"Actually, I have some ideas, but you won’t like them, and this post has already alienated enough subscribers."
That is the sort of stuff that I pay the sub money for. I still may not like the ideas, but at least there are more than are coming from Albanese or Dutton.
I was wondering earlier: if the fascist tangerine gets unpleasant with their peaceful northern neighbour, does the Commonwealth mean anything? Even if it's just a polite throat-clearing & "I say, chaps, that's really not cricket - or baseball, whichever you American fellows prefer".
An incredibly grim yet undeniably accurate read on our current predicament.
So, what we need to work out is who loves Aussies? We can be their buddies, they can be ours, and we'll keep each other safe.
Given our history in the region, none of our neighbours are particularly enamoured with us. China's not a huge fan, although they love our minerals. India likes us a bit, although we've beaten them at cricket a little too much lately. We're not particularly closely aligned with the Middle East, South/Central America or Africa. Europe has their own problems. So what's left? Antarctica and New Zealand, pretty much, and the Orange Cthulhu Victim-Bully Vengeance State previously known as Murica.
The lovely desk attendant at my Dentist’s surgery just got back from Central Europe. She had a lovely time BTW. I asked where she planned to go next. She said not the USA. You see she is Canadian-Australian and has no desire to visit the USA. Even if she did she has heard, from family and friends, US Border Force is giving Canadians a hard time. Being the innocent naive 70 year old that I am, I said travel on your Australian Passport. She told me that that wouldn’t work as the passports are linked and she would still be identified as Canadian. Can’t verify that but it feels right.
I can't help but notice that this concern over the collapse of the Western alliance and what we are about to experience is what a lot of folk in the world were experiencing when the Western alliance was functioning as intended. Its only worst-case scenarios when it starts happening to white - sorry Western people.
I dunno. If we can't change what's brewing and spewing out of the place across the peaceful ocean, we sure as hell can resist being party to a similar home-grown fuck-fare.
IMO we need buddy up with the rest of SE Asia and get everyone collaborating. Other than China's plan to annex Taiwan (which I suspect is more likely is gifted by Trump in exchange for a new set of golf clubs) they can largely take the high ground here. They are putting on more renewables than the rest of the world combined and is exported the capacity for the rest of the world to do so too.
America needs China more than China needs America. Expect them to fill the soft power gap that Trump's America is creating.
Good ideas JB - just a couple of ideas though. I look at AUKUS and what I am reminded of is someone about 17 on their P plates going all out to buy their first car. We have seen cuts (yes the current ALP government wanted to reign in the costs AKA cut) to the NDIS.
There will be other cuts to other things when the economy gets sorted out. All of the money from these cuts is most certainly going to the nuclear submarines we might or might not get depending on the whim of the sitting US president when the time comes for the US to hand them over.
We have had Australian companies making drones that the Ukrainians have been using to strike the Russians with. We could start backing these companies and others like them to build our own capabilities.
In dealing with the orange man we would do well to remember how Malcolm Turnbull handled him on the first phone call. Mal despite his faults stood his ground and made sure that the deal with the US that saw them take refugees from Nauru in exchange for some of their asylum seekers from South and Central America. Having seen Justin Trudeau's speech to the Canadians when Trump launched the tariffs, it looks like the way to deal with Trump is to stand up to him just as Mal did back in the day. Remember the post you did on Paul Keating dealing with Trump! I have heard that many of the places that had F@ck Trudeau signs have replaced them with F@ck Trump signs. The Canadians export a lot of things to the US including Uranium and power (they have an integrated electricity grid in some areas near the border. The Canadians could do some damage to the US economy should things go the way Trump wants them to.
There is only 4 years of Trump. The US midterms will be interesting. As will our election coming soon. Let's not forget that our own trade war with China is coming to an end and it looks like we did well. We diversified our export markets and the Chinese worked out that we were not going to be pushed around and with some help from our allies and trade partners we just got through the US might find out the hard way that the world is more integrated in terms of trade and tariffs are an indirect tax on imports. This tax would affect Jeff Bezos one of Trumps backers in a big way given most of the stock on Amazon is cheap Chinese goods. I suspect that Trump may not want to go through with Tariffs if the corporate backers decide that they don't want the hassle of dealing with the US Customs Service.
Despite the colourful descriptions, JB, you're as accurate as ever. If the wonks at Defence, Foreign Affairs, the various security agencies, and, frankly pretty much everywhere else aren't frantically trying to work out what happens when ANZUS and Five Eyes collapses in on itself before us, they aren't paying adequate attention.
My 30-year career working in and around government suggests that while this may be happening, there will be a *lot* of "well, this goes away in 4 years" and "just how bad could it be" going on. Public servants are conditioned to believing that everyone they interact or contend with operates by a set of rules that reasonable people to adhere to. Problem is, the people in charge in the US right now don't recognise "reasonable" as existing.
