# Australia/America-Australia relationship



## bianco

Now that I've made my 15 posts I can show in video form just exactly what the relationship between America and Australia is like.

The Queen of Britain is the Head of State of Australia.
The Governor-General of Australia is the Queen's [Head of State]Representative in Australia.
Each state of Australia has a Governor, the Queen's Representative there.
Australia is a Constitutional Monarchy - democracy.

Recently, in 2011, US President Barack Obama visited Australia and spoke in its parliament.
What President Obama said...and what the then Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said before he spoke...says it all.
Shows absolutely clearly what the relationship is.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_hSqLEtX_Y]U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the Australian Parliament 17-11-2011 - YouTube[/ame]
_*U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the Australian Parliament *_


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## Papageorgio

I don't want to sound ungrateful but why don't you give us the run down, 43 minutes?, way to long. I got into it about 4 minutes. My attention span for this is very limited. I do like Australians, they have always been supportive.


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## bianco

Papageorgio said:


> I don't want to sound ungrateful but why don't you give us the run down, 43 minutes?, way to long. I got into it about 4 minutes. My attention span for this is very limited. I do like Australians, they have always been supportive.



If you don't get time to watch it I'm quite happy to give you a rundown.

I was thinking that maybe you could view it 5 or 10 minutes at a time...you know, over a cup of coffee in your spare time. 
It's not only about Australia...it's also shows how deeply America is involved in Australia...and America and Australia are involved together in world affairs, Australia now being a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the next two years.

Why does America/Washington even bother with some 'insignificant' little country 'no one really cares about'?
Who knows?
Could be that one can never have too many friends in the 21st [and 20th] century....with the world going to hell in a handbasket.

Could be the clear skies of the outback...perfect place to build a CIA spy base. 

US drone strikes guided from outback

_*Crucial: * Officials have said that "the US will never fight another war in the eastern hemisphere without the direct involvement of Pine Gap". Photo: Supplied

*US drone strikes guided from outback *


Central Australia's Pine Gap spy base played a key role in the United States' controversial drone strikes involving the ''targeted killing'' of al-Qaeda and Taliban chiefs, Fairfax Media can reveal.

Former personnel at the Australian-American base have described the facility's success in locating and tracking al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders - and other insurgent activity in Afghanistan and Pakistan - as ''outstanding.'' _


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## Vikrant

Australia is a major non-NATO ally of the U.S. is a reason why many of its human rights violations are overlooked.


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## syrenn

Papageorgio said:


> I don't want to sound ungrateful but why don't you give us the run down, 43 minutes?, way to long. I got into it about 4 minutes. My attention span for this is very limited. I do like Australians, they have always been supportive.




agreed with pappa...... 

sum it up and make your point..... welcome to usmb.


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## TheGreatGatsby

The USA no longer has the moral high ground it once had. That's all that Americans and foreigners need to know.


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## idb

I believe that the US is building a military base in Australia as part of the "Pivot To Asia" strategy.
There goes the neighbourhood!


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## idb

Papageorgio said:


> I don't want to sound ungrateful but why don't you give us the run down, 43 minutes?, way to long. I got into it about 4 minutes. My attention span for this is very limited. I do like Australians, they have always been supportive.



Australia are an unquestioning ally of the US...probably one of their strongest.


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## Saigon

> Why does America/Washington even bother with some 'insignificant' little country 'no one really cares about'?



Ever heard of the term 'ugly American'?

It's typified by complete igonrance, arrogance and a condescending attitude towards other countries and peoples. 

Look at a map of the world, and you might figure out why Australia is a key strategic ally of the US.


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## Missourian

Generally,  we like you folks...and for my part,  I totally want to drive a road train before I die.


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## bianco

idb said:


> I believe that the US is building a military base in Australia as part of the "Pivot To Asia" strategy.
> There goes the neighbourhood!




It is...as Obama explained in Darwin;

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5kZ4wUeECQ]Prime Minister Gillard and President Obama thank Australian and US troops - YouTube[/ame]

Obama's speech starts at 4m 30 seconds along; [click on and drag mouse on video timer].

_The event at RAAF Base Darwin included performances from the Australian Army Band -- Darwin, Jessica Mauboy and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. 
During his speech President Obama spoke about the expansion of the cooperation between the Australian and United States' Army Forces, which will include the establishment of a U.S. Marines training contingent in Darwin. The visit to Darwin also included a trip to the memorial for the USS Peary. _


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## bianco

Missourian said:


> Generally,  we like you folks...and for my part,  I totally want to drive a road train before I die.




Not much good in city traffic.


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## Moonglow

Hell of a turn radius.


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## bianco

Vikrant said:


> Australia is a major non-NATO ally of the U.S. is a reason why many of its human rights violations are overlooked.



Human rights violations?
What do you have on your mind?


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## Saigon

bianco said:


> Vikrant said:
> 
> 
> 
> Australia is a major non-NATO ally of the U.S. is a reason why many of its human rights violations are overlooked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Human rights violations?
> What do you have on your mind?
Click to expand...


