19 April 2016

Out of Africa

| John Hargreaves
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I have been criticised for drawing attention to the effort mounted in Iraq and Syria to counter ISIS and its call on the lives of our soldiers.

My critics drew my attention to the knife wielding terrorist in Sydney as justification and also the large number of Australian citizens fighting with IS. There were 70 out of a population of over 26 million. Hmmmph!

I drew attention to the irony of this effort with the PM’s refusal to assist Kiribati and the Marshall Islands in their plight caused by rising sea levels due to climate change. Not a peep from the Abbott supporters on this one.

Now we see the PM exhorting people to tackle climate change even though he refused to follow Japan, Canada and the US in contributing to a climate change amelioration fund. Breathtaking hypocrisy!

Where are his defenders now? Double backflip and pike, degree of difficulty 6.5!

It also took some time and some kicking and screaming before Australia got into the action against the Ebola outbreak. A world-wide problem if ever there was one.

But hey! While we’re in Africa, what is Australia doing to counter Boko Haram? That ultra-Muslim group which kidnapped the 200 schoolgirls? They are still not back with their families, some reports have it that many of them have been sold off and Boko Haram is also engaging in atrocities like beheadings, ethnic cleansing, etc.

Where is the Deputy Sheriff now? Oh, I forgot! The US is nowhere near Nigeria so neither should we!

The Burmese government is engaging in the ethnic cleansing of the Mon people, many of whom are refugees living in Canberra among us right now. (see their tent at the Multicultural Festival in February). Where is the posse now?

Perhaps the American crusade has more to do with mineral reserves than we think or admit?

Perhaps the crusade is about image? Perhaps there are more questions than answers!

And before people criticise me for daring to draw attention to these issues, where are the posters extolling the good stuff? Where is the post which started the conversation with a bouquet for the federal government?

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Masquara said :

Gawd, and I thought the products of public schools circa 1960 tell us they were taught history.

I recall very little being taught about African history at least until 1965. We all had preconceived ideas about Africa from watching movies like African Queen, Zulu, Nor The Moon By Night.
Australian history was more interesting and more relevant in those days.

Gawd, and I thought the products of public schools circa 1960 tell us they were taught history.

The brutal truth John; nobody cares about Africa. I don’t remember the West invading Rwanda in 1994 to stop the genocide there (the Belgians and French were there without a lot of success).

The Middle East has oil (so does Nigeria and yes Australia buys some of oil from there) which is why the West doesn’t want the boat rocked in that part of the World.

neanderthalsis9:14 am 26 Nov 14

John, Op ASLAN currently has a small contingent of Australian troops in South Sudan in a training and monitoring role and through R2P we have poured a fair whack of dollars into Africa along with quite a few military and non-military personnel.

We have in the recent past sent troops to Somalia, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sierra Leonne, Mozambique and a few others. To my knowledge, we don’t have the literal boots on the ground which seems to so occupy your thoughts, but I know we have quite a few shiny diplomatic shoes distributing cash to the African Union and directly to governments to support action against Boko Haram and other Islamist hardline groups.

Boko Haram does not pose a direct threat to Australia, the few nutjobs we have encountered domestically have been waving the ISIS flag, so we are fighting ISIS.

For Kiribati and the Marshall Islands, Australian aid to Kiribati is about 20% of their GDP and for the Marshall Islands, our aid is equivalent to about 15% or GDP. With NZ aid and American aid, they are on quite an earner.

Foreign affairs don’t seem to be your strong point John, perhaps stick to potholes and public art.

John Hargreaves said :

HenryBG said :

The second crusade was almost a thousand years ago.
I think we’d be up to the “Tenth Crusade” now.

In fact, as the whole concept seems to carry overtones of failure – let’s call this, “The Second Reconquista”, and as John says, we have to be consistent – whether it’s Syria or Nigeria – we have to deal with all of them.
It is interesting that the islamic-related genocide that is occurring on our doorstep right now in West Papua doesn’t rate a mention on John’s list of things we aren’t doing….I wonder why the Left in this country consistently refuses to comment on this?

http://theconversation.com/all-the-ingredients-for-genocide-is-west-papua-the-next-east-timor-9340
https://www.facebook.com/freewestpapua

I apologise for leaving out West Papua. It is right to include that theatre.

Yes, they have the right to have their massacre’s reported along with everyone one else.