I've already said to more than one former colleague that the next 4-plus years will bring about some combination of The Handmaid's Tale (we're already seeing this in action), Garland's Civil War, and Charles Sheehan-Miles' unfinished America's Future trilogy.
I wonder how the Department of Home Affairs will deal with refugees from the US. I don't think that they will join the other refugees from Syria and Iraq and Afghanistan on Nauru.
As someone who long ago assessed refugee applications (like, back in Tiananmen Square times), there will be *issues*. Not least of which is at what point we acknowledge that queer people (especially trans folk), non-white people, and eventually, everyone identifying as a woman will need our careful attention.
What level of persecution will it take? Canada and Mexico will naturally be the first to have to deal with this in a meaningful sense.
Even if 60% of Australians decided that it is time to unhitch our wagon from the land of the free, we couldn't. With our two major parties firmly glued to the alliance, nothing will change. So much for democracy.
I'm glad I'm not the only one with a gloomy outlook. Marles does not inspire confidence that we know which way is up and Albo/Dutton under the circumstances frighten the shit out of me. Oh where can I buy an AR15 and ammo.
It seems to be becoming clear that the old boy is content to record daily segments of "The President Show" in between rounds of golf and sexual assault, while the Nerd Reich does the actual shredding of the American federal government for fun and profit (and a chunk of revenge). Who'd have thought you could buy the Presidency of the USA for a bit under $300 mil, though? Pretty cheap, really.
In any case, President Musk is busying himself with efficiently (he apparently thinks) running the government like a corporation, which never works, though he's probably hallucinating tremendous successes. His ketamine-fueled thrashing about will inflict immense damage on MAGAts and woke lefties alike, but, fortunately, their sacrifices are a cost that he's willing to have them bear.
It's definitely going to be an 'interesting' few years for Australia, but the 'American decline' has been expected for a while (and you can be sure the strategic implications have been worked through and frequently updated). We're probably in one of the "rapid decline" scenarios, at this point. I bet the old "Australia in the Asian Century" White Paper from 2012 is getting dusted off again as well!
"Actually, I have some ideas, but you won’t like them, and this post has already alienated enough subscribers."
That is the sort of stuff that I pay the sub money for. I still may not like the ideas, but at least there are more than are coming from Albanese or Dutton.
Exactly what I was about to ask! I'm not gonna be alienated...I'm guessing we've proabbly already considered these options too JB...
Same here ...
Seconded. Or thirded. Or.... whatever. I was actually speed reading the column to get to the ideas bit. Hit us with them (pretty please) JB?
You're clearly on the hook for a follow up JB. Your readers demands it!
I was wondering earlier: if the fascist tangerine gets unpleasant with their peaceful northern neighbour, does the Commonwealth mean anything? Even if it's just a polite throat-clearing & "I say, chaps, that's really not cricket - or baseball, whichever you American fellows prefer".
God I wish you were exaggerating JB.
‘How did it happen? Slowly, then rapidly’
Christ on a Cracker!!
I’ve been trying to dodge the insanity from a purely “if you can’t control the outcome then don’t waste energy on it.”
Now I feel like the preppers were actually onto a good thing. I’ll go buy some baked beans.
An incredibly grim yet undeniably accurate read on our current predicament.
So, what we need to work out is who loves Aussies? We can be their buddies, they can be ours, and we'll keep each other safe.
Given our history in the region, none of our neighbours are particularly enamoured with us. China's not a huge fan, although they love our minerals. India likes us a bit, although we've beaten them at cricket a little too much lately. We're not particularly closely aligned with the Middle East, South/Central America or Africa. Europe has their own problems. So what's left? Antarctica and New Zealand, pretty much, and the Orange Cthulhu Victim-Bully Vengeance State previously known as Murica.
Eeesh. We're totally fucked.
The lovely desk attendant at my Dentist’s surgery just got back from Central Europe. She had a lovely time BTW. I asked where she planned to go next. She said not the USA. You see she is Canadian-Australian and has no desire to visit the USA. Even if she did she has heard, from family and friends, US Border Force is giving Canadians a hard time. Being the innocent naive 70 year old that I am, I said travel on your Australian Passport. She told me that that wouldn’t work as the passports are linked and she would still be identified as Canadian. Can’t verify that but it feels right.
I can't help but notice that this concern over the collapse of the Western alliance and what we are about to experience is what a lot of folk in the world were experiencing when the Western alliance was functioning as intended. Its only worst-case scenarios when it starts happening to white - sorry Western people.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
And I feel fine.
Might be a good election to lose, let the other mob collect the war crimes and stupidity while in alliance
I dunno. If we can't change what's brewing and spewing out of the place across the peaceful ocean, we sure as hell can resist being party to a similar home-grown fuck-fare.
IMO we need buddy up with the rest of SE Asia and get everyone collaborating. Other than China's plan to annex Taiwan (which I suspect is more likely is gifted by Trump in exchange for a new set of golf clubs) they can largely take the high ground here. They are putting on more renewables than the rest of the world combined and is exported the capacity for the rest of the world to do so too.
