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Andrew Thomas's avatar

Great essay. Makes a lot of what is not understandable otherwise perfectly clear, and not just with regard to China. Europe’s behavior regarding Ukraine was unfathomable to me until I read this. The US Empire is exactly what Mearscheimer (sp?) says it is. As your former PM Whitlam found out 40+ years ago. As an American, all that I can say is...nothing, really. Sorry won’t cut it. What a horror show.

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Contrarian 33's avatar

Just as a country like Australia, populated as it is by mediocrity in the parliamentary benches in Canberra with part Americans like our Defence Minister Marles selling us down the river, we are now viewed by the world as an easily managed bit player in a soon-to-be historical end-of-world extravaganza called World War 3, orchestrated by the producers hiding in the US military / industrial complexes and then directed by a feeble person called Biden, operating under the direction of the Israeli-based US policy controller Netanyahu, overseeing both houses of the US government. What a scenario!

This then is our fate in Australia?

One should look at the worthy objectives of Australians for War Powers Reform and even go one step further. Let us not wait until a vote is taken for an involvement in a US-initiated war but even before Australia is forced to put into effect any plans that are a legal or moral commitment to a future war. Leaving such a decision to an elected government in this country is the greatest danger we have right now. We have a Defence Minister also holding the role of Deputy Prime Minister who is so oriented toward and controlled by the United States that he no longer should be allowed to fill the roles he currently enjoys. Other Ministers. Let us hear their voices so they can be judge as to their loyalty to their electorates, to young families, to the future generations.

Un-Australian activities? Worth setting up a Royal Commission on that subject before it is too late. There must a judge somewhere who is not a US sycophant. Surely.

Technically, Marles is not really an Australian Why? He is not concentrating on responding to the needs of this country. They do not include a war. They do not include selling out this country to fulfil a role as convenient errand boy for the greatest criminal country in the history of our globe in its non-stop drive for total world domination….and profit. Those points alone make his actions and behaviour alien to the best interests of Australia.

If he was a genuine Australian, he would be primarily concerned with being totally assured of the support of all Australians in this country. He has not consulted widely, thinking that being an elected Minister, yes, even a Deputy Prime Minister as he likes to be known, allows him the power to commit young people to die because of a country called China, a country that is not a threat to Australia, but is purely a threat to the world management ambitions of a power hungry foreign country called America, losing credibility daily and controlled by a military / industrial complex that profits by its continued unrestricted progress to absolute world power. The last time we saw any similarity to a similar world climate as exists today was in the preparations by Adolph Hitler in the 1930’s. Germany vs the world. Errand boy, Mussolini, against the wishes of the majority of his people in Italy.

Today. USA vs the world. Errand boy, Australia. 25 million people dominated by a disrespected bully and a collection of servile (to the USA) Australian politicians.

Germany 1930. USA, 2023. Where is the difference?

Wake up world. The US administration has got almost every country by the vitals, one way or another, through economical manipulation, sanctions, military threats, bullying, foreign bases and any kind of blackmail one can imagine. It is the nature of the beast. Not a country as it used to be . A different philosophy, which I am certain does not carry the feelings of American people. I know so many. They are not of the same breed as a Nuland or a Clinton, a Pompeo, a Blinken, a Bolton. or a feeble Biden. Not the ones I know and like.

This is not the world we or our children want. There is just one perpetrator of this crime. Let the people decide. NOW!

