http://australianpolitics.com Resources, News & Commentary from Malcolm Farnsworth Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:23:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Resources, News & Commentary from Malcolm Farnsworth AustralianPolitics.com no Resources, News & Commentary from Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://australianpolitics.com/category/usa/bush http://australianpolitics.com/2008/10/11/we-are-acting-aggressively-bush-says.html http://australianpolitics.com/2008/10/11/we-are-acting-aggressively-bush-says.html#comments Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:32:17 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=234 http://australianpolitics.com/2008/10/11/we-are-acting-aggressively-bush-says.html/feed 0 financial crisis,George W Bush President George W. Bush has sought to reassure a nervous American electorate that his administration has taken aggressive action to restore stability to financial markets. - Bush delivered a 10 minute address to the nation in the grounds of the White... President George W. Bush has sought to reassure a nervous American electorate that his administration has taken aggressive action to restore stability to financial markets. Bush delivered a 10 minute address to the nation in the grounds of the White... AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/13/bush-announces-withdrawal-of-20000-troops-from-iraq.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/13/bush-announces-withdrawal-of-20000-troops-from-iraq.html#comments Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:09:06 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/13/bush-announces-withdrawal-of-20000-troops-from-iraq.shtml http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/13/bush-announces-withdrawal-of-20000-troops-from-iraq.html/feed 0 Foreign Policy,George W Bush,Iraq,surge,terrorism President George W. Bush has announced that 20,000 US combat troops will be withdrawn from Iraq, commencing this month. - Delivering a televised address from the White House, Bush made no mention of when the remaining American forces would be withdrawn. President George W. Bush has announced that 20,000 US combat troops will be withdrawn from Iraq, commencing this month. Delivering a televised address from the White House, Bush made no mention of when the remaining American forces would be withdrawn. The occupation force will still be larger than it was before the troop "surge" earlier this year. Bush said that the role of the US troops would shift from patrolling Iraqi neighborhoods to providing support for Iraqi troops. The American force would turn its attention to hunting down Al Qaeda terrorists, he said. Bush said his decisions are based on recommendations from General David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq. Listen to Bush's Address on Iraq: Listen to Bush's Address on Iraq See also: Democrats Say Bush Failed To Provide Plans For Future Of Iraq - Audio & Video This is the text of President Bush's speech as prepared for delivery: Good evening. In the life of all free nations, there come moments that decide the direction of a country and reveal the character of its people. We are now at such a moment. In Iraq, an ally of the United States is fighting for its survival. Terrorists and extremists who are at war with us around the world are seeking to topple Iraq's government, dominate the region, and attack us here at home. If Iraq's young democracy can turn back these enemies, it will mean a more hopeful Middle East and a more secure America. This ally has placed its trust in the United States. And tonight, our moral and strategic imperatives are one: We must help Iraq defeat those who threaten its future and also threaten ours. Eight months ago, we adopted a new strategy to meet that objective, including a surge in U.S. forces that reached full strength in June. This week, General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before Congress about how that strategy is progressing. In their testimony, these men made clear that our challenge in Iraq is formidable. Yet they concluded that conditions in Iraq are improving, that we are seizing the initiative from the enemy and that the troop surge is working. The premise of our strategy is that securing the Iraqi population is the foundation for all other progress. For Iraqis to bridge sectarian divides, they need to feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. For lasting reconciliation to take root, Iraqis must feel confident that they do not need sectarian gangs for security. The goal of the surge is to provide that security and to help prepare Iraqi forces to maintain it. As I will explain tonight, our success in meeting these objectives now allows us to begin bringing some of our troops home. Since the surge was announced in January, it has moved through several phases. First was the flow of additional troops into Iraq, especially Baghdad and Anbar province. Once these forces were in place, our commanders launched a series of offensive operations to drive terrorists and militias out of their strongholds. Finally, in areas that have been cleared, we are surging diplomatic and civilian resources to ensure that military progress is quickly followed up with real improvements in daily life. Anbar province is a good example of how our strategy is working. Last year, an intelligence report concluded that Anbar had been lost to al-Qaida. Some cited this report as evidence that we had failed in Iraq and should cut our losses and pull out. Instead, we kept the pressure on the terrorists. The local people were suffering under the Taliban-like rule of al-Qaida, and they were sick of it. So they asked us for help. To take advantage of this opportunity, I sent an additional 4,000 Marines to Anbar as part of the surge. Together, local sheiks, Iraqi forces, and coalition troops drove the terrorists from the capital of Ramadi and other population centers. Today, a city where al-Qaida once planted its flag is beginning to return to normal. AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/13/democrats-say-bush-failed-to-provide-plans-for-future-of-iraq.