By With all the problems facing the US Marines as they try to reposition forces on Okinawa and Guam, they have at least found one more place to put a few Marines at that will lighten the load on the two islands:
THE expanded American military presence in Australia – to be formally announced next week by the US President, Barack Obama – will result in vastly more US ships, planes and soldiers visiting and being stationed in the nation’s north, the government says.
As the government all but confirmed yesterday’s Herald report that US Marines and materiel would be shifted to Darwin, the Greens said the move would annoy Australia’s neighbours, including China, and make the nation a bigger military target.
The Greens leader, Bob Brown, said he would make his concerns known to Mr Obama next week in the unlikely event he was granted a meeting with him. Otherwise Senator Brown planned to ring the US embassy to complain.
The Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, attacked the Greens, whose platform opposes foreign military bases.
”The Green party does not direct Australia’s national security policy, the Green party does not direct Australia’s foreign policy,” Mr Rudd said from Hawaii, where he is attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit.
Mr Rudd played down concerns expressed by some defence analysts, such as Professor Hugh White, that the increased US presence might antagonise China. Mr Rudd said Australia had always been transparent about the importance of its alliance with the US.
With Australia’s vast coastline and small population, ”it has always made national security sense for Australia to have a strong strategic alliance with the United States”. This had long had the overwhelming support of the Australian people, he said. [Sydney Morning Herald]
Considering the size of the existing military installation Robertson Barracks that they are putting Marines at in Darwin it could probably hold just a few hundred Marines, so it won’t be a very large troop presence. However, this opens the door to future expansion of the base once the politics in Australia line up to support such a move. This is a very good idea to reduce some of the pressure over the US Marine presence on Okinawa while at the same time strategically dispersing US forces across the Pacific. On a side note, China would look ridiculous complaining about US Marines stationed thousands of miles away in an entirely different hemisphere, especially if it reduces the number of US forces in Okinawa that is sitting literally right off their shores unlike Australia.
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6:21 am on November 12th, 2011 1
9:01 am on November 12th, 2011 2
This isn’t new news. They’ve already been there for years now. Shoalwater, anybody?
11:56 am on November 12th, 2011 3
@1 – Aborigines are Asians?
@2 – This is news because it is the permanent stationing of a US Marine unit in Australia. In the past we have rotated units to Australia for training exercises such Talisman Sabre at Shoalwater Bay which is what you are referring to. The permanent stationing of US troops will drive the Australian left nuts but they can’t say much since the left leaning Labor Party is currently running the government. If John Howard had done this a few years ago the Aussie left would have gone bonkers.
1:20 pm on November 12th, 2011 4
I bet even austrailians will hate us military there.
2:26 pm on November 12th, 2011 5
“Asians shall take back the land you stole from us all…”
How do you categorize Asian; as a race, an ethnicity, a nationality? My recollection of geography tells me that Asia and Australia were completely separate continents. Racially, should the Slavic Asians be kicked out of Asia? Where would they go?
Prior to the modern European migration to Australia, there is little evidence of north Asian presence or interest in the place.
It is believed that the original aborigines followed a migration path along the southern Asian continent through the area that is currently Indonesia and made it to Australia at a time when sea levels were lower and the land masses were separated by mess water.
But, before you say, “See! They really are Asian.” Consider this recent finding:
So, the original Australians predate Asian and European distinctions. They arrived at a time when human genetic differences were much more profound than what we look at today as ethnic and racial. During their migration they probably encountered human variants that no longer exist. Homo Floresiensis, the Indonesian “hobbit”, was last seen about 12 to 13 thousand years ago. Neanderthal only went away about 30,000 years ago.
And for those who believe the world was created during a 7 day stretch 7,000 years ago … never mind.
2:29 pm on November 12th, 2011 6
Correction: “land masses were separated by less water.”
3:08 pm on November 12th, 2011 7
#4
“I bet even austrailians will hate us military there.”
Probably. But we did do tend to get along more often than not.
