Armitage dumb, thuggish: Keating

[Dover]

Armitage dumb, thuggish: Keating


July 8, 2004

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's claim that the Labor Party was divided over Iraq policy was thuggish and dumb, former Labor prime minister Paul Keating said today.


Mr Armitage said Opposition Leader Mark Latham's policy of withdrawing Australian troops from Iraq by Christmas had divided the ALP.
But Mr Keating denied there was any division in the party over Iraq policy and said Mr Armitage had made an unwarranted and untimely partisan intervention in the Australian political debate.

"Beating up on friendly foreign political parties is not only unsightly, it is also dumb and counter productive in the longer term," Mr Keating said in a statement to AAP.

"There is no division in the Labor Party about the value or maintenance of the US alliance nor about policy on Iraq.

"But the party will not be thugged by US officials. "In my own experience of presidents Bush (senior) and Clinton, no behaviour of this kind towards what the US might regard as a client state, was ever contemplated or attempted."...cont'd

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1260&storyid=1594416

[rooboy]

1. I get an awesome sense of God's vastness...

whenever I wait for the bush administration to hit bottom. Somehow they find an extra depth that I never knew even existed.

[AussieInCA]

2. this so pisses me off - scumbags can go fuck off

even the New Zealand PM stepped in on this one and told them to get out of Australian politics...it is a big no no.

I know it pissed off everyone last time they pulled this crap, this will only fuel the fire even more.


Snip:

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark also said today that the US should butt out of Australian politics.

"It really is perilous to get into another country's politics and I'm always careful not to get involved in politics here," she told ABC radio today.

"I suppose I can only give the US politicians the same advice, that really Australians have to have the debate themselves about who is best to lead them.

"Other people should stand back."

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/08/1089000272020.html?oneclick=true

[ILeft]

3. If Bush Inc. is still in power in 2005, this kind of shit will...

...add up to unite the world against this planet destroying regime we in the US have allowed to operate for almost four years. If the American Republican party is still ruling the US in 2005 I am absolutely certain that nations of this planet will act, justifiably, in self defense against what is undeniably a mortal threat against our common right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

[Dr.Phool]

5. How long before

Other nations start holding sanctions against us. Not that it would make any difference, since our manufacturing base is just about gone.

When Europe decided to fight back against steel tariffs, they knew just where to hit. Florida citrus products. Can't let them mess with Jebthros 2008 presidential aspirations.

[imax2268]

4. he remindes me of Uncle Fester...

[Wright Patman]

10. That's an insult to Uncle Fester

who was actually a rather fun character.

Armitage is a CIA covert-operating, SE Asian heroin kingpin who used to launder drug money through Australian banks back in the 'good ol' days' of Air America.

[Matilda]

6. Vintage Keating.

He has his faults, but he also has a knack for hitting the nail
right on the head when necessary.

[Violet_Crumble]

8. I always liked Keating...

He had this way with words that I enjoyed...

Violet...

[Matilda]

9. Me too.

He did some things that I didn't agree with at all, but the man
has wit and style, something nobody could ever accuse Howard of.

[Violet_Crumble]

7. Keep it coming, Armitage...

Every bit of bullying, and every bit of subservient agreement from the Liberals with the bullying is doing more harm to the Liberals election chances than John Howard ever could. So keep it coming, long enough at least for Latham to win the election, after which hopefully you'll develop the one brain-cell needed to realise you should be keeping yr fucking nose out of our political matters...

Violet...

[struggle4progress]

11. kick for dumb thugs everywhere in DC

:kick: