US sells fighter jets to Saudi Arabia

On November 22, the US, Britain and Europe tried to cut Iran off from the international financial system by aiming at its central and commercial banks. In retaliation, protestors stormed The British embassy chanting “Death to England” and diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed. Sanctions on companies involved in Iran’s nuclear industry, petrochemical and oil industries were also introduced and Iran must surely be suffering.



Although the middle-class businessman In Iran is doing it tough, the Revolutionary Guards’ power seems to have grown. When Western oil companies were forced to leave Iran, the guards moved in, partnering up with China and other countries who had not imposed sanctions. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad still insists their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only and its goal is to develop a nuclear program to generate electricity without dipping into the oil supply it prefers to sell abroad and to provide fuel for medical reactors.



This week, Iranian officials again threatened to close oil shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. Oh really? Today the US announced they will sell 84 new fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The Boeing F-15 Eagle has advanced radar equipment and digital electronic warfare systems. America and the Saudis both see Iran as a significant potential threat.



The arms deal will cost the Saudis around $30 billion. A Whitehouse spokesman said “This agreement reinforces the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a strong Saudi defense capability as a key component to regional security.”


Things are looking good for Obama at the moment.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2011

The winner of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race Investec Loyal has been accused of cheating but skipper Anthony Bell is confident the protest will be dismissed. He will front the five man international jury at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania at 10 am today. The jury consists of two Australians, a Japanese, a Briton and a New Zealander. The protest wasn’t lodged by another boat but by the race committee who allege Investec Loyal asked a third party for assistance during the race. They have been accused of asking the crew of an ABC helicopter what sail Wild Oats XI was using just off Merimbula on the NSW south coast. In an audio recording Investec Loyal Michael Coxon asked “Can you confirm, does Wild Oats have their trysail up?" The ABC crewman who responded said he was not familiar with sailing terms so he was asked “What colour is it?” and the answer came back “Grey”. Coxon then seemed satisfied and signed off.






The yacht could be disqualified or face a time penalty but skipper of Wild Oats XI Mark Richards doesn’t agree with the protest and believes Investec Loyal deserved to win and should keep the title. "There were three stages to the race where we had a really big lead and then we lost it, had no wind at all and they sailed around us." he said "They did a fantastic job and we congratulate those guys. We'll have to come back next year and have another crack."


Maybe it’s time to take a good look at the rules and the power of the committee. Last year after winning its fifth title, Wild Oats XI had to endure a protest, they were accused of not radioing in properly before crossing Bass Strait which seems petty in the extreme. The protest was overruled and their win upheld.







Celebrity Channel 9 presenter Karl Stefanovic was so crippled by seasickness after 12 hours of 5 metre waves and 30-knot winds, he was unable to get to the phone for a live cross to his own network. He was told by fellow crew members to “stop being a princess” and to “man up”.


Footnote: Jury finds Investec Loyal did not breach race rules and is declared the winner.

Government bans asylum seeker TV coverage

The Immigration Department now has the power to impose new restrictions on TV networks showing pictures and videos of asylum seekers arriving by boat. Blind Freddy knows why they are doing this - because it reminds us of the incompetence of a government who has no idea how to fix the problem.


To pretend it’s not happening is a very bad idea, reminiscent of Putin’s control over the Russian media – the people only get to see what he wants them to see.


Last week the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) thrashed out a way to stop the media from showing us what is really going on and their reason is laughable - it’s to protect the asylum seekers’ privacy. Give me a break.


Peter Meakin, Seven Network’s head of news said “A blanket ban is just the big hand of censorship.” But Mr Meakin will have to toe the line because the ACMA oversees the licences of TV networks and they have the clout to punish if they don’t behave.


This is not the Immigration department's first attempt at censoring the media. Ever wondered why we never get to see inside a detention centre? Strange isn't it, why all the secrecy? Earlier this year they said that cameras were allowed inside only on the condition that all images were handed over to them for vetting before publication.


If the government thinks for one moment that this censorship will help people to forget about their continued incompetence in handling this issue, they are sadly mistaken.

Russian Protest on Christmas Eve 2011

Vladimir Putin is now in big trouble. The Russian people came out in their thousands to protest against his corrupt election held on the 4th December as video evidence of election officials stuffing voting boxes went viral around the world. A huge rally of around 120,000 people came out in force on Christmas Eve in the biggest protest since the collapse of the Soviet Union 20 years ago.



Blogger Alexei Navalny and charismatic leader of the protest movement said there were enough protestors to take over the Kremlin and threatened to do so if Putin continues with his lies. Mikhail Gorbachev and other prominent Russians have called on Putin to quit.


A young mother Yevgenia Chirikova started a campaign against a proposed road that would raze her local forest. Little did she know that the man in charge of the program was Putin’s judo coach and close friend. As her campaign took off, a newspaper editor who helped her by publishing articles in his paper had his car bombed, his dog killed and was beaten so badly he lost a leg, is brain damaged and remains in a wheelchair.


Yevgenia Chirrikova was declared an “unfit mother” and officials threatened to put her young daughters into an orphanage. She posted a video online which caused such an outcry that officials backed off and she even won an apology. She is now a celebrity and has added her voice to the protest against Putin and his party United Russia.



