An election heard around the world
Uncategorized - - Posted on November, 25 at 11:46 am by Ken L
It’s hard for us to comprehend the implications of this election outcome because we are too close to it. We can’t be truly objective. So it helps to get some perspective from international observers.
According to Jules Crittenden:
Howard’s decision to stand with his nation’s allies against undeniable evil ultimately cost him, as Blair’s similar decision cost him. Howard apparently was further hurt by his refusal to set his nation’s interest aside in furtherance of half-baked scientific speculation and worse politics.
I assume the ‘half-baked scientific speculation’ refers to the IPCC, unless Jules thinks Malcolm was after a heap more money for the incredible Wentworth rain-making machine and John said no.
Sweetness and Light cut straight to the heart of the flaws in contemporary democracies:
What terrible news.
[T]he Labor candidates had broken electoral law by failing to resign from government jobs before running for office.
Such laws do not apply to everyone. Just allies of the US like Mr. Howard and Mr. Musharraf.
Still, all of this goes to shows the power of the media, the liberal establish that runs the world, and of course the power of ignorance.
I think Sweetness and Light might be a little confused. But was it all just the fault of the damn liberal media? Brave Conservative Stalwart in comments at protein wisdom thinks there is a more sinister explanation:
And anyone who doesn’t think librulislamofascists hacked into the voting machines down in Oz is nothing but a useful idiot.
Hmmm … well actually I’d never even considered the possibility, especially since we don’t use voting machines … maybe BCS means Antony Green’s laptop. It certainly seemed to be playing up something fierce. Anyway I certainly wouldn’t want to be thought a useful idiot. Damn you librulislamofascist democracy murdering scum! Give me my country back!!!
Others like Captain’s Quarters summarised Howard’s legacy:
It’s impossible not to regret the retirement of a man who stood tall and firm against the murderous onslaught and told the world exactly what was at stake in the conflict. Thank you, Mr. Howard, and the best of luck to you in the future.
You know CQ it will be a struggle, but I think some of us will find it just barely possible not to regret it. And who said anything about retirement anyway? He got defeated. Sacked. Dismissed. Comprehensively booted out by his own electorate. Retirement bullshit.
Aaprt from standing tall and firm againt the murderous onslaught overseas, Howard was widely admired apparently for his no-nonsense approach to internal dissent:
Howard was a fine leader who showed common sense and toughness against the growing influence of the extremist muslim population in his country.
‘Extremist muslim population’ eh? So that’s what they call Villawood Detention Centre in America.
Understandably, many commentators were concerned about the future. Right Wing News thinks it will be a gloomy one:
Now Australia will begin a new learning curve. This time, the leson will be how little Kevin Rudd can accomplish, and how the few things he does manage to achieve are either not helpful or downright unhelpful to Australia’s economy, culture, and national security. Things will look very different to Australians after a few years of Rudd. It is unlikely that Australians as a whole will be any better off or any happier than they are today under Howard’s leadership.
Chuck Adkins is equally pessimistic:
I have mixed feelings about this whole thing, What this means is, that the Aussy Government will now begin the Politics of appeasement with these terrorist Governments, like Iran, and they’ll want to play footsies with Osama Bin Laden.
Absolutely. We’ve already ceded Christmas Island to President Ahmadinehitler in return for an undertaking that he has no more territorial claims in the Indian Ocean, and a delegation of union bosses has set out for the Hindu Kush to make contact with Osama.
TK-141 in comments at Michelle Malkin feels a sense of betrayal that is perhaps understandable:
This is not just the End of a US Ally, this is the people of an Ally telling us NO. Let me also point out the Aussies once told Secutary Rice when she asked about the law requering all citizens to vote they said such kept people like Bush from being elected. They may be Friends but all nations have there own ideas. After all our “friends” are selling Uranium to the Peoples Republic of China.
Mark my Words with in a matter of Days or weeks AU Troops will be taken from Iraq, and in Afghanistan they will do like the Germans, French, and ever increasingly the British and take up missions away from combat area’s.
Did we really say that to Secutary Rice? Hahahaha that was pretty funny, I’m sorry I missed it at the time. I’m not sure about the non combat areas in Afghanistan thing though … the way that particular exercise is going there soon won’t be any.
In comments at Blackfive, mindy 1 expresses the confusion that quite a few of our overseas admirers seem to feel. Don’t we understand that we face an existential threat?
Living as they do in the shadow of the place where the Bali bombing killed so many youthful Aussies, I am amazed that this threat is not the over-riding issue.
