Tense call between Trump and Australian leader strains longtime ties
By Jane Wardell and Roberta Rampton
ricky l
Trump offending many of US longtime allies, friends and partners are very troubling.
It will come back to hit Trump one day - just when US needs longtime allies, friends and partners to safeguard US interest.
It will come back to hit Trump one day - just when US needs longtime allies, friends and partners to safeguard US interest.
ricky l
Trump is increasingly failing its foreign policies very badly.
Soon US will lose many longtime allies, friends and partners - while facing more adversaries.
US spaces in the World will get smaller and smaller.
Soon US will lose many longtime allies, friends and partners - while facing more adversaries.
US spaces in the World will get smaller and smaller.
ricky l
Don't be surprise that the World may teach Trump a lesson.
ricky l
In so doing, the World may insulate damages from US economically.
And if successful, in future US influence on the World will not be significant.
This will be the most painful lesson that US learn from Trump reign of Presidency - by offending many Countries in the World - as though the whole World is taking advantage of US.
And if successful, in future US influence on the World will not be significant.
This will be the most painful lesson that US learn from Trump reign of Presidency - by offending many Countries in the World - as though the whole World is taking advantage of US.
ricky l
This outcome will be most damaging to US economically and politically in the intermediate term.
ricky l
US thrive only on working with the World, not against the World.
ricky l
US is the one that has created problems in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.
And now Trump is trying to shirk responsibilities and leave it to others.
And now Trump is trying to shirk responsibilities and leave it to others.
ricky l
Isn't US the one that bomb Afghanistan, Iraq and intervene in Iran?
ricky l
Australia on Friday (Feb 3) was scrambling to come to terms with the realisation that decades as one of the closest of US allies may count for little in the "America First" vision of President Donald Trump.
Australia has fought alongside the United States in most major conflicts since World War II, including Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq, and the current campaign against the Islamic State group.
But it took only a heated phone call from Trump to confirm Australia could expect to be treated no different to Mexico, Canada, Iran or anyone else who has felt public humiliation from Trump's tongue and social media feed.
Trump's ire was triggered by a vague agreement entered into with former president Barack Obama last year to take in refugees Australia has parked on remote Pacific islands.
Canberra is also one of the trusted "Five Eyes" countries with which the US routinely shares sensitive intelligence, but the Washington Post said Trump abruptly cut short a fiery conversation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday after slamming the refugee agreement.
Soon after leaks emerged Thursday of "the worst call by far" Trump had with Turnbull, the new president got to work.
"Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" Trump tweeted.
Canberra, used to cosy security and political ties with successive US governments, did not see it coming despite plenty of warning, notably the uncomfortable time British Prime Minister Theresa May endured in Washington and the diplomatic crisis with Mexico.
Australia has to wake up to the new dynamic where "alliances don't mean much to him (Trump)", politics professor John Hewson told AFP.
"We've seen it in his comments about NATO, the UN, China and many more countries.
"While we aren't going to give up on the alliance, we should realistically say, 'Look, what can we expect this guy to do moving forward?'"
And Trump had shown "it's not just America first but also America only", the former Liberal opposition leader said.
Australia has fought alongside the United States in most major conflicts since World War II, including Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq, and the current campaign against the Islamic State group.
But it took only a heated phone call from Trump to confirm Australia could expect to be treated no different to Mexico, Canada, Iran or anyone else who has felt public humiliation from Trump's tongue and social media feed.
Trump's ire was triggered by a vague agreement entered into with former president Barack Obama last year to take in refugees Australia has parked on remote Pacific islands.
Canberra is also one of the trusted "Five Eyes" countries with which the US routinely shares sensitive intelligence, but the Washington Post said Trump abruptly cut short a fiery conversation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday after slamming the refugee agreement.
Soon after leaks emerged Thursday of "the worst call by far" Trump had with Turnbull, the new president got to work.
"Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" Trump tweeted.
Canberra, used to cosy security and political ties with successive US governments, did not see it coming despite plenty of warning, notably the uncomfortable time British Prime Minister Theresa May endured in Washington and the diplomatic crisis with Mexico.
Australia has to wake up to the new dynamic where "alliances don't mean much to him (Trump)", politics professor John Hewson told AFP.
"We've seen it in his comments about NATO, the UN, China and many more countries.
"While we aren't going to give up on the alliance, we should realistically say, 'Look, what can we expect this guy to do moving forward?'"
And Trump had shown "it's not just America first but also America only", the former Liberal opposition leader said.
ricky l
"We simply have no idea what's going to happen," said political scientist Belinda Edwards, but foresaw "contingency planning around the notion that the (US-Australia) alliance is no longer reliable.
"We have had a somewhat blinkered reliance and set of assumptions about the alliance which we have often tended not to look past," she told AFP.
"Suddenly Australian policymakers will be giving really serious credence and consideration to how would we organise ourselves in a world where we couldn't rely on the alliance."
"We have had a somewhat blinkered reliance and set of assumptions about the alliance which we have often tended not to look past," she told AFP.
"Suddenly Australian policymakers will be giving really serious credence and consideration to how would we organise ourselves in a world where we couldn't rely on the alliance."
ricky l
US bomb Iraq.
US bomb Syria.
US bomb Yemen.
US bomb Libya.
US bomb Somalia.
US bomb Sudan.
US intervene in Iran politics.
Now Trump say he will ban all these Countries.
Now Trump say he will leave all these refugees to Australia and Trump say it has nothing to do with US.
Does Trump know what he is saying?
Does Trump pass his foreign policies?
US bomb Syria.
US bomb Yemen.
US bomb Libya.
US bomb Somalia.
US bomb Sudan.
US intervene in Iran politics.
Now Trump say he will ban all these Countries.
Now Trump say he will leave all these refugees to Australia and Trump say it has nothing to do with US.
Does Trump know what he is saying?
Does Trump pass his foreign policies?
charlie
Good! Why the heck are we taking trash that Australia refuses to take. Fact is Australia put these Muslims on islands refusing them entry. Barry being the one to never refuse entry to Islam terrorists took them. I repeat this is Muslim immigrant trash that Australia did not want and kept in prison camps. President Trump is still going to honor the deal but unlike Barry he is going to vet them. The open border policy for all terrorists that the democrats favor is now closed. Thank you President Trump. America first!
- 17 seconds agoricky lUS bomb Iraq.
US bomb Syria.
US bomb Yemen.
US bomb Libya.
US bomb Somalia.
US bomb Sudan.
US intervene in Iran politics.
Now Trump say he will leave all these refugees to Australia and Trump say it has nothing to do with US.
Why should Australia be inheriting all these problems created by US?
