However one compares them (which we need do in order to make conclusions about our stance w.r.t. the US-China confrontation in the Pacific) there's a lot more to the aggressive global reach of America compared with China's than “yada yada yada”.

Loudmouth's recollection of 1999 is when it was all over bar the shouting. New Indo President Habibe had miscalculated by agreeing to a Timorese referendum on its future and to his astonishment the Timorese voted almost unanimously against any further role for the Indos.

The Yanks' role in the 24-year atrocity is summarised in the Wikipedia entry at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_invasion_of_East_Timor#Indonesian_motivations (scroll down to US involvement and then Australian involvement.) The issues can't be properly addressed by claiming that Labor betrayed East Timor (and Australia and the real Australian heroes who teamed up with the East Timorese against the Japs to whom Soekarno had sold out). Both Tweedles from Whitlam Labor via Fraser Liberal and Hawke and Keating Labor to Howard/Downer Liberal sold this country down the river. My guess is that this was because all five leaderships were honorary Yanks who put America first and the principles over which the war was fought were casually flicked under the bus.

I think that the Australian government will be very reluctant not to support China if the South China Sea dispute scales into war. Reason is that neither the NLP nor Labor will not want to upset Australia's millions of Chinese and risk a backlash from Chinese voters at the federal election. So I think Australia has only one of two choices: either support China militarily against the US or remain neutral during the conflict.

I just saw a news clip posted about 4 hours ago which says that the US has approached the Australian government about placing B-1 supersonic long range bombers in Australia to counter China's annexation of the South China Sea. For those who don't know, the B-1 carries nuclear bombs and has a range of 12,000 km.

This will be a test for the Australian government. Should it stay with a traditional ally or should it appease Australia's Chinese community in order to shore up the votes needed to win a federal election?

It doesn't matter much really.

Support china, & if it wins we would be no better than an owned vassal, China would rule with a similar iron fist to their rule in Tibet. I doubt our treatment would be much better as an ally or a defeated enemy.

Support the yanks & we will continue to be a kind of US protectorate as we are now, receiving few favours other than that, but basically free.

Might as well be dead than a Chinese coolie.

Dear Hasbeen,

It does matter very much. I am one of those who want to live in a free society in which I can have control over what I think and do. I am pro-US and like the Americans I believe in democracy, liberty and free speech. I definitely do not want to see China impose a totalitarian puppet state on us.

Australian politicians' and business leaders' love affair with the Chinese Communist Party has now come back to bite them on the bum. Which is exactly what I have been expecting to happen. China will be very upset if Australia allies itself with the US in countering its annexation of the South China Sea.

Both political parties are now in a dilemma because the Chinese in Australia are in a position to cast the deciding vote in a federal election and I don't think the Chinese voters will be very happy if Australia opposes China, being the land of their kin and ancestors. So if the government - either NLP or Labor - sides with the US it will run the risk of losing government. And if it sides with China or stays neutral it will lose the protection of the US.

Mr. Opinion,

You are either being deliberately obtuse to bait other posters, or you are an idiot.

Of course Australia, even under the fool Turnbull, will support the U.S.A in accordance with the ANZUS treaty.

Any anti-Australian Chinese would be interned during hostilities.

Most Chinese living in Australia didn't leave China because they liked the place. Your ravings about upsetting Chinese-Australias is pure bigotry towards Chinese people who might very well hate the Chinese government as much as any democracy loving person would.