Australian PM Morrison Visits Washington: So What?
Dear Benjamin:
I don’t want to cry wolf, however I am wondering if the current visit to the USA by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison could be the harbinger of a major event. Today, Morrison is near the beginning of an atypical “week-long state visit” to the USA, the first visit by an Australian PM for several years.
While a visit by an Australian Prime Minister to the United States may be barely newsworthy in any other context, certain overseas trips by Australian officials have previously coincided with events of global significance. To wit:
- Then Australian Prime Minister John Howard was “coincidentally” in Washington on 9/11, and shortly thereafter was the first U.S. ally to commit troops to Afghanistan and Iraq. Some say Howard took Australia in early, thereby providing “moral” support to Bush 43 so he didn’t have to take Australia in big; and
- Former Australian Health Minister Tony Abbott was “coincidentally” in Bali in 2005 when the second Bali bombings happened. Abbott was reported to have helped the emergency responders and to have coordinated assistance for the injured Australians. This did his career no harm; he subsequently became Prime Minister himself.
Morrison’s visit occurs against the background of Iran being blamed for attacks on the Abqaiq and Khurais oil refineries in Saudi Arabia, Trump’s announcement of stationing of additional troops in Saudi Arabia, and rumours of a September/October “financial event.”
Add to this Morrison’s incredibly sucky (if diplomatic) “God Bless America” toast at the state dinner in his honour and Trump’s ”man of titanium” obsequiousness towards Morrison at a joint press conference, and it would appear that the ducks are starting to line up for, well, something.
That’s all I have for now. Take care.
Sincerely,
—EB
Thanks for the heads up, EB.
Australia needs to suck up to the U.S. more than most countries, because they need their help in order not to become a Chinese colony.
For the U.S., running out of allies, it makes sense to bring in such a beholden place first. It could be they are planning a gold grab in the Solomons and Bougainville to help stave off U.S. corporate government bankruptcy.
—BF