America needs China more than China needs America. Expect them to fill the soft power gap that Trump's America is creating.
Good ideas JB - just a couple of ideas though. I look at AUKUS and what I am reminded of is someone about 17 on their P plates going all out to buy their first car. We have seen cuts (yes the current ALP government wanted to reign in the costs AKA cut) to the NDIS.
There will be other cuts to other things when the economy gets sorted out. All of the money from these cuts is most certainly going to the nuclear submarines we might or might not get depending on the whim of the sitting US president when the time comes for the US to hand them over.
We have had Australian companies making drones that the Ukrainians have been using to strike the Russians with. We could start backing these companies and others like them to build our own capabilities.
In dealing with the orange man we would do well to remember how Malcolm Turnbull handled him on the first phone call. Mal despite his faults stood his ground and made sure that the deal with the US that saw them take refugees from Nauru in exchange for some of their asylum seekers from South and Central America. Having seen Justin Trudeau's speech to the Canadians when Trump launched the tariffs, it looks like the way to deal with Trump is to stand up to him just as Mal did back in the day. Remember the post you did on Paul Keating dealing with Trump! I have heard that many of the places that had F@ck Trudeau signs have replaced them with F@ck Trump signs. The Canadians export a lot of things to the US including Uranium and power (they have an integrated electricity grid in some areas near the border. The Canadians could do some damage to the US economy should things go the way Trump wants them to.
There is only 4 years of Trump. The US midterms will be interesting. As will our election coming soon. Let's not forget that our own trade war with China is coming to an end and it looks like we did well. We diversified our export markets and the Chinese worked out that we were not going to be pushed around and with some help from our allies and trade partners we just got through the US might find out the hard way that the world is more integrated in terms of trade and tariffs are an indirect tax on imports. This tax would affect Jeff Bezos one of Trumps backers in a big way given most of the stock on Amazon is cheap Chinese goods. I suspect that Trump may not want to go through with Tariffs if the corporate backers decide that they don't want the hassle of dealing with the US Customs Service.
Despite the colourful descriptions, JB, you're as accurate as ever. If the wonks at Defence, Foreign Affairs, the various security agencies, and, frankly pretty much everywhere else aren't frantically trying to work out what happens when ANZUS and Five Eyes collapses in on itself before us, they aren't paying adequate attention.
My 30-year career working in and around government suggests that while this may be happening, there will be a *lot* of "well, this goes away in 4 years" and "just how bad could it be" going on. Public servants are conditioned to believing that everyone they interact or contend with operates by a set of rules that reasonable people to adhere to. Problem is, the people in charge in the US right now don't recognise "reasonable" as existing.
I've already said to more than one former colleague that the next 4-plus years will bring about some combination of The Handmaid's Tale (we're already seeing this in action), Garland's Civil War, and Charles Sheehan-Miles' unfinished America's Future trilogy.
I wonder how the Department of Home Affairs will deal with refugees from the US. I don't think that they will join the other refugees from Syria and Iraq and Afghanistan on Nauru.
As someone who long ago assessed refugee applications (like, back in Tiananmen Square times), there will be *issues*. Not least of which is at what point we acknowledge that queer people (especially trans folk), non-white people, and eventually, everyone identifying as a woman will need our careful attention.
What level of persecution will it take? Canada and Mexico will naturally be the first to have to deal with this in a meaningful sense.
Even if 60% of Australians decided that it is time to unhitch our wagon from the land of the free, we couldn't. With our two major parties firmly glued to the alliance, nothing will change. So much for democracy.
I'm glad I'm not the only one with a gloomy outlook. Marles does not inspire confidence that we know which way is up and Albo/Dutton under the circumstances frighten the shit out of me. Oh where can I buy an AR15 and ammo.
Avoid AR15s. They're wildly inaccurate and have a tendency to jam.
It seems to be becoming clear that the old boy is content to record daily segments of "The President Show" in between rounds of golf and sexual assault, while the Nerd Reich does the actual shredding of the American federal government for fun and profit (and a chunk of revenge). Who'd have thought you could buy the Presidency of the USA for a bit under $300 mil, though? Pretty cheap, really.
In any case, President Musk is busying himself with efficiently (he apparently thinks) running the government like a corporation, which never works, though he's probably hallucinating tremendous successes. His ketamine-fueled thrashing about will inflict immense damage on MAGAts and woke lefties alike, but, fortunately, their sacrifices are a cost that he's willing to have them bear.
It's definitely going to be an 'interesting' few years for Australia, but the 'American decline' has been expected for a while (and you can be sure the strategic implications have been worked through and frequently updated). We're probably in one of the "rapid decline" scenarios, at this point. I bet the old "Australia in the Asian Century" White Paper from 2012 is getting dusted off again as well!
So. How's your Mandarin?
In a world of distraction, nobody seems to be looking at the time. My watch shows 89 seconds to midnight..