Amid this week’s series of high-profile state visits to the White House, President Donald Trump made headlines once again—not for his usual bombast, but for his ignorance of the AUKUS agreement.George’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication.
Yet again, you express the truth so very clearly and despite the deluded politicians and others who would decry your words.
Keating, of course, was probably our most erudite and certainly our most incisive and articulate Prime Minister ever. His mind remains as sharp as ever, judging by what I read or see in the media.
If the Albanese government actually wants to remain in office, the one most significant act it could make would be to cancel the Aukus agreement and immediately improve and cement its alliances with Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
Australian governments have always been sycophantic followers of other nations, first of Britain and then of the USA. We have never had a truly independent foreign policy, in spite of clear evidence that we were considered sacrificial, (if it suited those major 'allies'), during WWII and only used for convenience of others ever since.
The obsolescence and stupidity of our nation continuing to be a subject of the obsolescent British monarchy which proved itself perfectly willing to engage in subterfuge with a Federal Opposition leader and a less than sober, competent or trustworthy Governor-General which we neither need nor should want, is evidence enough of the continuing failure of successive governments of either major party to put Australian interests and the Australian people first.
That continuous sycophancy and kowtowing, not least the latest failures to condemn Israel and the United States for its role in funding and arming its criminal Prime Minister, even to the point of *not* arresting him when he visited the US, thus showing its disdain for the UN and the principles upon which our international law is founded, already of course being displayed in its many other moves at the UN in support of Israel's perfidy.
When one steps back and takes a clear view of Australia's major international relationships, i.e. with Britain and then the USA, and the delusional fondness for the activities and institutions of those nations, it is not hard to see an unfortunate reflection of the worst aspects of the nation and an infantile devotion on our part to their most glossy but puerile offerings and portrayals through entertainment and ritual, looking very much as though intentional propaganda. I don't say that it has been but it certainly shares most of the attributes of such.
We need many more of Keating's intellect and insight and ability to make hard decisions without fear or favour - unfortunately they seem to be few on the ground or, perhaps, they are busy doing the hard yards in difficult, dangerous but compassionate work assisting the many human beings around the World who are in dire straits because of the abominable preoccupation of self-important demagogues or would-be so's, who would rather use massive resources to play unnecessary military games and purchase what almost always proves to be obsolescent hardware which to anyone of reasonable intelligence and intellect is obviously no more than a bluff of grandstanding that will repel no major power, should one choose to attack or occupy our continent.
If we really wish to provide most effectively for our own safety and ability to repel any attempt at an occupation of Australia, we would be far better off to take a leaf from Switzerland's book by both becoming neutral and focusing any military expenditure on intelligence and ability to ensure that the whole population is trained and ready to defend our nation should it be necessary.
Yes, of course I am aware of the significant differences in geography between ourselves and Switzerland but, although so different, in many ways we have comparable geo-political benefits if we chose to utilise them for defense and, at the same time, could reduce our positioning as a target by not chasing the coat-tails of northern hemisphere demigods who, if the chips are down, will attempt to save themselves rather than us.
Excellent post - echo all your points (including re Switzerland) - and dearly lament that we appear to have no-one of Keating’s calibre. If they’re hiding under a bushel, they better hurry up and emerge, time’s running out…..
Excellent post. Anyone with half a brain has long been concerned with our lackey ally status with the US who would dump us in a nanosecond if needed and/or use our bodies in a war against China as they have done the Ukrainians against Russia.
Bravo, George. The US has never been able to be trusted - not even back in the days when MacArthur was based here after his escape by the skin-of-his-teeth from The Philippines. Paul Keating on the other hand - his sights are and have always been set clearly on Australia and what is best for us here! Not rushing off to be glad-handed by a British PM (and what a run of comic cartoons over the past decade they have been right up until this Starmer character) or a US President (who might be lucky to have remembered their name - or even to to recognise that awkward acronym AUKUS - some wit has suggested the reverse order with Australia at the "a*se-end" as more appropriate - USUKA). And that is NOT what is best for the US wherever it wants to drag us into - served well here alas by its ASPI funded fifth columnists and its own vested interests - aligned carefully with those here in our media and other "think" tanks and politicians on the US "payroll".
Interesting, but sorry I do not understand all this AngloAmericanAustralian PARANOIA: Security??
Sorry What? Who? Why Security is so falsely used to cover the opposite: the aggression and dictatorship that those Countries love?