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Graeme A Rickards's avatar

As far as I can tell, Australian MPs have no duty of care or responsibility to the interests of Australian citizenry. On swearing in, our newly elected MPs pledge fealty to the British Crown which is a de facto allegiance to the US. The only place where they might be impugned is the court of public opinion. That means waging a counter narrative, a broad and direct illumination of the fact that we live a lie of independence, sovereignty and self-determination, and the fact that our paid representatives do not represent our interests. It also means taking historic responsibility for aiding and abetting grotesque abuses perpetrated in our name. I think most Australians would be incensed at the idea that they are vassals of a foreign power and that they have been deliberately deceived, but it means unpacking some very strident mythology and the vast program of propaganda. And I'm still not sure if many people can actually imagine what we are talking about here. It is so far outside the frame of their worldview that they stumble back into la-la-land of mind-numbing media and false ideas shoved down their necks like fast food. Not sure what it would take to get the populace to revolt, but that's probably what it's going to take. Maybe they can be convinced that it is better to suffer the wrath of an Empire scorned, to suffer for a chance at peace and a future, than to chance it with an insane Empire in the violent throes of disintegration.

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Patricia Blair's avatar

Americans are being fed the China lie, too, just as we were the Russian, Iraq, Iran, etc. so weary of this crap!

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Debbie Tucker's avatar

All who are tired of it need to learn the reality about the US greedy sociopaths taking over countries since WW2 to EMBEZZLE from their governments!! Then everything becomes clear - and then we have the information we need to REMOVE "the consent of the governed", oust the monstrous sociopathic money addicts in the corruption cartel and the WEF (created and directed by the US) and change everything for the better!

It is CRUCIAL for us to know how this scam is done and know the lies they use to hide it from the public. The overview/exposé below is just 6 paragraphs to show us what is behind the curtain of lies they dupe us with. Information is power, and knowing what the scammers hide from us will mean we can do good OFFENSE and be effective in fighting the corrupt liars, not just keep reacting as the sociopaths continue to escalate their tyranny and oppression, and take everything from us.

Here is what the US criminals have done all over the world, since WW2:

1. Take over a country by coup, assassination, lies about government being corrupt or by threat or invasion so they can...

2. Implement their EMBEZZLING scam of "privatization", taking over government services & systems and national assets so the corrupt liars can handle fiat government money & BILL THE GOVERNMENT ANY AMOUNT for running such things; they provide themselves with massive exec salaries and insanely high profits, becoming oligarchs and billionaires.

3. Lie to the public ENDLESSLY to keep us duped.

4. Praise leaders who submit to US corruption & demonize leaders who RESIST or reverse it - like Putin, who reversed the US plundering done under US puppet Yeltsin, like Chavez and Maduro in Venezuela, like Gaddafi wanting things nationalized and government money going to THE PEOPLE, like Morales in Bolivia, like Assad who said NO to a US pipeline through Syria, and so on.

We also need to know that the demonization of both Russia and China is part of the multipronged US sabotage of the BRICS coalition since 2006. The greedy sociopathic money ADDICTS hate that those two countries are doing fair deals with other countries and helping them escape US control, corruption, privatization and loansharking.

Also, vax co's & digital ID systems to control & subjugate us are "privatized" (as are quarantine camps). The scheme was to get TRILLIONS from many govts FOREVER while arranging to squash us so we could never rise up to stop their corruption, tyranny and inhumanity. They tried many pandemics previously to enrich themselves with government money; this was the most coordinated one - and used the most coercion.

More specifics re "privatization" embezzling: Yes, in general a government can issue ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY for anything that is physically possible; the corrupt know this and have used that knowledge to scam the public and embezzle government money. They take over government services, conning the public about "saving money" and being "more efficient", but those are lies. The costs actually become higher because the corrupt liars overbill the govt for everything, billing ANY AMOUNT, providing massive exec salaries and insanely high profits, as already mentioned. And they give us REDUCED services, because their sociopathic greed and money addiction means they take more for themselves and do not supply what they are supposed to supply for us.

Basically, the US has built a global corruption cartel, taking over countries (and their media) to EMBEZZLE from their governments. The UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand were coopted and corrupted in the 70s-80s; the massive embezzling that ensued by taking over the many dozens of government services, support systems, assets and resources they had is what gave rise to the billionaire class in the 80s!

We need a successful INTERVENTION on the lunatic money addicts in power who lie, destroy and KILL for more "money fixes". They are totally UNFIT TO GOVERN and should face charges of dereliction of duty, violating the Constitution, embezzling federal money, crimes against humanity, violating the Nuremberg code, war crimes and more.

