Creating conflict
By Stephen Fitzgerald
And homicidal maniacs
Flashback - What started out as a pathetic little grab for votes in the Wentworth By-election, by the Morrison LNP government, has now escalated to include threatening every Australian citizen and Australian trade. “Wentworth voters see embassy relocation as a targeted pitch to Jewish voters”.
The response to the proposal relocation of the Australian Embassy from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem met with outrage across the Muslim world. That includes protests from our closes and dearest neighbour, Indonesia. “Protest call to occupy Australian embassy in Jakarta”
Several hundred Indonesian protesters have demanded Canberra drop any plans to move its Israel diplomatic mission to Jerusalem, calling on other Islamic groups to occupy the embassy, raising security concerns over an issue that already threatens to derail one of Australia’s most important relationships. And derail it has… “Australia warns citizens on travelling in Indonesia ahead of expected Jerusalem move”
SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia on Friday (Dec 14) warned citizens to take care while travelling in neighbouring Muslim-majority Indonesia, ahead of an expected but contentious move by Canberra to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In addition, our trade with Indonesia has been directly threatened by Scott Morrison stupidity. “Jerusalem embassy proposal delays Australia-Indonesia trade agreement”
The Australia-Indonesia free trade deal has been put on hold with the Indonesian Trade Minister confirming there will be no agreement while Australia considers moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. “Australia to recognize Jerusalem as Israeli capital, delay embassy move – report”
It was not clear if the government intended to recognize the entirety of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, or just West Jerusalem, which Israel has held throughout its existence — as opposed to the eastern sectors of the city that it captured in the 1967 Six Day War.
The announcement was welcomed by Israel, but heavily criticized by Palestinians and a number of Muslim-majority countries in Asia, including neighbouring Indonesia, with which Australia is trying to clinch a landmark free-trade deal.
On Tuesday, the Palestinian Authority delegation to Australia slammed the reported upcoming announcement, with envoy Izzat Abdulhadi saying his people should not have to “pay the price for some kind of face-saving move.” A face saving move by our esteemed prime minister has threatened Australian trade and exposed every Australian citizen to extremist Muslim reprisal.
Why would any thinking, clear minded government do that? It certainly plays into the hands of the right-wing. If you don’t have sufficient national threat create some! A national threat, a terrorist threat, a Muslim threat plays into the hands of right-wing governments who wish to act as our guardian saviours. They do this to divert attention away from governing for themselves, corporates and the financial elite?
So, Morrison thinks… tick, tick? “Geeze I’m clever”. “Let’s save face and, as a bonus, kill two birds with one stone”.
(1) Instil a bit of fear in to the community so we can save them and (2) Give the burgeoning Australian arms industry, a bit of a kick start, by creating some more global conflict.
“Australia’s bold plan to become one of world’s top 10 arms exporters” Australia’s expansion plans come amid increased global demand for military hardware, prompting criticism from aid agencies who argue Australia could make human rights violations worse if weapons were sold to the wrong buyers.
Australia’s right-wing government will create a A$3.8 billion fund to lend to exporters that banks are reluctant to finance, a central defence export office and expand the roles of defence attaches in Australian embassies around the world. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that with A$200 billion budgeted to increase Australian defence capabilities in the next decade, Australia should rank higher than 20th among arms manufacturing and arms-exporting countries.
The planned Australian military build-up was the largest in its peacetime history, he said. “Given the size of our defence budget, we should be a lot higher up the scale than that. So, the goal is to get into the top 10,” Turnbull said. And, Scott Morrison is with him on that one.
“Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has been accused of being an ‘arms dealer’ amid secrecy over Australia’s military exports to Saudi Arabia”. But they insist whatever equipment has been exported is not being used in the Yemen conflict and a Saudi-led coalition bombing campaign.
So, once again – The LNP create terrorist fear in the community and escalate global conflict to improve Australia’s chances of being in the top 10 arms manufacturers and exporters. Moving the Australian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has precisely this effect.
Just like big brother America, recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and just like America become a war economy. In other words, along with pandering to the financial elite and corporates, go after the big ‘arms dealer’ bucks to throw at cohort main stream media to lie, cheat, deceive, bribe and buy your way into government?
Are the LNP completely insane? This right-wing Liberal National Party government, under the leadership of Scott Morrison, are showing signs of being homicidal maniacs. What won’t they do to try to stay in power?
Comments (Now Closed)
SteveFitz December 15, 2018 at 3:47 pm
Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War and it was integrated into Jerusalem by extension of its municipal borders and was placed under the law, jurisdiction, and administration of the State of Israel by the State of Israel.
In a unanimous General Assembly resolution, the UN declared the measures trying to change the status of the city to be invalid. Jerusalem was effectively annexed by Israel in 1980, an act that was internationally condemned and ruled “null and void” by the United Nations Security Council.
UPDATE – 1:00pm 15th December 2018
Why Scott Morrison moving the Australian embassy to West Jerusalem would be a big deal
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed his government will formally recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Palestinian advisers have reportedly called on the Arab world to punish Australia economically if Mr Morrison announced the move. “We’re asking the Arab world to include Australia in boycott measures,” Nabil Shaath, a senior PLO official told website Plus61J on Friday. “Saudi Arabia is the largest importer of live meat from Australia. I talked to the Saudis and said that ‘you should at least tell the Australians that means we are going to look for other [suppliers]’,” he said.
