Writer
Richard Butler
Richard Butler AC Former Ambassador to the United Nations, Executive Chairman of UN Special Commission to Disarm Iraq, Professor of International Affairs.
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RICHARD BUTLER. John Bolton’s speech: Hostility, misrepresentations, US self-regard.
Bolton’s authorized major speech on the International Criminal Court misrepresented it, expressed deep hostility to it, but was revealing of just how deeply entrenched in US foreign policy is the notion of US exceptionalism, under which it and Israel are immune from international law. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Trump: It’s not legal, it’s political and the jury’s out on that.
It should be anticipated that Trump will be found to have broken various US laws and, obviously, trashed established political and Constitutional rules. What it is decided should be done about this will not be guided by the law but by the now dysfunctional domestic politics of the US. That dysfunctionality, in both domestic and Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Foreign Policy on Auto-Pilot: In Spite of the Weather
Every week now, we are presented with another reason to think hard about exactly what our “joined at the hip” relationship with the US obliges us to do. July Bishop’s Foreign Policy White paper doesn’t meet that need. Indeed, it urges us to deepen our relationship with the US as the way ahead. Our relationship Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Trump/Putin : Finnish Rhapsody
In a most unusual Trump/Putin media conference in Helsinki it seemed that the notably absent participant was Robert Mueller. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Trump Banishes Compassion: “zero tolerance”
The events at the US/Mexican border of the last days have been marked by: a quintessential Trumpian mix of lies, obfuscation, an Administration in disarray and, above all, cruelty, with children and infants as its victim. There has been a ruthless manipulation of xenophobia and racism for domestic political purposes. A most fundamental ethical value: Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Singapore: Sound and Lights
Trump told us that, in Singapore, he would make it up as he went along. It appears that he kept his word on that. Afterwards he told the world that if it all tanks, he will “make up an excuse for it”. His central motive for the Summit was domestic distraction and, the usual addiction Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Domestic fixation/ Foreign Salvation?
Plainly Trump is fixated upon the domestic political scandals in which he is mired. The idea that he can find salvation through an achievement on the international stage is dubious. Whatever happens at the Summit with Kim Jong Un will not cause those scandals to disappear and, the outcome of the Summit is not uniquely Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. US Ultimatum to Iran: A Classic or a Fake?
Secretary of State Pompeo’s speech to roll out the US Plan B on Iran’s nuclear programme was an ultimatum and, a plan for regime change in Iran. The ultimatum will be rejected but without the classic follow up; in this case, an attack on Iran. It will be proven to be an undeliverable fake. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. United States and Israel: Known By the Company We Keep.
In our voting with the US against a resolution of the UN Human Rights Commission to establish an independent enquiry into recent Israeli use of lethal force against Palestinian demonstrators, we have shown far and wide, our subservience to the US and, by extension, to the policies of Benyamin Netanyahu. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. US and the Iran Agreement: True Lies and Chaos.
In explaining his decision on the US leaving the Iran nuclear agreement (JCPOA), President Trump told a number of true lies. His National Security Advisor, John Bolton, then told the truth: it was to conform with Israel’s wishes. Israel and Iran commenced hostilities in Syria, immediately. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. An Avalanche of Advocates
While the US will be without an Ambassador in Canberra for a while it can be forgiven for thinking it will be able to rely, on our own home-grown Alliance advocates. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Admiral Harris is not coming: does it matter?
The decision by incoming US Secretary of State Pompeo, to withdraw the nomination of Admiral Harry Harris as US Ambassador to Australia, is something within his gift. Julie Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull had fervently welcomed the proposed appointment. Presumably she and Malcolm Turnbull will now formulate ways in which to suggest that it’s of no Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Hypocrisy and Sanctimony: a Poisonous Brew.
The arguments advanced to justify the illegal US/French/UK attack upon Syrian CW related facilities incorporated buckets of sanctimony and numbing hypocrisy. There has been no serious discussion of the justification given by the three; because it was known to be patently false. And, worse, by setting themselves above the law, these three permanent members of Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. The US/DPRK Summit: War or Peace?
