ANZAC Day – we must turn our backs on the appalling beast that is AUKUS

ByJohn Minto

There is no better day than ANZAC Day, when we remember our soldiers who died in war, to talk about military threats and America’s endless wars in pursuit of “full spectrum dominance” of the plant Earth. The US – a waning imperial power – still wants to control the planet politically and economically while using its vast military power to enforce its will.

Their latest plans are to spread their conflict with China to the Pacific with an aggressive new alliance – AUKUS – bringing Australia alongside the UK in a massive military plan to “contain China”. There are plenty of reasons for us to be wary of China and its human rights abuses in places like Tibet and Hong Kong but many more reasons to be wary of the US with its appalling record of overturning democratically elected governments which cross its path and unleashing murder and mayhem on countries across the globe – almost always with brown-eyed citizens – which dare to follow their own path.

I have pointed out previously that the US will right now be working hard to undermine and overturn the democratically elected Solomon Islands government as it tries to drive China to the margins of the Pacific.

I’m not aware China has any military bases outside its borders while the US has several dozen massive bases around the globe and is striving to increase these right to China’s borders. The US would never accept any other country However in the process the US has lost the support of most of the world with emerging economies turning their backs on the schoolyard-bully regime.

It’s fine for Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to say we agree with a “rules-based international order”. But such an order must be based on international law, international treaties, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and United Nations resolutions. Unfortunately the US doesn’t go along with any of those so that in effect we are talking about an international order dictated by the US and its global, and regional, priorities. This is no place for Aotearoa New Zealand.

We need a genuinely independent foreign policy which has respectful relations with both the US and China but which is prepared to call either of them out when we disagree. Such a policy demands respect – the alternative is obsequiousness. One of the most unfortunate aspects of the current government is that it has allowed us to be dragged back closer into the US orbit than at any time in the last 40 years. We now have the awful sight of our current PM following in Ardern’s footsteps to attend another NATO leaders meeting in July.

It is any wonder the rest of the world looks on NATO as the white thugs club?

Aotearoa New Zealand should have nothing to do with US plans to isolate China. We were not invited to be part of the first version of AUKUS because of our anti-nuclear policies but there are plenty of bureaucrats, commentators and one-dimensional politicians (National’s Mark Mitchell comes to mind) who are pushing hard for us to join a second-tier AUKUS which shares intelligence with AUKUS states. This is simply anti-China posturing because our GCSB (Government Communications Security Bureau) already provides intelligence to America’s National Security Agency through the five-eyes agreement. (This is an agreement between spy organisations in the US, UK, Australia. Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand)

We should say no to AUKUS at any level and withdraw from the five-eyes agreement. There are more important, safer and principled things we should be doing than playing poodle to the US.

Australia unfortunately seems to have no such qualms. It is incredibly brainless and dangerous for Australia to sign up to a massive arms race in the Pacific driven by US paranoia and Quixotic dreams of ruling the world. It will be a boon for the US arms industry but will make the Pacific a much more dangerous place.

We can only hope a people’s movement develops in Australia to sink AUKUS – for the sake of all who call the Pacific home.

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36 Comments

    1. Silly Pat but you have to catch Minto out, to suggest they are as expansionist as the US is totally nuts.

      China has about eight foreign military bases — one in Djibouti and some on human-made islands in the South China Sea.

      1. China may have few offshore bases because they are just starting to acquire them – the US at one point had very little also.

  2. There are almost 800 publicly discoverable offshore US bases and military facilities, mostly butting up against their imperialist rivals territories. China has barely half a dozen.

    AO/NZ participation in AUKUS has to be resisted, Andrew Little has shown himself to be a “very very very good friend” of the Americans through the TPPA/CPTTP, despite Trump’s slap down of any trade deal. Labour Ministers are as apt as the tory ones to suck up to yanks once they get their security briefings in the wood panelled offices and a few spooks visit in small jet planes.

  3. I sit on the other end of the political spectrum than you Mr Minto but on this we are in complete agreement. Australia has become a vassal state of the US. I disagree regarding your comment on the 5 Eyes agreement – this is hugely important for our regional security, particularly with the organised crime networks and cartels becoming ever more prevalent in the Pacific but in terms of foreign policy, time for NZ to forge it’s own path independent of US influence.

    1. Agreed Andrew and of course so did the Ukrainians otherwise they would be under Russian occupation once again.

  5. Well said John.
    However – Lest we forget. Our alliances with USA originate from the huge commitment made by the USA in defending the South Pacific during WWII, their sacrifice of young lives was huge.
    Given our small size, closeness to Australia, and limited resources, navigating a non-aligned position would require huge political expertise and also a cross-party agreement if we hoped to achieve it.

  6. Dammit, John,
    I hate you!
    Why is you can put Into words those things about which I can only think.
    However,I think you have been rather unkind to the good Ole USA In giving them with far fewer overseas military bases than they actally have.
    From what I have read courtesy of Google et al. That number is more like 700+
    Which Includes a weapons dump in Apartheid israel from which the israelis can draw to replenish and replace those used in enforcing their Apartheid policies against the Palestinians.
    Kia Kate John
    More strength to your arm.
    Peter Wilson

  7. I normally have RNZ going most of the day but I cannot bear it on ANZAC day especially. How many of these people have ever joined a peace movement, ever marched or signed for peace. I hate the endless adoration of it all, and it is adoration!

