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strong>Nov. 23, p. 7

In 2006 the two relevant foreign ministers, Alexander Downer and Hassan Wirajuda, signed the Australia-Indonesia Agreement on the Framework for Security Cooperation.

It took two years of negotiations to develop the document, which replaced the 1995 formal defense pact. What’s now known as the Lombok Treaty committed both nations to cooperation and consultation in defense and law enforcement, combating international crime and terrorism, and sharing intelligence.

The two countries also agreed that they would not “in any manner support or participate in activities by any person or entity which constitutes a threat to the stability, sovereignty or territorial integrity of the other Party”.

Then, suddenly, last week Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and US President Barack Obama announced that up to 2,500 US Marines would be stationed in Darwin, the largest port in Australia closest to Indonesia. This newspaper described the news as a “bombshell”. (By Duncan Graham, Malang, East Java)

Your comments:

A recent ABC poll shows that 60 percent of Australians are against increased US military presence in northern Australia.

Many Australians have been critics of Indonesia — especially on Timor Leste and West Papua — but we still see Indonesia as a closer ally and neighbor than we see the US.

I agree with Duncan’s opinion wholeheartedly.

As a speaker at a Darwin Residents Against War (DRAW) rally concurring with Obama’s visit to Darwin, I also asked why the US military offensive force was invited to invade our soil rather than stationing the UN peacekeepers here. It is naive to say the least that an increased US military presence will make Australia more stable.

Australia was too stable for the indebted US war machine.

The US generals and conservative congresspeople need to share their military’s trillions of dollars in debt with their allies — especially Australia, which boasts continually of its stable economic climate.

Our political “leaders” don’t talk about what such a de-establishing presence will do for the social/cultural and environmental climate here. Most longtime Darwin residents (indigenous and non-indigenous) have a strong affinity with our northern neighbors. We strongly mistrust the Americans and their warlike motives.

Diana Rickard

Australians have long turned blind eyes to US military activities in their country. This pattern will be repeated, even though the justifications are clearly not supported by the facts and the consequences are apparent.

As for “consultation”, my etymology dictionary finds the root of this word in the idea of “taking counsel”, which involves hearing and taking into consideration.

Mym

Well said, Duncan, especially the thought of China establishing a similar base in Indonesia. That would be plenty of food for thought for the lackey Aussie government, who is not able to think into the future and is apparently satisfied with the promised crumb.

It’s all about natural resources and controlling them, and Indonesia is an immensely rich country, like Canada (already under US-corporate control).

China? India? Only diversions, like the big fuss by the US-media about a “new” Chinese aircraft carrier, without mentioning it being the only one China has (against 11 American!).

China is a superpower in the making and the infantile US-elite, not wanting a new competitor, may misuse the “yellow peril” paranoia down under for their (and only their) own purposes. Strangely enough and in spite of the catastrophic state deficit, the US has still enough money to finance not only absurd “freedom wars” in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, but nearly 700 military bases around the world.

For example, they built a huge one in the jungle of Paraguay a few years ago, in the middle of South America, and one wonders if it was only to “spread democracy” and “monitor the drug trafficking” in the region shortly before Brazil made a gigantic oil-discovery in the Atlantic (without forgetting the vast jungle areas around Paraguay and mineral-rich Bolivia).

With so many US-military bases in South Korea and Japan, the one in Darwin can, IMHO, only have one purpose: to defend the “national interests” of the US in Papua, where a US-corporation controls the biggest gold-mine in the world.

I wonder what else geologists have recently found on that island to force the US-elite to such a politically dangerous move. But nobody ever said that greed is harmless.

Or is Papua perhaps getting (slowly and step-by-step) an influx of radicals, bringing potential restlessness and future conflicts into that island?

With all that money and poverty on natural resources (other than oil and sand), the Saudis are also expanding using other “ways”.

Poor Papuans...

Edo E

Oh my dearest Australia, when will you ever grow up???

Sam

Australia is of absolutely no strategic value whatsoever. That’s why there are no US troops there already… Unless, of course, your target is Australia.

Australia has become totally dependent on China, hence the need for the US to keep it “under control”.

John

The analogy of stationing Chinese troops on Flores is specious. Unlike Australia and the United States, China and Indonesia have not been longtime allies that have fought wars together. For two, because unlike the US which has had and continues to have bases in East Asia, China does not have such history and experience.

Therefore, to compare the US placing troops in Australia with China placing troops in Indonesia is specious and ultimately misguided. Next time you want to make a point with an analogy, think more deeply about the issue.

Mauricio

One thing that is really spot-on is when you suggest how Australians would react if the opposite happened. What if the Indonesians suddenly announced that they were going to have Chinese troops stationed in Bali, without even discussing it with their neighbors? No matter how you say it (place it, base it, station it, whatever), it would cause instability for the Asia Pacific region.

Frank

Papua, you are the next target after Timor Leste. They are looking for your beauty because of your hidden treasure.

Fathv