So, how's this supposed to work?
The Guardian and the ABC report from the Snowden leaks that Australia had targeted the Indonesia President's wife's mobile phone, causing a major diplomatic falling out which is supposed to cured with some future protocol. Presumably, this will involve an indication from us that we agree it's not a nice thing to spy on politicians' wives.
The ABC Collective* condemns the Guardian and the ABC for publicising the spying story. Against our national interests, etc etc.
Story goes quiet for a couple of weeks.
Then today, The Australian comes out with headline stories that read:
Hey! It's quite OK to spy on Indonesian President's wives after all! Kevin Rudd made a good call!
How the hell is that supposed to help repair the relationship?
In fact, isn't it just about the worst possible thing that you could do if our robot Foreign Minister is still negotiating some future promises with the Indonesians? No, according to Bolt, it's important that the Right attack the Left for criticising the decision to spy on her.
This is ludicrous behaviour by the Right, if you ask me.
* The Australian, Andrew Bolt, and Catallaxy, for any new reader.
Will be interesting to see if Bolt comments on this. The ABC issue is a straw man because it was always going to come out somewhere and was first published by The Guardian.
ReplyDeleteCatallaxy is just a blog, it doesn't matter. To my knowledge still banned there which is a shame because I enjoyed the interactions with DOT, Dover Beach, Daddy Dave, CL, and a few others.
The NSA in the USA has just announced changes to its spying on leaders policy. The USA has seen the danger of pissing off overseas leaders while out both sides of our politics continues to arrogantly tell our Asian neighbours to stop complaining.