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/13/democrats-say-bush-failed-to-provide-plans-for-future-of-iraq.html#comments Thu, 13 Sep 2007 07:51:20 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/13/democrats-say-bush-failed-to-provide-plans-for-future-of-iraq.shtml http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/13/democrats-say-bush-failed-to-provide-plans-for-future-of-iraq.html/feed 0 George W Bush,Iraq,Jack Reed,surge,terrorism President Bush "failed to provide either a plan to successfully end the war or a convincing rationale to continue it", according to Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed. - Delivering the Democratic Party response to Bush's address, President Bush "failed to provide either a plan to successfully end the war or a convincing rationale to continue it", according to Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed. Delivering the Democratic Party response to Bush's address, Reed said "an endless and... AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/05/apec-john-howard-and-george-bush-joint-press-conference.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/05/apec-john-howard-and-george-bush-joint-press-conference.html#comments Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:29:51 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/05/apec-john-howard-and-george-bush-joint-press-conference.shtml http://australianpolitics.com/2007/09/05/apec-john-howard-and-george-bush-joint-press-conference.html/feed 0 APEC,China,George W Bush,Iraq,John Howard,Kyoto,North Korea,terrorism,trade The United States President, George W. Bush, held a joint press conference with the Prime Minister, John Howard, in Sydney today. - The press conference followed Bush's arrival in Australia last night, ahead of the APEC meeting at the end of the week. The United States President, George W. Bush, held a joint press conference with the Prime Minister, John Howard, in Sydney today. The press conference followed Bush's arrival in Australia last night, ahead of the APEC meeting at the end of the week.... AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2007/03/25/scathing-new-york-times-editorial.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/03/25/scathing-new-york-times-editorial.html#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2007 07:36:24 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=3102 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/03/25/scathing-new-york-times-editorial.html/feed 0 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/16/us-house-opposes-iraq-surge.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/16/us-house-opposes-iraq-surge.html#comments Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:42:45 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=3052 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/16/us-house-opposes-iraq-surge.html/feed 0 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/13/new-york-post-supports-howard-against-obama.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/13/new-york-post-supports-howard-against-obama.html#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:32:04 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=3039 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/13/new-york-post-supports-howard-against-obama.html/feed 0 Barack Obama,John Howard,New York Post,News Limited The New York Post newspaper has editorialised in support of John Howard in his spat with 2008 presidential aspirant, Senator Barack Obama. - Accusing the Illinois senator of "breathtaking naiveté", the populist tabloid said that Howard "gets it", The New York Post newspaper has editorialised in support of John Howard in his spat with 2008 presidential aspirant, Senator Barack Obama. Accusing the Illinois senator of "breathtaking naiveté", the populist tabloid said that Howard "gets it", whereas Obama "may be on the steepest foreign-policy learning curve of any major presidential candidate in recent history". The New York Post is owned by News Corporation, headed by the Australian-born American citizen, Rupert Murdoch. Click the PLAY button to listen to Howard's comments on Obama: Listen to Howard's Comments on Obama This is the text of the New York Post's editorial. BARACK'S BLUNDER Senator Barack Obama, all of 25 months removed from the Illinois state legislature, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States on Saturday - and immediately began trading harsh words with the leader of one of America's oldest and most reliable allies. In the process, the freshman senator revealed truly breathtaking naiveté. Obama more or less sparked the exchange two weeks ago by introducing legislation mandating a total U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq by March 2008. The senator is entitled to his views, of course. As is Australian Prime Minister John Howard - who said Sunday that the proposal would have al Qaeda leaders in Iraq "praying as many times as possible" for Obama to be elected president in 2008. In turn, Obama said he was flattered "that one of George Bush's allies on the other side of the world started attacking me the day after I announced" for president. Howard's standing in this debate derives from the fact that Australia once again has troops deployed with U.S. forces in a war zone - as it did in both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and Somalia. Indeed, the notion that Howard is no more than "one of George Bush's allies on the other side of the world" stunningly understates a political, economic and security relationship that extends back to the 19th century - and obtains to this day. That Obama doesn't already know this - and respect it - gives deeper meaning to the term "not ready for prime time." But it gets worse. Obama then called into question Australia's true commitment to winning in Iraq by noting that while America has upward of 140,000 troops committed to the battle, Canberra has dispatched but 1,400. "So if [Howard] is ginned up to fight the good fight in Iraq," Obama said, "I would suggest that he call up another 20,000 Australians and send them to Iraq. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of empty rhetoric." It shouldn't be necessary to point out that Australia is a nation of but 17 million, and that 1,400 soldiers, relatively speaking, is the equivalent of more than 25,000 American troops - more than an entire division. No small thing, in other words. Barack Obama is a media darling, and for that reason alone he should do well in the weeks and months ahead. But he may be on the steepest foreign-policy learning curve of any major presidential candidate in recent history. As opposed to Howard, who gets it: "I hold the strongest possible view that it is contrary to the security interests of this country for America to be defeated in Iraq," Howard said. "Let me make it perfectly clear, if I hear a policy being advocated that is contrary to Australia's security interests, I will criticize it." Good for him. AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/11/howard-attacks-obama.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/11/howard-attacks-obama.html#comments Sun, 11 Feb 2007 10:20:48 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=3036 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/02/11/howard-attacks-obama.html/feed 0 Barack Obama,David Hicks,John Howard Less than twenty-four hours after Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the 2008 United States presidential election, the Prime Minister, John Howard, has attacked the Illinois senator over his policy of withdrawal from Iraq. - Less than twenty-four hours after Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the 2008 United States presidential election, the Prime Minister, John Howard, has attacked the Illinois senator over his policy of withdrawal from Iraq. Responding to a question about Obama's policy of withdrawing US troops by March 2008, Howard said: "If I was running Al-Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008, and pray, as many times as possible, for a victory not only for Obama, but also for the Democrats." The attack is unusual because it is considered undiplomatic for a head of government of one nation to intervene in the electoral process of another. Click the PLAY button to listen to Howard's comments: PLAY This is the transcript of John Howard's Comments on Barack Obama. They were made during an interview with Laurie Oakes on the Channel 9 program, "Sunday". Oakes: Proposition two for your comment: Australians are increasingly opposed to the Iraq War, and it's starting to bite electorally, undermining the advantage you've had over Labor on national security issues? Howard: Once again commentary but I'll address the substance of the issue. The Australian people have always been, when you ask them in a poll, against our involvement in Iraq. I accept that. As one of the answers I give to those who say I'm a poll-driven politician. It was about the least poll-driven decision I've taken in my entire political life but I believed in it; I believed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. So, incidentally did Mr Rudd. Mr. Rudd in fact said it was an empirical fact that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. His argument with us was whether we should have tried to get another United Nations resolution but I've got to now look at the current situation, and the impact on the alliance, the impact on the future of Iraq, if we were to get up and go, and Mr Rudd can't slip and slide and have it both ways, as he tried to do this morning. You either go or you stay, you either rat on the ally or stay with the ally, it's as simple as that. And, if it's alright for us to go, it's alright for the Americans and the British to go, and if everybody goes Iraq will descend into total civil chaos ... Oakes: On that very subject, Howard: …and there'll be a lot of bloodshed. Oakes: On that subject, Senator Barack Obama's announced overnight he's running for the Democrat Presidential nomination, and he says if he gets it he has a plan to bring troops home by March, 2008 and his direct quote is "Letting the Iraqis know we'll not be there forever is our last, best hope to pressure the Sunnis and Shiah to come to the table and find peace". So, basically he's agreeing with the Labor Party. Howard: Yes, I think he's wrong, I mean, he's a long way from being President of the United States. I think he's wrong. I think that would just encourage those who wanted completely to destabilise and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for Obama victory. If I was running Al-Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008, and pray, as many times as possible, for a victory not only for Obama, but also for the Democrats. Oakes: If he wins, and you're still there, bad news for the alliance. Howard: Well I tell you what would be even worse news for the fight against terrorism, if America is defeated in Iraq. I mean, we have to understand what we are dealing with. We're dealing here with a situation where if America pulls out of Iraq in March 2008. It can only be in circumstances of defeat. There's no way by March 2008, which is a little over a year from now, everything will have been stabilised so that America can get out in March 2008. And, if America is defeated in Iraq, the hope of ever getting a Palestinian settlement will be gone. There'll be enormous conflict between the Shi'a and the Sunnis throughout the whole of the Middle East. AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2007/01/23/democratic-response-to-state-of-the-union.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/01/23/democratic-response-to-state-of-the-union.html#comments Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:10:46 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=2426 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/01/23/democratic-response-to-state-of-the-union.html/feed 0 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/01/23/bush-2007-state-of-the-union-address.html http://australianpolitics.com/2007/01/23/bush-2007-state-of-the-union-address.html#comments Tue, 23 Jan 2007 08:05:57 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=2410 http://australianpolitics.com/2007/01/23/bush-2007-state-of-the-union-address.html/feed 0 Afghanistan,George W Bush,Iraq,Republican Party,State of the Union President George W. Bush has delivered his sixth State of the Union address to a joint session of the United States Congress. - Click the PLAY button to listen to the speech: - PLAY - This is the prepared text of President Bush's State of the Un... President George W. Bush has delivered his sixth State of the Union address to a joint session of the United States Congress. Click the PLAY button to listen to the speech: PLAY This is the prepared text of President Bush's State of the Un... AustralianPolitics.com no