Society/Culture Victoria Cross winner Ben Roberts-Smith - Allegations of war crimes

[Schneebly11]

I've given up trying to follow why the US do many things & am not familiar with your references.

“Project for a New American Century” was a neocon lobby group in the 90’s that tried to push for regime change in the Middle East to ensure US control of resources and therefore global political power. It included peeps who later went on to dominate the the Bush admin like Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Bolton.

“7 countries in 5 years” was a phrase used in an interview by former US Army 4 star General Wesley Clark. Clark was in the Pentagon a few days after the WTC attacks. One of the Pentagon staff members told him in confidence a decision had already been made to attack Iraq. Within a few weeks of the attacks that had expanded to a mission to enact regime change or “take out” 7 countries in 5 years. Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Iran. In the following years Iraq was invaded, Gaddafi was overthrown, Israelis went into Lebanon, Syria was targeted, Sudan and Somalia have been a fertile CIA battleground and Iran has been put under the pump as well.

 

[Kwality]

“Project for a New American Century” was a neocon lobby group in the 90’s that tried to push for regime change in the Middle East to ensure US control of resources and therefore global political power. It included peeps who later went on to dominate the the Bush admin like Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Bolton.

“7 countries in 5 years” was a phrase used in an interview by former US Army 4 star General Wesley Clark. Clark was in the Pentagon a few days after the WTC attacks. One of the Pentagon staff members told him in confidence a decision had already been made to attack Iraq. Within a few weeks of the attacks that had expanded to a mission to enact regime change or “take out” 7 countries in 5 years. Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Iran. In the following years Iraq was invaded, Gaddafi was overthrown, Israelis went into Lebanon, Syria was targeted, Sudan and Somalia have been a fertile CIA battleground and Iran has been put under the pump as well.

No doubt there are always other agendas & the WTC gave the Iran invasion legs ... unfinished business from the Gulf war.
Not a student of the history, my recollection.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

And that coping leaves many with PTSD and depression, some leading to suicide.

True

 

[Power Raid]

Forgive me if I do not for an instant believe that a Bush lead US or the Howard lead Australians gave a rats raw arse about copper.
Both were and still are personally and politically so firmly anchored in fossil fuel investment I doubt they knew what copper is or could be used for.

I have no doubt the west wanted to secure influence over the area, as china now does with one belt one road

It is as strategic as oil

 

[Pie eyed]

add a drop of 9/11 .....

https://www.newsweek.com/how-many-people-died-911-thousands-perishing

...
11/9/2020 · Today marks 19 years since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The attacks took the lives of 2,974 people, the deadliest assault on American soil.

Nah, fossil fools (sic).

I am not sure what your point is regarding 9-11?
What has that to do with my post?

 

[Christopher Buttersnip]

13th largest military expenditure, and some pretty powerful allies.

Not sure you would call that 'minnows'. Not a great power to be sure, but not exactly defenseless.

In world economic, military and influential terms we are minnows.

 

[Over The Post]

Nice to see we are spending another three quarters of a billion beefing up our establishments in the Northern Territory to better integrate with the US. For "capability" and "exercises". Be cheaper just partitioning off a few thousand hectares next to Darwin Port and telling them to build their own ****ing base if they're that keen to piss off the Chinese.

 

[Malifice]

In world economic, military and influential terms we are minnows.

What?

We have the 13th largest economy and military expenditure in the world. How is that 'minnow' status?

 

[Kwality]

I am not sure what your point is regarding 9-11?
What has that to do with my post?

The decision on Afghanistan was in the shadow of 9/11, it was a reaction to loss of life on US home soil, no more/no less. Fossil fuels, copper etc were not factors in the decision.

 

[Schneebly11]

The decision on Afghanistan was in the shadow of 9/11, it was a reaction to loss of life on US home soil, no more/no less. Fossil fuels, copper etc were not factors in the decision.

If that was the case US troops would’ve been withdrawn by the end of 2001. The fact they’ve been there 20 years tells us there’s other motivations.

 

[Schneebly11]

Nice to see we are spending another three quarters of a billion beefing up our establishments in the Northern Territory to better integrate with the US. For "capability" and "exercises". Be cheaper just partitioning off a few thousand hectares next to Darwin Port and telling them to build their own ******* base if they're that keen to piss off the Chinese.

So we spend billions on pretend targets for US troops to blow up.

And in return the US agrees to buy the majority of our mineral and agricultural exports and direct students and tourists our way???

Oh wait....

 

[Leeda]

I have no doubt the west wanted to secure influence over the area, as china now does with one belt one road

It is as strategic as oil

that is as strategic as all get out.. china, Russia and the good ol' USA... we aren't told about all this but these things
will permeate the world we live in.. surreptitiously

 

[Power Raid]

What?

We have the 13th largest economy and military expenditure in the world. How is that 'minnow' status?

the gap between US the next is material
the gap between china/ russia and 4th (india) is material
the gap between India and Japan is material

Australia is 19th well behind powerhouse nations like Egypt, Iran, Indonesia and Spain

 

[Christopher Buttersnip]

What?

We have the 13th largest economy and military expenditure in the world. How is that 'minnow' status?

Tell me the influence/impact our economy has on shifting world financial affairs? The conversation was in reference to that of China. Contextually we are insignificant.

