It Is Not a Hug; It's the Imperial Arm

Gossip (directed by structures that don’t have such a pretty color) has highlighted the empathy between Barack Obama and Julia Gillard. Meanwhile, last Thursday in Darwin, Australia, demonstrators raised banners: “Don’t go to the bases,” “Gillard is a puppet of the U.S. war machine.” They did not ask for stories about the prime minister’s relationship with Obama; rather, they asked about the implications of the agreement to increase U.S. military presence.

Countering the influence of China in the South Pacific and Asia-Pacific is a goal — but in general terms, Barack Obama makes his contribution to the consolidation of the hegemony of American power at this stage. “America is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay,” he told Parliament in Canberra.

Here to stay. In the 1950s, the ANZUS agreement (Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.), formally subordinated defense politics to that last country’s zone. And, noting that the jump in the narrative does not indicate a break in action, I must say that Australia participated with equipment, weapons and soldiers in the Iraq invasion and occupation of Afghanistan.

On a not-so-cheerful note, John Howard and George W. Bush planned in 2004 to install a military base in Queensland. With or without a sensual touch, the sell is abominable.

Last July, Queensland and other northern territories were the scene of joint exercises which involved 14,000 American soldiers and 8,500 Australians. Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich, who Obama sent as a confidant, said: “There is a possibility that Washington has increased military involvement in Australia.” It was already decided: “The United States will send, for a period of six months, 250 marines to their bases to rotate a total of 2,500 troops across the country.”

The liberal Howard and laborers Gillard and Kevin Rudd (Minister of Foreign Affairs) are servile. Obama traveled, not to compliment Gillard, but rather to reap the planting of Harry Truman’s seed and Bush’s maneuver. The imperial arm, white or black, uses claws and clubs…