Australia invades another country

[Sankara1983]

Overseas troops arrive in Tonga (BBC News)

About 150 soldiers and police officers from Australia and New Zealand have arrived in Tonga following an appeal for help to restore order after riots.

At least eight people died when crowds ransacked much of the center of the Pacific nation's capital, Nuku'alofa.

The city is now said to be calm but a state of emergency has been declared. The unrest was sparked by concern about the slow pace of democratic reform.

The government has now announced major changes ahead of elections in 2008.

Australia has sent about 85 of the troops and police officers deployed, with New Zealand providing the remainder.

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard and his New Zealand counterpart Helen Clark announced the mission at a joint press conference in Vietnam, where they are attending a regional summit.

"Being the largest and wealthiest countries in the region, part of our responsibility is to help," said Mr. Howard.

continued… (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6160552.stm)


This means Australia now directly controls Nauru, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, and Tonga, and is attempting to strong-arm its way into ruling Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Vanuatu.

[bcbm]

"Being the largest and wealthiest countries in the region, part of our responsibility is to help," said Mr Howard.

Help support monarchist thugs? Right. <_< Here&#39;s to an end to "order&#33;" I hope the arrival of troops doesn&#39;t suppress the people for too long.

[apathy maybe]

To Iraq, "We are bringing you democracy and freeing you from a tyrannical dictator that does lots of bad shit".
To Tonga, "You are a tyrannical dictator that does lots of bad shit, we will free you from your pro-democracy demonstrators".


Fuck monarchy, fuck "democracy", fuck Howard, fuck the G20 (which I didn&#39;t fucking get to), fuck every fucking thing. Fuck capitalism and distance and states etc.



This means Australia now directly controls Nauru, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, and Tonga, and is attempting to strong-arm its way into ruling Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Vanuatu.I think you are going a bit far with this "directly controls" claim. Eighty five troops mean that they "directly control" Tonga? What the fuck?

[Sankara1983]

Originally posted by apathy [email protected] 18, 2006 07:21 am

This means Australia now directly controls Nauru, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, and Tonga, and is attempting to strong-arm its way into ruling Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Vanuatu.I think you are going a bit far with this "directly controls" claim. Eighty five troops mean that they "directly control" Tonga? What the fuck?
We must remember that most of Nuku&#39;alofa (including all the main government offices) have been destroyed. The troops and police are there to assume many functions normally exercised by the Tongan state.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Don&#39;t mind Apathy Maybe. He&#39;s an Austrialian chauvanist. He has argued before that Australia occupies the Solomons for "humanitarian reasons," and that Australia isn&#39;t imperialist.

[Sentinel]

I&#39;m in Australia at the moment, and all I can say is that nothing from Howard surprises me anymore. What a fucker.. He has also called Australia &#39;the US&#39;s deputy sheriff in the region&#39;. So yes, definitely fuck Howard. :angry:

[Keyser]

This, along with the military imperialism of Australia and New Zealand in Fiji, the Soloman Islands and East Timor, are a sign of things to come.

As the region becomes more unstable due to the decline of capitalist confidence and increasing social and political opposition in Australia and New Zealand, the governments of those two countries will use their military power to distract the people away from these problems and at the same time expand their power and base of exploitation under the cover of &#39;peacekeeping&#39;.

Any new news on the revolt in Tonga, we should support it as they struggle against an autocratic and absolutist monarchial regime backed up by global capitalism and imperialism.

[subcal]

Originally posted by apathy [email protected] 18, 2006 12:21 pm


Fuck monarchy, fuck "democracy", fuck Howard, fuck the G20 (which I didn&#39;t fucking get to), fuck every fucking thing. Fuck capitalism and distance and states etc.


Use lube, you have a lot of fucking to do.

I say we fuck it all up from the top down.

[manic expression]

Originally posted by subcal+November 19, 2006 06:36 am--> (subcal &#064; November 19, 2006 06:36 am)
apathy [email protected] 18, 2006 12:21 pm


Fuck monarchy, fuck "democracy", fuck Howard, fuck the G20 (which I didn&#39;t fucking get to), fuck every fucking thing. Fuck capitalism and distance and states etc.


Use lube, you have a lot of fucking to do.

I say we fuck it all up from the top down.[/b]
Fuck lube, too.