I’ve worked and played with Australians on a number of occasions during my military career. Their and our air forces worked next to each off the same flight lines at Clark Air Base, Philippines during Cope Thunder and Uda Pao Air Base, Thailand during Cobra Gold exercises. I was also TDY to Darwin for several weeks.
We have similar partying habits and if you visit any of the villes where we meet you will see the camaraderie still exists.
Just my opinion though. They are generally more experienced and robust drinkers than most Americans and might come out the better in rounds of barroom roughhousing with our young Marines.
3:37 pm on November 12th, 2011 8
“Asians shall take back the land you stole from us all”
Yeah?
Well!
The White Man will take back the land ASIANS stole!
Both Tokyo AND Hong Kong…
…uh…
…Disney… land.
Never mind.
3:55 pm on November 12th, 2011 9
Impossible. Wait until the Evangelical and feminist leadership (strange bedfellows, eh?) discover prostitution is legal in Australia.*
Human trafficking!
White women!
Following current DoD policy, our Marines will have to be restricted to their installation at all times.
*brothels are illegal
4:34 pm on November 12th, 2011 10
If you have ever been to Oz as a serviceman, you’ll have no doubt that the Aussies will have no problems with us being there.
4:35 pm on November 12th, 2011 11
10. Especially the women folk.
5:01 pm on November 12th, 2011 12
Part of our safety briefing at Darwin was to stay away from the beach. The saltwater crocodiles are ambush hunters. They would sneak up behind you on the beach and chase you towards the water. In a sprint on sand, they are much faster than you.
I suspect that, initially, a few intoxicated Marines will try their luck until a few are taken.
The Salties are protected and numerous up there. The base officer’s club has a patio that next to a cliff next that overlooks the water. At night you can look down and see dozens of glowing red eyes.
7:26 pm on November 12th, 2011 13
This situation reminds me of a song. Here we go, everyone together!
Traveling in a fried-out combie
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said,
“Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.”
Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six foot four and full of muscles
I said, “Do you speak-a my language?”
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich
And he said,
“I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.”
Lying in a den in Bombay
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to the man, “Are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?”
And he said,
“Oh! Do you come from a land down under? (oh yeah yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.”
9:03 pm on November 12th, 2011 14
9:03 pm on November 12th, 2011 15
9:10 pm on November 12th, 2011 16
#10, yes… I bet…. English speakers and white folks….? gettin’ together… ain’t it better than with Asiennes…
Asians !! Unite against the White Ghost tyranny that’s sweeping our foreground…
The White ghosts are sticking together… finally…. against us !!!
Let’s destroy the very base from which those ghosts will descend upon us to vent destruction on our homes and families !!!
9:15 pm on November 12th, 2011 17
Sounds great! I would love to be station in Australia at some point. I am huge fan of strengthening military ties between English speaking westernized countries.
9:44 pm on November 12th, 2011 18
#14,
Asians !!! Unite against White Mans’ aggression toward you !!!!
That is what they want !!! Domination of Asia through military Might !!!
DRIVE Americans out of Asia & Pacific !!!
Let’s take over Australia !!! Drive White Men from Asia, Australia, and New Zealand…
Give the land back to their original owners !!!!!!!!
9:56 pm on November 12th, 2011 19
Yes !!! Maj. America is exactly reflective of what 100% White Men think !!
They want a domination of Asia through cooperation among English speaking Western (White) Nations !!!
Do not forget… their Colonial past linkage !!!
They are of same people!!!
Unite for the pre-emptive strike against their heart of Aggression …..
STRIKE AUSTRALIA AND DESTROY THE BASTION OF AGGRESSION !!!!
9:59 pm on November 12th, 2011 20
OBAMA is making a wrong move… Obama has seriously disappointed me. It will be a big blow against him.
There is a deep distrust of Australians. They are just a transient in our world.
That decision to have a White Man’s Army stationed permanently against Asians will back fire in the long run.
Stupid Aussies….
11:40 pm on November 12th, 2011 21
Aussies would be pretty stupid if they gave China veto power over their national security policy.
11:47 pm on November 12th, 2011 22
Do you have a base down under?
Where Indonesian oil can be plundered.