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CarbonCopy's avatar

This is exactly what I say to (a little bit more clearly perhaps) but there is no denying the truth! These parasites are not Americans! They are a criminal organization across the world and use us people as chattel to maintain a lie for their own gains. At this point having all the money means that they are after power and control. Who wants Mass Murdering Sociopaths in control of anything!?

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Dave T's avatar

They are predominantly Zionists

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Kevin's avatar

To the north of the great Satan lies Canada. Same shit applies. They wanted our resources. And we were told by the USA to shut it down to face severe consequences. We did not. They sent environazis and got Trudeau elected.

Forget China. The USA is the enemy of everyone.

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Debbie Tucker's avatar

And...everything becomes clear when we understand that the US sociopaths have been taking over countries since WW2 to EMBEZZLE from their governments!!

It is CRUCIAL for us to know how this scam is done and know the lies they use to hide it from the public. The overview/exposé below is just 6 paragraphs to show us what is behind the curtain of lies they dupe us with. Information is power, and knowing what the scammers hide from us will mean we can do good OFFENSE and be effective in fighting the corrupt liars, not just keep reacting as the sociopaths continue to escalate their tyranny and oppression, and take everything from us.

Here is what the US criminals have done all over the world, since WW2:

1. Take over a country by coup, assassination, lies about government being corrupt or by threat or invasion so they can...

2. Implement their EMBEZZLING scam of "privatization", taking over government services & systems and national assets so the corrupt liars can handle fiat government money & BILL THE GOVERNMENT ANY AMOUNT for running such things; they provide themselves with massive exec salaries and insanely high profits, becoming oligarchs and billionaires.

3. Lie to the public ENDLESSLY to keep us duped.

4. Praise leaders who submit to US corruption & demonize leaders who RESIST or reverse it - like Putin, who reversed the US plundering done under US puppet Yeltsin, like Chavez and Maduro in Venezuela, like Gaddafi wanting things nationalized and government money going to THE PEOPLE, like Morales in Bolivia, like Assad who said NO to a US pipeline through Syria, and so on.

We also need to know that the demonization of both Russia and China is part of the multipronged US sabotage of the BRICS coalition since 2006. The greedy sociopathic money ADDICTS hate that those two countries are doing fair deals with other countries and helping them escape US control, corruption, privatization and loansharking.

Also, vax co's & digital ID systems to control & subjugate us are "privatized" (as are quarantine camps). The scheme was to get TRILLIONS from many govts FOREVER while arranging to squash us so we could never rise up to stop their corruption, tyranny and inhumanity. They tried many pandemics previously to enrich themselves with government money; this was the most coordinated one - and used the most coercion.

More specifics re "privatization" embezzling: Yes, in general a government can issue ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY for anything that is physically possible; the corrupt know this and have used that knowledge to scam the public and embezzle government money. They take over government services, conning the public about "saving money" and being "more efficient", but those are lies. The costs actually become higher because the corrupt liars overbill the govt for everything, billing ANY AMOUNT, providing massive exec salaries and insanely high profits, as already mentioned. And they give us REDUCED services, because their sociopathic greed and money addiction means they take more for themselves and do not supply what they are supposed to supply for us.

Basically, the US has built a global corruption cartel, taking over countries (and their media) to EMBEZZLE from their governments. The UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand were coopted and corrupted in the 70s-80s; the massive embezzling that ensued by taking over the many dozens of government services, support systems, assets and resources they had is what gave rise to the billionaire class in the 80s!

We need a successful INTERVENTION on the lunatic money addicts in power who lie, destroy and KILL for more "money fixes". They are totally UNFIT TO GOVERN and should face charges of dereliction of duty, violating the Constitution, embezzling federal money, crimes against humanity, violating the Nuremberg code, war crimes and more.