:D

[subcal]

Little America (Australia).... coming to a town near you (reguardless of country)

[phoenixoftime]

Although I&#39;m fully behind the transition to democracy in Tonga, you have to realize the devestating effects that continued rioting would have on the country. It has a tiny population, and with the destruction of Nuku&#39;alofa&#39;s CBD, including the bank, a lot of people are out of work and many others will now be unable to access money and goods. The riots also unfairly targetted Chinese businesses - a racist hallmark echoed in the riots in the Solomon Islands earlier this year.

I hope there is a revolution, but not one which plunges the country even futher into poverty.

It&#39;s a bit unfair to say that the Tongan govt is being propped up by Aust and NZ; both countries oppose the lack of democracy and neither country has very healthy relations with the Kingdom. So far their only involvement was to restore order and prevent more destruction.

It sounds like the King is going to react pretty strongly to the protesters (most currently in the Jail, which is full) - I hope they are treated fairly.


He says he has concerns about the stability of the South Pacific and that part of the trouble is that some countries are simply not big enough to be sustainable. - From Radio NZ (http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200611191731/troops_secure_tongas_airport_flights_to_resume_mon day)

More political interference to come, perhaps?

[bcbm]

Getting rid of despots is never pretty, though it&#39;d be a shame if they only managed to put some "democratic" despots in their place.

[Mujer Libre]

Originally posted by black banner black [email protected] 18, 2006 08:04 am

"Being the largest and wealthiest countries in the region, part of our responsibility is to help," said Mr Howard.

Help support monarchist thugs? Right. <_< Here&#39;s to an end to "order&#33;" I hope the arrival of troops doesn&#39;t suppress the people for too long.
To be fair, the spin the Australian government is putting on it is that the people responsible are drunken youths... Seriously... It&#39;s such blatant bullshit that , being hardly aware of the situation (have been busy lately) I turned on the news, heard that line and yelled "BULLSHIT&#33;" (I literally did, I have trouble being quiet when watching the news)

So yeah, G20 protestors are violent overseas thugs and people agitating for change in Tonga are drunken kids. Thanks Howard government&#33;

In all seriousness, Australia&#39;s regional policy is basically one similar to the US&#39;s policy in Latin America, albeit less violent. It helps that the countries are smaller and more reliant on Australia.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

I wouldn&#39;t call it "less violent". Timor Leste says otherwise.

[Mujer Libre]

Originally posted by Compañ[email protected] 20, 2006 10:24 pm
I wouldn&#39;t call it "less violent". Timor Leste says otherwise.
Yup, poor choice of words on my part. "Smaller" might have been a better choice, but thats only due to the relative sizes of the countries involved, not to a lack of desire for hegemonic dominance on the part of the Australian government.

[Delirium]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19, 2006 03:54 am
The riots also unfairly targetted Chinese businesses - a racist hallmark echoed in the riots in the Solomon Islands earlier this year.




Dont the chinese minority control a large part of the economy?

[Ol' Dirty]

This Howard guy needs to suck some major dingo phalus. fucking asshole. Yeh, we&#39;re going to help them by ruthlessly oppressing them.

[Cheung Mo]

All those in favour of expelling Helen Clark from the NZ Labor Party and leaving to rot on the streets of Auckland.

AYE&#33;

[Sankara1983]

"Tongan Prime Minister Fred Sevele has no intention of stepping down in the wake of the riots that have caused death and destruction in the capital Nuku&#39;alofa … [a]bout 150 Australian and New Zealand peacekeepers arrived late yesterday to enforce martial law on the streets of the capital." cite (http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1792174.htm)

"Dozens of Australians have arrived home from Tonga on a special flight arranged by the Australian Federal Government after pro-democracy riots in Tonga&#39;s capital left at least eight people dead." cite (http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2006/November/11-20-03.htm)

"… Sevele is widely regarded as a puppet of the royals because of his close business associations with the increasingly unpopular Crown Prince Tupouto&#39;a and his political connections with the king." (March 2006) cite (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/mar2006/tong-m17.shtml)

"Leaders of Tonga&#39;s democracy movement have expressed concerns that Australian and New Zealand troops in Tonga&#39;s capital Nuku&#39;alofa could in practice reinforce the political system that caused unrest in the first place. Meanwhile, the New Zealand joint defence force commander in Tonga says troops are likely to increase their presence." (my emphasis) cite (http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0611/S00388.htm)