One for all: The RIDICULOUS FAKE NAME you AngloAmericanAustralian are giving to the Army, as Israel btw, Ministry of Defense... Defense? If you have been attacking everybody in this world since 100 years!!
And my curious: What about you 3 warmonger countries attacking with a DoS attack Deep Seek servers that day after they announced their models? Did Deep Seek attacked you and how?
The english native speaking Countries are the WORST EVIL Ever in history, and all of the problems we have in the World are because of them ONLY!
'Australia’s best path forward lies not in its blind allegiance to Washington, but in a more pragmatic, independent approach...'
But will the current batch of mainstream political leaders accept the reality and act responsibly? Or will they, like the EU leaders, continue to be blindly driven by neoliberal, globalist agendas?
It defies logic to place your trust in a nation with a long and ugly reputation for waging one lie based war of aggression after another and has threatened the ICC [under Trump last time round] ruined the lifes of those who dare to expose the war crimes it has committed in the process, and still the message that I'm reading is that we need to continue with this unholy alliance in case there's a genuine emergency?
Then there's the US role with AU's inner party coups from Whitlam to Rudd their involvement has been proven far as I'm concerned it's time to close all US military bases.
Keating makes a lot good points why we don't need to be America's ''bitch'' we can and we should be looking after ourselves and we definitely don't need to waste 368 Billion of public funds or around $14000 per person on submarines regardless whether they're nuclear when funds need to be invested on improving social infrastructure projects.
Any US Empire vassal government that relies on Eternal Grift from Washington is in trouble, even if they won't admit it yet. How many Australian "independent" media outlets are suddenly in financial trouble now? Serious question for any Aussies reading this.
Both Australia and New Zealand would be better off if they started thinking of ways to move forward WITHOUT American approval and oversight, because they're going to have to do that anyway, but I bet it hasn't even occurred to their leaders yet.
And lo…as we read this there is a U.S. Submarine docked in Perth…with all the hot air being expended over 3 PLA Naval Vessels somewhere in the southwestern Pacific.
Not that any PLA Naval presence around this big red rock gives me a hint of concern, but it does illustrate the “One Way Street” that AUKUS has bound us into.
Yet again, you express the truth so very clearly and despite the deluded politicians and others who would decry your words.
Keating, of course, was probably our most erudite and certainly our most incisive and articulate Prime Minister ever. His mind remains as sharp as ever, judging by what I read or see in the media.
If the Albanese government actually wants to remain in office, the one most significant act it could make would be to cancel the Aukus agreement and immediately improve and cement its alliances with Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
Australian governments have always been sycophantic followers of other nations, first of Britain and then of the USA. We have never had a truly independent foreign policy, in spite of clear evidence that we were considered sacrificial, (if it suited those major 'allies'), during WWII and only used for convenience of others ever since.
The obsolescence and stupidity of our nation continuing to be a subject of the obsolescent British monarchy which proved itself perfectly willing to engage in subterfuge with a Federal Opposition leader and a less than sober, competent or trustworthy Governor-General which we neither need nor should want, is evidence enough of the continuing failure of successive governments of either major party to put Australian interests and the Australian people first.
That continuous sycophancy and kowtowing, not least the latest failures to condemn Israel and the United States for its role in funding and arming its criminal Prime Minister, even to the point of *not* arresting him when he visited the US, thus showing its disdain for the UN and the principles upon which our international law is founded, already of course being displayed in its many other moves at the UN in support of Israel's perfidy.
When one steps back and takes a clear view of Australia's major international relationships, i.e. with Britain and then the USA, and the delusional fondness for the activities and institutions of those nations, it is not hard to see an unfortunate reflection of the worst aspects of the nation and an infantile devotion on our part to their most glossy but puerile offerings and portrayals through entertainment and ritual, looking very much as though intentional propaganda. I don't say that it has been but it certainly shares most of the attributes of such.
We need many more of Keating's intellect and insight and ability to make hard decisions without fear or favour - unfortunately they seem to be few on the ground or, perhaps, they are busy doing the hard yards in difficult, dangerous but compassionate work assisting the many human beings around the World who are in dire straits because of the abominable preoccupation of self-important demagogues or would-be so's, who would rather use massive resources to play unnecessary military games and purchase what almost always proves to be obsolescent hardware which to anyone of reasonable intelligence and intellect is obviously no more than a bluff of grandstanding that will repel no major power, should one choose to attack or occupy our continent.
