VANGUARD - Expressing the viewpoint of the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
For National Independence and Socialism • www.cpaml.org
by Bill F.
If Julia Gillard opened the door for the United States military to march into Australia, then Tony Abbott has ripped it off its hinges.
In their recent jaunt to the Washington headquarters of US imperialism, Abbott and Bishop have eagerly agreed to anything and everything the US wanted. Abbott snivelled to the media, “I want to assure the president that Australia will be an utterly dependable ally of the United States”.
At the very least this means more US troops based in Darwin, more permanent bases and ungraded airfields, US navy warships and submarines stationed at Stirling naval base near Perth, drones and surveillance planes operating from Australia’s Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean, a new space radar station near Exmouth, and greater involvement in the US ballistic missile defence system.
Australian taxpayers will foot the bill for most of this; the national defence budget was quarantined from the budget cuts, and in fact was increased by 6%.
There will be social costs also, as the criminal code covering US military personnel in Australia was discussed between officials, but not completely finalised. If the formula of other subservient countries is anything to go by, they could get away with rape, armed robbery and even murder!
Only a pawn in their game
Abbott’s new agreement with Obama locks Australia into the US military war plans. It automatically commits Australia to whatever aggression or miscalculation the US embarks upon, whether it is China, Korea or anywhere else in the region.
The agreement locks Australia into an echo of US foreign policy. Who needs Julie Bishop as Foreign Minister when we can have John Kerry? (That would help the budget, eh Joe?)
For example, if Japan pokes China too hard and cops a bloody nose, the US is committed to join in. No need to ask Australia, already a US base and now a nuclear target.
Australia is not only locked in militarily and politically, but also financially. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Australia buys 10% of all US weapons exports, making it one of the best customers of military aircraft, drones, missiles, armaments and hardware.
Then, of course, there is the $12.4 billion for 58 F35 Joint Strike Fighter planes which are barely reliable in wind tunnel tests let alone in hostile skies.
Chaos in Iraq
Abbott did not even blush when the subject of Iraq came up, even though he was part of the Howard government that sent Australian troops to help US imperialism destroy the country on the basis of lies.
Having no independent Australian foreign policy, Abbott has to wait for the US strategists to make up their minds if they want Australia to jump, and how high.
“The United States is considering what an appropriate response might be. They haven't finalised their views on what the response should be.
“They haven't requested assistance from us. It is really quite routine for us to be in discussions with the United States when situations like this arise. Let's see what, if any, help they might request but obviously any request for help would be taken very seriously by us.”
No need to consult the Iraqi government. They’re just puppets like us!
The business of state
Abbott’s busy schedule had him ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange and telling the corporate fat cats that “Australia is open for business”. Cheering on were a gang of Australian bosses from companies such as BHP Billiton, Lend Lease and Macquarie Group.
No visit to New York would be complete without reporting to Rupert, so Abbott duly fronted at the Murdoch apartment and presumably got the “good dog” pat on the head for selling out Australian sovereignty and kicking the working class in the guts.