Tony 737 has similar thoughts in comments at Hot Air:
This is bad news, we’ve just lost another ally in the GWoT. I thought they’d be MORE on our side after the beach riots last year. Dhimmistralia? Australiastan? So sad, I guess Mark Steyn was right, America’s all alone …
Poor babies, all alone. Could that mean they’re, well, wrong? The beach seems to exercise a certain fascination over the stalwart soldiers in the fight against the jihadists; Brave Conservative Stalwart at protein wisdom also mentioned it:
I hope those Aussies enjoy their impending dhimmitude. Burkas will be mandatory on Bondi Beach before their summer even begins.
Gosh, we’re going to see action within six days? No wonder Rudd warned his staff to report for work at 6am tomorrow and not plan to take holidays at Christmas.
Alexander Downer’s favourite pundit, Mark Steyn, no doubt spoke for many when he wrote:
Of all the doughty warriors of the Anglosphere, Howard, his Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and their colleagues had the best rhetoric on the present war, and I often wished the Bush Administration had emulated their plain speaking.
Who will be the first to release a boxed DVD set of Alexander Downer’s war oratory? Any time you want a shiver down your spine, just put on a random track. Christopher Taylor will also miss the quality of the Libs’ rhetoric:
Its sad too, he was a terrific guy and he really could make great speeches. I hope Australia doesn’t suffer for this choice, they’ve got a more imminent terrorist threat than we do in the US.
Although it’s possible Christopher is confusing us with Austria. Well it’s a common error.
Blogalog is keen to place JWH in a historical context, and sets the bar high for anyone who is thinking of doing the same:
It means that the greatest leader in the world since Churchill is out of a job :(.
I suppose seven years of George W Bush would distort anybody’s judgement.
But perhaps the final word should go to mindy 1:
In caves and other dark places there is cheering while in my household and my heart, it is very dark, indeed.
Australian electorate, you little know what you have done.
Posted in Uncategorized |
November 25th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Didn’t anybody tell these people that it’s UNION BOSSES (shudder) that pose the real threat to civilisation as we know it? Islamofascists are so last year!
November 25th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Well damn, can I take it all back now?
I never realised that Mr Howard governed for all neocon/fundie Americans as well! Good times!
…But it’s good to see them telling it how they see it. Ie. other countries are only ‘allies’ if their leaders subscribe to the whole menu of Bush’s cult of historical mission. I would have to say, get fucked.
Clearly, Australia will keep on being an ally of the USA. It will just be harder now that we all have to wear burquas and spend half our time negotiating the annexing of various chunks of the continent to TEH INTERNATIONAL CALIPHATE!!!!!!
November 25th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Hilarious Ken, I was interested to see that it is the front page story on the BBC and CNN websites. Sweet justice, finally.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
If these people can be so misinformed about Australia, a country with the same language and a similar culture, then imagine how wrong they could be when speaking about the middle east.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Odd, how mindy 1’s household and, er, ‘heart,’ are “very dark,” and, I suspect, cave-like — and yet they don’t share in the rejoicing. These neocons are such intriguing creatures!
I must say, well done, my librulislamofascistic friends Down Under! I hope we in The Homeland of Terror shall be joining you in slavish dhimmitude in about a year.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Ken, thank you for going though all of those blogs, avoid the need for me to. Not that I was ever going to however, and I wonder what inspired you to?
November 25th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
That gave me a laugh — thank you — and also made me sad that the Aussie situation is so misunderstood. Heck, even a significant percentage of Aussies believed JH’s propaganda. I think it’s great to get a broad view of what people are saying. It amazes me that even Australian people can be so uninterested in looking beyond what the politicians and the mainstream media tell them, that they still believe JH’s lies.
I don’t know how Australia will go under Rudd but at least we have a renewed chance of getting it right. Fingers crossed…
November 25th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Mind you, one shouldn’t feel superior to overseas commentary that’s less than completely informed. This is from an allegedly Australian commenter:
WTF???
November 25th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
The ultra-paranoid Yanks don’t comprehend anything if it’s even slightly ‘un-American.’ Boo-hoo-hoo if they’re whingeing today, who bloody cares?
With the criminals Howard and Blair flushed down the sewer forever, and Bushwit next year, some sanity might return to this planet after the longest enduring nightmare for some time. Our kids and grandkids might now have some chance to breathe in the future, the animal world might hang on by its last legs, and millions of innocent peoples might live who would otherwise have perished in who knows how many more fabricated wars.
Whatever the idiotic yanks are blithering about today does not even merit an audience compared to the immense potential gains of these facts. And to Howard’s final and fantastic demise, I simply exclaim: Amen!