Last month Putin went along to watch a martial arts tournament. After the match, when he took the microphone to congratulate the winner, the 20,000 crowd started booing and jeering him and he was so shocked he began to stumble over his words. Naturally, it was edited out on television but within hours, the real event went viral on the internet and 50 million internet uses in Russia saw it. No one can compete with this.



But Putin has delivered peace and economic growth to the people of Russia and surely that must count for something. When Communism ended, the people suffered terribly as living standards collapsed, criminal activity was rife and then along came Putin - the tough ex KGB man - just the man they needed to sort things out.


And he did, a new generation has grown up wealthy under Putin, he gave the people stability, prosperity and pride in their country. But 12 years is a long time to be calling the shots, some would say too long.


Because the constitution states that only two terms may be served as President, he swapped jobs with his puppet Dimitry Medvedov but when he recently announced that he would run again for the Presidency next year, his luck ran out. The people have had enough of the same old corruption and want a fresh start with a new leader. I hope Putin has enough sense to see the writing on the wall.

US troops pull out of Iraq

Iraq’s vice president Tariq al-Hashemi is a Sunni Muslim and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is a Shiite. Fourteen bombs exploded across Baghdad during rush hour last Thrusday, killing at least 72 people and the two leaders are blaming each other for the shocking terrorist attack. Prime Minister Maliki, who is a member of the Shiite majority, has issued a warrant for Hashemi's arrest.



Hashemi is convinced the PM is on a mission to wipe out his political opponents and has hired personal bodyguards to run a death squad. He said "After the Americans decided to pull out, he felt free to try to get rid of his political rivals and opponents and critics - this is why he started with me, in due course he will continue with others." Hashemi also says the United States should shoulder some of the blame, because of the style of management left in place after the withdrawal of its troops.


President Obama says he has no intention of sending troops back to Iraq, even if sectarian violence and political upheaval disintegrate into civil war. He said the US had given Iraqis an opportunity and what they do with that opportunity is up to them.


Vice-President Biden talked to Mr. Maliki; Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni political leader; and Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish leader and urged them to organize a meeting of Iraq’s top political leaders, from Mr. Maliki on down, with the message that “you all need to stop hurling accusations at each other through the media and actually sit together and work through your competing concerns.” American officials say that Mr. Talabani is the best person to convene such a meeting, because he is respected by the most Iraqis.


All hope now lies in the ability of Prime Minister Maliki to hold together a coalition government made up of bitter enemies who have hated each other for generations. Dare we hope that it is possible for them to stop the hatred and agree to live in peace?

New Azaria Chamberlain Inquest

When baby Azaria Chamberlain died in mysterious circumstances at Ayres Rock in 1980, many Australians were quick to believe that something fishy was going on, especially when they learned that Michael Chamberlain was a pastor of a religion they didn’t know much about – the Seventh Day Adventists.


The general consensus of the media was that the Chamberlains had killed their baby so they ran newspaper articles and television interviews to support this theory. Azaria meant “Sacrifice in the Desert” they said when in fact it was Hebrew for “Blessed of God”. Lindy often dressed the baby in black which had sinister connotations, there was no way that a dingo would take a sleeping baby from a tent and then the clincher – the expert witness who said that blood found in the Chamberlain’s car was foetal. Everyone seemed satisfied that justice was done, Linda was found guilty and sent to prison and Michael was found to be an accessory after the fact.


It didn't matter that there were attacks on children around the Rock leading up to Azaria's death, earlier that month a three year old girl was seized around the head by a dingo and dragged from the family car. Chief ranger Derek Roff posted notices around the camp area, motels, visitors' block and store to warn people not to feed the dingoes.


NT Coroner Elizabeth Morris will hold a fresh inquest into Azaria’s disappearance in February and this time, they will focus on new evidence about dingo attacks on infants and children. Clinton Gage was killed by two dingoes on Fraser Island in 2001 and a three year old girl was stalked by a pack of dingoes, pinned to the ground and bitten on both legs. The Coroner said that no witnesses would be called but evidence would be tendered and submissions received.


After 30 years, three inquests, a trial, a royal commission and a pardon, let’s hope they get it right this time.

Asylum Seeker Solution Possible

Thank God the government has agreed to sit down with Tony Abbott to thrash out a deal on asylum seekers. Minister Chris Bowen said he believes Scott Morrison is a man of good faith and is hoping they can agree and get on with stopping the boats.



But Tony Abbott is still saying the Malaysian plan won’t work and is pushing Nauru, temporary protection visas and turning boats around where it’s safe to do so. The government won’t have a bar of TPV’s or turning the boats around so dare we hope for a resolution?



Mr Bowen thinks Nauru will send a message to asylum seekers that it is just a delayed detour to Australia, if they are prepared to wait long enough, they will eventually get their visas. However, knowing they will be sent to Malaysia will be enough deterrent to change their minds about coming. To my mind, this doesn't sound unreasonable.



Scott Morrison said the government could begin organizing the re-opening of Nauru with just one phone call and TPV’s could be implemented without legislation, before Christmas.