Australia Pulls Support For US Military Action On Iran

[Richard]

Downer Signs Up To The Coalition Of The Unwilling

Australian troops and special forces will not join the United States in proposed military action on Iran, according to foreign minister Alexander Downer.

Of course, this is Downer speaking. Australian special forces may already be operating inside Iran, along with US troops, conducting sabotage and espionage operations, and paying off military units not to fight if the US goes to war, as they are widely alleged to have done in the months before the Iraq War officially began in March 2003.

The point is, if Australian troops were already engaged in such operations with the United States inside Iran, Downer's hardly going to admit it. Certainly not in the lead-up to an election.

Still, it's a substantial show of official non-support from Australia for the "all options (including nuclear attack) are still on the table" aggressive creed when it comes to Iran, from President Bush and the NeoCons.

From ABC News :

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has ruled out Australian involvement in any United States-led military action in Iran.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh has been writing about the possibility of a US strike on Iran for the past 18 months.

Mr Hersh says US President George W Bush is now focusing on getting support from allies, including Australia.

Mr Downer says he does not believe America is planning to invade Iran, but if the US did pursue that path, Australia would not follow.

"We're not planning to get involved with any military action against anybody." 

http://theorstrahyun.blogspot.com/2007/1...itary.html

[AndrewX]

"We're not planning to get involved with any military action against anybody."

...because the public here would have their nuts for it this time...

Self preserving pack of dogs.

[Astrojewels]

I have not heard this, but do not particularly take much notice of the news most days, I think they will be waiting for Kevo to be elected before any decisions like this will be publicized, the politicians are purposely keeping their noses clean and no comments on wars because the election is just around the corner, but have to agree with Andrew X, the public will not be happy, but also don’t see how they will stop it if it gets a green light.

[AndrewX]

They may not stop it, I understand, but there will be alot of trouble in terms of demonstrations and the like.  It may have the effect of making them wind down the numbers they send from what they will initially state they will.  Though it wouldn't be off the cards that they maybe forced to reneg on their policy and order the withdrawal.  It's happened in other larger countries with the Iraq war, so it can't be totally outruled here.  It all depends on what the masses reaction to it all is at the time.

And turncoat Kevo talking all about having nothing to do with America in terms of War up until 2 months ago, and to then turn around and pledge to be happy to co-operate with the Bush administration when Bush was out here for the meeting last month clearly shows the level of deception and lying which is still occuring here politically.    IT proves again that we do NOT have 1 single true politician in the entire land

The other thing that bothers me alot in this is the increased chance of retaliation by the Muslim community here in terms of silent/secrative attacks and racial finghting on the streets nightclubs etc.

 

Good things CANNOT come of it either way you look at it.

[Richard]

It’s too the average American can’t see the truth about Bush like the Australians do. Here’s another good article I came across.

Aussies lose confidence in US and Bush

John Lyons
The Australian
Wednesday, October 3, 2007

AUSTRALIANS have suffered a dramatic loss of confidence in the ability of the US to manage international affairs amid growing dissatisfaction with President George W. Bush and his conduct of the Iraq war.

The first survey of attitudes by a centre set up by the Howard Government to improve relations between Australia and the US has found a significant deterioration in the way Australians feel towards the US.

That level of confidence has almost halved in just six years - from 66 per cent in 2001 to 37per cent today, coinciding with the Iraq war.

And almost three-quarters said Australia's involvement in the war on terror had made it a terrorist target, a view at odds with that asserted by John Howard.

The survey of 1213 Australians in July was carried out by the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. The centre was set up this year with $25 million from the Howard Government to be "the prime Australian source of information and commentary on the US".

John Howard said today he understood why the commitment in Iraq was not popular.

“This inevitably happens if a military commitment goes on for a long period of time - even if, thankfully, to date our casualties have been minimal - people after a time grow weary of it and think because it's not quickly concluded it must be wrong,” the Prime Minister told Southern Cross Broadcasting

“I understand why people feel that way but it really does present our society with a huge challenge because that is exactly what the terrorists calculate.

“(They see) that we are used as a society to instant success and when that doesn't come we begin to think the commitment is wrong.”

While the Iraq war has damaged Australians' view of the Bush administration more than anything else, the survey found continuing support for the US alliance: 92 per cent expected the US to continue to be a close security partner and 79 per cent considered the alliance important to Australia's protection.

But 48 per cent said it would be better for Australia if a more independent stance were taken. This contrasted with an opinion poll from 1975 showing only 26 per cent wanted a more independent relationship.

Because of the Iraq war and Mr Bush's performance, Australians' opinion of the US has hit a 30-year low.

Asked to name something they disliked about the US, the largest response was about the President himself.

The large number who believed Australia had become a terrorist target due to involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan reflects the view expressed three years ago by Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty that the nation is now a greater target - a view which almost cost him his job.

Mr Keelty's view on another subject is also endorsed - he told a conference two weeks ago global warming was the No1 threat to Australia's security.
Seventy-six per cent of respondents viewed global warming as "equally serious" or "more serious" than Islamic fundamentalism and 69 per cent wanted Australia and the US to set clear targets for reducing greenhouse gases.

A large number also believed the threat of Islamic fundamentalism had been exaggerated.

The US Studies Centre seeks to have bipartisan representation on its board. Former Labor leader Kim Beazley and former Liberal frontbencher Michael Baume are members.

Last night Mr Beazley said confidence in the US had suffered because of the war in Iraq. "When you have a bad, failed policy, that is the result you get," he said. "It's no coincidence that the last time Australians had this level of confidence (in the US) was in the early 1970s with another war (Vietnam)."

The acting chief executive of the US Studies Centre, Alan Dupont, said the "dramatic falling away" of confidence in the US in handling international affairs was due not just to Iraq but "the way the Bush administration generally plays here in Australia".

While 64 per cent opposed the war in Iraq, 50 per cent were opposed to Australian involvement in Afghanistan, posing a problem for Labor should they come to power as Kevin Rudd has said he would maintain support for troops in Afghanistan. Professor Dupont agreed many of the results were at odds with public statements by Mr Howard but "you can see that a vast majority of Australians do believe we've become more of a target because of our involvement in the war on terror, but notwithstanding that they still register strong support for the security relationship with the US".

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/oct...idence.htm

[Astrojewels]

I agree Andrew X, the people will not be happy and our citizens are actually very good at protesting laws and fighting for our liberties. I did see that report Richard and totally agree, but I would have to say that at least 80% of the world do not like G bush. Could you imagine waking up everyday knowing that many people think of you in a negative way! along with this report I also heard that the US gets little news on ‘world news’ there is only small coverage of what is going on, is that true?
I also have read and received emails about how Australia is the most controlled, brainwashed country, yadda yadda, this is so far from the truth, what I see here, and the emails I get from friends all over the world, and even all the predictions with the new world order etc, Australia is rarely mentioned, we still have basic rights, we still have control of many things compared to other countries and I consider myself very lucky to live here at this present time.