The Inevitable War - Keating goes bang

[Donakebab]

I only caught the end of his National Press Club Q&A bit that was ****ing intense. Absolute smack downs on Sky and the SMH.

 

[Not Important]

my humble apology to keating for suggesting he should follow the lead of julia gillard and keep politically quiet. he’s one ex polly worth hearing.

 

[QuietB]

It was spoken about in the 30s by US General Smedley Butler:

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer; a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.

It’s no secret. Dwight Eisenhower warned about the influence of the Military Industrial Complex in his farewell speech, and lamented that society had become more focused on spending money on weapons rather than social services:

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.

This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some fifty miles of concrete pavement. We pay for a single fighter with a half-million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people. . . . This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.

And now we get Spud Dutton itching to cut the NDIS and Aged Care to fund 5 submarines.

To me it’s very obvious. Governments influenced by weapons manufacturers find “enemies”

Is it not obvious they’ve switched to China after people got sick of hearing how Muslims in the Middle East were the existential threat, to the point we need to fight them over there before they come here?

It’s “yellow peril”, it’s a “red scare”. Media which gets more views, clicks and ad revenue from scaremongering about “the enemy”, and ASPI affiliated arms manufacturers who’s share prices have all risen despite recent Dow Jones falls because they know the government is focused on increasing military spending.

 

[Festerz]

Paul Keating at the National Press Club earlier today talking about the sub deal. PK has lost a bit of his sharpness in his twilight years but none of his acidity. He treats the parade of journos asking shallow rhetorical questions with the utter disdain they deserve.

Like an old school history teacher telling his class to do their bloody homework.

 

[JackFlash]

The last of the pollies who tells it like it is...and people hate that! He's correct in his assessment of the whole deal.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Keating seems to have a very rose coloured glasses view on China. Quiet on human rights abuses, Taiwan is a domestic issue for China only, and that they could be with the right treatment, a genuine friend of Australia

 

[Sqotty from office works]

Quiet on human rights abuses, Taiwan is a domestic issue for China only,

He's right if you listen to him verbatim.
When we questioned the Chinese they immediately throw aboriginal deaths in custody at us.
As PK explained you can throw human rights at any country and every country can throw it at us(deservedly so), so as PK explained take it off the table and have constructive talks.

 

[Schneebly11]

Keating seems to have a very rose coloured glasses view on China. Quiet on human rights abuses, Taiwan is a domestic issue for China only, and that they could be with the right treatment, a genuine friend of Australia

Keating made it clear that he didn’t endorse any human rights abuses in China, but did mention the West is being hypocritical in its approach. He mentioned how Modi’s India is oppressing Muslims in Kashmir, stripping their rights, throwing them into detention without trial, enforcing military curfews and other human rights abuses to fuel his Hindu nationalist campaign (and maybe lay the groundwork for a future invasion of Pakistani Kashmir to cut Pakistan off from China perhaps?). Either way it’s a clear abuse of human rights, but according to the West Modi is a “democracy loving honest bloke” who you can sit down and have a curry with while you watch the cricket. Makes you want to vomit.

Keating pointed out this hypocrisy that the media and politicians here straight up ignore. Every country in the world (save maybe Switzerland and Norway) commit human rights abuses so basically we would have no friends if we treated them equally.

Does he have financial connections to China? Yes, but he pointed out that doesn’t necessarily invalidate his arguments, as many “experts” not connected with China (or ASPI) have criticised the SMH/Age scare campaign last week.

You can be against this deal without being a “CCP SHILL” so it is infuriating when the debate is reduced to that level, including on this website.

 

[Festerz]

The last of the pollies who tells it like it is...and people hate that! He's correct in his assessment of the whole deal.

Would not go that far.

While I think he raised some credible points and it's good to finally hear someone prepared to go off script and ask some serious questions about the rhetoric, there was more than a bit of hubris in Keating's performance today which I found objectionable.

This bit for example.

Penny Wong has been working tirelessly as Foreign Affairs Minister since the election and much of her focus has been to repair the serious damage done to our relationship with our near neighbours by the previous government. Including the Solomon Islands that was in serious negotiations with China for the establishment of port access and security ties.

