PM defies Bush over China arms (The Australian)

[oioioi]

THE Howard Government has defied US efforts to dissuade the European Union from lifting its 15-year arms embargo on China, which Washington fears could transform the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait.

The decision by Australia to rebuff the joint private and public lobbying by the US and Japan is the most serious strategic disagreement between Washington and Canberra in recent years.

more...

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12223462%255E601,00.html

[Erika]

1. Australia is seeing the big picture

As W's deficit spending increases, China owns more and more of this country and becomes its own world power. Australia is seeing the writing on the wall.

[UL_Approved]

2. The U.S. is getting shut out of the world

The rats are leaving the sinking ship. The economic indicators for us are looking grim. As the coming years unfold, we will face many hardships. We will not have the affluence we once held so dear, even for upper class people.

The weed is choking out the crop that is the USA. We need to get rid of the weed before we lose everything. This will start to look like the attacks on the Ruble in the 1980's.

[VegasWolf]

9. Fool me once and uh something, fool me twice and me fool something.n/t

[applegrove]

3. I think the USA is loosing a little influence. People seem to

I think the USA is loosing a little influence. People seem to lining up to sell arms to any foe of the USA. It is 1) good politics 2) a sign that that cheesy, wimpy alliance of goodwill created in the 20th Century - well it actually meant something. But one would have to perceive the world through the lens of human emotion and nuance to get that.

Neocons think we are all so silly for perceiving things through the big filter of human emotions. They laugh hysterically at Liberals for being that way. It seems goodwill is not something you want to ignore after all. (Even corporate accountants knew that).

Nobody whose media isn't controlled and bullied like the one in the USA is drinking the Kool Aid and handing their emotional lives over to the propaganda machine.

Australians are still humans!!! Oh O!

[dandrhesse]

4. duh and is everyone going to be shocked when Russia and China

join forces? That's what happened when you arrogantly think that big texas oil can play hard ball with communist and formerly communist countries. It would be highly amusing if it weren't so serious.

[ckramer]

5. Howard must believe money is more important than US friendship

[0007]

6. Who else is gonna throw cold water in junior's face?

"Some US officials believe Australia has been bribed and bullied by Beijing.

Bribery, Torture, Blackballing,and drugs are the tools that the U.S. use to twist arms. That statement above is indeed hilarious to say the least.

[AlCzervik]

7. i bet those same officials said that Iraq had nukes.

[Massachusetts]

8. The truth is beginning to get out slowly to the masses

about little georgie boy and his circle jerk pals.

[Moderator]

10. kick

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. Australia shuns U.S. in embargo

.
.
.

Australia shuns U.S. in embargo:

World News: CANBERRA, Australia, Feb. 13 :

Australia has declined to join the U.S. push to dissuade the European Union from lifting its 15-year arms embargo on China.

U.S. officials hoped to lobby together with Japan and Australia to keep the embargo, but the Howard government refused in what probably the most serious rift between Washington and Canberra in many years, The Australian reported Sunday.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who just wrapped up meetings with his European counterparts, will not oppose the EU lifting the arms embargo, imposed after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

/snip/

"Australia is important because it's a bellwether of how well the U.S. coalition will hold," one U.S. official said.

________________________________________________________

Coalition eh?

hmmm

I'd say, the US is quickly getting the cold shoulder from the whole world, no :shrug:

[Cha]

12. Couldn't happen to a more

deserving fascist dictator.

[Adrian Luca]

13. Somebody in the U.S Administration didn't do their homework

Australia lifted its own arms embargo against China in 1992. The current Australian government has been in power since 1996 and has never even considered reversing that decision.

Not even Australia's Prime Minister howard is arrogant enough to believe he could seriously suggest that France and Germany have no right to follow Australia's lead.