Listen to a reading of this article (reading by Tim Foley): "NATO exists to manage the risks created by its existence,” Professor Richard Sakwa once wrote in an attempt to articulate the absurdity of the military alliance's provocative nature on the world stage. At some point Australians must wake up to the fact that this is equally true of AUKUS: we're told the military alliance exists for our protection, but its very existence makes us less safe.
For countries such as the UK, the Baltics and Poland, causing instability is government policy, as only instability lets them show their American master what loyal lackeys they are.
In the case of Poland, take away Russia and Poland would go from America's Special Little Buddy to an insignificant midtier backwater satrapy, like Colombia, if Colombia had delusions of grandeur but no cocaine.
Take away Russia, and Ukraine would go from Muh Beacon Of Global Democracy(tm) to a pariah state.
Are you paid by the Kremlin, Caitlin? That’s the sort of lazy trope they will hit you with as they did with my friend Dr Sakwa are who is mentioned in the opening of yet another excellent piece exposing the stupidity of the Australian government. When I had finished reading Dr Sakwa’s book I sent him a paper on it and his response was that I was being too hard on Ukraine. Therefore, no one can claim that he is a Russian asset. This epidemic of Russophobia afflicts only those who seek solace in a propagandised torpor. And now they are going for China as fellow journal John Pilger warned some time ago now. What they did to Ukraine they are planning for Taiwan - these recidivist neo-colonials are in for a rude awakening when the dollar is finally dropped. And the Global majority will prevail as the Western empire gradually crumbles into dust. And it cannot come too soon for the meek will inherit the earth.
Undoubtedly true throughout. NATO has been outdated for decades and is simply a pawn in the USAs world Empire building scheme. A complete outline including, roles, units, areas of operation was set in place in 1991. The European Army was very possible as far back as then. American dogma being too much for many member states, including France, who’s airforce remains separate but outside NATO denying it ever having an American commander.
The U.S. likes for propaganda reasons to have a partner nation when going into destroy an Idependent Sovereign country so that it can use the term ‘multinational’ peace keeping farce , sorry force! The U.K. being the pet poodle conditioned into the ‘special relationship’ fallacy, a wet dream that does not exist is whistled for first. But interestingly Denmark and Germany are willing candidates too.
As for the AUSUK pact of last Autumn. The U.K. will not be much help as the one working aircraft carrier is cruising around the Med without a single aircraft on board. The other remains permanently in dock with reactor issues. It has a single Squadron of American flown F35s minus one which went in the drink on take off on its maiden and only voyage (pilots safely ejected). Perhaps they could be used to launch a swarm of the popular cardboard drones being sold to the Ukraine by Australia? Darn it lost my lobbying commission there!
I’ve no doubt a speech and hot phone have been set up to inform the Aus President that tens of thousands of USA troops are on their way to US bases in Aus. Without doubt the MOU - Memorandum of Understanding that drafted these agreements would have a clause expanding and refining the roles and size of these bases at the Americans threat perception level. The call wouldn’t be asking for permission it would be informing them to put the thousands of coffee pots on.
Just one added comment from me here. I am impressed by the moral and intellectual integrity displayed by those who post their responses here. There is hope for our species yet !
This is so horrible, Caitlin. I've been thinking that all wars are caused by military alliances. Without them, there would only be skirmishes. It's definitely not protection and you're calling it exactly what it is.
Wolfowitz introduced a novel fuel in endless warfare as a replacement to finite markets as his prescribed growth hormone to capitalism.
The production of economic forces in war production would drive the engines of an oxymoronic artifice he called a ‘capitalist democracy’ in a NeoConservative economic theory of endless warfare.
War as capitalist-immortality is exactly what has taken America into the dark political madness of a gang claiming the world as its ‘turf’.
Some join the gang to be close to the power and benefit as long as power needs numbers.
Some defy the offers they can’t refuse and pay the dearest price of loss of national existence, or horribly maimed for eternity by weaponry used to ‘tetch them a lesson’.