To suggest that foreign affairs is just something you do with northern hemisphere super-powers is arrogant BS.

 

[Roylion]

The Age responds

There’s criticism, and then there’s Keating

We aren’t averse to criticism here at The Age, but that does not mean we must silently endure condemnation from a former PM who hasn’t had an official security briefing in decades, or a TV host who won’t pick up the phone.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Festerz]

Nah- Nine Newspapers had its feelings hurt because PJK called out their irrational biased scaremongering BS.

 

[Schneebly11]

The Age responds

There’s criticism, and then there’s Keating

We aren’t averse to criticism here at The Age, but that does not mean we must silently endure condemnation from a former PM who hasn’t had an official security briefing in decades, or a TV host who won’t pick up the phone.

www.theage.com.au

Despite Keating’s brutal personal attack his main point was valid.

The SMH/Age selected a panel of China “experts” all funded by ASPI or weapons manufacturers who all came to the exact same conclusion, when they full well knew there are plenty of other, in a lot of cases more qualified, China experts out there who would not have come to such a scaremongering conclusion as their selected “experts” did.

It’s irresponsible journalism and they knew exactly what they did. They only selected people who gave them the answer they wanted.

 

[Schneebly11]

Penny Wong has been working tirelessly as Foreign Affairs Minister since the election and much of her focus has been to repair the serious damage done to our relationship with our near neighbours by the previous government. Including the Solomon Islands that was in serious negotiations with China for the establishment of port access and security ties.

To suggest that foreign affairs is just something you do with northern hemisphere super-powers is arrogant BS.

One point of disagreement I had with Keating’s speech. Definitely Penny is the government’s best asset. She hasn’t been as visibly supportive of the AUKUS deal. She is the one who’ll be engaging with China on a diplomatic level. There’s some ALP figures who do deserve a serve from Keating (Marles) but Penny isn’t one of them.

 

[Festerz]

One point of disagreement I had with Keating’s speech. Definitely Penny is the government’s best asset. She hasn’t been as visibly supportive of the AUKUS deal. She is the one who’ll be engaging with China on a diplomatic level. There’s some ALP figures who do deserve a serve from Keating (Marles) but Penny isn’t one of them.

One thing Keating was right about was the realpolitik aspect of how quickly the Labor leadership team came out in support of the AUKUS sub deal when it was first announced publicly by Morrison 'that fella down under' in a global press conference without any real details having been provided.

There is no doubt that had Albanese or anyone else in the ALP leadership team expressed any sort of doubt about the proposal it would have been used as a political wedge in the lead up to the 2022 election - just as how defence issues been used as election tools by conservative Prime Ministers in the past. So within hours of the agreement they came out in strong support - neutralising it as a wedge.

But that time has now passed. The deal having been signed I think it's time for a some transparency and open discussion on the issues going forward. We sure as heck can't expect the Murdoch/Stokes/Costello media companies to do that.

 

[Schneebly11]

There is no doubt that had Albanese or anyone else in the ALP leadership team expressed any sort of doubt about the proposal it would have been used as a political wedge in the lead up to the 2022 election - just as how defence issues been used as election tools by conservative Prime Ministers in the past. So within hours of the agreement they came out in strong support - neutralising it as a wedge.

Keating was right to mention Simon Crean having the guts to oppose the war in Iraq, even when he was at the docks farewelling the RAN sailors heading off to the Gulf he was honest and admitted he was opposed to them going.

That’s real guts and integrity and unfortunately today’s leaders are not at that level.

 

[nut]

The most important thing Keating said is we are controlled by our so called Intelligence community … the spooks.
We are not a sovereign nation anymore. If you believe that you have rocks in your head.
All military spending is, is away of washing tax payers money to the rich multinational.
A constant war. Proping up capitalism

 

[Brad Goodman]

FWIW Bevan Shields is a clown

 

[Rob R]

He's right if you listen to him verbatim.
When we questioned the Chinese they immediately throw aboriginal deaths in custody at us.
As PK explained you can throw human rights at any country and every country can throw it at us(deservedly so), so as PK explained take it off the table and have constructive talks.