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Marci Sudlow's avatar

In a microcosm of US federal Government, our state and local police departments are an extortionist racket on the same plan. Seizure of assets is the raison d'etre for every authority institution in our corrupt country.

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bill wolfe's avatar

This is bullshit: "environazis"

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Kevin's avatar

How so? What do you call people who burn forestry equipment and physically assault workers to stop legal work? What do you call elected officials paying for lies in newspapers? The work being done was under the strictest regulations on the planet. Nobody was arrested or charged. Legal workers attacked and threatened by nazi thugs.

We had an American environmental charity, send thugs from California to interrupt our legal business. The charity is funded by the Koch brothers, wall street and Bahrain. They stopped pipelines from being built with support from the political party running government. So, a bunch of foreign actors with support of police and government used force against Canadian workers and companies who were following the law. That is what NAZI's do to get their way. Intimidate, harass and attack.

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bill wolfe's avatar

I'm so glad you self disclosed.

Your own words are far more damning than anything I could write!

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Kevin's avatar

I self disclosed? Nazis are a two way street. You obviously think that your love of violence for your special interest is worthy cause, and yet you condemn others for doing the same methods. Hilariously hypocritical.

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Contrarian 33's avatar

You've said it before, Caitlin. The trouble with Australia is America. Restated today in no uncertain terms supported by the intelligent words of John Mearsheimer.

The feeble politician in Canberra went to the cricket then signed Australia away forever the next day.

Albabese should have stayed at the cricket in India. We might have won that game. We lost the one in the USA, and how.

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Fran's avatar

I think the outcome in Ukraine will very much determine what our policies will be in regard to China, and whether we continue to pursue a hegemonic agenda in this world. Hopefully it will not be a win for the US, and hopefully will result in a lot of negative feedback from NATO countries which might encourage us to adopt a more humanitarian policy, or a more practical one in terms of dealing with the world. We proclaim our sensitivity to systemic injustices and prejudices yet we threaten entire countries that we are in alignment with, like Australia, and demand they do our bidding, or else. I guess if a country could be defined in human terms we suffer from anti social personality disorder. We feel no guilt, no remorse, nor empathy. We're reckless, impulsive, exploitive , deceitful, and negate and violate the rights of others. America needs to step aside and do some soul searching, before we destroy this world.

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CarbonCopy's avatar

I think it is far worse. These few are using all of us! They are the only ones that profit from any of these horrible situations they put all countries in. These people need to be put on trial and then after a shit meal beheaded by guillotine face up to see it coming.

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CarbonCopy's avatar

One more thing these few Elites don't care what others say they do what they want and everyone goes along with it (or else) like Australia has to do!

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Fran's avatar

These few? I'm talking about a mindset of the American government which is determined to be number one in the world and dictate policy to the rest of it.

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CarbonCopy's avatar

That is a controlled mindset. The entire political system is bought and paid for by a select few.

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Fran's avatar

Agreed!

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Antipodes's avatar

“It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal”

Henry Kissinger, 1968.

And that has not changed.

One day our Pollies are kissing China behinds with trade this and new markets that. But the next day we are AUKUS this and US integration that.

Where does Aus sit?

Oh and did you see how we have gone to a nuclear country now? No one, not even you Caitlin, pickup up on that little detail. No one has said Boo about it.

Aus is now a nuclear powered Armed Force. Never before have we been that. Never.

Next step, with US integration, is nuclear weapons.

Doomed is what we are.

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Doris Wrench Eisler's avatar

Well, Mearsheimer's right: Australia seems to have few options: If it becomes too much of a nuisance under US tutelage, China might decide it's a thorn in their flesh, cut it loose, and it would have to go the default austerity route (are wallabies edible?) with GDP invested into US MIC weapons and subs of no constructive value, even in a shooting war ( I mean, get real - that would be the gateway to hell) : adjust to a very low standard of living, and forget national pride, that's not for the likes of lackeys. On the plus side, it might avoid a trip to the US woodshed. And there is no guarantee of that, even. Either that or it aligns with a powerful country that has a dependable rule of law, and isn't out to screw it: China. Not an easy choice. but I know what I would choose. The Global South's sun is rising. But just maybe, Australia is a master at balancing acts, and it can have it all.