John Moulis said :

I have to say how disappointed I was in Abbott saying climate change is real and an important issue just a few days after he and his supporters criticised Obama for trying to “hijack” the G20 with the issue. It continues a pattern of duplicitous behaviour by Abbott, the latest being his breaking of the “no cuts to the ABC” promise.

In 2007 Abbott called climate change “absolute cr#p” and many were attracted to him because of that. Once he became Liberal leader he then started making pro-climate change noises, no doubt in response to opinion polls suggesting a majority of people supported the theory of climate change. Now as Prime Minister Abbott doesn’t know whether he is Arthur or Martha saying one thing one day then contradicting himself a few days later.

It appears that in his desire to please everybody by taking various positions on key issues he is pleasing nobody and the public is seeing through the facade. No wonder he is so far behind in the opinion polls.

Generally I agree with you but as climate, by definition, changes all the time, Abbott is correct about it being “real” but incorrect to say it is “important”.
Your Arthur or Martha analogy suits perfectly.
And what he said about climate change being “cr*p” is not correct – he actually said the science on climate change is “cr*p”.
He was 100% correct on that so the media reported it differently.
Abbott has made a few verbal slip-ups but he isn’t in the league of Gillard’s “hyperbowl” and “high dungeon” yet.

I have to say how disappointed I was in Abbott saying climate change is real and an important issue just a few days after he and his supporters criticised Obama for trying to “hijack” the G20 with the issue. It continues a pattern of duplicitous behaviour by Abbott, the latest being his breaking of the “no cuts to the ABC” promise.

In 2007 Abbott called climate change “absolute cr#p” and many were attracted to him because of that. Once he became Liberal leader he then started making pro-climate change noises, no doubt in response to opinion polls suggesting a majority of people supported the theory of climate change. Now as Prime Minister Abbott doesn’t know whether he is Arthur or Martha saying one thing one day then contradicting himself a few days later.

It appears that in his desire to please everybody by taking various positions on key issues he is pleasing nobody and the public is seeing through the facade. No wonder he is so far behind in the opinion polls.

John Hargreaves9:44 am 25 Nov 14

HenryBG said :

The second crusade was almost a thousand years ago.
I think we’d be up to the “Tenth Crusade” now.

In fact, as the whole concept seems to carry overtones of failure – let’s call this, “The Second Reconquista”, and as John says, we have to be consistent – whether it’s Syria or Nigeria – we have to deal with all of them.
It is interesting that the islamic-related genocide that is occurring on our doorstep right now in West Papua doesn’t rate a mention on John’s list of things we aren’t doing….I wonder why the Left in this country consistently refuses to comment on this?

http://theconversation.com/all-the-ingredients-for-genocide-is-west-papua-the-next-east-timor-9340
https://www.facebook.com/freewestpapua

I apologise for leaving out West Papua. It is right to include that theatre.

justin heywood10:31 pm 24 Nov 14

What is the point of posts like this? A discussion starter? – hardly, unless the OP is seeking a discussion of how he can find such a long-winded way into drawing such a long bow.

And for someone who, in previous posts, has claimed a qualification in ‘Defence Studies’ or similar, he has once again shown remarkable ignorance of Australian overseas involvement – ignorant or choosing to be ignorant of our roles in Timor or the Solomon Islands for example – both significant interventions with little or nothing to do with the US.

The fact that Australia hasn’t intervened in every world troubleshot proves nothing at all – only that the OP continues to work tirelessly to deliver increasingly tiresome new ways to deliver his one central thought. The Libs done it.

John, you are against Australian boots on the ground in Iraq/Syria – but pro boots on the ground in Nigeria. Why the different approach to each?
You don’t want Australia’s position on ebola to be considered in the context of our region, where if ebola reaches the Pacific our rapid-response team will be needed right nearby. Why don’t you want our region to be part of the considerations?
What action would you like Australia to take in Burma? Detail please.
Where’s your track record on developing expertise that allows you to contribute effectively to foreign affairs commentary, John?

dungfungus said :

HenryBG said :

The second crusade was almost a thousand years ago.
I think we’d be up to the “Tenth Crusade” now.

In fact, as the whole concept seems to carry overtones of failure – let’s call this, “The Second Reconquista”, and as John says, we have to be consistent – whether it’s Syria or Nigeria – we have to deal with all of them.
It is interesting that the islamic-related genocide that is occurring on our doorstep right now in West Papua doesn’t rate a mention on John’s list of things we aren’t doing….I wonder why the Left in this country consistently refuses to comment on this?

http://theconversation.com/all-the-ingredients-for-genocide-is-west-papua-the-next-east-timor-9340
https://www.facebook.com/freewestpapua

The left media in Australia (that includes the ABC) appear as apologists for Islamic extremists.