My guess that he is referring to the theft of land from Aborigines and the subsequent failure to apologise for doing so. There is also an issue with the treatment of asylum seekers. 

All-in-all I'd have thought Australia have a better record in human rights than most countries in NATO.


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## Kondor3

Moonglow said:


> Hell of a turn radius.








 "_Give me forty acres, and I'll turn this rig around..._"


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## bianco

Saigon wrote;
_My guess that he is referring to the theft of land from Aborigines and the subsequent failure to apologise for doing so. There is also an issue with the treatment of asylum seekers. 

All-in-all I'd have thought Australia have a better record in human rights than most countries in NATO. 
_

Asylum-seekers have nothing to complain about.

Much of the land has been returned to Aboriginal Land Councils.

There was a Sorry Day;

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKWfiFp24rA]Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apology speech - YouTube[/ame]
_*Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apology speech *_

February 13, 2008.


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## DigitalDrifter

Saigon said:


> bianco said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Vikrant said:
> 
> 
> 
> Australia is a major non-NATO ally of the U.S. is a reason why many of its human rights violations are overlooked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Human rights violations?
> What do you have on your mind?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> My guess that he is referring to the theft of land from Aborigines and the subsequent failure to apologise for doing so. There is also an issue with the treatment of asylum seekers.
> 
> All-in-all I'd have thought Australia have a better record in human rights than most countries in NATO.
Click to expand...


Australia is not a member of NATO.


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## Vikrant

^ Saigon claims that he is a journalist even though he has no clue what the term Major Non NATO Ally means.


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## Vikrant

Saigon said:


> bianco said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Vikrant said:
> 
> 
> 
> Australia is a major non-NATO ally of the U.S. is a reason why many of its human rights violations are overlooked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Human rights violations?
> What do you have on your mind?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> My guess that he is referring to the theft of land from Aborigines and the subsequent failure to apologise for doing so. There is also an issue with the treatment of asylum seekers.
> 
> All-in-all I'd have thought Australia have a better record in human rights than most countries in NATO.
Click to expand...


Do you think this is all about apologizing although that will be a much awaited beginning? 

After apology this is what they need to do:
- Stop taking their kids forcibly
- Stop drugging them 
- Return their land (an area where they can live peacefully)
- Give them representation in Australian politics
- Make changes in Australian laws that would facilitate human rights

This thread is about strategic relationship between Australia and the U.S. So let us not clutter this with Australia's human rights violation. We can discuss that in my other thread dedicated to human rights violation in Australia.


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## Claudette

The Aussies have always been an allie of the US. 

Hell. My Dad fought alongside them in the South Pacific in WW II and my brother in Nam. 

Couldn't ask for better soldiers to have your back. 

I don't think anything will change that.


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## Saigon

DigitalDrifter said:


> Saigon said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> bianco said:
> 
> 
> 
> Human rights violations?
> What do you have on your mind?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My guess that he is referring to the theft of land from Aborigines and the subsequent failure to apologise for doing so. There is also an issue with the treatment of asylum seekers.
> 
> All-in-all I'd have thought Australia have a better record in human rights than most countries in NATO.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Australia is not a member of NATO.
Click to expand...


Um......no, it isn't. That's probably because it's not in the NORTH ATLANTIC.


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## Saigon

Vikrant said:


> ^ Saigon claims that he is a journalist even though he has no clue what the term Major Non NATO Ally means.



"Major Non (sic) NATO ally" is not actually a term. 

Australia is a member of SEATO, and obviously of ANZUS. 

Not that I would expect many posters to have heard of either, I must admit.


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## Vikrant

^ SEATO ended in 1977. By the way, it stood for South East Asia Treaty Organization. You can take a guess which country was the prime focus of this treaty. 

Now, let us come to ANZUS, it was under dispute due to New Zealand's withdrawal stemming from their lack of belief in nuclear weapons. However, co-operation between Australia and the U.S. continued under the framework of ANZUS. 

Major non-NATO ally (MNNA) is a designation given by the United States government to close allies who have strategic working relationships with US Armed Forces but are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Examples of MNNA are Pakistan, Australia, etc. 

An MNNA country has privileges to buy weapons that are not available to other non-NATO countries. This is a very important designation and is conferred to close US allies only. 

Do not ever call yourself a journalist or else people will call you a troll.


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## Connery

*Moved to proper forum*


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## bianco

.


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## bianco

Connery said:


> *Moved to proper forum*



Newly arrived, I didn't get as far as the 'Global' section of the forums, where there is a dedicated section for Australia.
I should have.
I got caught up in 'current events'. 

Apologies for that, I'll be more careful in future.


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## AZGAL

GO JULIAN ASSANGE !!!


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## anotherlife

You don't know what the relationship is between Australia and America.  You didn't write one word of it in your OP.  Hehehe.


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