John Menadue
Publisher and Editor
Callum Foote
Associate Editor
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Author Archives: James O'Neill
The Australian Government is pursuing economic suicide
The prime objective of a country is to maximise the interests of its inhabitants. That objective is met in trade by selling its goods at the best possible price. What the countries leaders may think of the politics of their … Continue reading
The MH17 tragedy continues to unfold where geopolitics outranks truth
“The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow lively debate within that spectrum.”
Posted in Defence and Security, Media, Politics
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The mainstream media fails on Australia’s foreign policy
Our media avoids any discussion or analysis of the literally hundreds of United States military bases that are situated in proximity to China, and similarly the hundreds of military bases aimed at “containing” Russia.
Posted in Asia, Politics
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JAMES O’NEILL.-Four Corners Program on Australian Alleged War Crimes in Afghanistan Raises Wider Questions
Australia is still waiting for an honest appraisal of its involvement in other countries wars of choice, almost invariably carried out for other than the officially professed reasons.
Posted in Politics
12 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. Assange Case Reveals True Colours of the So-Called Western Democracies
One is tempted to suggest that all Australians travelling abroad should have a warning attached to their passports: “if you do anything to upset the Americans, don’t expect our help.”
Posted in Politics
10 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. The Rhetoric and the Reality: Australia, the United States and the World in the 21st Century.
Henry Wotton is perhaps best remembered as the author of the phrase that an ambassador was an honest gentleman sent abroad to lie for the good of his country.
Posted in World Affairs
8 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. Iran: Ancient History, New Modern Role
“Iran has an ancient history but a very modern present and future. Despite the best (or worst) of some European nations and others such as the United States and Australia, Iran has powerful friends and bright prospects.”
Posted in World Affairs
7 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. The Douma “chemical attack”: still waiting for an apology.
On 7 April 2018 an alleged chemical attack took place in the city of Douma in the Syrian Arab Republic. Dramatic footage of the “victims” was widely broadcast throughout the western mainstream media. Particularly prominent were images of children foaming … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security, World Affairs
15 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. America’s permanent war complex: a comment on Porter’s argument.
A recent article by US commentator Gareth Porter raises many issues that should be of concern to Australians. That they will in all probability be ignored points to some wider changes needed in our society.
Posted in Defence and Security
1 Comment
JAMES O’NEILL. Julie Bishop’s Unmemorable Tenure as Foreign Minister
The departure of Julie Bishop as Foreign Minister is no cause for regret. Her tenure was marked by hypocrisy, selective application of international law, and blindness to geopolitical realities.
Posted in Politics, World Affairs
1 Comment
JAMES O’NEILL. Caspian Sea Agreement Symptomatic of Wider Geopolitical Changes.
On 12 August 2018, the five littoral states to the Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan) signed a historic agreement governing the use of the Caspian Sea.
Posted in World Affairs
2 Comments
JAMES ONEILL. Australia’s Foreign Policy: the Rhetoric and the Reality.
A recent article on the ABC website by Andrew Probyn and Andrew Green suggested that Australia may be poised to play a role in a threatened United States attack on Iran. That role would, it was suggested, be played by … Continue reading
Posted in World Affairs
6 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. Australian Government silent on OPCW Report
On 7th April 2018 an incident occurred in the Syrian city of Douma, 10 km North east of the capital Damascus. It was alleged, initially by the jihadi extremists occupying the city that a nerve gas attack had been carried … Continue reading
Posted in World Affairs
3 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. AUSTRALIA AND THE BRI: WHY SO RELUCTANT?
The Sydney Morning Herald has recently published a series of articles (18-23 June 2018) on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The articles come at a time when relations between China and Australia are getting distinctly cooler.
Posted in Asia, World Affairs
2 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. When will the Australian Opposition and Parliament actually do its job over the Syrian war?