"Currently 673 New Zealand Defence Force personnel are deployed on peacekeeping operations, UN missions, and Defence Force exercises in 20 missions across 16 countries." cite (http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0611/S00310.htm)

Photographs from Matangi Tonga (http://www.matangitonga.to/article/photonews/restricted_zone201106.shtml)

More photos from BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6158720.stm)

[Cheung Mo]

If the Anzac troops intend to oppose the democratic will of the people of Tonga, we must hope that they are treated the same way that French and American soldiers were in Vietnam.

[P.L.U.C.K.]

Originally posted by apathy [email protected] 18, 2006 12:21 pm
To Iraq, "We are bringing you democracy and freeing you from a tyrannical dictator that does lots of bad shit".
To Tonga, "You are a tyrannical dictator that does lots of bad shit, we will free you from your pro-democracy demonstrators".

Fuck monarchy, fuck "democracy", fuck Howard, fuck the G20 (which I didn&#39;t fucking get to), fuck every fucking thing. Fuck capitalism and distance and states etc.
FUCK YEAH&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; &#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;11one

[Cheung Mo]

Incidentally, if the Chinese community has a history of supporting the dictatorship, they deserved to be targeted by rioters.

[Phalanx]

No, targeting someone based on their ethnicity is never legitimate.

[apathy maybe]

Originally posted by Sankara1983+--> (Sankara1983)We must remember that most of Nuku&#39;alofa (including all the main government offices) have been destroyed. The troops and police are there to assume many functions normally exercised by the Tongan state.[/b]Sure, but it is hardly direct control.

Originally posted by Compañ[email protected]
Don&#39;t mind Apathy Maybe. He&#39;s an Austrialian chauvanist. He has argued before that Australia occupies the Solomons for "humanitarian reasons," and that Australia isn&#39;t imperialist. Fuck you too. Just because I don&#39;t agree with your analysis of a situation does not make me chauvinistic. If you actually knew me in real life, you would hardly say that. Yes I think that there are humanitarian reasons for Australian troops to be in the Solomons, does not mean that I think they should be there. Nor does it mean that it is the only reason that they are there.
Depending on your definition of "imperialistic" I might well think that Australia is not, give me a definition. Eighty-five troops can not control a country in this day and age, while Australia can exert large amounts of pressure on the Tongan government, the troops are hardly doing that. The troops are there to protect the Tongan government, not control it.

So fuck you.


subcal
Use lube, you have a lot of fucking to do.I think I might need it ...

[Cheung Mo]

Originally posted by Tatanka [email protected] 24, 2006 09:02 pm
No, targeting someone based on their ethnicity is never legitimate.
(Assuming the reasons for the riots are the lack of democracy in Tonga) They&#39;re not being targeted because they&#39;re Chinese: They&#39;re being targeted because they oppose democratic reform.

What your suggesting is similar to saying that I dislike the Iranian government because it&#39;s run by Persians. NO. I dislike the Iranian government for its history of persecuting and publicly executing feminists, leftists, secularists, and homosexuals. (And for that matter, I disliked its predecessor for being a tool of USA imperialism and for using secret police and torture squads against political dissenters,)

[Guerrilla22]

that. Yes I think that there are humanitarian reasons for Australian troops to be in the Solomons, does not mean that I think they should be there. Nor does it mean that it is the only reason that they are there.
Depending on your definition of "imperialistic" I might well think that Australia is not, give me a definition. Eighty-five troops can not control a country in this day and age, while Australia can exert large amounts of pressure on the Tongan government, the troops are hardly doing that. The troops are there to protect the Tongan government, not control it.

Denial. I don&#39;t understand how you can sat that Australia is not an imperialist country, the evidence suggest otherwise. The fact that Australia sent troops to intervene in the politics of another country makes it an imperialist country. 85 well armed troops can easily make an impact on the political situation. As for the "humatiarian" mission in the Soloman Islands, the US has used the same excuse for invading Haiti over and over throughout the years.

[bcbm]

The idea that some poorer (and usually not-white) nations need first-world (and usually white) nations to come in and help them "maintain order" strikes me as more than a little fucking paternalist, if not imperialist.