NATO and AUKUS serve the purpose of numbers for the NeoCon gang, run from Wall Street the same way gangs across America and the world are run from prisons. Monetary policy and banking policy serve as enforcers to status-quo economic needs in a manner similar to the protection racket of a gang. ‘You can’t afford to be weak in the neighborhood so we’ll supply your guns for a small fee - and don’t step on our dollar or you’ll hurt, badly.’
AUKUS & NATO are gangs set up to patrol the neighborhood turf lines for Wall Street Profits preaching of salvation in ‘capitalist democracies’ - all neofascist in truth - and with faithful devotion to chaos and war as the prayerful answer bringing economic prosperity.
"It's the US empire driving Australia to its doom, to nobody's benefit but the US empire." True, but it needs to be said--the US empire does NOT equate to the people of the US, who get no more respect from these monsters than any other people.
Something perhaps insufficiently emphasized here is that there seems to be a plan to seriously risk nuclear war, perhaps even initiate it. If this happens, then being Australian/Chinese/American/French/Russian will be SO irrelevant because NONE OF US IS LIKELY TO SURVIVE it. In a sane world these people would have been rounded up and put in a quiet, caring very locked facility a long time ago. To say this is criminally insane is such an understatement. That so many people are going along with it is a testament to the efficacy of propaganda. But then--look at Jonestown, or that bunch who allowed themselves to be castrated and thena ll committed suicide in neat rows when the Hale-Bopp comet came through, with bus fare in their pockets because the comet was going to pick up their souls as it passed.
It's time for Australia to break out of the eternal loop of co-dependence with the US and chart its own destiny. Aussies, just say NO! to allowing any nuclear submarines or US troops on your lands! You've got a good economic relationship with China and no grudges against them (or they against you). Risking it all for the US is suicidal. Don't.
For countries such as the UK, the Baltics and Poland, causing instability is government policy, as only instability lets them show their American master what loyal lackeys they are.
In the case of Poland, take away Russia and Poland would go from America's Special Little Buddy to an insignificant midtier backwater satrapy, like Colombia, if Colombia had delusions of grandeur but no cocaine.
Take away Russia, and Ukraine would go from Muh Beacon Of Global Democracy(tm) to a pariah state.
Spot on! Same goes for NATO.
Are you paid by the Kremlin, Caitlin? That’s the sort of lazy trope they will hit you with as they did with my friend Dr Sakwa are who is mentioned in the opening of yet another excellent piece exposing the stupidity of the Australian government. When I had finished reading Dr Sakwa’s book I sent him a paper on it and his response was that I was being too hard on Ukraine. Therefore, no one can claim that he is a Russian asset. This epidemic of Russophobia afflicts only those who seek solace in a propagandised torpor. And now they are going for China as fellow journal John Pilger warned some time ago now. What they did to Ukraine they are planning for Taiwan - these recidivist neo-colonials are in for a rude awakening when the dollar is finally dropped. And the Global majority will prevail as the Western empire gradually crumbles into dust. And it cannot come too soon for the meek will inherit the earth.
Undoubtedly true throughout. NATO has been outdated for decades and is simply a pawn in the USAs world Empire building scheme. A complete outline including, roles, units, areas of operation was set in place in 1991. The European Army was very possible as far back as then. American dogma being too much for many member states, including France, who’s airforce remains separate but outside NATO denying it ever having an American commander.
The U.S. likes for propaganda reasons to have a partner nation when going into destroy an Idependent Sovereign country so that it can use the term ‘multinational’ peace keeping farce , sorry force! The U.K. being the pet poodle conditioned into the ‘special relationship’ fallacy, a wet dream that does not exist is whistled for first. But interestingly Denmark and Germany are willing candidates too.
As for the AUSUK pact of last Autumn. The U.K. will not be much help as the one working aircraft carrier is cruising around the Med without a single aircraft on board. The other remains permanently in dock with reactor issues. It has a single Squadron of American flown F35s minus one which went in the drink on take off on its maiden and only voyage (pilots safely ejected). Perhaps they could be used to launch a swarm of the popular cardboard drones being sold to the Ukraine by Australia? Darn it lost my lobbying commission there!
