Over-paid, Over-sexed, and Over Here – 200 Marines Land In Darwin, and we foot the bill

That was a slogan, made popular in Britain during World War II, but gained some local flavour when the US Military decided intervene in the Pacific and resulted in many US military personnel based in Australia or getting R&R here.

And as of last night the first detachment of US Marines arrived in Australia for training, (or perhaps to gain the US a military presence in a strategic location to Asia) in Darwin for next six months. The first 200 marines touched down in what will eventually build up to 2,500.

Sounds expensive? Not for the US, as we are the ones paying for (some of) it

Australia will provide a range of support with costs shared under existing legal, financial and logistical arrangements
Source: here

So, where is the benefit for Australia? What exactly do we get for all this?

[it] supports Australia’s long-held strategic interests in supporting US engagement in our region in a manner – and – could also provide new opportunities for Australian and US engagement with our partners in the region
Source: here

In other words, we get to be even bigger poodles than we were previously, and as for engaging with our neighbours, nothing says I care like increasing the military presence of the US Military in our country.

However, analysts in China and elsewhere say they fear that the moves could backfire, risking a cold war-style standoff with China. (Jackie Calmes).

What happens if a Marine goes troppo, or runs over a local in a military vehicle, or assaults a child? Will they be whisked back the US to avoid prosecution? In fact, could they even face prosecution in this country for crimes they commit while here?

When they say it will only be six months, we must remember, these are USA six-months, and bear little relation to the same calendar the rest of humanity use – much like the second Iraq war which was supposed to last only six-months and become 10-years.

There is always the inevitable mission creep, where there is an expansion of a project beyond its original goals. Once the system is in place, it would be so easy to extend the six-months, to another six-months, then another six-months. And before you can whistle Yankee Doodle Dandy, the Marines are here permanently and numbers heading towards 3000, 4000 and more.

What about unmanned drones, or nuclear weapons, or biological or chemical weapons, or cluster-bombs? Weapons that are banned in Australia, will the Marines be allowed to import them and use them? US officials say No, but how reliable is the word of an organisation that told us there were Weapons Of Mass Destruction in Iraq

As Peter Garrett sang all those years ago: US Forces give the nod, it’s a set back for your country

digital mischief by @redglitterx
based on image from Over-paid, over-sexed and over-here: US Marines in wartime Melbourne 1943

QLD Election Blowback, this times it’s personal.

On March 24 2012 , the Word FUCK was heard around the world – QLD Election Blowback, this times it’s personal. by Delon de Circle en Rouge

One day you’re in power for 20 years dragging the state into the 21st Century and the next …Labor {is} falling short of official party status and relying on the incoming LNP government to grant it party offices, staff and resources* with only 6 seat won.

The blame lies with Anna Bligh and the Labor Party campaign. Anyone who had the sickening misfortune to watch the mawkish self-pity of Anna Bligh concede defeat before Saturday, can watch this and tell me would you vote, let alone volunteer to hand out How-To-Vote cards and campaign for our ALP cause, if you saw this video?

Campbell Newman didn’t win this election, nobody likes a smug millionaire with a chip on his shoulder. Although to be fair, a leader he is, much more so than Anna Bligh, and he managed to galvanise a talentless and listless bunch of LNP candidates from the reject shop. Whether they’ll be able to support his ‘vision’ remains to be seen.

ALP strategists should be immediately fired. They stuffed up our NSW campaign and completely fucked up our QLD one. Clearly a bold consistent message wasn’t in their planning. You can argue that Bligh broke plenty a promise; but you can argue that all politicians renege on promises when world reality collides with policy.

Time for a new strategy and strategists. Time for new leaders. Time for aggressive progressive policies. Time to Act. Time to bring in new and youthful ideas and enthusiasm. Time to destroy the left/right paradigm and deliver a more pertinent message one of which is the individual/community vs the Corporations as exemplified by the Occupy Movement. In this way the youth will come to think of ALP as a mainstream progressive political party that listens and not just a moderate Liberal Party that they’re fast becoming.

{edited to add: *source of this quote is behind a paywall – @redglitterx}