The US Secretary of Defence, General Mattis, recently announced that the US was intending to create a 30,000 strong “border force” to occupy a portion of northern Syria. This is territory in which the largest group are ethnic Kurds who … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security, World Affairs
2 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. The North Korean situation requires a different policy
It is said that one definition of insanity is to repeat the same process over and over again and expect a different result. That axiom was never truer than when it is applied to United States and Australian policy towards … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, World Affairs
2 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. The Syrian Denouement nears despite Australia’s unwanted and illegal presence
The Australian government is a regular citer of what it calls the “rules based international order.” When it calls on other countries to desist from behaviour of which it disapproves. The recitation is frequently applied to the South China Sea … Continue reading
Posted in World Affairs
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JAMES O’NEILL: Requiem for a democracy
The Australian Security agencies have asked again for further powers to enable them to prevent terrorist attacks. Among the requests made are for extended detention powers, increasing the time a “terror suspect” can be detained without charge from 14 to … Continue reading
Posted in Human Rights
2 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. The South China Sea and the risk of war: a summary.
It is self-evident that the risk of war is not confined to the South China Sea. In fact, the risk of war there is probably less than in other significant flash points around the world.
Posted in Defence and Security, World Affairs
5 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. American blueprints for war pose an existential threat to Australia.
The recent statement by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to the effect that on defence issues Australia and the United States were “joined at the hip” raises the serious question of how far Australia will actually go in support of the … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security, World Affairs
4 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. Australia and North Korea: Dangerous Illusions Place Australia at Risk
The war of words between North Korea and the United states reached new heights last week. US President trump pledged to meet any further threats by North Korea to the US “with fire and fury like the world has never … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security
2 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. Germany’s Ostpolitik in the Modern Era
Germany recognises that there is a fundamental shift in the economic, political and military balance of power to the east. It is now flexing its political muscle to match its economic might.
Posted in World Affairs
3 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. Lessons from Mosul: Double Standards, War Crimes and Lack of Accountability
Lest week the Iraqi government announced that Mosul has been ‘liberated ‘ from the control of ISIS. The major campaign for Mosul’s liberation began in October 2016 when the US led coalition massively increased both bombing raids and artillery attacks … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security, World Affairs
2 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. The Belt and Road Initiative and Australian Foreign Policy: A Golden Opportunity
The Australian Cabinet recently turned down an opportunity to join the world’s greatest infrastructure project. The rhetoric and the approach disclose much about how Australia is failing to adjust to the realities of the 21st Century.
Posted in Infrastructure, World Affairs
3 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. More to the Manchester Attack than the Media Would Have us Believe
The terrorist attack in Manchester where 22 people, including children, were killed and scores were injured, many critically, provoked an understandable sense of outrage into how and why this could happen. The answer to that question unfortunately has been to … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security, Media
3 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. The Ongoing Disaster of Australia’s Policy in Afghanistan
According to a recent news report Australia is “open” to a request from the United States for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan. According to the report, Australian troops “mostly work in a training and support role aimed at … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security, World Affairs
2 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. Just Who Does Pose the Greater Threat in Korea?
The election of Donald Trump as US President has seen the ramping up of US rhetoric about North Korea. Trump recently demanded that China should use its influence with the North Koreans and if China did not intervene, then, according … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security, World Affairs
1 Comment
JAMES O’NEILL. Scientific evidence exposes the falsity of US government claims about Syrian gas attack.
The irresistible conclusion is that those same senior politicians know that the White House claims are false and misleading and therefore highly dangerous to Australia’s national security. That they should maintain their silence on this while continuing to perpetuate a … Continue reading
Posted in Defence and Security, Media, Politics, World Affairs
9 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. American missile strikes in Syria raise fresh questions.
Not for the first time, unilateral and illegal actions by the Americans pose a grave threat to the safety of the planet and its inhabitants.
Posted in Defence and Security, Media, World Affairs
5 Comments
JAMES O’NEILL. Verdict First, Evidence Later: How the Australian Media Misrepresent Geopolitical Events
The reporting of the tragedy from Syria is but the latest illustration of an all too common phenomenon: a pre-determined verdict on little or no evidence.
Posted in Defence and Security, Media, World Affairs
4 Comments