I’ve no doubt a speech and hot phone have been set up to inform the Aus President that tens of thousands of USA troops are on their way to US bases in Aus. Without doubt the MOU - Memorandum of Understanding that drafted these agreements would have a clause expanding and refining the roles and size of these bases at the Americans threat perception level. The call wouldn’t be asking for permission it would be informing them to put the thousands of coffee pots on.
Just one added comment from me here. I am impressed by the moral and intellectual integrity displayed by those who post their responses here. There is hope for our species yet !
Caitlin asks:
"why China would launch an unprovoked attack on Australia or its shipping routes;"
Easy answer: for the same reason Russia blew up its own $20 billion pipeline and launched an unprovoked war on Ukraine! hahahahahaha!
This is so horrible, Caitlin. I've been thinking that all wars are caused by military alliances. Without them, there would only be skirmishes. It's definitely not protection and you're calling it exactly what it is.
Wolfowitz introduced a novel fuel in endless warfare as a replacement to finite markets as his prescribed growth hormone to capitalism.
The production of economic forces in war production would drive the engines of an oxymoronic artifice he called a ‘capitalist democracy’ in a NeoConservative economic theory of endless warfare.
War as capitalist-immortality is exactly what has taken America into the dark political madness of a gang claiming the world as its ‘turf’.
Some join the gang to be close to the power and benefit as long as power needs numbers.
Some defy the offers they can’t refuse and pay the dearest price of loss of national existence, or horribly maimed for eternity by weaponry used to ‘tetch them a lesson’.
NATO and AUKUS serve the purpose of numbers for the NeoCon gang, run from Wall Street the same way gangs across America and the world are run from prisons. Monetary policy and banking policy serve as enforcers to status-quo economic needs in a manner similar to the protection racket of a gang. ‘You can’t afford to be weak in the neighborhood so we’ll supply your guns for a small fee - and don’t step on our dollar or you’ll hurt, badly.’
AUKUS & NATO are gangs set up to patrol the neighborhood turf lines for Wall Street Profits preaching of salvation in ‘capitalist democracies’ - all neofascist in truth - and with faithful devotion to chaos and war as the prayerful answer bringing economic prosperity.
Brilliant and terrifying article. Very hard to find other Australians that have a problem with this alliance and the trajectory we are on.
"It's the US empire driving Australia to its doom, to nobody's benefit but the US empire." True, but it needs to be said--the US empire does NOT equate to the people of the US, who get no more respect from these monsters than any other people.
Something perhaps insufficiently emphasized here is that there seems to be a plan to seriously risk nuclear war, perhaps even initiate it. If this happens, then being Australian/Chinese/American/French/Russian will be SO irrelevant because NONE OF US IS LIKELY TO SURVIVE it. In a sane world these people would have been rounded up and put in a quiet, caring very locked facility a long time ago. To say this is criminally insane is such an understatement. That so many people are going along with it is a testament to the efficacy of propaganda. But then--look at Jonestown, or that bunch who allowed themselves to be castrated and thena ll committed suicide in neat rows when the Hale-Bopp comet came through, with bus fare in their pockets because the comet was going to pick up their souls as it passed.
You can literally bet that any partnership with the US will be to the extreme disadvantage of the partner other than the US.
It's time for Australia to break out of the eternal loop of co-dependence with the US and chart its own destiny. Aussies, just say NO! to allowing any nuclear submarines or US troops on your lands! You've got a good economic relationship with China and no grudges against them (or they against you). Risking it all for the US is suicidal. Don't.
Ahh but there's money to be made. Money is all that monies, it even trumps nuclear annihilation believe it or not.
Self-licking Ice Cream Cone: See, NATO, AUKUS, MIC-IMATT
I wish you Aussies success in giving "our" troops the boot.
I will be happy to give them a warm welcome home. (And I mean this sincerely.)
We've got to defend ourselves against China's moves to defend itself.