November 25th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Some of you can’t see the first Rudd backflip coming through those deep red rose coloured eyes. The good/war bad war schizophrenia was always deeply problematic of late. Rudd certainly didn’t want to talk about it in this campaign and nor did the Coalition. Rudd has the dilemma now of leaving Iraq, with the distinct possibility, that he’s pulling us out just as it has turned the corner. That might only leave him with the deepening quagmire in the graveyard of empires. That’s the intimate defence briefing he’s going to get now and being a cautious sort of fellow, don’t expect the troops home by Xmas announcement. Oh he’ll dress the backflip up a bit, perhaps with withdrawal of a 100 or so troops, but backflip it will be.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
The lamentations of the troglodytes only makes the victory taste all the sweeter.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Also, obs, if we leave, we won’t be there any more.
I fail to see a drawback to this plan.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
And Ruddy’s already said he’ll adopt the Coalition’s detention policy on country shoppers, so where does that leave you all? Sensible Howardian legacy of course, not that I’d expect you to admit that.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
“.that he’s pulling us out just as it has turned the corner.”
Then it’s onwards to Iran.
The shite I read on some of these blogs really does give me a good belly laugh.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Point taken Graham and tautologically if we don’t leave, we’ll still be there.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Ken, well done, a great set of views. Carrying on from mindy1, “in my household and my heart, it is very dark, indeed”, I just can’t help wondering how dark it is inside her head (and of course, if you listen hard enough, you can hear the sea …).
November 25th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
“with the distinct possibility, that he’s pulling us out just as it has turned the corner.”
Tsk, tsk! Get it right Graham
November 25th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
err… sorry Graham- Phill
November 25th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Incidentally, have you start shopping for countries yourself, obs? From your attitude I would expect you would be.
November 25th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Oh I’m comfortable with Howard with Hair, just like all those legal NZedders were with Howard Without. Apparently all my countrymen who weren’t happy with Howard Without over the years, don’t seem to have replaced them as they promised, much to poor Helen’s dismay, by all accounts.
November 25th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
So the hysteria was just a joke. You’re not related to any News Ltd columnists are you?
November 25th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Gawd, I’d better call myself a Rural and Regional shopper from now on…Thanks for the tip Obs.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Observa, ever thought of playing a witch in Macbeth?
Good stuff Ken…looks like the Polish are set to leave Iraq too…the World’s voters are getting smarter & more enlightened by the day (except for the dopey French who are letting Sarkosy do the Thatcher dance just at the wrong time…tho plenty of good Lefties there too)…many people are seeing thru the Corporate Media’s SMOKE & MIRRORS.
Iraq was just a Corporate ‘wet dream’ that became a nightmare reality for the poor Iraqi citizens. Someone MUST be held to account.
I noticed Ch.9 ‘Sunday’ (snuck it in for a last peak, i’m so over Ray Martin & his ocker sidekick) had that other sage of manipulation on this morning, Graham Richardson. I wish he’d go and run a casino in Scotland or something. Hands off our Peter Garrett Richo!
And is anyone else tired of the commentary from Howard’s biographer?…that fella is about as interesting as watching John Howard’s endless walks. Meaningless exertion of energy.
Didn’t Julia Gillard receive rousing applause…the Corporate Media tried to stick it to her so much over the past years…but she is now the new teflon lass. All revved up & everywhere to go.
People just stopped listening to most of those Machiavellian scoundrels in News Ltd & those other sneaky Right-Wing character assassins. They tried to tell us Mal Brough was LOVED by his electorate…bwa haha ha ha.
And look at how the people turned out for the ABC…f*ckin’ amazing! Aussies just luv their ABC.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
“”And who said anything about retirement anyway?”"
Howard did. He said he wasn’t going to serve for a full term (3 years) if re-elected.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
And Nask, the first thing I would like to see is the ABC back to the ABC, it’s most important, we need a neutral untainted Auntie, were bloody well paying for it, so Labor sleuths, if your looking, fix it.
(Disclaimer: the receiver on my Stero !!, is only tuned to ABC stations, the motor vehicles and other radios are only tuned to ABC stations and the TV is on SBS and ABC, and piss the bloody adds of SBS,) so my consumption is of some importance :).Bet this will cause some action…….
November 25th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments Lang Mack…you’re spot on per usual.
We’ve just picked up a few Cascade varieties and a curry from the local Indian restaurant. Settling in to watch all the Corporate media wank*rs looking glum & sounding distraught…or pretending they like Labor. It’s gonna be a great night…:)
and what a gorgeous day it was here in Sth. East QLD…the sun was bright with a nice clean, fresh breeze…
FRESH AIR…at last, finally fresh air at last.
My tense muscles are unknotting after 11 long years of stress…:)
LIFE IS GOOD.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
If those are supposed to be our allies, imagine what out enemies say?
November 25th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
While I’m comfortable with Howard with Hair, I’d prefer the original, but to be fair he was always going to wear out.
