Alliance against .......?

There is a sudden push by John Howard to form security alliances with some of our northern neighbours. One has just been signed with Japan. Suddenly there is a talk about enlisting India into the alliance (see Dennis Shanahan’s article in The Australian today

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21384779-601,00.html) which US Vice President Cheney apparently raised with Howard in his recent trip Down Under after it was rejected by Bush administration. Of course the deputy sheriff could not bring himself to refuse this one.

I learnt from one of Lee Kuan Yew’s speeches many decades ago that when there is a call for an alliance the logical question is “against whom?” Howard carefully dropped the hint by saying that he thought China not be upset. We are all too used to Howard’s dog whistling to know that he usually means what he denies. Shanahan had no qualms about pointing out that an alliance with Japan and India would be an encircling of China.

It would suit the US paranoia about China’s economic growth. But what is there for Australia?

Is it a coincidence that Opposition leader Rudd who is doing spectacularly in the polls despite all the mud slinging, happens to be fluent in Mandarin apart from other things Chinese? Is it a coincidence that Howard’s own constituency may become vulnerable because of the increased number of Chinese and other Asian migrants who would be impressed by Rudd language skills?

Howard is experienced enough to know that China is not going to be bothered by a few gestures for internal consumption. He also knows from experience that he can scare some of his older votes with the old fear of China and of someone like Rudd who can be cast as a Sinophile. He is probably hoping that increasing distrusts of China would ultimately discourage Rudd from using his powerful language weapon in the elections later this year.

The sacrificing of some foreign policies can be a small price to pay to retain one’s power.

THE SIGNS THAT SHOCKED SYDNEY

Not often are churches faced with irate customers or rather congregation members. Signs like the one below appeared outside many churches, including the Presbyterian Church in conservative Epping, smack in the middle of John Howard’s constituency.

I looked it up in my copy of the Bible, it was right there in Matthews 5:44.

I suppose those who are unhappy can take it or leave the church. Others may prefer to change the Bible. After all, history has been rewritten many times.

PM Howard to advise US on Iraq?

No doubt standing on a high rostrum looking down on the battered George W Bush, Howard has suddenly found his courage to tell his good friend what should have been done in Iraq.

But what was he doing before the disasterous (for Republicans) mid-term elections? Cheering Bush on while following a safe distance behind.

Peter and the Sheik

Suddenly, the cause of the Cronulla riots has been made clear to all of us, thanks to Mr Peter Costello.

(http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/sheik-falls-on-his-sword/2006/10/30/1162056926607.html)

It's all the fault of Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly.

Those beer-swilling drunks, can-throwing blondes and harrassers of young women of Middle Eastern appearances were all stirred by him.

And it was partly Paul Keating's fault too for letting him in twenty years ago. Anyone would have guessed what the Sheik was going to do in October 2006.

The cause of all our troubles are obvious. Especially when the Federal Elections are just round the corner and the polls are looking bad.