http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-bradley/darwinian-obama-goes-post_b_1102939.html

Things are getting very Darwinian in presidential politics. It's a matter of competition, a matter of evolution -- as in who gets the future and who does not -- and a matter of the little city of Darwin, Australia. Ironic, in that most of the Republican presidential field rejects Darwin's evolution science.

"In the Asia Pacific of the 21st century, the United States of America is all in." So said President Barack Obama in his address to the Australian Parliament as he unveiled an upgraded security alliance with Australia, an historic ally from World War II days.

Obama is rolling out the major beginnings of a post-Iraq geopolitical posture for the US and a revamped political, economic, and security architecture in the Pacific Basin, in large part to counter the rise of China. Which has been undercutting US industries and making new aggressive moves over the past year in the South China Sea -- most of which it claims, to the consternation of its neighboring countries -- and some threatening moves, as always, towards Taiwan.

Of course, this morning on radio, the gnome-exploding-with-her-gaze woman, Julie Bishop, congratulated herself for the joint thingy in Darwin as "it has been in the coalition pipeline for at least 10 years" thus the coalition was responsible for this policy — which in her own mind is not dubious at all...

So, according to Julie, Julia should not be congratulated for it, because Julia's government is "incompetent" at all times (which it is not) but all the credit should go to Julie Bishop's glorious Tonicchio, the king of long noses and grand negativity, as he is the virtual heir of Rattus the First and another glorious Bishop, Bronwyn...

Allow me to faint...

Last night (23/11/11) on Lateline, Paul Keating, former PM, was quite subdued for Paul Keating, but stated the obvious in regard to China's growth... Tony Jones, though, seemed to be more interested in getting Keating to say that Julia goofed up by allowing Obama to make a "threatening" speech in China's direction... But PK was cool about the extra US troops in Darwin, noting that had this caper been announced a couple of weeks before or after Obama's visit, it would have barely been a ripple on a pond... Mind you Paul reminded the world of his work on APEC, ASEAN and a few other mechanisms to promote peace in our region, including complete nuclear disarmament worldwide... Not a trace of Gustav Mahler's Um Mitternacht...

Updated November 24, 2011 00:00:00

Former prime minister Paul Keating says China must be welcomed into the world as a shared partner and a vital economic power, not a military or political challenge to be contained.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-23/paul-keating-joins-lateline/3690258?WT.svl=news4

China's navy will carry out exercises in the Pacific Ocean in the coming days, amid continuing tension over maritime disputes in the region.

The defence ministry said the drills were routine and were not targeting any specific country.

China is locked in territorial rows with several nations, and the US has recently made a series of announcements bolstering its presence in the region.

A Pentagon spokesman said the US had no problem with the naval exercises.

Captain John Kirby said that China was "entitled to exercise their military in ways they deem fit".

A short statement on the defence ministry's website announced the exercises late on Wednesday.

"This is an annual, planned, routine drill. It is not directed at any specific country or target and is in keeping with relevant international laws and practices," said the statement.

"China's freedom of navigation and other legal rights should not be obstructed."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-15866989

The Australian Defence Department says US marines will be subject to both Australian and American law while they are in Darwin.

The Department has confirmed it is conducting an assessment of the social and economic impact of the marine visits starting later this year.

At first around 200 US marines will visit the Top End at a time, building up to 2,500.

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has called for a social impact study in light of criminal cases involving US military at bases in Okinawa in Japan and the Philippines.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson says that is offensive.

But the Defence Department says it is already coordinating studies of the social and economic impact of the initiative in consultation with the Territory Government.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-18/marines-in-darwin-subject-to-us-and-australian-laws/3837930

see toon at top...