Withdraw combat forces from southern Iraq... Under Rudd's current policy we'll still have troops in Baghdad and troops training Iraqi forces as well as a logistics tail in Kuwait and Bahrain.
He's also reportedly planning on shifting the combat forces in Iraq to Afghanistan, so it's a bit of a technicality.
Well of course the detail is lame compared to the announcement - and hasn't Kevvie taught us to expect this - but the symbolic impact of this (especially considering what a small contingent is there anyway) with US relations still makes me smile. I was impressed with Rudd that he wasn't going to be the brown nose of Johhny's stature. Rove need never ask who Johnny would turn gay for!
I'm just reading the ALP's Defence Policy... and wow, with the exception of Iraq (which, after opposing from the start, Labor could never switch stances on) it's pretty much exactly the same as Howard's. This has got to be the most conservative Labor government Defence policy in, well, forever.
They're even talking about maintaining Howard's 3% real growth in defence spending per annum until 2016!
A Labor election win would ordinarily be a collective sharp intake of breath for the ADF, Labor's not known as ADF-friendly. But I think the ADF will come through this one relatively unscathed. For good or ill...
The reality is the electorate wants Liberal lite - a younger version of Johnny and this will mirror the Tony Blair experience. I'm sure the defence policy is not the only one exemplifying the right wing agenda. For all that he was a nutter, Lathams policys were more consistently Labor and I'm not sure if it was him or the policys that bucked up the electorate. In any case this is the outcome - a meaner, greedier society with increasing polarities.
Yeah, even Beazley was a bit on the conservative side (particularly in Defence, he was Defence Minister for a lot of 80s and since known condescendingly as "Bomber Beazley" in the Defence establishment) and not terribly Labor. But Rudd, well, they don't call him Howard Lite for nothing.
I'd be interested to know how much of this is genuine Kev and how much was acting the part for the what the electorate wants (as you said). Julia Gillard seems pretty strongly Labor but they managed to take the attention off her union sentiments in the campaign, it'll be interesting to see how 'Labor' is Labor now that they're in power.
Bomber Beazley was a little bit obsessive compulsive with the big guns. Maybe his parents didn't let him play with weapons when he was a kid. He said some scary stuff in his time.
I'd be interested to know how much of this is genuine Kev and how much was acting the part for the what the electorate wants (as you said).
That is the big question that everyone wants to know. I heard Rudd give this scary interview where he had trouble with saying sorry in the Aboriginal issue and it was a game of semantics rather like the real Howard. I was most heartened to see Julia articulate a firmer position on the matter. Rudd would seem to be a control freak and it will be an interesting power play in Labor indeed!
Maybe his parents didn't let him play with weapons when he was a kid.
My parents didn't let me have any toy guns when I was a kid either, and look where I ended up!
I heard Rudd give this scary interview where he had trouble with saying sorry in the Aboriginal issue and it was a game of semantics rather like the real Howard.
I once heard that saying "sorry" might open the government up to legal proceedings. But I fail to see how "profound regret" is any different. I am really at a loss why even Howard wouldn't say it, much less Rudd.
I would like to see a public document, drafted by the government, with the explicit word "sorry" in it (if it can be put into formal enough language). Not from whites, just from the government on behalf of ALL Australians for the gross injustices that were done and the fallout from which is still going on today.
My kids prefer swords. Hamish was recently brandishing a plastic golf club as a sword - or was that a light sabre? - in Kahlil's classroom and everyone was very impressed. I wasn't for letting my kids play with guns but - stereotypical as it may be - it is rather hardwired and far too embedded in the male psyche to root out or stigmatise. Neither kid is a bully although Hamish loves to wrestle and surely has rugby in the blood.
I would like to see a public document, drafted by the government, with the explicit word "sorry" in it (if it can be put into formal enough language). Not from whites, just from the government on behalf of ALL Australians for the gross injustices that were done and the fallout from which is still going on today.
Absolutely!!! Rudd has finally said they will say sorry. Lets hope the get on with it.
Withdraw combat forces from southern Iraq... Under Rudd's current policy we'll still have troops in Baghdad and troops training Iraqi forces as well as a logistics tail in Kuwait and Bahrain.
He's also reportedly planning on shifting the combat forces in Iraq to Afghanistan, so it's a bit of a technicality.
But yeah. Howard MASSACRE!
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They're even talking about maintaining Howard's 3% real growth in defence spending per annum until 2016!
A Labor election win would ordinarily be a collective sharp intake of breath for the ADF, Labor's not known as ADF-friendly. But I think the ADF will come through this one relatively unscathed. For good or ill...
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I'd be interested to know how much of this is genuine Kev and how much was acting the part for the what the electorate wants (as you said). Julia Gillard seems pretty strongly Labor but they managed to take the attention off her union sentiments in the campaign, it'll be interesting to see how 'Labor' is Labor now that they're in power.
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I'd be interested to know how much of this is genuine Kev and how much was acting the part for the what the electorate wants (as you said).
That is the big question that everyone wants to know. I heard Rudd give this scary interview where he had trouble with saying sorry in the Aboriginal issue and it was a game of semantics rather like the real Howard. I was most heartened to see Julia articulate a firmer position on the matter. Rudd would seem to be a control freak and it will be an interesting power play in Labor indeed!
Reply
My parents didn't let me have any toy guns when I was a kid either, and look where I ended up!
I heard Rudd give this scary interview where he had trouble with saying sorry in the Aboriginal issue and it was a game of semantics rather like the real Howard.
I once heard that saying "sorry" might open the government up to legal proceedings. But I fail to see how "profound regret" is any different. I am really at a loss why even Howard wouldn't say it, much less Rudd.
I would like to see a public document, drafted by the government, with the explicit word "sorry" in it (if it can be put into formal enough language). Not from whites, just from the government on behalf of ALL Australians for the gross injustices that were done and the fallout from which is still going on today.
Reply
I would like to see a public document, drafted by the government, with the explicit word "sorry" in it (if it can be put into formal enough language). Not from whites, just from the government on behalf of ALL Australians for the gross injustices that were done and the fallout from which is still going on today.
Absolutely!!! Rudd has finally said they will say sorry. Lets hope the get on with it.
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