So do you all think the ‘troops home by Xamsa’ announcement should come before or after the ’signing Kyoto’ one, assuming India and China facilitate that of course.
November 25th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
It should come some time before the war on Iran turns its 167843th shiny new corner.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Observa, Rudd’s never said the troops will be home by Hanukkah. There’ll be a phased withdrawal of non secdet troops over several months.
People on TV are too polite [and tory] to say it, but: you do know that the constant fucking lying is a major reason for your defeat? Give it a rest for a few days.
Ken, funny as fuck and I know why you bothered - gloating. I’m looking forward to Piers’ next appearance on Insiders for similar reasons.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Closer to home, “Howard’s Battlers” learn what the squatocracy thought of them all along, thanks to Mandy Devine of the SMH:
Once you start aspiring you never stop. Damnable oiks and their unions. Will they ever learn their place?
November 25th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
I think we can expect a fair bit of commentary in the same vein as Ob’s. The Right, having seen their worst defeat in living memory, are trying to hide their embarrassment and shame under a fig leaf of sagacious all-knowingness. “Oh you lefties are just so naive, we all secretly wanted Rudd to win as JWH was running out of puff and he’s cut from the same cloth”.
Of course it’s the biggest load of bullshit this side of the black stump. I know how you feel Obs, I felt like that after the last election. Better get used to it, my last bout lasted .. er about 11 years.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
I think that those blogs do not represent the general opinion of Americans, but some loopy minority.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:18 am
OH GOD WHAT DID WE DO? I dont hink greg combet is going to look very flattering under all the fabric that goes with being a liburislamofacist. oh well, we\’re going to be bombed in the next 15mins anyway, apparently. the rightwinguts of america weild far too much power i can only hope someone from the dems can destroy whoever they put on the sacrificial dais. maybe she too will be wearing a burkha.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:34 am
I see, a pullout becomes a ‘phased withsrawal’. Perhaps we could emulate the phased withdrawal of the Americans who have just withdrawn 5000 of their troops. Proportionately and as phased of course.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Obs why don’t you simply comment on what Kevin Rudd announced before the election that he intended to do? Namely, begin discussions with the Iraqis and the USA with a view to withdrawing combat troops by the middle of 2008.
He said it very clearly and it was widely reported. Why not inform yourself properly instead of making an ass of yourself with smartarsery?
November 26th, 2007 at 11:53 am
That was delicious, great round up, thanks.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Burqas at Bondi? No, Burqinis.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
“You know CQ it will be a struggle, but I think some of us will find it just barely possible not to regret it. And who said anything about retirement anyway? He got defeated. Sacked. Dismissed. Comprehensively booted out by his own electorate. Retirement bullshit.”
GOLD.
November 26th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
I’m still trying to work out how they thought John Howard had ever ’stood tall’.
Was he next to Napoleon at the time?
November 28th, 2007 at 3:56 am
kate, in many ways Howard was Napoleon at & just before Waterloo…not knowing when to quit…too full of himself…a control freak…willing to let so many loyal troops fall on their sword for him…a display of grandiosity and lack of trust in the capabilities of some of his best generals & strategists…leaving his side in tatters…
making mistakes due to hidden illness and lack of sleep, under-estimating his opponent…
assuming that the Blogs (The Prussians) were taken care of and wouldn’t help swing the battle…
letting his top political advisor leave before the REAL battle started (General Grouchy sent off & then missing the Prussians)…
using untold political reserves & gaining little & losing much by springing the diversionary Aboriginal Intervention on the public (The Hougoumont battle)…
allowing the Unions to hit him harder than he expected (The Union Brigade w/ Scots Greys taking out artillery batteries) and counter-attack on The Unions, even tho it took out important characters was not as productive as he expected…more passion from & inflicted damage by Union than was expected…
driving General Ney (Costello) to distraction leading to a knee-jerk & suicidal charge that weakened the army to no end (Costello exploding in the last days of Parliament)…
great defensive & highly effective maneuver by Kevin Rudd going ‘Square’(Christian economic conservative), recalls the formation of Squares at Waterloo to repel cavalry charges…lol…
undermining Abbott by dragging him into a last ditch, ill-thought out announcement that caused him to be late to the Debate & allowing ‘trusted’ Jackie Kelly to damaged in the ‘leaflet drop’ fiasco (sending in the trusted Imperial Guard in a panic & under-estimating the resilience and perseverance of the opposition…consequently they were knocked back, retreated, permanently damaged…signals the end was coming…Napoleon, like Howard had let down his most loyal supporters due to BAD STRATEGY & losing control of the battle)…
and like Waterloo & Napoleon’s fall from grace…this was an event “heard around the World”.
bit of a stretch I realize…but it was fun…:)
N’