The planned Trump/Kim Summit has a clear choice between a negotiated solution, or war. There is a choice, whatever both sides may say. War is not unavoidable and if it were to occur it would be devastating. Continue reading »
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Turnbull and Trump: Meeting of Mates
It is not clear what this weeks US/Australia summit meeting will achieve. Both participants might welcome its optics, but each have other political needs. The critical issue for Australia is likely to be what exactly will Trump ask of Turnbull and will he get it. It is depressingly unlikely that Turnbull will address any of Continue reading »
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The Right to Keep and Bear Arms; and to use them
Guns and arms are embedded in US culture. It seems unable or unwilling to fix this, even though its people want it fixed.Its arms manufacturers are opposed to any solution. This shapes US foreign policy. Our engagement in this syndrome endangers us. Continue reading »
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The Alliance: Deeper thought required urgently
This is not the time to deepen our commitment to the alliance and, become ever more involved in the US’ imperium and need for enemies. We need to think freshly about our international relations and security. The recent Foreign Policy White Paper, constructed by Julie Bishop, was depressingly free of any such fresh thought. The Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. The State of the Union: Pantomime, With Menaces
Trump’s State of the Union speech was filled with menaces to enemies both foreign and domestic. US policy is now comprehensively militarized and in the hands of Trump’s Generals. It was a dangerous pantomime, with much cheering from Republicans who still seem to hope that no one will notice the Faustian bargain they have done Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. The Real Danger: A New Nuclear Arms Race.
New US nuclear weapons policies, quantitative and qualitative will ensure that a new nuclear arms race proceeds. Global danger will increase as will the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons. Its not just Trump that is at issue. He has merely enabled an increased influence of the US military/industrial/intelligence complex and, of a specifically Continue reading »
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Resolution for 2018: persuade our political leaders to work harder on establishing an independent Australian foreign policy
Australia’s foreign policy must no longer be formed by the interests of the US military/intelligence/industrial lobbies or the neuroses of US domestic politics. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Turnbull and Trump: Everything Is Illuminated. – A REPOST
In New York, for the Coral Sea commemoration, Turnbull pledged permanent Australian fealty to the US and expressed agreement to Trump’s concept of “fake news”. Rupert Murdoch presided over the ceremony. Greg Norman was present as a witness. Very illuminating. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. 2018: La Commedia Continua?
Two new basic policy statements by Canberra and Washington offer no hope for a constructive engagement of either in finding multilateral solutions to major political and humanitarian problems. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. The ring seems to be closing on the Trump Presidency
Every day brings deeper levels of concern about Trump’s conduct of his office. There is widening and, given American respect for the office itself, uncharacteristically public speculation about his fitness for it. The ring appears to be closing. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Jerusalem: US Foreign Policy begins at home.
In fulfilling a campaign promise made to what he discerned to be an important part of his base, Christian evangelicals and Jewish Americans, that is, to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Trump has: trashed all prior iterations of US policy; taken a position opposed by every other nation, except Israel; and, sunk all Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. North Korea joins the club
North Korea (DPRK) has made clear that it expects recognition as a nuclear weapon state (NWS). It has now implied, like most existing NWS, that it would follow a policy of “no first use”. US policy continues to be that DPRK nuclear weapon capability must be eliminated, or the DPRK will be. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Making the use of nuclear weapons thinkable – again?
The Trump Administration is preparing a new Nuclear Posture Review, (NPR) to be completed by early 2018. The instruction under which it is proceeding is to make US nuclear weapons more useable, in a variety of situations. It is being preceded by a massive program of new nuclear weapons development. Russia is also embarked on Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. The showdown between principles and interests.
The conflict between principles and interests now afflicting the US polity is stark. Participants from all sides of the political mainstream know that Trump’s presidency is proving disastrous and that they will need to act to rectify this. For now, the Republicans are continuing to prefer the pursuit of their partisan interests to acting to Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Iraq 2003: the Fabricated War of Choice
Gordon Brown has revealed a report showing that US intelligence Agencies knew Iraq did not have WMD and told the Bush Administration so. The invasion of Iraq was a war of choice, preferred by Bush, and Blair which Howard joined with alacrity. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. The Alliance: The Facts and the Furphies
A review of how we conduct our alliance relationship with the US is urgently required, not simply because it has elected a President who is unfit for his job, but because of the US’ attachment to war. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. New Sanctions on North Korea: No substitute for direct political engagement
The new sanctions on DPRK will likely suffer the failure of so many such sanctions orders. DPRK policy and actions have their reasons. Those must be addressed directly, politically. Will the nuclear weapon states do it, or is it too close to their bones? Continue reading »