If Chinese come they will hear the thunder.
Those shipping lanes, they’d better take cover.”
12:07 am on November 13th, 2011 23
Now we’re talking…..
Well…. Well….
Whites stick together, so Asians should stick together too…
Aussies got massive deposits of natural minerals that we could use and they sit right besides Indonesian oil fields..
That mass of land those outsiders sit on is just too valuable for Asians to let go of… to Americans…
12:14 am on November 13th, 2011 24
#21, I’m sure white folks in Australia are pretty scared about an Asian Super Power… But what about a NATO like power group arising in Asia against outsiders like Australia or the U.S.?
A Defense Treaty Organization that is led by China, Korea, and Japan… against White Men…
Wouldn’t that make White people twitch and grab a gun….?
NATO throws its weight around every where… Why shouldn’t Asians?
12:16 am on November 13th, 2011 25
DESTROY ANZ-AMERICAN ALLIANCE !!!!!
12:38 am on November 13th, 2011 26
Down to APEC
4:05 am on November 13th, 2011 27
16. Yeah but do the Chinese chunder?
5:22 am on November 13th, 2011 28
Keep the base in Oki… Right under their butt
6:03 am on November 13th, 2011 29
“Their and our air forces worked next to each off the same flight lines at Clark Air Base, Philippines during Cope Thunder”
Their safety regulations were a bit more relaxed than ours too….had one Aussie tell me that they didn’t see how we ever got our F-4s and A-10s back in the air with all the books and regs we had to follow for every little thing.
I also learned the hard (but fun) way, that it was no use to try to keep up with the Aussies on a night out. Hard working, and even harder drinking group of guys that drank us under the table every time we partied with them. Good times
6:53 am on November 13th, 2011 30
Orbit wrote:
Not as much as they hate obnoxious Korean tourists.
7:34 am on November 13th, 2011 31
8:20 am on November 13th, 2011 32
@9 – Yes very good point about the legal prostitution in Australia. It will be interesting to see how DOD addresses that. I bet they ignore it since it is legal. In Korea prostitution in technically illegal and DOD is able to use that to validate their current anti-prostitution stance.
8:31 am on November 13th, 2011 33
@5 – Great link, I have always found how the Aborigines migrated to Australia quite interesting. All the recent research shows they are not Asians but in fact of African origin:
The migration of the Aboriginal ancestors to Australia has to be considered one of the greatest feats of human exploration:
8:33 am on November 13th, 2011 34
@18 – Homeboy sounds just like the Imperial Japanese he so much despises that ventured out to “free” Asia from white colonial powers.
8:38 am on November 13th, 2011 35
The barracks lawyer in me says with prostitution specifically being illegal in the latest revision of the UCMJ, the box-checking “leaders” and their zero tolerance policies will not allow it to be ignored…
…especially the married ones who hear about it at church.
8:40 am on November 13th, 2011 36
Seems like the far right and far left in Korea both love their Post 친일파 민족주의
8:59 am on November 13th, 2011 37
#35: Yep, amendement to UCMJ from back in 2005. It says “sexual intercourse… for money… not spouse” Also, Article 125 unnatural copulation = mouth OR anus + sexual organ. So, non-BJ soapland = OK?
9:04 am on November 13th, 2011 38
대한 민국 만세!!!!
9:10 am on November 13th, 2011 39
GI Korea, yes I despise Jap Imperial-militarists…. Don’t drive me
into their corner…. Also, Chinese militarists….
12:46 pm on November 13th, 2011 40
#29
Their Mirage aircraft had the disturbing habit of producing an explosive backfire and coughing out a fireball from the exhaust on engine start. Had us Americans ducking for cover the first few days. The Aussies didn’t even flinch.
We did envy their utility uniforms that allowed them to wear shorts in the tropical sun.
1:05 pm on November 13th, 2011 41
#17 and #29
After several rounds of drinking with Australians it’s almost like they were speaking a foreign language and you won’t understand 80% of what they are saying. You end up just nodding a lot.
This might help in understanding their war stories.