Tell me the influence/impact we have on world affairs militarily? In terms of equipment, technology et al. Let's not even go to a China comparison. Let's say Israel. We are militarily insignificant by comparison to a country whose economy ranks in the mid-'30s.

My father was a ranking RAAF officer, whose views are far from those you appear to espouse.

Getting back to the issue of us being 'shouty' when it comes to China. It's short-sighted and counterproductive. We are no more than a flea on their rear and our continued stupidity is likely to come at a price as China becomes the strongest world economy.

 

[Kwality]

If that was the case US troops would’ve been withdrawn by the end of 2001. The fact they’ve been there 20 years tells us there’s other motivations.

Staying was always going to be disasterous, ask the Ruskys.
My point was why they invaded.

 

[Leeda]

he can't get himself out of this mess but as long as he will play the game.. it is sad but he crapped on his world..

like I said before he needs to read the signs.. he is ready to crap on anyone else who despises him.. including his ex wife..
just sad and well we will see it to the end.. I am not even sure of his VC... that is a lot to lose..

 

[Baltimore Jack]

What?

We have the 13th largest economy and military expenditure in the world. How is that 'minnow' status?

Share of global military expenditure 2020
US 39%
China 13% (estimate)
India 3.7%
Russia 3.1%
UK 3%
Saudi 2.9%
Germany 2.7%
France 2.7%
Japan 2.5%
S Korea 2.3%

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Share of global military expenditure 2020
US 39%
China 13% (estimate)
India 3.7%
Russia 3.1%
UK 3%
Saudi 2.9%
Germany 2.7%
France 2.7%
Japan 2.5%
S Korea 2.3%

I believe the US police expenditure would be #3

It's effectively a military force.

 

[ShanDog]

Tell me the influence/impact our economy has on shifting world financial affairs? The conversation was in reference to that of China. Contextually we are insignificant.

Tell me the influence/impact we have on world affairs militarily? In terms of equipment, technology et al. Let's not even go to a China comparison. Let's say Israel. We are militarily insignificant by comparison to a country whose economy ranks in the mid-'30s.

My father was a ranking RAAF officer, whose views are far from those you appear to espouse.

Getting back to the issue of us being 'shouty' when it comes to China. It's short-sighted and counterproductive. We are no more than a flea on their rear and our continued stupidity is likely to come at a price as China becomes the strongest world economy.

If I were a RAAF officer, I'd also think pretty lowly about our military

 

[Pie eyed]

The decision on Afghanistan was in the shadow of 9/11, it was a reaction to loss of life on US home soil, no more/no less. Fossil fuels, copper etc were not factors in the decision.

Learn to read and comprehend before you put your spin on someone else's post.
My post was in response to a post about why the invasion force stayed on for decades AFTER 9/11 which hinted they wanted to tie up the worlds copper resources.

Based on their stated "reasoning" for the occupation of Afghanistan the "coal-lition" would have been better invading Pakistan.

 

[Over The Post]

...which hinted they wanted to tie up the worlds copper resources.

*opium

 

[Malifice]

Share of global military expenditure 2020
US 39%
China 13% (estimate)
India 3.7%
Russia 3.1%
UK 3%
Saudi 2.9%
Germany 2.7%
France 2.7%
Japan 2.5%
S Korea 2.3%

Mate, compared to the USA everyone's a minnow.

We spend close to 50 billion AUD per year on Defence, which is not far behind great powers like the UK (42 billion pounds), France (50 billion USD) and Germany (63 billion USD), making us firmly a middle (and regional) power.

 

[Malifice]

Tell me the influence/impact our economy has on shifting world financial affairs?

Significant. Not in the same ball park as China, Russia or the USA, but significant. We're the 13th largest economy in the world, and one of the largest exporters of mineral resources in the world (and have been central to Chinas economic boom for decades).

Obviously we're not in the same ballpark as USA or China or any other Superpower or global power, but we're also not some 3rd world shithole either.

 

[Malifice]

the gap between US the next is material
the gap between china/ russia and 4th (india) is material
the gap between India and Japan is material

Australia is 19th well behind powerhouse nations like Egypt, Iran, Indonesia and Spain

No, we're 13th, and above every country you mention there.

• Ranking: military spending by country 2019 | Statista

We also have a mutual protection pact with the country at number 1 on that list (the USA) via ANZUS, who have forces stationed here, consider Australia vital to their own interests in the region and abroad. In addition to AUSCANNXUKU, a War with Australia is almost certain to also include a war with the USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand (lol).

 

[Over The Post]

We spend close to 50 billion AUD per year on Defence, which is not far behind great powers like the UK (42 billion pounds), France (50 billion USD) and Germany (63 billion USD), making us firmly a middle (and regional) power.

Yes, and how much of that is actual potential defence of Australia vs the cost of admission to hang out with the school bully?

What do we, as a country, gain from going around helping to beat up brown and black kids, so the bully can steal their food and lunch money or charge "protection from" the "other bullies"?

An empty promise that if the Chinks or Slavs stick up for their mates and bitchslap us into the middle of next week, or stop *our* lunch money, the bully will save us?

That's not how bullies work. Either at school, or on the world stage.

The only way the bully will lend a hand is if a) it suits them, and b) there is no real risk they'll get a blood nose, and c) we sign over everything we own or will ever own.