Ms Sosnowski said when the US embassy moved to Jerusalem “we saw an uptick in protests in Gaza and in the West Bank”. “We may see [another] upsurge in violence and that could have a direct impact on the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians.” “What tends to be forgotten in these international diplomatic manoeuvrings is that people are very much affected by these decisions.”
SteveFitz December 15, 2018 at 3:59 pm
The Australian Government will recognize West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but will not immediately move its embassy from Tel Aviv. “It serves no Australian interest, will weaken our trade and security relations with regional partners, and may irreparably injure our international reputation by aligning Australia with the Trump and Netanyahu governments against an overwhelming international consensus regarding the status of Jerusalem,” APAN’s president Bishop George Browning said.
SteveFitz December 15, 2018 at 6:16 pm
Mr Morrison said Australia would set up a trade and defence office in West Jerusalem… Defence office in the middle east? One small step for the LNP’s ambition to see Australia become one of the top 10 international arms traders and, one giant leap for global conflict and perpetual war.
Do we really think that Israel’s Netanyahu is going to give up East Jerusalem along with the Israeli occupied Palestinian territories of Gazza Strip and the West Bank? Not likely in this generation or any. Morrison is a moron and, people with limited mental capacity and aspirations of power are extremely dangerous. As we are seeing.
SteveFitz December 16, 2018 at 7:39 am
Margcal and Christopher – There may be some explanation. First, we need to know how the world works…
Corporates lobby politicians for legislation that favours corporates and corporates donate to election funds in return for favours. The LNP go after the big bucks. They govern for themselves and the top end of town for money to throw at cohort main stream media to lie, cheat, deceive, bribe and buy their way into power. They rely heavily on the ignorance vote. The good people of Australia are starting to wake-up.
It’s the right-wing media and the shock jocks that are a major problem diverting the truth. It’s the ignorance of people who believe them, people who don’t check out the facts that is the problem. People constantly need to be nudged in the direction of the truth and shown how to press the ‘google’ button.
The LNP constantly and persistently lie and ignorant people believe them – There is the problem.
Kronomex – I couldn’t believe my ears with Morrisons vicious attack on the United Nations? Who the hell does he think he is dragging down the one body on the planet that tries to make a difference for the better. I’m shocked and dismayed.
SteveFitz December 22, 2018 at 8:29 am
I THINK HUMANITY HAS REACHED A CROSS ROADS
At the beginning of his presidency, Trump was quite strong with his message to the Western allies. He pointed out that the allies need to pay their way. You can’t expect America to foot the bill for your defence forever. Fair enough, I guess, and it makes you wonder just how much the allies do contribute to defending the West?
That’s not the point for now though, the point is this: Where is Trumps message leading – What’s he pushing?
They tell us America’s not as strong as it once was. It seems there may be a push to cut back on deference spending, they tell us? Or, on the other hand, the American defence industry, as an essential part of any war economy, sees an opportunity to go global and expand inside Western allied countries.
Trump shocks allies and advisers with plan to pull US troops out of Syria. Now, if I was an ally to America I’d be thinking. “You Bastards!!! How dare you. Now we’ll have to spend more on our own defence. Bastards!!! O.K calm down and take a deep breath. Spend more on defence… spend more on defence because Trump is forcing us to spend more on defence?
As pointed out already, the defence companies, as I like to call then, have arrived in Australia. Some like to call them “arms dealers” but I’m a diplomate. Now, with these defence companies I figure they are driven the same way as any corporation or privately-run prison. It’s all about money and profit to shareholders. I once heard someone famous say: “Every war, someone always makes a profit”. Same applies to an arms race.
America saying to the allies “You need to do more to defend yourself”. Has opened the door for defence companies to thrive. They just need the support of any right-wing government, that is in power, and then quickly install a compliant leader. Preferably someone really dumb who is easy to manipulate. Someone who is so dumb he repeats himself three times, every other sentence. It seems they may have achieved that, right here, right now, in Australia.
It appears that there is a right-wing military defence build-up happening in the West. That is, if America and defence companies have their way. It also appears that all the major wars and conflicts today are fought over oil and natural gas and, this is where it gets a bit creepy.
There’s a lot of conflict and posturing going on with the global super-powers, at the moment. Even North Korea jumped in: “We won’t get rid of our nukes until America does”. This conflict seems to be escalating, along with the progression to arms build-up in the West. I have a funny feeling that America is calling on old favours. Its calling on the allies to muscle-up. The thing is, do we wish to be part of the war economy mind set? Do we wish to be suckered down that path?
In most wars there are casualties. A weapon of war are the innocent, women and children. To make the creation of refugees, starvation and deaths acceptable, it’s called “collateral damage”. There’s not much we can do about it. It’s just a fact of war, they tell us. With defence spending, armament build up and conflict as the focus, climate change has just become collateral damage. Who can think that far ahead when there’s strategic advantage and money to be made on black gold and armaments.