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Mona Mistric's avatar

The US sure is a terrible ally. With friends like that who needs enemies.

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Third-Eye Roll's avatar

I know next to nothing about Australia, but I know more about the tiny island nation on America's doorstep, Cuba, which, for over sixty-years, has steadfastly and successfully resisted not only the U.S.'s attempts at overthrow, but also its attempts at assassination. Unlike Cuba, Australia has the advantage of distance and the protection of a powerful potential ally: China. In any case, the best hope for Australia and the world is for the western nations to form an alliance of resistance to the U.S. that no longer allows itself to be bullied. American's know all too well the catch-22 of remaining in the U.S. to be victims of its shitty domestic policy, or go abroad and be victim to its repressive foreign policy. The question for everyone involved is: is it better to suffer obeying a cruel lunatic or suffer resisting him? Cuba made that choice long ago and they're still doing it -- in the face of the beast itself -- and if that small island can do it all on its own, so can Australia and everyone else, especially if they unite.

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flipshod's avatar

I agree. I don't see the US in a military conflict against a China-aligned Australia. We are too bound by history, culture, and language (things that are ignored when taking the materialist/realist logic to its extreme).

The front line in this is Ukraine and whether or not it ends with NATO dissolving. If Europe wakes up and resists the US, the world might be able to check the US into some kind of stalemate.

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Stephen Keilty's avatar

I would just like to say, F**K the Empire, F**K its billionaire masters, and F**K its parasitic managers.

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Lisa Savage's avatar

There is only one way to deal successfully with bullies. Just look at Cuba.

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chris's avatar

"And when we are not happy you do not want to underestimate how nasty we can be. Just ask Fidel Castro.”" Or Germany about Nordstream! And the glove haven't even come off yet!

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CarbonCopy's avatar

Well that just makes me even more disgusted that this filth is allowed to do such a thing! It is unfortunate that perhaps Australia doesn't have the protection of the Chinese and a few of their bases because it would have been an entirely different conversation then wouldn't it have! This is a very excellent piece of information here Caitlin clearly showing the beast for what it is. It also verifies my claim that War is for rich filth to get richer using the blood of the poor! This is a rich company being protected not the people of the country! Gas! These are companies that are being protected in wars around the world using the poor people of the world to do it! They even make us pay for their protection! Anytime the US claims it's in the interest of the country it's only in the interest of. 05% of the country! These people are parasites of the worse sort.

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unwarranted's avatar

The fear behind the support Washington position, and fear is the right word, is not that China is fixing to attack, but that China represents no freedom. Some anonymous bureaucrat decides how much of what you earn goes to the state, and how little you get to keep. Individuals in China are invisible. That massive population toils to enrich an all-powerful, tiny minority. DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR??

On the other hand, China’s military budget is minuscule, it has 3 foreign military bases, and it is communist. So American propaganda, as it diverts taxpayer monies to its war machine, goes full/tilt big lie mode. The government that has turned its back on its huge majority somehow gets their gung-ho, emotional, if irrational, complete undiscriminating support. Because they believe they are free. Truth is stranger than bull__it.

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Britton Leo Kerin's avatar

The US really can't do shit, for the exact reason you frequently mention: there's no way to stuff US aggression against Australia into the narrative. Australia already almost doesn't need US trade and it will soon be entirely irrelevant. If the Saudis can tell the US to fuck off Australia certainly can.

The actual problem is simply that the leadership is entirely sold out, and as usual this is mostly a consequence of the almost total lack of real political competition. rangevoting.org

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bill wolfe's avatar

A good read to understand exactly what Mearsheimer was driving at with the Castro remark is John Perkins' book "Confessions of an Economic Hitman".

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