Comments on: Foreign policy tip: stop sucking up to the US

By: nic

nic — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Why is this article even here? It seems remarkably paranoid. Has the author actually witnessed pieces of paper or “text instructions” being passed near toilets or “behind meeting rooms”. What instructions?

By: john

john — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I remember a decade or so ago in UN specialist bodies such as the ITU Australia was often called on to play an ‘honest broker’ role in finding middle ground between conflicting US and EU positions. They were good times to be a member of an Oz delegation!

By: mike smith

mike smith — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Why would the article mention the passing of pieces of paper if the author hadn’t seen it? You want a photo? Doesn’t much matter anyway, the UN has long since passed the relevancy event horizon that the League of Nations passed decades ago.

By: Frank Birchall

Frank Birchall — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Couldn’t agree more — let’s be a firm friend of the US but not “groveller-in-chief”. Otherwise the US will only take us for granted. It will not respect Australia’s independence unless we are genuinely independent.

By: John T

John T — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Yes, Mike, let’s cut to the chase. Sending well briefed (maybe competent?) ministers is the way to deal with post-UN diplomacy, and to improve their education. Overcoming our cultural objection to sensible ministerial travel is the tough ask.