News from the Cone of Silence
by David Archibald, author of Australia’s Defence, Twilight of Abundance, and American Gripen: The Solution to the F-35 Nightmare
18 November 2016
The Japanese Prime Minister probably didn’t want to leave anything to chance, given the way that China is ramping up its aerial and seaborne aggravation of its neighbour to the east. As the former article says:
This unnecessary and dangerous Chinese provocative behavior did not happen sporadically or accidentally, and it still continues. This is the problem.
So Prime Minister Abe met Donald Trump in New York, a scant ten days after the election that swept away the ancien regime.
Our own langorous leader decided to join the good and the great in having a telephone conversation with someone they so recently despised in public. To do so he reprised Maxwell Smart in going to the cone of silence to make the call. In this case it was the ASD crypto-centre in Canberra to make the secure call to the private number of Trump, which had been provided by Joe Hockey, Australia’s ambassador to the United States.
Turnbull had the call on speaker. On good report, everyone in the room was surprised when Greg Norman answered the mobile number. Mr Norman patched the call through to President-elect Trump who was not rude but made it plain in telling Turnbull what the new rules were and that Trump would be using Greg Norman as a filter as he would be very busy.
It is important and very interesting that President-elect Trump is said to have said, “Let’s start by you getting your navy up here to take part in Freedom of Navigation patrols, then we can talk about our relationship.”
Apparently Turnbull was somewhat nonplussed and said, “Well, we need to discuss climate change and the TPP…” Trump peremptorily dismissed both issues with “Not a priority, but talk to Greg. He is a great Aussie who has been part of my team for 30-years and he is the advisor I trust.” It was a shock to Turnbull to engage with someone who didn’t want to hear his waffle, as most in this country do far too politely.
The other interesting conclusion is that Hockey is out of the loop with respect to the Trump administration, as someone who is useless and stupid. It is also evident that Trump is aware of the enormous task ahead of him and is not wasting a moment. Which is another contrast to our last useless and stupid Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, who took three weeks to form his government after the 2013 election, and then went off on a skiing holiday to France.
What a joy it must be for the citizens of the United States to have a leader who has their interests as his prime concern.