The whole world is fighting over oil and natural gas and, the arms dealers love it. If we replace oil and natural gas with renewables there’s no conflict and no one to sell arms to. Also, oil and natural gas become worthless and there’s no money to be made there either? Screeecch… Hang on morons. You are fighting over something that, if you burn it all, it will most definitely destroy the planet. Well, not the planet – Just life as we know it and, besides extinctions, millions will perish.
If we fast track to renewables we don’t need oil and natural gas. All our energy needs can be captured from the sun. No point fighting for something that is no longer needed. So, all these shitty oil wars stop, and we can put a bit of energy into civilisation. In other words, the world becoming more civilised and, wouldn’t that be nice. Or, we could be part of the war machine. Kill, maim, destroy and go ferrel to take us out as a species, and the rest of the world along with us.
It’s the classic Greek drama – Good v evil, saviour and saved. With the villains beating down and oppressing the population. Distract them, lie and deceive them, keep them compliant, keep them poor, threaten the weakest in society, keep them in fear and above all cut down the opposition. Massage where the big money is for the LNP to stay in power. No problem, arms dealers, come on in. We’ve got the population brainwashed and under control. Well almost, with your help, we’ve got six months to work on it.
We have a choice – If we go arms build-up and war economy, we also need global conflict and/or perpetual war to prosper. America is starting to worry about China and Russia who, like all dictators, won’t be dictated to. The East and West are rubbing each other the wrong way so, this looks like a good reason for an arms race. As we have already acknowledged, the threat of nuclear war and global destruction has prevented a third world war and, that has been our protection for 70 years. So, arms build-up is really about making money and not protection.
At the same time as all this conflict and excitement, global powers have dropped the ball on renewables and impending catastrophic climate change. If we drop the ball on climate change, we have also dropped the ball on the future of humanity. There will be nothing left worth fighting for if we don’t start thinking ahead. The world won’t be much better than if we do have that nuclear war.
So, here is the cross-road. Do we continue down the path of war, conflict and destruction run on fossil fuel, to make a few people filthy rich? Or, do we turn a new page for humanity, run civilisation on renewable energy, save the planet from global warming and, save the future for our children?
We have the vote, and this is the choice that will define us.
SteveFitz December 22, 2018 at 10:26 am
The United States is the worlds largest arms dealer – So, buy arms and, pay our way we shall – It’s good for the American economy. The US sold weapons to at least 98 countries between 2013 and 2017. Its largest clients were: Saudia Arabia (18% of all sales), United Arab Emirates (7.4% of all sales), and Australia (6.7% of all sales). The US accounted for 34% of all global arms exports and its exports increased by 25% compared to 2008-2012.
The push by American arms manufacturers and distributors is on, with President Trump as the vehicle to drive it forward. And, by all accounts, cutting back on fossil fuel consumption and addressing climate change does not come into the equation. It’s about money and power and stuff the consequences. Stuff society, stuff civilisation and stuff the world.
There is a beast lurking among us – Where’s Godzilla when you need him?
Countries buying the most weapons from the US government: World’s biggest arms companies:
There’s money in conflict and war and the perpetual fight for oil and gas – There’s no money in addressing climate change. It’s a short-sighted approach, by those with the money and power, and a one-way ticket to global catastrophe with the blessing of right-wing governments. Who incidentally, are in climate change denial because it doesn’t fit the agenda.
DEFENCE SECRETARY JAMES MATTIS' RESIGNATION
Trump apparently also was still smarting from Defence Secretary James Mattis' scathing resignation letter last week. The retired four-star Marine general all but accused the president of endangering U.S. security by undermining military alliances and abandoning allies.
On Saturday, Trump dispatched his secretary of state, Michael Pompeo, to tell Mattis that he couldn't quit on Feb. 28, as he planned, because he's being fired Jan 1.
After several prominent lawmakers endorsed Mattis' call for bolstering military alliances like NATO, Trump complained Monday about "those few Senators who think I don't like or appreciate being allied with other countries."
"They are wrong, I DO," he tweeted. "What I don't like, however, is when many of these same countries take advantage of their friendship with the United States" in military affairs and trade. "General Mattis did not see this as a problem. I DO, and it is being fixed!" he added. It’s being fixed?
JOHN PILGER’S FILM ‘THE COMING WAR ON CHINA’ SHOULD BE VIEWED BY ANYONE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORLD'S GREATEST THREAT TO PEACE: THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.
China, we are told by US government officials and the parroting establishment media, has been aggressively attempting to expand its territory by taking over islands in the South China Sea. China, we are told, is a threat to peace.
It’s true, veteran journalist John Pilger concedes in the opening of his latest documentary film, ‘The Coming War on China’, that China has been trying to claim disputed territories in the South China Sea. But if this makes China a threat to peace, what does it make the US, with 800 bases in 70 countries, but the most aggressive and warmongering threat—not only to peace but to life on Earth itself, that has ever existed.
If we are not prepared to stand up and fight for the principals that civilisation is founded on then what are we?
Go to the next article: Feeding the monster