It’s an appalling state of real politik that no western government of any colour (or color) will take action on West Papua.

HenryBG said :

The second crusade was almost a thousand years ago.
I think we’d be up to the “Tenth Crusade” now.

In fact, as the whole concept seems to carry overtones of failure – let’s call this, “The Second Reconquista”, and as John says, we have to be consistent – whether it’s Syria or Nigeria – we have to deal with all of them.
It is interesting that the islamic-related genocide that is occurring on our doorstep right now in West Papua doesn’t rate a mention on John’s list of things we aren’t doing….I wonder why the Left in this country consistently refuses to comment on this?

http://theconversation.com/all-the-ingredients-for-genocide-is-west-papua-the-next-east-timor-9340
https://www.facebook.com/freewestpapua

For the same reason no one comments on Tibet. China and India are valuable trading partners. I don’t think any political party will talk about these two territories except maybe the Greens.

There is terrorism also occurring in Africa.

Labor bleeding heart lefties. How quick they forget their own miserable government failings and how quick the left are to whip themselves up a new frenzied attack and critisise others

July 3, 2012 SMH
FOR months Australian diplomats lobbied African leaders to give Julia Gillard a starring role at a top level regional summit and to spruik Australia’s security council campaign – only for the Prime Minister to knock back the invitation when it came.

Malawi President Joyce Banda, who was to host 54 leaders of the African Union next week, had written to Ms Gillard asking her to be the only non-African leader to attend the summit.

But when the invitation came – co-signed by the Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi and veteran Gabon political leader and African Union chairman, Jean Ping – Ms Gillard decided to knock it back.

over a year later and Labor still still crying foul and don’t realise why they were booted out of government and beaten by a gerkin headed Liberal .

suffer in your jocks.

HenryBG said :

The second crusade was almost a thousand years ago.
I think we’d be up to the “Tenth Crusade” now.

In fact, as the whole concept seems to carry overtones of failure – let’s call this, “The Second Reconquista”, and as John says, we have to be consistent – whether it’s Syria or Nigeria – we have to deal with all of them.
It is interesting that the islamic-related genocide that is occurring on our doorstep right now in West Papua doesn’t rate a mention on John’s list of things we aren’t doing….I wonder why the Left in this country consistently refuses to comment on this?

http://theconversation.com/all-the-ingredients-for-genocide-is-west-papua-the-next-east-timor-9340
https://www.facebook.com/freewestpapua

The left media in Australia (that includes the ABC) appear as apologists for Islamic extremists.

The second crusade was almost a thousand years ago.
I think we’d be up to the “Tenth Crusade” now.

In fact, as the whole concept seems to carry overtones of failure – let’s call this, “The Second Reconquista”, and as John says, we have to be consistent – whether it’s Syria or Nigeria – we have to deal with all of them.
It is interesting that the islamic-related genocide that is occurring on our doorstep right now in West Papua doesn’t rate a mention on John’s list of things we aren’t doing….I wonder why the Left in this country consistently refuses to comment on this?

http://theconversation.com/all-the-ingredients-for-genocide-is-west-papua-the-next-east-timor-9340
https://www.facebook.com/freewestpapua

Before a general comment on your latest Abbott hate post, a couple of corrections need to be made.
Australia’s population was estimated in 2013 to be 23.13 million. (source, Google)
Even though the recent arrivals are prolific breeders I don’t think they have added another 2 million odd in 12 months.
The “knife wielding terrorist” (who stabbed the two policemen on orders from ISIS) was a Melbourne resident.
The Kiribati and Marshall Islands are not being threatened by rising sea levels so there is no action required there and if there was, why would it be Australia’s responsibility?
You say Abbott refuses to “help” them. I am not sure what Shorten intends to do when he is PM but perhaps you could let us know.
The Ebola problem is best left in Africa but you can volunteer to go there – perhaps with that eccentric Greens senator who is planning such a stunt.
I do agree with you however that it is time for a global stand against extremist Islamists and a second Crusade may just happen.
Don’t expect a president from the USA whose second name is Hussein to lead the battle though. The current regime in Burma might be a better bet.

Breaking news: The Australian government, regardless of who is in power, quite literally picks its battles based on national interest.

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