1:29 pm on November 13th, 2011 42
lol this guitard obvioulsy have chip on his shoulders. He definately have something against korea and koreans. Obnoxious korean tourists? wtf? lol
4:17 pm on November 13th, 2011 43
#41 – that is a great link for Aussie Army lingo. I wonder – the term “Battle Tranny”…it could have a new ‘crossover’ meaning in the US military now that DADT has been repealed…
4:25 pm on November 13th, 2011 44
Thailand still waiting for its battle trannies to have permission to serve.
I was reading the AR for medical readiness a couple of months ago and alterations to genitals and hemaphrodite status – even fixed at birth – medically disqualifies those with physical sex changes.
4:36 pm on November 13th, 2011 45
Battle Trannies ?
That is a good one… Untranslatable into Korean…
5:31 pm on November 13th, 2011 46
Orbit, Koreans can be really nasty obnoxious not only here in Korea but also overseas… I can’t stand some of those idiots who I can spot from miles away…literally.
In my lifetime, I’ve had more goddarned bad experiences with my fellow countrymen than foreigners of all types.
You might want to step back… relax and quit bad mouthing foreigners here.
You don’t seem Korean. Don’t act like one.
5:36 pm on November 13th, 2011 47
For your solace, I’ve had bad experiences with Americans as well, not only in the private sector but in the military as well.
I got into a run in with this American Sergeant First Class at the MP in the Yongsan Garrison who were dissing Korea with his subordinate right in front of me… I got pissed off…He nearly got me in the stockade but I had more powerful connections…
So what, there are bad apples everywhere… Ya gotta watch out for the rotten ones and make sure those are discarded… if not just ignore them…
8:45 pm on November 13th, 2011 48
GI Korea 33, everybody is of African origin.
11:29 pm on November 13th, 2011 49
“everybody is of African origin”
Does that explain why I want to get some shields and spears?
…preferably Brooke Shields and Britney Spears…
…circa 1985 Shields and 1999 Spears, of course.
11:47 pm on November 13th, 2011 50
I have never consumed illicit pharmacological products in my life but goddamn I need to get some of what Homeboy’s been having, he is off his face.
12:05 am on November 14th, 2011 51
Well now… here’s the descendent of criminals sent over by the Brits to rid itself of the petulant critters who made havoc of its streets… good riddance…
Nathan, read my posts…. you dimwit
By the way… what I meant about you people down under were all true… You are all transient in this part of the world and us Asians will kick you out sooner or later…Give the land back to the Aborigines whom you’ve treated worse than dogs.
12:18 am on November 14th, 2011 52
And when you consider the class of people still running around England, it just goes to show how bad the ones they shipped here must have been. Besides, if even Suharto thought we’d be impossible to uproot, your dreams of Australian transience are likely to remain just dreams.
Besides, there’s not nearly enough Aboriginal people left to run the joint; there’d be a sixty-way rush to take over from them by all the major Asian nations, European nations and Uncle Sam, which would spark a thermonuclear World War III and wipe out every developed country on earth.
Given the alternatives, we’re not so bad
2:19 am on November 14th, 2011 53
You didn’t take my bait… wait ’till next time…
G’day mate…
3:30 am on November 14th, 2011 54
#46: At least the Korean govt made a Public Service Announcement to not be a 똥가방 overseas.
9:36 am on November 14th, 2011 55
Asians uniting? Yeah right?
My old man in English, my mother Scottish, I was never shit on back home for being mixed race.
What will a person with a Chinese father and a Korean mother living in China or Korea experience?
Yeah, Asians will unite, sure…
9:47 am on November 14th, 2011 56
is English
10:24 am on November 14th, 2011 57
Turbo wrote:
Reminds me of something Phil Lynott of the Irish band Thin Lizzy once said while addressing the crowd.
Phil: Are there any girls out there with any Irish in them?
crowd: roars and cheers.
Phil: Are they any girls out there who’d like a little more Irish in them?
7:35 pm on November 27th, 2011 58
Seldom does the military get this kind of welcoming promotion from the mayor of a city:
Don’t screw it up Marines.