Let them throw deaths in custody at us we are owning it and trying to do something (need to do more) - Xis breaches of human rights are vastly worse and shouldnt be ignored to save us embarrassment. It was pretty telling though that much of Keatings speech were just well worded versions of the propaganda being used by the Chinese government who have been paying him so well for over a decade.

Will PK be looked back on as a former PM who brought in economic reforms or as a foreign agent doing everything he can to slow the response to Xis aggression.. Much like Lindenbergh the famous aviator who is more known for his support of Hitler.

Sent from my SM-A125F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Gavin Excell]

Let them throw deaths in custody at us we are owning it and trying to do something (need to do more) - Xis breaches of human rights are vastly worse and shouldnt be ignored to save us embarrassment. It was pretty telling though that much of Keatings speech were just well worded versions of the propaganda being used by the Chinese government who have been paying him so well for over a decade.

Will PK be looked back on as a former PM who brought in economic reforms or as a foreign agent doing everything he can to slow the response to Xis aggression.. Much like Lindenbergh the famous aviator who is more known for his support of Hitler.

Sent from my SM-A125F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Of course they are. Äll countries have history they aren't proud'of, but what China is doing now to critics of the regime/ethnic minorities puts other countries in the shade.

 

[nut]

So we question Chinas humans rights record but ignore the US?
The US KILLED an Iranian leader who was on his way to peace talks in Saudi Arabia, .China enters brokers a peace deal!!!

Meanwhile In the US more people are living in poverty everyday … including 20 million kids.
They’ve printed 31trillion dollars in debt !!!
But but but China is a threat? Spare me

 

[Gavin Excell]

One point of disagreement I had with Keating’s speech. Definitely Penny is the government’s best asset. She hasn’t been as visibly supportive of the AUKUS deal. She is the one who’ll be engaging with China on a diplomatic level. There’s some ALP figures who do deserve a serve from Keating (Marles) but Penny isn’t one of them.

Politicians are pretty thick skinned but I'd imagine that would have cut her a bit esp given Keating was a mentor of hers. Essentially he has dismissed her as lightweight.

 

[#23 Hill]

I only caught the end of his National Press Club Q&A bit that was ******* intense. Absolute smack downs on Sky and the SMH.

I loved the way he smacked that INCEL around. "You should hang your head in shame" lol

 

[nut]

Politicians are pretty thick skinned but I'd imagine that would have cut her a bit esp given Keating was a mentor of hers. Essentially he has dismissed her as lightweight.

It’s the kick up the arse she needed… same with Albo

 

[QuietB]

The Age responds

There’s criticism, and then there’s Keating

We aren’t averse to criticism here at The Age, but that does not mean we must silently endure condemnation from a former PM who hasn’t had an official security briefing in decades, or a TV host who won’t pick up the phone.

www.theage.com.au

Have not read the article but just the extract is enough - "but that does not mean we must silently endure condemnation form a former PM who has not had a security briefing in decades".

Meanwhile we will publish verbatim what ever the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (USA weapons manufacturer mouthpiece) tell us too.

The propaganda job that has occurred here is outstanding. The Age and SMH are happy to spend whatever credibility they have left to set the scene, and then the big announcement happens a week or so later.

This is a snow job for the ages.

Anyone found those weapons of mass destruction yet? **** we are dumb.

 

[fs88]

Have not read the article but just the extract is enough - "but that does not mean we must silently endure condemnation form a former PM who has not had a security briefing in decades".

Meanwhile we will publish verbatim what ever the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (USA weapons manufacturer mouthpiece) tell us too.

The propaganda job that has occurred here is outstanding. The Age and SMH are happy to spend whatever credibility they have left to set the scene, and then the big announcement happens a week or so later.

This is a snow job for the ages.

Anyone found those weapons of mass destruction yet? * we are dumb.

Hopefully these newspaper companies go the way of the Dodo asap, with News Corp being irrelevant and unable to shift public opinion, The Age/SMH shouldn't be too far behind.

It's going to be up there with one of the biggest taxpayer rorts with free money for weapons companies. The sad thing is that 85% of the population are/will be ignorant to this, and the sadder thing is that it was done under Labor's (aka. Liberal-Lite) watch.