US drones for Cocos Islands
Further steps to war
It was left to the US media to tell Australians about the war preparations being made above their heads by the Gillard Government. The Washington Post broke the story last week that US and Australian officials have been discussing the rapid expansion of the US military presence in South-East Asia and the Indian Ocean including the stationing of pilotless drones on the Cocos Islands. The move to the Australian territory midway between Australia and Sri Lanka will relieve congestion for US military aircraft on Diego Garcia – a British island possession in the increasingly strategic Indian Ocean.
The news coincided with PM Gillard’s presence at a forum comprising representatives of 53 countries – ostensibly to consider measures to keep any nuclear capabilities out of reach of terrorist organisations. The choice of South Korea as the venue for such a summit was not accidental. Neither was the fact that it clashed with scheduled testing by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) of rocket technology.
The Australian media slavishly rehashed the US’s disinformation campaign – a missile that could carry a satellite could just as easily carry a nuclear weapon. The missile was to be launched in the direction of Australia! US President Obama warned the DPRK of further, crushing economic consequences if the tests were to proceed. Mission accomplished – tensions in the region were increased and a country refusing to tow the US economic and strategic line was further isolated and punished.
The Cocos announcement was embarrassing and Defence Minister Stephen Smith weighed in quickly to say that the plan was “long term”. Opposition spokesman (and likely defence minister before too long) David Johnston “absolutely supports” the proposal. “I am very keen that we welcome the Americans in any shape or form that they want to come and work with us in our region,” he told the ABC’s Lateline program.
Read more: http://www.cpa.org.au/guardian/2012/1542/01-us-drones.html
While I disagree with Australia's government regarding their acceptance of allowing US military drones to be stationed there, I honestly doubt that there's ANY need for the US military to be involved in Australia's affairs or territory.
How delighted do any of you think the average Australian citizen will be to know that a foreign military force will be stationed on their territory?