Indonesia Drama Escalating
Initially I thought bugger them why should we , especially after hearing media reports where the admission was made that they were also guilty of spying . But now I'm thinking Tony Abbot should have nipped it in the bud straight away and apologised . Yes we give them large bags of coin and they more or less give us the finger regarding people smuggling etc . It goes against the grain somewhat but that's what diplomacy is about dealing with a prospective volatile nation on your doorstep I guess . What's that saying " keep your friends close but your enemies closer " not that they are but you get the drift . The daughter is supposed to be going to Bali on monday , hopefully this starts to mellow out but I don't see it at this stage . Waiver : these are just the thoughts of a mediocre fisho who knows diddly squat about international relations . Interested in your thoughts on this contentious subject without any hostility.
“Intelligence is like a four-wheel drive. It only allows you to get stuck in more remote places.”
tangles
Posts: 1367
Date Joined: 17/12/06
mmmmm
I served in the RAAF for 6 years as a SIGSOP at DSD and other numerous places around country and to say that i am disgusted with the Aust Govt as a whole regardless of who is in is an understatement. After knowing the internals of certain areas of "things" youd think that the govt would have known the old quote of we can neither confirm or deny any activity. After 19 years of being out a 7 years secrecy act to be held to is basically a life long sentence to zip your mouth until the day you die or you end up like poor old Snowden! Thats all ill say on the matter!
uncle
Posts: 9486
Date Joined: 10/02/07
don't see why we need to kowtow
to these clowns,stop all aid until they become reasonable, or get Kevin back to clear up his crap, wow that would take awhile
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
Swompa
Posts: 3893
Date Joined: 14/10/12
It's is unlike an protesting
It's is unlike an protesting Islamist group to burn flags and demand retaliation isn't it?
i think it is a load of crap. The Indoneisian government has refused military cooperation, but when there was a vessel in destress 30 miles off the coast, they didn't help.
Matt T
Posts: 875
Date Joined: 19/11/07
Apologise.
A country of 250,000,000 people, with large Muslim and Islamic communities this close to our shores is better kept on side in my opinion.
EKUL
Posts: 179
Date Joined: 05/01/13
Apologise +1
Will be in Kuta for new years and i really dont feel like getting a knife in the back whilst over there.
sea-kem
Posts: 15002
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Well it always seems to be
Well it always seems to be one way traffic with these pricks. We give them humanitarium, millitary and financial aid. They are not a great trading partner, we supply a good portion of their tourism industry and they still hate us lol. Geeez they caught us out well you can bet your bippy they spy on us too. They have the moral high ground at the moment and are milking it for all it's worth. Maybe they could try a little diplomacy too. Stand your ground Abbott!!
Love the West!
quadfisher
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 28/09/10
Yep
No point me posting , the above is what I was about to put down to the letter.
quadfisher
Lastchance
Posts: 1273
Date Joined: 02/02/09
+2!
+2!
bradz
Posts: 693
Date Joined: 29/10/07
Election Season
From some of the commentary I have heard, the politicians over there are coming up for election. Alot of this can be seen as "sabre rattling" to impres the locals.
I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
crasny1
Posts: 7003
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Heard the same
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
bradz
Posts: 693
Date Joined: 29/10/07
Yep
That is the guy I was listening to as well. He put a few things into persepective.
It doesnt change the fact that Indo is now a little less inviting for us, but this is the world we live in I guess.
I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
Matt T
Posts: 875
Date Joined: 19/11/07
100% Sea-kem
You are spot on with what you're saying. However, you should never try to 'win' a conflict with someone who has little to lose by escalating things - or don't care if they lose it. It's much smarter to apologise, give them a win and walk away. Especially when it costs us basically nothing. The Indonesians need to look good in their public's eyes. Let them have that.
We are still going to be sitting in big houses watching big tv's, driving fancy cars and boats, letting our wives spend more at Coles in a week than most of them earn in a year.
I like it that way - feeling safe when I take my kids into the museum or scitech or down to our amazing beaches.
Muppet
Posts: 408
Date Joined: 23/11/09
Why so
Keen to give your tourist dollar to a region that is so quick to turn and riot against us ?
Good way to hurt them I reckon, no more Australian tourism. Actually, probably the only way we can hurt them !
.
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
I worked there for a short time
A couple of trips in 2006/7, I think you have to understand how huge the population is, and how political the whole scene is. We were in and around Jakarta and the satellite cities and all over the place on every block there was a political party office and party supporters clothed and bannered up. The people there are motivated and totally in touch. Dunno about the rural outlying areas. The boss of our support company carried a 9mm pistol to meetings :| Our embassy was shut in Jakarta at the time and it was always on the 'reconsider your need to travel' DFAT alerts.
Abbots resistance is bad news, should have dealt with it referred to the 2004 incident with Indonesia spying and if that failed blame it on Labor. Plenty of Aus and Western crew there for work would definately be concerned or should be atm, Given security incidents have occured. We had a Christmas lunch at the Marriot which had previously been bombed and like all of Jakarta had serious security with armed guards with undercar and vehicle searches even at shopping malls. I believe has been since been bombed again...
We had really awesome support crew both Western and Local, but that still didn't stop us from having the usual close calls being young, overseas, overworked, with money and little time to let off steam, Jakarta is a crazy town. I guess we were just lucky - others at the time were not.
luke t
Posts: 163
Date Joined: 22/02/10
There's something very fishy
There's something very fishy about the whole timing of this information of spying coming out and even more so how it was released by the media !
The ABC(extreme lefties) had this information for months aparently and only now decided to release it. What's that about !!
why wasn't it released back then. When the labor govt was in power.
Howard George
Posts: 544
Date Joined: 10/03/11
The Australian Today
A report in the Australian newspaper today claims Australians living in Jakarta are having their mobile phones tapped by the Indonesian govt.so my point is, if it's good for the goose it's good for the gander. Admit nothing and don't apologise for anything that the Indo. govt is not doing themselves.
bradz
Posts: 693
Date Joined: 29/10/07
Spying
Its called spying. Its not new.
The overall problem is some moron decided to make it public (ABC). The head of the ABC (the same moron) is complaining about the fact that the salaries of ABC employees was made public because it is commercially sensitive. But what...national security is not. MORON!!
So yes, the situation is not perfect. Give it time, something else will take over the media airspace.
The conspiracy theorists (who may well be correct) believe that the ABC (left wing) released this information to derail the "stop the boats" process. Looks like it has worked.
I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
fishnguru
Posts: 64
Date Joined: 19/02/10
Who cares !!
Let them carry on ! - Their energy - Not ours .
Dont involve yourself with them - end of story !
I have never been over there and will never even harbour the idea ........ Why should I !!!!!
One of my family were killed and another still bares the scars from those extremist maggots.... Never got any assistance from that country ....
Enough Said !
If everyone concentrated on the best things in life .... There would definately be a shortage of Fishing Rods !!!