If we really wish to provide most effectively for our own safety and ability to repel any attempt at an occupation of Australia, we would be far better off to take a leaf from Switzerland's book by both becoming neutral and focusing any military expenditure on intelligence and ability to ensure that the whole population is trained and ready to defend our nation should it be necessary.
Yes, of course I am aware of the significant differences in geography between ourselves and Switzerland but, although so different, in many ways we have comparable geo-political benefits if we chose to utilise them for defense and, at the same time, could reduce our positioning as a target by not chasing the coat-tails of northern hemisphere demigods who, if the chips are down, will attempt to save themselves rather than us.
Excellent post - echo all your points (including re Switzerland) - and dearly lament that we appear to have no-one of Keating’s calibre. If they’re hiding under a bushel, they better hurry up and emerge, time’s running out…..
Excellent post. Anyone with half a brain has long been concerned with our lackey ally status with the US who would dump us in a nanosecond if needed and/or use our bodies in a war against China as they have done the Ukrainians against Russia.
Bravo, George. The US has never been able to be trusted - not even back in the days when MacArthur was based here after his escape by the skin-of-his-teeth from The Philippines. Paul Keating on the other hand - his sights are and have always been set clearly on Australia and what is best for us here! Not rushing off to be glad-handed by a British PM (and what a run of comic cartoons over the past decade they have been right up until this Starmer character) or a US President (who might be lucky to have remembered their name - or even to to recognise that awkward acronym AUKUS - some wit has suggested the reverse order with Australia at the "a*se-end" as more appropriate - USUKA). And that is NOT what is best for the US wherever it wants to drag us into - served well here alas by its ASPI funded fifth columnists and its own vested interests - aligned carefully with those here in our media and other "think" tanks and politicians on the US "payroll".
Interesting, but sorry I do not understand all this AngloAmericanAustralian PARANOIA: Security??
Sorry What? Who? Why Security is so falsely used to cover the opposite: the aggression and dictatorship that those Countries love?
One for all: The RIDICULOUS FAKE NAME you AngloAmericanAustralian are giving to the Army, as Israel btw, Ministry of Defense... Defense? If you have been attacking everybody in this world since 100 years!!
And my curious: What about you 3 warmonger countries attacking with a DoS attack Deep Seek servers that day after they announced their models? Did Deep Seek attacked you and how?
The english native speaking Countries are the WORST EVIL Ever in history, and all of the problems we have in the World are because of them ONLY!
'Australia’s best path forward lies not in its blind allegiance to Washington, but in a more pragmatic, independent approach...'
But will the current batch of mainstream political leaders accept the reality and act responsibly? Or will they, like the EU leaders, continue to be blindly driven by neoliberal, globalist agendas?
No surprise, George - no surprise at all. Excellent post.
It defies logic to place your trust in a nation with a long and ugly reputation for waging one lie based war of aggression after another and has threatened the ICC [under Trump last time round] ruined the lifes of those who dare to expose the war crimes it has committed in the process, and still the message that I'm reading is that we need to continue with this unholy alliance in case there's a genuine emergency?
Then there's the US role with AU's inner party coups from Whitlam to Rudd their involvement has been proven far as I'm concerned it's time to close all US military bases.
Keating makes a lot good points why we don't need to be America's ''bitch'' we can and we should be looking after ourselves and we definitely don't need to waste 368 Billion of public funds or around $14000 per person on submarines regardless whether they're nuclear when funds need to be invested on improving social infrastructure projects.
We US citizens can't even trust our government/governments. We pay, they waste. We say no war. They say WARS. We seriously NEED to Rise Up every day!
Trump cannot be trusted: end of discussion.
Any US Empire vassal government that relies on Eternal Grift from Washington is in trouble, even if they won't admit it yet. How many Australian "independent" media outlets are suddenly in financial trouble now? Serious question for any Aussies reading this.
Both Australia and New Zealand would be better off if they started thinking of ways to move forward WITHOUT American approval and oversight, because they're going to have to do that anyway, but I bet it hasn't even occurred to their leaders yet.
Trump thinks Austr(al)ia is a neutral country somewhere near Ukraine.
Not to worry, his advisors will remind him Oz is an essential staging area for the coming war on China.
Bravo 👏
And lo…as we read this there is a U.S. Submarine docked in Perth…with all the hot air being expended over 3 PLA Naval Vessels somewhere in the southwestern Pacific.
Not that any PLA Naval presence around this big red rock gives me a hint of concern, but it does illustrate the “One Way Street” that AUKUS has bound us into.