  8. The rest of the world considers the US a thug state? I wonder, using this form of hyperbole what the world thinks of China and Russia? Despotic regimes who crush descent in their own countries and bully their neighbor’s? It’s a little funny how socialists can only see one imperial power in the world, hence their utter confusion and utter failure to comprehend the world in any way other than “but, but America is a failing imperial state”, at the same time an imperial state attacks its neighbor. Great job socialist muppets, foreign policy is not your forte, go advocate for something useful like state paid dental or vision.

    1. Ham, I am sure they do think that of China and Russia, but because I don’t want a bar of the US doesn’t mean I want a bar of either of those countries either.

    3. a strawman arguement using whataboutism to be apologetic – take your pick. Hating on the US does not preclude hating on China and Russia too. We should hold the West to a high standard – considering we allie to it, or are you happy to let your morals and ethics slide for “our team”?

    4. @Ham apparently foreign policy is not your forte either, this is not a zero game it’s possible not to like any of them. Many here would prefer to stay neutral.

  9. John Bolton saying the quiet part out very loudly
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0y2gYoqOnA

    A certain Joe Biden then the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee on Russian discomfort with NATO expansion.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY_eNUXQMzM

    For a deeper dive into US hegemony
    https://williamblum.org/books/killing-hope

    As long as US foreign policy is dominated by neocon and PUNAC alumni, with partnerships creating vassel states and not peers, NZ should keep the US at arms length.

    CCP intentions are also unclear, such as Confucian institutes and their influence in universities and wider society. In other western nations this has exceeded cultural exchange into soft power politics and intimidation of chinese overseas citizens. We should also have an explicit policy of supporting dissident chinese students.

    1. What’s so hard to understand? Everyone knows the US want’s to throw the biggest parties and have the best drugs. Gangsta 4 Life.

  10. Weren’t there auks in The Lord of the Rings? And the acronym Aukus sounds like we are asking to be auked!
    What is an Orc? Orcs are a race of humanoid creatures that serve the Dark Lords of Middle-earth. 22/08/2022
    The Lord of the Rings: ‘The Rings of Power’ Unveils the Orcs
    https://www.aboutamazon.com › news › entert

    Instead we need to foster togetherness and goodwill. Can we get behind a trust that runs a sort of Blerta-like travelling show that goes around NZ setting up flash mobs like this Zorba one. All fun and together, shoulders connected, a communal experience with music. All high world defence meetings should start not with a mendacious prayer but with a will to dance together to good music!

    Our dances could be developed by Maori for suitability to the style so that any person would be able to join in, and there would also be those of other cultures but always incorporating Greek that have brought this lovely dance and music to the world.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4zmlPq4hz4

  11. I don’t know how long the death rattle of an ending empire lasts for, but it should serve as an alarm of serious danger.

    Empire is the ability to extract resources from those with less power, and to stack the deck to do so. It is power-over by its nature. It is not about the American people, nor has it been about the everyday peoples within past empires.

    That the international movement to censor free speech is emanating from a dying empire, and especially ‘the home of the free’ should be especially chilling for the left.

    That journalism seems to be acting as a vigilante against such freedom should also be a wake-up call, along with the sudden and vehement ”concern” about oppressions of individual identity. It’s not the concern but the context, its ‘instead of’ rather than ‘in addition to’ nature in relation to bigger pictures, the resulting diversion and division, and the profound subversion of journalism and how journalist see their role; from providing – to openly suppressing and controlling information.

    1. Indeed. The number of foreign military bases a country has is not a measure of imperialist ambition or aggression.
      My fear is that J.M. is making a fatal mistake in thinking that Russia or China are less aggressive or less a danger to peace than the US.
      Without control of foreign markets, trade routes and raw materials, both Russia and China are at risk of internal collapse and rebellion. This is analogous to the motive force driving the other commercial and military empires of the past aggressive foreign policies of colonial expansion and war.

      What we are seeing in Sudan and other places in Africa and the Middle East is the private mercenary army the Wagner Group operating as strong arm for Russian commercial interests in Africa. Much like the East India company’s private army operated for the British Empire in India.

    1. Good God Pat, “It was the Russians…..” in Sudan. You’d believe anything, such a dullard.

      1. Are you denying that the Wagner Group are in Sudan.?
        Or are you denying that the Wagner Group are backing the RSF?

        These two warring generals are fighting over the spoils of the coup that they staged against the hard fought for democracy by the people of Sudan against the military rule of Bashir. Neither of these two warring generals have any support amongst the Sudanese people.

        Do you deny that the Russian imperialists have set up a military base in Port Sudan?

        Do you believe like Stephan that the Russian Federation is the communist homeworld liberating the people of Africa and Ukraine and Syria from the evils of democracy. That the gold, minerals, oil, agricultural produce and military bases are just reward for this this selfless service.

        Do you deny all the evidence that the Russian Federation is just another dirty imperialist ripping off the people of Africa?

        https://www.occrp.org/en/investigations/documents-reveal-wagners-golden-ties-to-sudanese-military-companies

  15. Protest sign seen at the rally in support of the Sudanese people against the warring proxy war lords.

    “WE DREAM OF A SUDAN DRIVEN BY THE PEOPLE”

    (And not by these disgusting warring colonialist proxies)

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